Executive Summary

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Company Profile Summary

The company is a Canada‑wide, pre‑launch management consultancy helping organizations achieve operational excellence, stronger leadership, and innovation. Its 100% tailor‑made, human‑centered method pairs a Personalized Organizational Diagnostic (online or on‑site) with collaborative delivery to embed lasting management behaviors.

Ownership and leadership: Founded by Samuel Depres, a technologist with strong operating acumen who sets rigorous delivery standards and resonates with tech clients.

Investment case: The Canadian consulting market totals CAD 26.2B (2.4% CAGR, highly fragmented), creating room for specialized boutiques. The model is low‑fixed‑cost, capacity‑disciplined, and oriented to measurable outcomes. A prudent ramp of 10–15 bespoke mandates annually, rising to 18–25 with selective hiring, at average engagement values of CAD 60–150k, supports a Year‑4/5 revenue run‑rate of ~CAD 1.3M (≈0.4% of a ~CAD 320M SAM in tech‑SME operations/leadership). Hybrid delivery across Canada reduces travel costs and speeds time‑to‑impact; capacity risk is mitigated by a structured intake diagnostic, phased roadmaps, and partner bandwidth.

Market Study Summary

Value to clients: For growing technology companies (10+ employees), the Personalized Organizational Diagnostic identifies performance levers and leadership gaps; follow‑on, bespoke programs co‑delivered with teams accelerate productivity, quality, and innovation cadence.

Market size and growth: Management Consulting in Canada generated CAD 26.2B in 2025 (+1.4% YoY; 2.4% CAGR, 2020–2025). Dedicated HR Consulting adds CAD 3.9B. Demand concentrates in Ontario (~48%), British Columbia (~17%), and Québec (~15%). Large enterprises buy most consulting today, while SMEs—the firm’s focus—are the fastest‑growing (≈31.5% of spend).

Target pool: Canada’s ICT sector counts 48,390+ firms and ~803,000 employees; ≈7,300–8,000 firms have 10+ employees—prime candidates for structured management‑process work. Digital‑transformation consulting services exceed USD 5.39B in Canada with double‑digit growth, reinforcing needs for operating‑model redesign and leadership upskilling. Remote/virtual is the fastest‑growing delivery mode.

Competition and differentiation: Key competitors include BDC Advisory Services (scale, financing; more programmatic), MNP (national mid‑market transformation; broader focus), and Kaizen Institute (Lean specialists; method‑centric). The firm’s fully bespoke, human‑centered approach avoids standardized playbooks and aligns closely with modern tech‑company leadership and culture requirements.

Marketing Strategy Summary

Target segments: Growing tech SMEs (typically 10+ employees) with average revenues in Ontario, Québec, and British Columbia; buyer personas include founders/CEOs, COOs/CTOs, and People/HR leaders.

Positioning and messages:

• 100% tailor‑made, non‑standardized solutions aligned to each organization’s reality.
• Human and collaborative delivery that builds internal capability and engagement.
• Measurable operational and leadership outcomes with faster time‑to‑impact via hybrid delivery.

Go‑to‑market tactics and channels:

• Lead with the Personalized Organizational Diagnostic (online or in person) as a low‑risk entry, producing a prioritized roadmap with quantified benefits.
• Convert diagnostics into multi‑month transformation and leadership programs delivered mostly remotely with targeted on‑site workshops in ON/QC/BC.
• Direct outreach and referral development within the ICT community; case‑based value stories emphasizing operational excellence and culture change.

Measurable objectives (first 24–36 months):

• Complete 15–20 diagnostics/year with 60–70% conversion into 10–14 bespoke mandates.
• Average engagement value CAD 60–150k; 70–80% hybrid/remote delivery.
• Geographic mix aligned to demand: ~50% Ontario, ~25% Québec, ~20% BC and other provinces; reach ~0.4% of SAM (~CAD 1.3M annual run‑rate) by Year 4–5.

Market Study

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1) Market size, growth, and key segments in Canada

• Overall consulting demand: Management Consulting in Canada generated CAD 26.2 billion in 2025, up 1.4% year over year and growing at a 2.4% CAGR over 2020–2025. Approximately 157,000 people work across roughly 76,000 businesses, underscoring a highly fragmented supplier landscape. Strategic management consulting is the largest service line.
• HR/people-adjacent advisory: Dedicated HR Consulting represents an additional CAD 3.9 billion industry in 2025 (separate IBISWorld category), relevant to leadership and culture mandates.
• Where demand is concentrated: Ontario, Québec and British Columbia account for the bulk of Canadian consulting revenues; Ontario alone captured about 48% in 2024, with BC at ~17% and Québec ~15% (directional split). On-site engagements still dominate but remote/virtual delivery is the fastest-growing mode. Large enterprises purchase most consulting, while SMEs are the fastest-growing client group.
• Target client pool dynamics (technology sector): Canada’s ICT sector includes 48,390+ companies, employs ~803,000 people, and contributed CAD 131.6 billion to GDP (≈5.8% of Canada’s economy) in 2024. The sector is heavily SME-based: ≈41,000 firms have fewer than 10 employees, implying ~7,300–8,000 firms with 10+ employees—prime candidates for structured management-process work.
• SME footprint overall: Canada counts ~1.1 million employer SMEs (98.1% of businesses), with Ontario and Québec holding the majority—aligning with the firm’s pan‑Canadian delivery model (online and in‑person) and focus on “growing, average‑revenue” organizations.

Complementary adjacent spending signals (useful for leadership and operating‑model engagements in tech)

• Canada’s digital transformation market (products, services, software) is expanding rapidly: estimates range from USD 59.0 billion in 2024 to USD 183.1 billion by 2029 (25.4% CAGR), with other sources placing 2024 revenue higher and services as the fastest-growing segment. While broader than management consulting, this spending pull sustains demand for operational excellence, leadership, and change support.
• Digital transformation consulting services in Canada are estimated at USD 5.39 billion in 2025 (≈11% CAGR to 2033), indicating a sizable advisory sub‑market that intersects with operating‑model, org, and leadership work in tech clients.

2) Quantitative profile of demand (demographic, geographic, behavioral)

• Client size: Large enterprises account for ≈68.5% of Canadian consulting spend; SMEs comprise ≈31.5% and are growing faster—consistent with a pre‑launch, bespoke model targeting “growing tech companies” with average revenues.
• Geography: Demand skews to Ontario (~48%), BC (~17%), and Québec (~15%), aligning with the firm’s ability to serve virtually nationwide and travel selectively for high‑impact in‑person work.
• Buying behavior: On‑site still dominates today, but virtual/remote delivery is the fastest-growing format—favorable to a hybrid diagnostic-and‑coaching offer. Operations consulting is among the fastest-growing service lines globally; clients increasingly expect quantifiable value and faster time‑to‑impact.
• Tech‑sector readiness: Federal programs launched in October 2024 support SME AI adoption; the ICT sector is talent‑dense (60% university‑educated workforce), innovation‑intensive (CAD 15.0B business R&D), and exhibits above‑average consulting intensity for operating‑model, leadership, and change.

