Engagement tiers

One embedded partnership. Three tiers.

Every engagement follows the same path. The tier reflects the complexity of the firm. Exact scope and cadence are tailored during our consultation. Pricing ranges are shared on our first call.

How an engagement works

The same structure at every tier.

Month 1

Onboarding and operational assessment

I map how your firm actually operates, including workflows, technology and vendors, and compliance documentation, and where the friction is costing you capacity.

The deliverable: a prioritized 90-day roadmap with milestones, owners, and success metrics.

Month 2+

Ongoing fractional COO partnership

I own the operational strategy, roadmap, and cadence; your team carries out the work with clear direction and documented playbooks. The roadmap is refreshed quarterly.

Strategic implementation planning and vendor oversight are part of the engagement, not a separate invoice.

Engagement tiers

Choose the level of partnership that fits your firm.

Essentials

Building the operational foundation

Best fit

Founder-led independent and hybrid RIAs that need a clear operating cadence and a practical roadmap.

What you can expect

Month 1 operational assessment and prioritized 90-day roadmap
Core workflow documentation and SOPs
Vendor and technology oversight
Operating cadence and KPI snapshot
Regular strategy sessions and quarterly roadmap refresh

Growth

Scaling operations to match firm ambition

Best fit

Growing independent and hybrid RIAs with multiple advisors, active initiatives, or a maturing operating model.

What you can expect

Everything in Essentials
Multi-workstream assessment and 12-month operating plan
Technology and AI roadmap with rollout planning
Multi-advisor org design and role definition
Custom KPI framework and transition readiness

Enterprise

Full operational leadership for complex firms

Best fit

Larger independent and hybrid RIAs with significant operational complexity, strategic growth plans, or major transitions ahead.

What you can expect

Everything in Growth
Firm-wide, multi-year strategic roadmap
Technology governance, controls, and audit-trail structure
Capital efficiency, margin, and profitability modeling
M&A diligence, integration, and succession planning
Valuation readiness, peer benchmarking, and board-ready reporting

Side by side

Tier comparison

	Essentials	Growth	Enterprise
Best fit	Founder-led RIAs building operational discipline	Multi-advisor RIAs scaling the operating model	Complex RIAs needing full operational leadership
Scope	Core operations and 90-day roadmap	Operations, systems, and growth strategy	Full operating model, governance, and strategic planning
Roadmap horizon	90-day priorities	12-month operating plan	Multi-year strategic roadmap
Technology	Vendor oversight and workflow alignment	Technology and AI roadmap with rollout planning	Governance, controls, and audit-trail structure
Org and transition support	Workflow and role clarity	Multi-advisor org design and transition readiness	M&A, succession, valuation, and corporate restructuring
Performance insight	Operational KPI snapshot	Custom KPI framework	Capital efficiency, margin, and peer benchmarking
Commitment	Month-to-month	Month-to-month	Month-to-month
Exit notice	30 days	30 days	30 days

Month-to-month after Month 1

Exit with 30 days written notice

Strategic implementation included, with no separate project invoices

Not sure which tier matches your firm's current stage?

Every engagement begins with a 30-minute operational discovery call. We review your custodian, tech stack, and team bottlenecks to recommend the right cadence.

Book a 30-minute discovery call

Is this a fit?

Built for a specific kind of firm.

A strong fit

Founder-led RIAs where growth is outpacing the operating model.
Firms preparing for a custodian change, merger, or succession transition.
Founders who want operations led strategically, with their team doing the work.
Firms willing to adopt new workflows and hold them in place.

Probably not the right fit

Firms looking for someone to handle day-to-day operational tasks.
A one-time software install with no change in how the team works.
Compliance or legal counsel, which belongs with a specialist firm.
Firms not ready to involve their team in changing how work gets done.

Standalone projects

For major, one-time operational change.

For a major one-time transaction or transformation, the strategy, sequencing, and playbook are scoped separately as a fixed-fee project.

Technology stack migrations

Platform conversions, portfolio-history cleanup, and transitions to institutional technology such as Orion, Addepar, or Black Diamond.

Pre- and post-M&A integrations

Operational harmonization of an acquired RIA book or an incoming breakaway team: systems, workflows, CRM, billing, payroll, and benefits.

RIA registration transition support

Operational support for a state-to-SEC registration transition: workflows, client documents, records, and audit-trail structures. Compliance and filings remain with the firm's CCO and counsel.

Corporate restructuring and comp design

Partner-transition frameworks, advisor incentive models, organizational design, and fee-structure change support.

Not sure which tier fits?

Every engagement starts with a 30-minute conversation.

Share where the firm is headed and where operations are getting in the way. We recommend the right fit based on your firm's specific situation, not just AUM.

Book a 30-minute virtual meeting

Confidential · No obligation