The thing holding them back usually isn’t what they think.
Someone reaches out because growth has slowed. They think they need more leads, a better website, or help with marketing. Half an hour later we’re talking about leadership, pricing, customer experience, or why everyone on the team is working hard but somehow pulling in different directions.
That’s the work I love.
Understanding what’s preventing businesses from growing.
People usually think they’re calling about marketing.
Sometimes they are.
More often, they’re calling because something isn’t working the way it used to. Leads have slowed down. Sales aren’t as consistent. Growth has levelled off. They know something needs to change; they’re just not sure what.
That’s where we start.
Not with a recommendation. Not with a plan. Just a conversation about what’s going on in the business.
Sometimes we discover the answer is marketing.
Sometimes it isn’t.
I’ve lost count of the number of conversations that started with one problem and ended somewhere completely different.
People usually think they’re calling about marketing.
That’s fair. It’s the easiest thing to point at.
The website isn’t doing much. Leads have slowed down. Business isn’t growing as quickly as it used to. So the assumption is, “We need marketing.”
Sometimes they’re right.
Actually… not as often as you’d think.
I remember one conversation where we spent almost the whole first half hour talking about lead generation. By the end of the call we weren’t talking about marketing at all. We were talking about the fact that nobody on the leadership team was making decisions because everyone was waiting for someone else.
Marketing wasn’t the problem.
It was simply where the frustration showed up.
I’ve had conversations where we ended up talking about pricing. Others where the issue turned out to be hiring. One business had created so many processes over the years that nobody could explain why they were doing half of them anymore.
That’s the part I enjoy.
Not because I like finding problems.
Because I like finding the right one.
People ask me all the time who I work with.
The short answer?
Businesses that are ready to look beyond the obvious.
I’ve worked with real estate companies, manufacturers, nonprofits, professional services, conferences, educators…after twenty-five years, you stop paying much attention to industry.
I’m far more interested in how the business works than what the business does.
It’s a fair question. So why do people call me?
I don’t think it’s because I have all the answers. It’s because I’m comfortable admitting I don’t know the answer until I’ve taken the time to understand the business.
I’ve never believed in walking into a room with a favourite framework or a solution looking for a problem. Every business is different, and I think they deserve to be treated that way.
Sometimes that means we end up working together. Sometimes it means I tell someone they don’t need me, or that someone else is better placed to help.
I’m comfortable with either outcome.
What matters to me is that, when we finish the conversation, you have more clarity than you did when we started. If we do decide to work together, you’ll know I’ll tell you what I think—even when it’s uncomfortable—because that’s the only way I know how to work.
The first conversation isn’t a sales call.
It’s a chance for both of us to see what’s going on, what’s getting in the way, and whether I’m the right person to help. If I am, great. If I’m not, I’ll tell you.