3) TAM–SAM–SOM

All values are expressed in CAD unless otherwise noted. Where direct, Canada‑specific splits are unavailable, proportional estimates are stated transparently as inferences.

TAM (Total Addressable Market)

• Definition: All management consulting spend in Canada relevant to strategy, operating‑model/operational excellence, people/leadership, and innovation advisory.
• Size: CAD 26.2 billion in 2025 (entire Management Consulting in Canada).

SAM (Serviceable Addressable Market)

Definition and method: Portion of TAM aligned to (a) service scope (operational excellence + people/leadership development), (b) client type (SMEs), and (c) the technology sector focus.

Quantification (top‑down):

1. 1) Service mix filter: Operations consulting ≈29.8% of global consulting; HR/people‑adjacent work in Canada is a meaningful share. Using a conservative blended proxy of 45% of TAM for “operations + leadership/people” advisory. (Assumption, anchored to global service-line data and the separate size of HR consulting in Canada.)
2. 2) Client‑size filter: SMEs ≈31.5% of Canadian consulting revenue.
3. 3) Industry filter (tech): ICT share inferred at 8.5% of consulting demand, reflecting ICT’s 5.8% GDP share plus higher consulting intensity in tech. (Stated inference.)

Calculation: SAM ≈ 26.2B × 0.45 × 0.315 × 0.085 ≈ CAD 0.32B (≈ CAD 320 million).

Interpretation: This is the near‑core market for a boutique offering tailored to tech‑sector SMEs seeking operating‑model, leadership, and innovation/modern‑management support.

SOM (Serviceable Obtainable Market; 3–5 years)

Constraints and approach: Highly personalized delivery limits annual client volume. Assuming a compact delivery team, 10–15 bespoke mandates/year is prudent near term, scaling to 18–25 with selective hiring and partner capacity. With average engagement values of CAD 60–150k (mix of diagnostic + multi‑month transformation coaching), 3–5‑year revenue potential of CAD 1.0–1.8 million implies 0.3%–0.6% of the SAM. Target SOM: ≈0.4% of SAM ≈ CAD 1.3 million annually by Year 4–5, with upside if specialized programs in tech leadership and innovation are productized for online delivery. (Capacity‑based projection aligned to the firm’s bespoke model and hybrid delivery.)

4) Emerging trends and impact

• Productivity and cost‑out priorities sustain operations projects: Operations work is among the fastest‑growing consulting lines globally; buyers emphasize measurable productivity gains and faster ROI—matching a “diagnose‑and‑do” approach with co‑delivery alongside client teams.
• Digital transformation intensity in Canada: Rapid growth in digital‑transformation spend (25–30% CAGRs reported) is expanding demand for operating‑model redesign, change leadership, and talent upskilling—especially in tech SMEs adopting AI and automation. Advisory sub‑markets for transformation services in Canada exceed USD 5 billion.
• Remote and blended consulting: While on‑site still dominates today, remote/virtual is the fastest‑growing delivery mode—fitting a Canada‑wide footprint with lower travel time and improved speed‑to‑value for diagnostics and leadership programs.
• Talent and leadership modernization: North America leads global leadership development and executive coaching demand; Canadian corporate e‑learning is growing at >20% CAGR—supporting scalable, hybrid leadership programs for tech teams.
• Policy tailwinds: Federal initiatives to accelerate SME AI adoption create entry points for “people‑and‑process” advisory wrapped around technology shifts.

5) Direct competitors (Canada)

Competitor 1: BDC Advisory Services (Business Development Bank of Canada)

• Specialization and positioning: National SME‑focused advisory across operations, leadership/people, digital and strategy; unique in offering financing for advisory fees and a Canada‑wide bench of experts.
• Products/services: Operational efficiency mandates, leadership and management programs, digital adoption and certification support; can finance the cost of advisory services. Reported activity: 7,000+ projects over the last three years, ~500 experts, 93% client‑satisfaction metric.
• Approximate market share: Not publicly disclosed; advisory business line operates at an annual loss due to partial fee subsidization for SMEs (suggesting aggressive pricing vs. private boutiques).
• Strengths (with concrete examples):
  • Scale and reach: ~500 consultants nationwide and 7,000+ projects in three years enable rapid mobilization and templated rollouts for SMEs.
  • Price accessibility: Ability to finance consulting fees and partially subsidize costs (Advisory Services posted a CAD 39M net loss in 2022) lowers barriers for budget‑constrained SMEs.
• Weaknesses (facts/examples):
  • Standardization: Offerings include structured programs (e.g., Growth Driver, Data‑to‑AI) and templated workshops, which can be less tailored than a fully bespoke approach for tech scale‑ups.
  • Positioning breadth: Broad cross‑sector mandate (strategy to certifications) may dilute deep specialization in modern tech‑company leadership and innovation cultures sought by high‑growth digital firms.

Competitor 2: MNP – Enterprise Transformation (national professional services firm)

• Specialization and positioning: Mid‑market–oriented transformation with operating‑model design, transformation offices, and org/operational efficiency. Very large Canadian footprint via 150+ offices, 9,700+ team members, and expanding through acquisitions.
• Products/services: Enterprise strategy, operating‑model redesign, transformation program management, efficiency/operational excellence.
• Approximate market share: Not publicly disclosed. Given a fragmented CAD 26.2B market, individual firms typically hold low single‑digit shares nationally.
• Strengths (with concrete examples):
  • Coverage and bench strength: 150+ offices and 9,700+ personnel enable on‑the‑ground delivery across provinces—reducing travel time and speeding program kickoff for regional clients.
  • Momentum through M&A: Addition of 21 BDO offices (420 team members) in Dec‑2024 expands reach and capacity for multi‑site transformation work.
• Weaknesses (facts/examples):
  • Generalist breadth: As an accounting‑anchored multi‑service firm, transformation work competes with many internal priorities; boutiques can out‑specialize on culture/leadership in tech scale‑ups.
  • Potential fit for smaller tech SMEs: Engagement scale and processes geared to enterprise/mid‑market may not match the speed and intimacy preferred by 10–200 person tech firms seeking hands‑on leadership coaching.

Competitor 3: Kaizen Institute Canada (operational excellence/Lean specialist)

• Specialization and positioning: Lean/Kaizen transformations, continuous‑improvement training and consulting; offices in Calgary, Toronto, Vancouver; 40+ years of experience and 3,000+ clients globally. Sector focus includes healthcare, manufacturing, and logistics—relevant to process‑intensive tech ops teams.
• Products/services: Lean consulting, 5S, Six Sigma belts, change management and business analytics; public training calendar (e.g., Green Belt programs) supports capability building.
• Approximate market share: Not publicly disclosed; niche within the broader CAD 26.2B market.
• Strengths (with concrete examples):
  • Proven Lean toolset: Deep specialization in Lean methods (5S, flow, waste elimination) that typically compress cycle times and improve first‑pass yield in ops environments; structured belts and curricula ease adoption.
  • National presence and training leverage: Canadian offices plus standardized courses enable blended training + consulting for distributed teams.
• Weaknesses (facts/examples):
  • Method bias: Lean‑first frameworks can be perceived as prescriptive for non‑manufacturing digital contexts where leadership behavior, product cadence, and innovation practices are the main constraints.
  • Price‑sensitive substitutes: Public op‑ex training alternatives (e.g., CME/IOE six‑month virtual Operational Excellence program at CAD 885–1,770 per participant) can meet minimal needs without bespoke consulting—diverting limited budgets at smaller tech firms.

