A second opinion before a big decision
Before you commit to the big call, get an outside view that has nothing to gain.
Some decisions are too consequential, or too loaded, to settle entirely inside the business. The people around you have a stake in the answer, and your accountant has a relationship to protect. Our key business advisor, Anita Menzies, has made calls like this herself, and we have no reason to tell you anything but what we see.
Want to know how it works first? See how we work.
Decisions this is built for
An acquisition, a merger or a sale
Where the price, the timing and the people all pull in different directions.
A major hire, a partner exit or succession
Where the answer affects people you work beside every day.
A capital raise or a new lender
Where the terms you accept shape the next five years.
A restructure or a new market
Where you are committing the business to a different shape.
Any decision that is expensive to undo
If getting it wrong would be costly, it deserves a second set of eyes.
Why an outside view matters
Your team has a stake
They will tell you what they think you want to hear, or what suits them.
Your advisors have relationships to protect
Your accountant, your lawyer and your banker each see one part of the picture.
You are too close
After months inside a decision, you can no longer see what you have assumed.
We have none of those. That is the whole point of asking us.
How it works
1
We understand the decision
What you are deciding, what is driving the timeline, and what has already been assumed.
2
We read what sits behind it
The numbers, the agreements and the people the decision depends on, measured against four questions.
3
We challenge it
One focused session in which we test the assumptions and say plainly what we see.
4
We put it in writing
A clear, prioritised read you can take into the room with you.
Exactly what working with us looks like
Every phase has defined steps and written deliverables, agreed before it starts. See each one on How we work.
2016
Anita built her own advisory firm from nothing
$1M+
Client revenue passed $1 million within five months of putting systems in place
Across NZ
Struggling shopping centres revamped
Law and design
Bachelor of Laws, Bachelor of Architecture, practising Barrister and Solicitor
Questions owners ask
Is this a full engagement?
No. It is built around the one decision in front of you, not a broader programme you do not need.
Will you speak to my team or my accountant?
Only if you ask us to. The conversation starts with you, in confidence.
What if you disagree with my plan?
We say so, plainly, and explain why. That is what you are asking for.
How long does it take?
The Diagnostic takes two to four weeks. If your decision has a deadline, tell us in the first conversation and we will say honestly whether the timing works.
What does it cost?
The Diagnostic is a fixed fee, agreed in writing before it starts. We will give you the figure in your first conversation, so there are no surprises.
Facing a big call?
Talk it through with us in confidence. No obligation, no pitch.