THE FIRST STEP
Two to four weeks to know exactly what is going on.
The Diagnostic is the first step for everyone we work with. A fixed-fee, bounded piece of work that gives you a straight answer to each of the four questions, and a plan you can act on whether or not you work with us afterwards.
AT A GLANCE
LENGTH
Two to four weeks
FEE
Fixed, agreed in writing before you commit
WHAT YOU GIVE
Access to the numbers and agreements that matter, and time with the people who know the business best
WHAT YOU GET
A written read, a prioritised plan, and a session to go through it together
Barrister & Solicitor
High Court of New Zealand
Law and architecture degrees
University of Auckland
Built and run our own business
Founded 2016, no inherited client base
Our key advisor
Anita Menzies leads, with a team of specialists behind her
WHAT MAKES IT DIFFERENT
Not an audit. Not a pitch. A read you can act on.
One method, every time
The same four questions are asked of every business, so the read is never limited to what an advisor happens to notice.
Nothing to gain from your answer
Our fee is fixed and agreed before we start, so what we tell you is not shaped by what might come next.
A bench, not a lone voice
Finance, marketing and data specialists join where the read needs them, and you still deal with one person.
WHAT HAPPENS
Five steps, each one clear before it begins
01
Scoping
A short conversation and a list of what we need to see.
02
Review
A focused look at the numbers and agreements that matter. A working diagnosis, not a full audit.
03
Conversations
Structured interviews with you and the people who know the business best.
04
The read
A written report organised around the four questions, with a prioritised plan.
05
The session
You go through it together, in person or by video, with time to ask what you want.
THE WRITTEN READ
What you receive at the end
Every Diagnostic is written up around the same four questions, so nothing depends on what an advisor happens to notice. This is the structure of the read.
01
Where does the money actually go?
Where margin is made and lost, and the cash movements behind it.
02
What only works because you’re in the room?
The decisions, relationships and know-how that stop if you step away.
03
What’s still running on a handshake?
The arrangements resting on goodwill, ranked by how much depends on them.
04
What decision is coming that the business isn’t ready for?
The decision on the horizon, tested against what the business can carry today.
WHO IT IS FOR
Three owners who start here
One big decision ahead
You want an outside view before you commit.
A business that has outgrown how it runs
Everything still comes back to you, and you can feel the ceiling.
Something is wrong, and you want the full picture
You would rather know before you act.
QUESTIONS OWNERS ASK
The Diagnostic, answered
What is a business diagnostic?
A business diagnostic is a bounded, fixed-fee review of how a business really runs: where the money goes, what depends on the owner, what rests on informal agreements, and what decision is coming. It ends with a written read and a prioritised plan.
How long does a Diagnostic take?
Two to four weeks, depending on the size of the business and how quickly the numbers and agreements can be shared.
Do I have to work with you afterwards?
No. The Diagnostic stands on its own. Many owners go on to work with us; some take the plan and run with it.
Is it confidential?
Yes, from the first conversation. You decide who else knows.
How is the fee set?
As a fixed fee, agreed in writing before you commit, so you know the cost before the work starts. We will walk you through it on your first conversation.
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.