6) Strengths and weaknesses of competitors (cross‑cutting insights)

• Scale vs. fit: Large networks (BDC ~500 experts; MNP 150+ offices) scale quickly but can default to standardized playbooks. This creates space for fully tailor‑made, founder‑led engagements in tech SMEs where culture and leadership behaviors—not just processes—are the bottleneck.
• Pricing dynamics: Subsidized or programmatic offers (BDC) pressure boutique pricing; however, they also attract clients who later seek deeper, bespoke work once foundational gaps surface.
• Method orientation: Lean specialists deliver quantifiable process gains but may underweight modern leadership practices and innovation cadence essential in digital product companies—an opening for integrated leadership‑plus‑operations approaches.

7) Summary of competitive advantages (benefits to the client)

• 100% tailor‑made delivery vs. standardized programs: Diagnostic‑to‑design‑to‑delivery tailored to each tech client’s context increases adoption and reduces initiative fatigue—especially in 10–500-employee firms that have outgrown generic playbooks. This directly addresses the market’s shift toward measurable value from operations and leadership investments.
• Human‑centered, collaborative approach: Co‑delivery with client teams builds internal capability and cultural buy‑in, lowering dependence on outside consultants and improving sustainability of results—a key buyer concern in Canada’s SME segment.
• Hybrid access across Canada: Online plus targeted in‑person delivery aligns with the fastest‑growing consulting mode, compressing ramp‑up time and travel costs while still enabling on‑site workshops when needed.
• Tech‑savvy leadership focus: The founder’s strong technology background, combined with operating‑model and leadership development, aligns with Canada’s AI/digital adoption push and the ICT sector’s high human‑capital intensity—accelerating impact for growing tech companies.

Notes on sources and assumptions

• Market sizes and growth rates for Management Consulting and HR Consulting are from IBISWorld (May 2025 updates for Canada).
• Provincial splits, client‑size splits, and delivery‑mode trends reflect Canada‑ and North America‑focused market research (Mordor Intelligence). These provide directional, Canada‑specific figures where IBISWorld provides national totals.
• Digital transformation market and consulting‑services estimates are triangulated from multiple sources (Research and Markets/GlobeNewswire; Grand View Research; Cognitive Market Research). Figures vary by methodology; they are used here to indicate macro demand tailwinds relevant to operating‑model, leadership, and change work in tech companies.
• SAM and SOM are calculated transparently with stated inferences where Canada‑specific service‑line splits by industry are not publicly reported; they should be refined as primary data accumulates from early client work.

All currency amounts are shown in CAD unless otherwise stated.

Situation Analysis

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1) Industry Overview

Barriers to entry

• Credibility and scale in a fragmented market: Management consulting in Canada totals CAD 26.2 billion (2025) with roughly 76,000 businesses and 157,000 employees—signaling low structural barriers but high commercial barriers (brand, references, access to buyers). Large enterprises account for ≈68.5% of spend and typically require vendor prequalification and proven track records, which can deter new entrants. Example: national firms like MNP operate from 150+ offices with 9,700+ personnel, enabling rapid mobilization that boutiques must counter with sharper focus and speed.
• Price pressure from subsidized incumbents: BDC Advisory Services can finance fees and has posted advisory losses (e.g., CAD 39M in 2022), effectively subsidizing SME projects and setting aggressive price anchors. Example: BDC reports 7,000+ projects in three years with ~500 experts—scale and financing that shift client expectations on cost and timelines.
• Geographic reach and delivery expectations: Demand is concentrated in Ontario (~48%), British Columbia (~17%), and Québec (~15%). On‑site engagements still dominate, yet remote/virtual is the fastest‑growing mode—forcing new firms to operate hybrid models with secure digital delivery and selective travel. Example: hybrid capability is now a baseline buyer expectation in pan‑Canadian mandates.
• How the firm overcomes them: a tightly defined segment (tech SMEs with 10–500 employees), a 100% tailor‑made diagnostic delivered online or in person, and a clear capacity model (10–15 bespoke mandates/year at CAD 60–150k each) reduce go‑to‑market risk while building references in concentrated provinces (ON/QC/BC).

Differentiation factors

• Fully bespoke operating‑model and leadership work: Rather than standardized programs, the firm delivers a personalized organizational diagnostic (interviews, questionnaires, process reviews) with concrete recommendations and co‑delivery alongside client teams. This aligns with escalating buyer demands for measurable ROI from operations projects—one of the fastest‑growing consulting lines globally. Example: tailoring accelerates adoption and minimizes “initiative fatigue” in 10–500‑person tech firms that have outgrown generic playbooks.
• Human‑centered, collaborative method anchored in tech fluency: A founder with strong technological knowledge bridges leadership behavior, product cadence, and innovation practices—key constraints in digital organizations. Example: Canada’s ICT sector counts 48,390+ companies, 803,000 employees and CAD 131.6B GDP (≈5.8% of the economy); a tech‑savvy advisory approach improves credibility and speed to impact in this talent‑dense segment.
• Hybrid access at national scale: Online-first delivery with targeted on‑site workshops matches the fastest‑growing delivery mode and compresses time‑to‑value. Example: remote delivery supports rapid diagnostics across Ontario/Québec/BC while reserving travel for high‑leverage leadership sessions.

Opportunities and threats

Opportunities

• Expanding sub‑markets: Dedicated HR consulting adds ≈CAD 3.9B adjacent to core management consulting, while digital‑transformation consulting in Canada is ≈USD 5.39B (2025) and growing ≈11% CAGR—creating pull‑through for operating‑model, leadership and change work.
• Concentrated and tech‑skewed demand: ON/BC/QC house most revenues; ICT’s ≈7,300–8,000 firms with 10+ employees form a prime pool for structured management‑process engagements. A conservative SAM for tech‑SME operations + leadership is ≈CAD 320M; a realistic SOM target of ≈CAD 1.3M annually by Years 4–5 (~0.4% of SAM) is attainable with selective scaling.
• Policy tailwinds: New federal programs (Oct‑2024) to help SMEs adopt/adapt AI expand entry points for people‑and‑process advisory around technology shifts.

Threats

• Scale and pricing from national players: BDC’s financing and programmatic offers and MNP’s reach (150+ offices) can undercut pricing or out‑scale boutique teams. Lean specialists offer recognizable toolsets and public training (e.g., CME/IOE programs at CAD 885–1,770 per participant) that divert limited SME budgets.
• Procurement and proof requirements: Enterprise-dominated spend (≈68.5%) favors incumbents with references; SMEs are faster growing but remain price‑sensitive and demand faster ROI.
• Capacity constraints: Highly personalized delivery limits throughput (10–15 mandates/year initially), capping short‑term share capture unless supported by partner capacity or productized modules.

