Small bench, few engagements, honest no's.

Taking equity means we can only be wrong a few times. So we are direct about fit — usually within one call.

Series A to C, post product-market fit, with revenue that is growing faster than the operating model.

A single owner of the decision — a founder or exec with P&L responsibility who can say yes in the room.

One consequential question: enter a market, move manufacturing, restructure channel, rebuild the operating model.

A real clock — a board date, a raise, a supplier contract, a season.

Room for a small non-voting stake and an investor base comfortable with it.

Willingness to be argued with. The value is in the disagreement, not the deck.

Pre-revenue and pre-fit — you need customers, not an operating model.

Series D and beyond, where an in-house strategy function should own this.

Equity is off the table entirely. Understandable, and worth telling us on the first call.

The work is really a permanent hire in disguise.

You want a brand name on the cover for the board's benefit.

Not sure which side of the line you are on?

Send the question in two sentences. We will tell you honestly, and name someone better if it is not us.