Strategic Advisory gives owners, CEOs and founders a senior sounding board on priorities, major decisions, growth and accountability, from someone who has run the business himself.
Who is it for?
Owners and CEOs of founder-led and family-owned companies, roughly 20 to 250 employees, who want experienced judgment beside them as they make the calls. It also suits startup founders who need senior input in a few high-value hours, and leaders of investor-backed companies preparing for a board, a raise or a major decision.
When does it fit?
- "I'm still the bottleneck for most decisions, and I want a professionally managed company."
- "We need clearer priorities and a practical plan for the next 12 to 24 months."
- "I have a major decision coming, an acquisition, a raise or a new market, and I want someone who has done it."
- "We're preparing for an equity or debt raise and need to be ready for investors."
What's included?
Advisory is shaped around your decisions, not a fixed program. Depending on the engagement, it can include:
- Regular working sessions on priorities, decisions and progress
- A 90-day or 12-month operating plan
- A KPI scorecard and a monthly, quarterly and annual review cadence
- Preparation for board meetings and investor conversations, including a board or investor reporting package
- Investor-readiness materials before a raise
- Review of organizational structure, key hires and role definitions
Formats and typical length
- Executive Advisory: hourly, with a one-hour minimum, for a specific question.
- Strategy Session: a focused two-hour working session.
- Executive Strategy Intensive: a half-day or full-day working session on one major issue.
- Advisory Block: a defined block of ten hours, used as needed.
- Advisory retainers: Executive Advisor or Strategic Advisor+, depending on how much access you need. Month to month, with a three-month minimum.
Every engagement is scoped and priced in writing after a first conversation.
Who does the work?
Strategic Advisory is led by me personally. Where the advice turns into hands-on work, such as building a reporting package or a plan, the M2 Ventures team can carry it out under my direction and review. All engagements are contracted and billed through M2 Ventures.
How does an engagement start?
- You send a short note about the business and what you need.
- I reply within two business days, with times for a call.
- We talk for 30 minutes, at no cost, about whether and how I can help.
- If it's a fit, I send a written scope and proposal.
Relevant experience
- Served as sole executive officer of a 100+ person company and as co-founder and CEO of a venture-backed, multi-state operating company.
- Reported to an eleven-member investor board and a five-member shareholder board, and serve on a board today.
- Installed annual strategic planning, budgets and a monthly, quarterly and annual review rhythm.
- Led five M&A transactions and prepared founders for $15M+ in completed equity raises.
See it in practice: Professionalizing a founder-led manufacturer and retailer.
Frequently asked questions
What does a strategic advisor do for a CEO?
A strategic advisor helps a CEO set priorities, think through major decisions and hold the leadership team accountable, without taking over the role. I bring the perspective of someone who has run companies, so the advice is practical and tied to execution.
How is Strategic Advisory different from consulting?
Strategic Advisory is ongoing guidance across many decisions; consulting is a defined project on one problem. An advisory engagement can add a consulting project when a specific need comes up.
Do you advise startups?
Yes. Startup founders usually work with me through the shorter formats: hourly advisory, a Strategy Session, an Intensive or an Advisory Block. I've founded and co-founded businesses from inception and invest at the angel, pre-seed and seed stages.
How are advisory engagements priced?
Advisory is priced by format and level of access: by the hour, by the session, as a block of hours or as a monthly retainer. The price is agreed in writing after a first conversation.
Can you help us prepare for an equity raise?
Yes. I help founders get investor-ready: the plan, the reporting, the materials and the story behind the numbers. I've raised $20M+ for my own ventures and prepared founders for $15M+ in completed equity raises.
How much time do retainers include?
Each retainer includes a set amount of access, written into the scope: how often we meet and which deliverables are included. Strategic Advisor+ includes more access than Executive Advisor.
Ready to talk? Discuss an Engagement
What clients and colleagues say
“Matthew is one of the best operators I know. He provides the steadiest of hands in a very shaken industry.”
“Matthew leads with business intelligence, not hype. He helps leaders across the supply chain find opportunities for positive change, execute, and reach stability while keeping the long-term goal in view.”