2) Key Market Trends

Hybrid and remote consulting becomes standard

• Context and importance: While on‑site still dominates today, virtual/remote delivery is the fastest‑growing mode across Canada. Provinces with concentrated demand (ON/BC/QC) and dispersed tech teams reinforce hybrid needs.
• Impact on the market: Buyers expect a mix of rapid online diagnostics, remote coaching, and punctuated on‑site workshops to compress timelines and costs.
• Impact on the firm: A hybrid diagnostic (online interviews/surveys + targeted site visits) shortens ramp‑up, increases national reach, and aligns with client expectations for speed‑to‑value.

Digital transformation and AI adoption in SMEs

• Context and importance: Canada’s digital‑transformation market is projected to grow from ≈USD 59.0B (2024) to ≈USD 183.1B by 2029 (≈25.4% CAGR). Federal programs launched in Oct‑2024 aim to accelerate SME AI adoption.
• Impact on the market: Technology spending drives operating‑model redesign, change leadership, and talent upskilling needs—particularly in tech‑intensive SMEs.
• Impact on the firm: Tech‑savvy leadership and operating‑model expertise position the firm to wrap people‑and‑process advisory around AI/automation initiatives, increasing mandate size (diagnostic + transformation coaching) and cross‑functional impact.

Productivity, cost‑out, and time‑to‑impact focus

• Context and importance: Operations is among the fastest‑growing consulting lines globally; clients increasingly demand quantifiable value and faster ROI.
• Impact on the market: Mandates are shifting to “diagnose‑and‑do” formats with clear KPIs, shorter cycles, and co‑delivery to build internal capability.
• Impact on the firm: The personalized organizational diagnostic and collaborative delivery model enable measurable performance gains and sustainable culture change—differentiating against templated programs.

Leadership development modernization and scalable learning

• Context and importance: North America leads leadership development and executive coaching demand; Canadian corporate e‑learning is growing >20% CAGR.
• Impact on the market: Blended leadership programs (virtual cohorts + coaching + on‑site interventions) are expanding, especially in fast‑growing tech teams.
• Impact on the firm: By productizing elements of leadership and innovation curricula for online delivery and layering bespoke coaching, the firm can expand capacity beyond 10–15 mandates/year and improve margins.

3) SWOT Analysis (FFOM)

Strengths

• 100% tailor‑made approach from diagnostic to execution, avoiding standardized models and increasing adoption in 10–500‑person tech organizations.
• Human‑centered, collaborative delivery that builds internal capabilities and strengthens team engagement—addressing buyer concerns about sustainability of results.
• Tech‑literate leadership and operating‑model expertise aligned to Canada’s ICT sector (48,390+ firms; 803,000 employees; CAD 131.6B GDP) and AI adoption tailwinds.
• Hybrid national delivery (online and in‑person), matching the fastest‑growing consulting mode and reducing travel/time to impact.
• Clear capacity design and pricing bands (CAD 60–150k per engagement) that support predictable unit economics and quality control as a boutique.
• Market‑aligned focus on measurable performance and leadership outcomes—meeting rising buyer expectations for ROI and speed.

Weaknesses

• Pre‑launch status limits brand recognition, case studies, and references—critical for enterprise procurement and even mid‑market vendor selection.
• Capacity constraints inherent to bespoke work (10–15 mandates/year initially) cap revenue capture and may extend lead times in peak periods.
• Dependence on founder for delivery quality and sales could create bottlenecks; requires early playbooks and partner bench to scale without dilution.
• Price sensitivity among SMEs, especially where subsidized alternatives (e.g., BDC, public op‑ex training) set lower price anchors.
• Limited standardized IP at inception may lengthen sales cycles; developing codified toolkits and metrics dashboards will be important to streamline delivery.

Opportunities

• Structural demand growth: Canadian management consulting (CAD 26.2B; 1.4% YoY; 2.4% CAGR 2020–2025) plus HR consulting (CAD 3.9B) and digital‑transformation consulting (≈USD 5.39B, ≈11% CAGR) expand the advisory pie relevant to operations, leadership, and change.
• Tech SME concentration: Approximately 7,300–8,000 ICT firms with 10+ employees present a defined, high‑fit segment for structured management‑process and leadership work.
• Policy tailwinds: Federal SME AI programs create immediate entry points for operating‑model redesign, change leadership, and capability building linked to AI adoption.
• Delivery innovation: Remote/virtual is the fastest‑growing mode; productizing parts of the diagnostic and leadership curriculum enables scale and access nationwide.
• Measurability advantage: Client expectation for demonstrable ROI favors bespoke interventions with clear KPIs; a standardized impact dashboard can differentiate against templates.
• Geographic focus: Ontario (~48% of spend), BC (~17%), and Québec (~15%) enable targeted business development and partnerships to accelerate pipeline conversion.

Threats

• Incumbent scale and pricing: BDC’s financing/subsidies and MNP’s national footprint intensify competition on price, speed, and perceived risk; Lean specialists offer recognizable certifications that appeal to process‑focused buyers.
• Budget cyclicality and procurement friction: Economic slowdowns can reduce discretionary consulting budgets; enterprise procurement favors known suppliers and longer cycles.
• Capacity and talent market: Recruiting senior consultants with both tech and leadership depth is competitive; wage inflation could pressure margins in a boutique model.
• Oversupply and substitution: A market with ~76,000 consulting businesses and abundant training alternatives (e.g., CAD 885–1,770 per participant programs) risks commoditization if differentiation is not maintained.
• Technology shifts: Rapid AI/automation advances may outpace static offerings; the firm must continuously update toolkits and ensure data privacy/security in remote diagnostics.

This analysis confirms strong alignment between a bespoke, human‑centered operating‑model and leadership offer and where Canadian consulting demand is growing fastest. Near‑term priorities include building references in ON/QC/BC, codifying IP to reduce delivery friction, and selectively productizing leadership programs to expand capacity beyond 10–15 annual mandates while targeting a Year 4–5 revenue run‑rate near CAD 1.3M (≈0.4% of SAM).

Marketing strategy

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Commercial objectives

Introduction

The firm’s vision is to drive lasting operational excellence and modern leadership practices in Canada’s technology sector through 100% bespoke, high‑impact engagements. Objectives are structured across short, medium and long term to align market entry, capacity growth and brand credibility with measured client impact. Clear targets and KPIs ensure disciplined execution, resource allocation, and competitive momentum in a fragmented CAD 26.2B consulting market with a CAD ~320M SAM for tech‑SME operations and leadership work.

