Phase 1 · Discovery · Clarity Begins Here
Operational Triage & Priority Reset
A business in crisis is doing too many things for the resources it has. Triage is the discipline of deciding which things to keep doing and which to stop — before the choice is made by running out of money.
Operational triage and priority reset is the structured process of rapidly assessing all the activities a distressed business is undertaking and making clear, evidence-based decisions about which to continue, which to reduce, which to stop, and which to exit — ensuring that the remaining resources are directed to the activities that generate the most revenue and consume the least cost in the shortest timeframe. We do the triage that the business in crisis is too close to the situation to do itself.
The Pain We Solve
You may recognise yourself in one of these.
Three audience scenarios · because the same service produces a different transformation depending on where you are in the business journey.
Scenario 1
The business in crisis that is still trying to do everything it did when it had full resources
The team is smaller. The cash is lower. The market conditions are harder. And the business is still pursuing the same range of products, services, geographies, and customer segments it pursued when the conditions allowed it. The spread of activity is consuming the resources that survival requires.
Scenario 2
The business that does not know which of its activities is profitable and which is consuming cash without generating adequate return
Profitability has never been calculated at the product, service, or customer segment level. The business knows its overall position but not which parts of the business are generating margin and which are not. The triage cannot be done without that information.
Scenario 3
The founder who is unwilling to make the product, market, or customer decisions that the operational triage would require
The triage is clear from the outside. The founder's attachment to certain products, certain markets, or certain customer relationships is preventing the decisions that the evidence requires. The external perspective that the triage provides is what makes those decisions possible.
The Impact It Creates
The Moment You Will Feel the Difference.
Resources concentrated on the activities that generate the most return in the least time
Non-performing activities stopped before they consume cash the business cannot afford to spend
Clear operational priorities agreed by the leadership team and communicated to the organisation
Business simplified to the core that can survive and from which recovery can be built
What You Receive
The Specific Deliverables.
Tangible outputs · documented, dated, and yours to keep.
- Activity profitability analysis — contribution margin by product, service, and customer
- Operational activity map — everything the business is currently doing
- Triage assessment — continue, reduce, stop, or exit for each activity
- Priority reset plan — operational focus and resource allocation
- Activity exit plan for non-core operations
- Simplified operating model for the recovery period
The Outcome
Where You Will Be on the Other Side.
The business operates with a simplified, focused model that directs all available resources to the activities that generate the most revenue and margin — with the non-essential activities stopped, the loss-making ones exited, and the operational priorities clear to everyone in the organisation.
Primary Focus
Rapidly assessing all operational activities and resetting priorities to concentrate resources on the activities that generate the most revenue and margin in the least time.
KPI Measurement
- Activity profitability improvement post-triage
- Resources redirected to priority activities
- Non-performing activities stopped
- Revenue per operational resource post-triage
- Cash burn reduction from activity rationalisation
Investment & ROI
Pricing Engineered Around the Value You Create.
Every engagement is sized against the value we believe we can create with you · the fee is always a fraction of the outcome. Four tiers · so the investment matches your stage of business.
Tier 1
Foundations
£5,000 – £15,000
Right for
Pre-startup, startup, and micro-business founders ready to build on evidence rather than instinct.
Typical Value Created
£50K – £500K avoided in misdirected launches and bad bets
Engagement
4 – 8 weeks
Target Return
5 – 10× ROI
within 12 – 18 months
Tier 2
Acceleration
£15,000 – £50,000
Right for
Growing SMEs and established small businesses ready to scale a working model into the next revenue band.
Typical Value Created
£250K – £2M of better-informed launch decisions and faster market traction
Engagement
8 – 16 weeks
Target Return
5 – 10× ROI
within 12 – 18 months
Tier 3
Transformation
£50,000 – £250,000
Right for
Medium enterprises and scale-stage businesses ready to commit to a multi-quarter, organisation-wide shift.
Typical Value Created
£1M – £25M in strategic pivots de-risked and new categories validated
Engagement
3 – 9 months
Target Return
5 – 10× ROI
within 12 – 18 months
Tier 4
Enterprise
£250,000 – £2M+
Right for
Large enterprises, global operators, and complex organisations ready for a multi-year strategic partnership.
Typical Value Created
£5M – £100M+ in optimised market entry, M&A diligence, and category positioning
Engagement
12 months and onward
Target Return
5 – 10× ROI
within 12 – 18 months
Why We Price This Way
Every engagement is sized around the value we believe we can create with you. The fee is always a fraction of the outcome · typically 10 – 20% of the expected first-year return.
This is how we make sure pricing aligns with results. The conversation is never “what does this cost?” · it is always “what is this worth to your business?” We answer that together in the first call, transparently, and decide the right tier from there.
If we cannot articulate a credible 5–10× return for your specific situation, we will tell you in the first call. That honesty is part of why our clients trust us with the work that matters most.
Why This Conversation Matters
“The business in crisis that tries to be everything it was is the business that fails to be anything it needs to be. Triage is the discipline that saves the best of what exists by being honest about what cannot survive. We do the triage — and the business does the surviving.”
A 90-minute structured strategy session · produces a usable roadmap whether you engage further or not.
More in Phase 1