The Diagnostic
A structured two-week deep-dive into your business. Most business owners know something is wrong. The Diagnostic tells you what it actually is.
What it is
Most operational problems are not what business owners think they are. The symptom is visible. The cause is usually one layer deeper, sitting in how decisions get made, who owns what, or how work actually moves through the business.
The Diagnostic is a fixed-scope engagement. I talk to the people who matter, read what exists, and map what is actually happening versus what the org chart says should happen. The output is a written document you can act on, not a slide deck built for a presentation and forgotten the next week.
It is designed to be low-friction to say yes to, and high-value from day one.
What you get
01
Where decision-making is breaking down. Who owns what, and where ownership is unclear or overlapping. Where the owner is the bottleneck, and why.
02
The difference between what the business thinks the problem is and what the problem actually is. Named clearly, with evidence from conversations and what I observe.
03
What to fix first, and why. Sequenced by impact and effort. No 20-point plan. A short list of the things that will actually move the needle in the next 90 days.
04
A 90-minute working session to walk through findings, stress-test the logic together, and agree on what comes next. You leave with clarity, not homework.
How it works
Week 0
Intake and framing
You complete a short intake document covering the business, the team, and what you believe the core problem is. This shapes who I talk to and what I look for. I review any existing materials: org charts, operating documents, financial summaries.
Week 1
Conversations and observation
I run structured conversations with the owner and three to five key people inside the business. These are not interviews. They are working conversations designed to surface what is actually happening, not a structured Q&A with predetermined questions.
Week 2
Analysis and writeup
I synthesise what I have learned into a written assessment. This is not a summary of conversations. It is a diagnosis with a point of view: what the structural problem is, why it exists, and what to do about it.
Readout
Working session
We meet for 90 minutes to walk through the findings. You can push back, ask questions, and work through the implications. The goal is that you leave with a clear view of what to do, not a document that sits in a folder.
Investment
Fixed fee
$5K–$8K
AUD, depending on business complexity
Confirmed at the end of the intro call, once I understand the scope. Invoiced 50% upfront, 50% on delivery of the written assessment. No surprises.
The Diagnostic is deliberately positioned as a low-friction first step. It is priced so a business owner can say yes without a board conversation. It is also how I make sure the engagement is worth doing for both of us before committing to something larger.
Is this right for you
You have grown past the point where one person can hold everything, and the cracks are starting to show.
You have raised or are preparing to raise, and need the operating layer to match the business you are pitching.
Something is broken but you cannot put your finger on exactly what. Decisions are slow, things fall through, good people are underperforming.
You are thinking about a significant hire or restructure and want an independent view before committing.
Revenue is in the $2M to $12M range and the business is starting to break in ways it did not before.
Start here
We work out whether this is the right fit and what the scope looks like. No pitch. The proposal comes after the call, if it makes sense for both of us.