Short‑term (0–12 months)

• Revenue and footprint: Secure 8–10 bespoke mandates across Ontario, Québec and British Columbia with an average fee of CAD 75k–100k, reaching CAD 0.65–0.85M in revenue. Achieve a 70/30 virtual–in‑person delivery mix, a 2x qualified pipeline coverage, and a 25–35% proposal win rate. Track lead source attribution to concentrate spend on the top three performing channels.
• Market validation and expansion: Deliver the Personalized Organizational Diagnostic to 12 clients with a 15‑business‑day SLA and 90% on‑time performance. Convert ≥30% of diagnostics into multi‑month leadership and transformation coaching. Establish three channel partnerships (accelerators, ICT associations or AI‑adoption programs) generating ≥30 marketing‑qualified leads per quarter.
• Brand and proof of value: Publish four evidence‑based assets (e.g., playbooks, mini case notes) and host six webinars tailored to tech SMEs. Target client NPS ≥65 and secure three public client testimonials or anonymized impact snapshots (e.g., cycle‑time, quality or engagement improvements) to underpin credibility versus standardized competitors.

Medium‑term (12–36 months)

• Scale with quality: Grow to 12–15 mandates per year and CAD 1.1–1.4M in revenue while sustaining ≥55% gross margin and ≥70 NPS. Improve win rate to ≥35% and reduce average sales cycle to 60–75 days. Maintain ≥50% of work from renewals or referrals to confirm client loyalty.
• Productization for leverage: Launch two cohort‑based online leadership programs tailored to tech teams, achieving ≥100 enrollments per year, 85% completion, and ≥15% of annual revenue. Integrate program KPIs (manager effectiveness, engagement, throughput) into a client dashboard for ongoing proof of value.
• Geographic depth: Build two anchor clients per province in ON/QC/BC and ensure 60%/25%/15% revenue distribution respectively. Establish a national reference base that supports selective expansion to Prairie/Atlantic tech corridors via virtual delivery.

Long‑term (36–60 months)

• SOM achievement and resilience: Reach CAD ~1.3M–1.8M annual revenue (≈0.4%–0.6% of the firm’s SAM), supported by 18–25 annual engagements through a flexible partner/associate bench. Sustain ≥50% repeat business and ≤5% client churn year‑over‑year.
• Impact leadership: Publish 20 anonymized outcome briefs demonstrating median 10–20% improvement in targeted operational or leadership KPIs within 90 days. Establish an outcomes library to differentiate against subsidized or templated offers and to de‑risk buyer decisions.
• Talent and capacity model: Build a core bench of 3–5 senior associates to maintain 70% utilization and on‑time delivery ≥95%. Implement structured knowledge assets (playbooks, templates) that reduce project ramp‑up time by 20% without compromising the bespoke nature of interventions.

Segmentation, targeting and positioning

Introduction

Effective segmentation, targeting and positioning ensure the firm deploys limited resources toward the highest‑yield opportunities in a fragmented market, while tailoring offers to client realities. This approach sharpens message–market fit, accelerates time‑to‑impact, and strengthens differentiation against standardized programs and large generalists.

Segmentation

Introduction

Segmentation is essential to convert a broad CAD 26.2B landscape into clear, actionable client groups. By clustering prospects with similar needs and buying behaviors, the firm can adapt its diagnostic, leadership and transformation offers to maximize adoption and measurable outcomes.

Segment 1: Scaling Tech SMEs (10–200 employees)

• Needs: Structure core management processes; upskill first‑line and mid‑level leaders; accelerate operating‑model readiness for AI/digital transformation without disrupting delivery.
• Demographics: Founder‑led or professionally managed tech firms in ON/QC/BC; 10–200 staff; revenue typically CAD 2M–50M; fast‑growing and resource‑constrained.
• Buying behaviors: Favor pilot diagnostics before larger work; value references and clear ROI; prefer hybrid (virtual‑first with targeted on‑site). Decision makers: CEO/COO, VP Engineering, Head of People.

Segment 2: Mid‑market Tech and Tech‑enabled Enterprises (200–1,000 employees)

• Needs: Operating‑model redesign; transformation office cadence; leadership alignment across functions during scale or consolidation.
• Demographics: Canadian tech or tech‑enabled firms with multi‑site operations; often private‑equity‑backed; ON/QC/BC concentration.
• Buying behaviors: Run structured vendor selection; expect quantified impact, risk controls and data security; open to phased pilots (8–12 weeks). Decision makers: COO, CHRO, Transformation Director.

Segment 3: Early‑stage Product Companies and Digital Agencies (10–50 employees)

• Needs: Lightweight management system, role clarity, delivery cadence; practical coaching for new team leads; budget‑sensitive capability building.
• Demographics: Remote‑first SaaS, agencies or product studios across Canada; founders actively involved in delivery.
• Buying behaviors: Start with online programs and toolkits; price‑sensitive and community‑influenced (accelerators, peer groups); respond to time‑boxed, fixed‑fee offers.

Targeting

Introduction

Targeting prioritizes segments with the strongest mix of need, willingness to pay and growth, ensuring efficient acquisition and faster payback on marketing spend. Focusing on high‑fit segments also amplifies referral velocity and case‑study depth.

Priority segments: Segment 1 (Scaling Tech SMEs) and Segment 2 (Mid‑market Tech and Tech‑enabled Enterprises)

Segment 1 priority and approach

• Why priority: Large, growing pool (≈7,300–8,000 Canadian ICT firms with 10+ employees), high consulting intensity, and demand for hybrid, rapid, measurable interventions. Aligns with the firm’s bespoke diagnostic and leadership strengths.
• Actions:
  • Named‑account ABM: Build a 250‑account list in ON/QC/BC; run problem‑led campaigns (e.g., “90‑day leadership system for shipping velocity”) with executive roundtables.
  • Channel partnerships: Co‑host workshops with accelerators/ICT associations and align with SME AI‑adoption initiatives to create entry points for the diagnostic.

Segment 2 priority and approach

• Why priority: Larger budgets and recurring needs for operating‑model and leadership alignment; opportunity to win pilot waves that expand. Supports revenue stability and case‑study depth.
• Actions:
  • Pilot‑first enterprise motion: Offer an 8–12 week transformation pilot anchored in quantified KPIs and an executive impact dashboard; provide a compliance‑ready vendor pack.
  • Insight‑led demand: Publish metric‑heavy briefs on operating‑model redesign for tech enterprises; host COO/CHRO roundtables to build peer validation and accelerate referrals.

Positioning

Introduction

Positioning defines how the firm stands out and why it wins. Clear positioning communicates differentiated value to priority segments, guides pricing power, and ensures consistency across messaging, offers and delivery.

Unique value proposition

A 100% tailor‑made, human and collaborative consulting approach that integrates operational excellence with modern leadership development to deliver measurable improvements—faster adoption, stronger team engagement, and sustained culture change—tailored to the realities of Canadian tech companies.

Market position

Premium boutique for growing tech organizations seeking rapid, evidence‑based operational and leadership gains through hybrid delivery—more adaptable and adoption‑focused than standardized SME programs and more intimate and agile than large generalists.

Key competitive advantages

• Personalized approach: Every mandate starts with a bespoke diagnostic (interviews, surveys, process reviews) and co‑designed roadmaps. Co‑delivery with client teams plus targeted 1:1 coaching ensures transfer of capabilities and sustained results.
• Technological innovation: A modern diagnostic stack (secure digital surveys, collaboration whiteboards, process mapping, KPI dashboards) tracks outcomes in real time. Hybrid delivery compresses ramp‑up time and broadens access to stakeholders.
• Team expertise: Founder‑led delivery brings outstanding technological knowledge and hands‑on operating‑model experience. Senior associates are engaged selectively to match context (leadership coaching, transformation PMO, org design).
• Service flexibility: Modular offers—fixed‑fee diagnostic, transformation sprints, leadership cohorts, and retainer coaching—adapt to client maturity and budget. Virtual‑first with targeted on‑site workshops maximizes speed‑to‑value.

