01Listen
Discovery
A conversation about your business, your goals and what keeps going wrong. We tell you honestly whether we can help.
- A call with you, the owner
- Your goals, in your words
- A clear yes or no on fit
How we work
Five stages. Then we step back.
Every engagement follows the same shape, sized to your business. You always know what stage we are in, what we need from you, and what comes next.
01 The engagement model
From first call to hand off.
02Look closely
Diagnosis
We look at how the business really runs. We talk with your team, watch the work and look at the numbers you already have.
- Interviews with your team
- Time where the work happens
- A short, honest findings report
03Decide
Plan
Together we choose the few changes that matter most and put them in order. Every item gets an owner and a date.
- A one-page plan
- Priorities in a clear order
- Owners for every item
04Build
Implement
We do the work with you and your team: mapping, writing, coaching and testing, until the new way is the normal way.
- Regular working sessions
- Coaching for you and your leads
- A weekly rhythm to track progress
05Let go
Hand off
Your team owns the plan, the processes and the rhythm. We step back on purpose and check in to make sure it holds.
- A clean hand over session
- Everything documented and shared
- A follow-up check in
That is the whole model.
No surprises, no endless retainers. If you want ongoing help after hand off, we can talk about fractional COO support.
Start with discovery02 Ground rules
How we behave on every engagement.
These are promises about how we work, not about results. Results depend on the work we do together.
- A
We tell you the truth
Even when it is about you. Kindly, privately, and with a way forward.
- B
We build with your people
The fix is designed with the people who will run it. That is why it lasts.
- C
We keep it simple
If a process needs a manual to explain, it is too complicated. One page wins.
- D
We plan our own exit
From the first week, we work toward the day you do not need us.
03 Who does what
Clear roles, from the start.
We practice what we preach. Here is who owns what during an engagement.
| Who | Owns | Time it takes |
|---|---|---|
| You, the owner | The goals, the big decisions, and backing the changes in front of the team. | Most at the start, then key moments. |
| Your leads | Running the new processes, roles and weekly rhythm day to day. | Working sessions plus their normal week. |
| Your team | Showing us how the work really happens, and testing the new way. | Short interviews and trials. |
| Squareknot | Asking the questions, drawing the maps, writing it up, coaching and keeping momentum. | As agreed in the plan. |
04 In the room
Working sessions, not presentations.
Most of our time with your team is spent at a whiteboard or a wall of sticky notes, sorting out what really happens and what should. Everyone leaves with a task and a date.
05 Stage one
Every engagement starts with a call.
Discovery is a real conversation, not a sales pitch. Bring the messy version. We will listen first.
Book a discovery call