Communication examples

• Proof‑point assets: Anonymized “before/after” KPI snapshots (e.g., lead‑time, quality, manager effectiveness) within 90 days of engagement.
• Executive content: “From firefighting to flow in 12 weeks” webinars and short playbooks aligned to ON/QC/BC tech challenges.
• Social proof: NPS‑backed testimonials and mini case notes highlighting measurable outcomes and cultural adoption.
• Messaging hooks: “Tailor‑made operating models, measurable leadership gains—delivered hybrid, at the pace of your product roadmap.”

Sales strategy

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Sales process

Step 1 — Targeting and lead generation (account-based, province-weighted)

• The firm builds a named-account list of 600–800 tech SMEs (10–500 employees) concentrated where demand is highest: Ontario (~48% of spend), British Columbia (~17%), and Québec (~15%).
• Outreach blends founder-led social selling on LinkedIn, tailored email sequences, partner referrals (accelerators, VC/PE operating teams, federal SME AI programs), and thought‑leadership content that ladders to a “mini‑diagnostic” self‑assessment.
• A quarterly goal of 100 marketing-qualified leads (MQLs) is set, with 35% MQL‑to‑SQL conversion.
• Channel mix targets 60% direct outbound, 25% inbound content-driven, 15% partner-sourced.
• All leads enter a CRM with standardized fields for industry, headcount, tech stack, pain points, and urgency to enable precise segmentation and follow‑up.

Step 2 — Discovery, qualification, and problem framing

• Qualified prospects advance to a two-step discovery: a 30‑minute executive intro to confirm fit, followed by a 60‑minute working session with the sponsor and 1–2 leaders (e.g., COO, CTO, Head of People).
• Qualification criteria include team size (≥10 employees), growth stage, urgency of operational excellence and leadership issues, stakeholder alignment, and budget/time expectations aligned to typical mandates (CAD 60–150k).
• The firm frames initial hypotheses, maps decision makers and buying process, and aligns on success metrics (e.g., cycle-time reduction, leadership capability uplift, NPS).
• A structured discovery template in the CRM captures risks, value levers, and quantified baseline to inform a paid diagnostic proposal.

Step 3 — Solution design and paid diagnostic proposal

The entry offer is the Personalized Organizational Diagnostic, proposed as a fixed-fee, 3–6 week engagement delivered online and in-person as needed.

• Scope includes stakeholder interviews, targeted surveys, process and operating‑model reviews, leadership/management practice assessments, and benchmarked findings.
• Deliverables: strengths and gaps, prioritized improvement levers, a 90‑day action plan, and a 6–12 month roadmap.
• Proposals include a quantified value case (e.g., productivity, quality, and leadership KPIs) and clear timelines, governance, and co‑delivery roles.
• Target metrics: 55–65% proposal win-rate, average sales cycle of 30–45 days for diagnostics, and 80% on-time diagnostic completion.
• Legal and procurement are streamlined via a standard MSA plus SOW.

Step 4 — Executive readout, conversion, and expansion

• Diagnostic results are presented to the executive team with a sequenced backlog of initiatives, owned by workstream leaders.
• The firm co‑creates a 90‑day sprint plan (cadence, milestones, metrics) and offers a tailored transformation engagement: operating‑model redesign, leadership development, and innovation practices.
• Commercial options include milestone-based project fees or monthly retainers aligned to capacity and outcomes.
• Conversion target: ≥70% of diagnostic clients progress to a multi‑month engagement within 30 days.
• Post‑implementation, the firm pursues expansion through capability-building modules, leadership programs, and quarterly strategy reviews.
• Success is tracked via KPI movement, sponsor NPS ≥60, and reference or case‑study agreements.

Channels and conversion management

• Primary channels: founder-led outbound, LinkedIn content and ABM, partner referrals (accelerators, funds, federal SME AI programs), targeted events/webinars.
• Conversion and tracking: a CRM (e.g., HubSpot or Pipedrive) with standardized stages (Lead → MQL → SQL → Proposal → Diagnostic Won → Transformation Won → Expansion), lead scoring, and multi-threaded contact mapping.
• Pipeline governance: weekly pipeline reviews, 3x coverage rule versus quarterly revenue target, win/loss analyses, and cohort tracking by province. Core KPIs: MQL→SQL 35%, diagnostic close 60%, diagnostic→transformation 70%, sales cycle 30–90 days depending on scope.

Product strategy

The offering is built around a flagship Personalized Organizational Diagnostic that de-risks transformation and accelerates time‑to‑value. Findings feed bespoke operating‑model, leadership, and innovation programs co‑delivered with client teams to ensure adoption and durable capability.

Differentiation rests on 100% tailor‑made design versus standardized playbooks, with a human, collaborative approach that fits tech SMEs’ realities. Positioning emphasizes measurable operational excellence and modern management behaviors aligned to Canada’s digital and AI adoption tailwinds. The commercial path is diagnostic → 90‑day sprint → multi‑month program, available hybrid across Canada. Against scaled competitors, the firm competes on precision fit, speed‑to‑impact, and cultural stickiness, not on lowest price.

Pricing strategy

Pricing is designed to signal value, fit client risk profiles, and preserve delivery quality under a bespoke model. The diagnostic is positioned as a fixed‑fee entry engagement to shorten sales cycles and create a clear ROI line-of-sight; fee bands reflect organizational size and scope complexity.

Transformation work uses tiered constructs: (1) project-based with milestones and defined deliverables, (2) monthly retainers for ongoing leadership and operating‑model support, and (3) value‑linked elements where feasible (e.g., success fees tied to agreed KPIs).

Guardrails anchor to typical engagement ranges (CAD 60–150k blended), with higher tiers for multi‑site or accelerated timelines. Remote‑first delivery receives pricing efficiency; on‑site surcharges reflect travel and intensity. To differentiate from subsidized competitors, pricing highlights superior customization, faster time‑to‑impact, and lower execution risk via co‑delivery.

Commercial discipline includes target gross margin 55–65%, standard 0–10% prepayment incentives, and limited discounting tied to scope trade‑offs, not rate cuts. Proposals always include a quantified value case and breakeven analysis (e.g., productivity or quality gains) to align sponsors and shorten approvals. Annual objectives: average realized price within ±5% of target tier, proposal win-rate ≥60%, and DSOs under 35 days.

Distribution strategy

Service delivery is hybrid by design to maximize reach and efficiency across Canada. Remote modalities (secure video, collaborative whiteboards, digital surveys) handle most discovery, analytics, coaching, and cadence meetings; targeted on‑site sprints are reserved for workshops, leadership offsites, and process gemba where in‑person impact is highest.

Capacity planning limits concurrent major programs to protect quality, with quarterly portfolio reviews and a waitlist for new starts. Geographic coverage prioritizes Ontario, British Columbia, and Québec while remaining accessible nationwide through virtual delivery.

Partner distribution augments reach: co-marketed workshops with accelerators and funds, and referral paths linked to federal SME AI adoption initiatives. Operational tooling includes a secure data room for client documents, standardized playbooks for diagnostics (while preserving tailoring), and a PMO cadence that tracks milestones and KPI movement.

Logistics are streamlined via a central scheduling hub, travel windows bundled to reduce cost, and clear SLAs on response times. Objectives: 70% remote delivery mix, on‑time delivery ≥90%, client NPS ≥60, and utilization managed to sustain 10–15 bespoke mandates annually in the early scale phase.

Advertising strategy

Account-based marketing to tech SMEs in ON/BC/QC

Build named-account plays around 300–500 target companies (10–500 employees) with tailored messages to COOs, CTOs, VPs Engineering, and Heads of People. Creative centers on “operational excellence with modern leadership—measurable impact in 90 days.” Tactics include LinkedIn sponsored content, personalized InMail, founder video briefs, and landing pages offering a mini‑assessment.

Objectives: 25% account engagement, 10% meeting rate on engaged accounts, and a cost per qualified meeting under CAD 600. Success is measured by account penetration (multi‑threading), MQL→SQL conversion, and pipeline generated by province to mirror demand concentrations.

Thought leadership and webinar funnel tied to the diagnostic

Publish quarterly insight papers (e.g., “From diagnostic to sustained excellence in tech SMEs”) and host monthly webinars featuring client‑style scenarios on operating‑model redesign, leadership modernization, and AI adoption change management. Each asset ladders to a diagnostic offer with a clear call‑to‑action. Promotion runs via LinkedIn, partner newsletters, and targeted email.

Objectives: 200–300 registrants per quarter, 20–30 discovery meetings sourced, and 2–3 diagnostic wins per quarter. Measure content-assisted pipeline, attendee-to-meeting conversion, and time‑to‑close versus non‑content leads to validate ROI.

Partnerships and referrals with accelerators, funds, and public programs

Co‑create workshops and office hours with tech hubs, accelerators, and investor operating teams; align offers to federal SME AI adoption initiatives to meet immediate operating‑model and leadership needs. Provide partners with a referral toolkit (one‑page value case, sample timelines, KPI menu) and a transparent referral recognition program.

Objectives: 20% of pipeline partner-sourced, 50% close rate on partner referrals, and reduced sales cycles by 20% versus cold outbound. Track partner‑sourced revenue, opportunity velocity, and expansion revenue from partner-introduced clients.

Performance marketing and intelligent retargeting

Run tightly targeted LinkedIn and search campaigns promoting the mini‑diagnostic and 90‑day sprint blueprint. Retarget site visitors with case‑style creatives highlighting bespoke, human‑centered delivery and measurable outcomes. Implement A/B tests on headlines, offers, and proof points; use lead forms integrated to CRM with auto‑nurture sequences.

Objectives: CTR ≥1.5%, cost per lead ≤CAD 150, MQL→SQL ≥30%, and at least 30% of digital leads originating from Ontario to reflect demand concentration. Dashboards report weekly on CAC, pipeline contribution, and payback by channel to guide budget allocation.

Operations

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Key Activities

1) Market development and client qualification in ON/QC/BC

The firm builds a targeted pipeline in Ontario, Québec, and British Columbia, where ~80% of Canadian consulting demand concentrates. Activities include defining the ideal client profile (tech SMEs with 10–500 employees), outbound outreach, referral programs with innovation hubs and accelerators, and content-led inbound (case briefs and webinars). A structured discovery process qualifies impact potential, budget, and change readiness.

• Resources: CRM (e.g., HubSpot), marketing website, thought-leadership assets, founder-led discovery, legal templates, and scheduling tools.
• Partners: incubators, regional tech associations, and SME AI-adoption initiatives.
• Outputs: qualified opportunities, value hypotheses, and scope options.
• Objective: 20–30 qualified discovery meetings per quarter, with a 35–45% proposal‑to‑win rate.

2) Personalized Organizational Diagnostic delivery (hybrid)

Each engagement begins with a bespoke diagnostic to surface performance levers and leadership gaps. Steps: kickoff and stakeholder mapping; 1:1 interviews (15–30), role‑based questionnaires, process and operating‑model reviews, and analysis of KPIs and workflows. The firm synthesizes findings into a strengths/risks heatmap, quantified opportunities, and a prioritized roadmap with time‑to‑impact.

Delivery is hybrid—virtual sessions plus targeted on‑site workshops to accelerate trust and context capture.

• Resources: secure survey and data tools, collaboration whiteboards, transcription/analysis software, and a project workspace.

Deliverables include an executive brief, detailed recommendations, and a 90‑day action plan.

• Target cycle time: 3–5 weeks from kickoff to report.

3) Bespoke transformation and leadership enablement

Following the diagnostic, the firm co‑designs and co‑delivers a transformation program integrating operational excellence with modern leadership. Typical elements: OKR deployment, roles/cadence/meeting redesign, portfolio and flow improvements, team‑level performance boards, and leadership coaching pods for managers.

Emphasis is placed on co‑delivery with client teams to build internal capability and reduce reliance on consultants.

• Resources: transformation playbooks, change‑management toolkits, coaching frameworks, and founder’s technology expertise to align process with product and AI adoption.

Engagements run in 6–12 week sprints with measurable outcomes.

• Objective: achieve 60–75% adoption of priority recommendations within 90 days and a documented ROI case within six months.

4) Knowledge, IP, and quality system development

To sustain personalization at scale, the firm invests in an evolving knowledge base and quality system. Activities include curating a validated diagnostic question bank, reusable but configurable templates, case repositories, and playbooks for tech‑sector contexts. A lightweight quality management system (gates, checklists, peer reviews) ensures consistency without stifling customization.

• Resources: knowledge repo, template library, editorial standards, and analytics dashboards.
• Partnerships: include LMS and collaboration‑tool vendors for hybrid delivery.

The firm balances utilization with R&D, dedicating 15–20% capacity to IP and methods improvement.

• Objective: reduce build time for deliverables by 25% within 12 months while maintaining client outcome scores.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

1) Diagnostic Cycle Time (DCT)

• Definition: Calendar days from signed SOW to delivery of the diagnostic report and 90‑day action plan.
• Importance: Faster diagnostics compress time‑to‑value and improve close‑through to transformation mandates.
• Target: 21–35 days depending on client size and access.
• Data collection: Automatically tracked via the project management tool (milestone timestamps), validated at weekly ops reviews. The KPI is segmented by delivery mode (virtual vs hybrid) and province to identify throughput constraints and optimization opportunities in scheduling, data access, or stakeholder availability.

2) Recommendation Adoption Rate at 90 Days (RA90)

• Definition: Percentage of priority recommendations (top 10–15) fully implemented or in steady execution within 90 days of diagnostic sign‑off.
• Importance: Demonstrates practical impact, change velocity, and client buy‑in—key for renewals and references.
• Target: 60–75% adoption.
• Data collection: Jointly maintained action tracker, biweekly steering updates, and client sponsor confirmations. The KPI is weighted by impact tier (A/B/C) to emphasize high‑value items. Variance analysis highlights blockers (capacity, capability, leadership behaviors) to adjust coaching intensity and resourcing.

3) Client Outcome Index (COI)

• Definition: Composite score combining three dimensions—productivity uplift, quality/rework reduction, and leadership maturity shift—benchmarked from baseline to 12 weeks.
• Importance: Links consulting activity to measurable business results and cultural evolution.
• Target: +12–18 point increase on a 100‑point scale.
• Data collection: Baseline and follow‑up metrics from client systems (e.g., cycle time, defect rate), plus validated leadership and engagement mini‑surveys. Weightings reflect the engagement’s goals; scoring rules are documented for auditability. Quarterly aggregation supports portfolio‑level impact reporting.

4) Capacity Utilization and Throughput (CUT)

• Definition: Ratio of billable delivery hours to total available delivery capacity, combined with number of concurrent mandates.
• Importance: Balances growth with quality in a bespoke model; over‑utilization risks delivery slippage and reduced client outcomes.
• Target: 70–80% utilization; 3–6 concurrent mandates depending on complexity.
• Data collection: Timesheets and resourcing planner integrated with CRM pipeline. Trends inform hiring/partnering decisions, R&D allocation (15–20%), and proposal pacing to protect service levels and margins.

5) Client Loyalty and Expansion Rate (LER)

• Definition: Net Promoter Score (NPS) and percent of clients purchasing follow‑on work within 12 months.
• Importance: Validates differentiation versus standardized competitors and lowers CAC through referrals.
• Targets: NPS >60; expansion rate ≥30%.
• Data collection: Post‑engagement NPS survey within two weeks of delivery, supplemented by a six‑month impact check‑in. Expansion tracked in CRM with stage reasons (renewal, cross‑sell). Results are reviewed quarterly to refine offerings and account plans.

Quality Controls

1) Scope and Value‑Case Gate

Every proposal passes a founder‑led review to validate objectives, KPIs, and feasibility. The gate tests for clear business outcomes, stakeholder commitment, and ethical data access. A standardized checklist confirms alignment with tech‑SME realities and delivery mode. Only scopes meeting impact and fit thresholds proceed to contracting.

2) Diagnostic Instrument Validation

Interview guides and questionnaires draw from a tested question bank. New or tailored items undergo a rapid pilot with 2–3 internal/external reviewers to confirm clarity and reliability. Survey logic, anonymity settings, and data‑retention rules are verified. Instruments are version‑controlled; changes are logged with rationale and expected effect.

3) Deliverable Peer Review and Client Fact‑Check

Draft deliverables undergo two passes: analytical QA (evidence‑conclusion coherence, quantification) and editorial QA (clarity, structure). A client preview session validates factual accuracy and context before finalization. A red‑team prompt tests for actionable specificity and adoption risks. All comments are tracked to closure in the document system.

4) Data Privacy and Confidentiality Compliance

All engagements operate under PIPEDA‑compliant practices: explicit consent, minimum necessary data, encrypted storage, and role‑based access. Sensitive inputs are anonymized in reports unless authorized. Tools require MFA; data‑processing agreements are in place for third‑party platforms. Annual privacy training and incident‑response drills ensure readiness and trust.

Implementation Plan

1) Establish the operating base (0–60 days)

Finalize service architecture, pricing, and proposal templates; stand up CRM, PM, survey, and collaboration tools; implement PIPEDA‑aligned data policies and contracts. Build a light brand site and case brief library.

• Outcome: launch‑ready toolkit and governance to support hybrid delivery across Canada with clear SLAs and quality gates.

2) Pilot diagnostics with tech SMEs in ON/QC/BC (60–150 days)

Secure 3–5 pilot clients (10–200 employees) via partnerships and targeted outreach. Execute personalized diagnostics, baseline KPIs, and 90‑day action plans. Capture testimonials and quantify early outcomes.

• Outcome: validated delivery motion, referenceable results, and a tuned commercial narrative aligned to provincial demand patterns.

3) Deliver first transformation sprints and codify IP (150–270 days)

Run 2–3 bespoke transformation sprints per pilot, integrating leadership pods and operating‑model changes. Build playbooks, templates, and measurement dashboards from live work. Publish anonymized case notes.

• Outcome: repeatable, high‑impact methods with documented ROI and reduced cycle time for future engagements.

4) Scale delivery capacity and QA system (270–450 days)

Onboard 1–2 associate consultants and vetted partners to support 6–10 concurrent workstreams. Implement formal utilization tracking, peer‑review routines, and retrospectives.

• Objective: 10–15 bespoke mandates in Year 2 while sustaining NPS >60 and RA90 ≥60%.

Adjust pricing and packaging based on win/loss and margin analyses.

5) Productize leadership programs and expand channels (450–540 days)

Launch cohort‑based leadership micro‑programs on an LMS to complement consulting. Develop channel partnerships with accelerators and tech associations.

• Target: 20–30% revenue from program subscriptions by month 18.
• Outcome: diversified revenue, improved scalability, and lower client acquisition costs without compromising bespoke consulting quality.

Technology Strategy

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Sélection Technologique

• Collaborative Delivery Stack (Microsoft 365, Teams, SharePoint, Power BI) configured in Canadian data centers. Advantages: seamless document control, secure client workspaces, integrated video, and analytics embedded in delivery. Disadvantages: license cost at scale, potential vendor lock‑in, and change‑management overhead. Integration: standardized Teams channels per mandate, SharePoint project sites, Bookings for coaching sessions, and Power BI dashboards embedded in client portals. Security baselined and hardened via Azure AD, MFA, Intune, and DLP to meet PIPEDA expectations.
• Diagnostic Data & Analytics: Qualtrics (surveys), Otter/Copilot (interview transcription), and Power BI on Azure for analysis. Advantages: faster, higher‑quality insights; repeatable KPI libraries for operations, leadership, and culture; secure data handling in Canada. Disadvantages: licensing costs, sampling bias risk, and analyst skill requirements. Integration: single data model in Azure Data Lake; automated ETL from surveys and notes; standardized dashboards for executive readouts and action tracking; role‑based access for clients and consultants during and after engagements.
• Secure AI Enablement: Azure OpenAI with private endpoints to synthesize interviews, draft deliverables, and personalize leadership micro‑modules. Advantages: accelerates analysis and content creation, surfaces patterns across mandates, and scales founder expertise. Disadvantages: hallucination risk, model drift, prompt‑security needs, and variable token costs. Integration: redaction pipeline, approved prompts, human‑in‑the‑loop reviews, and logging; AI embedded in Teams and the knowledge base; periodic benchmarking against ground truth to validate outputs and continuously tune guardrails and user feedback loops.

Contribution Technologique Attendue

The chosen stack directly supports growth, differentiation, and capacity. Microsoft 365 plus Power BI standardizes delivery and reduces coordination friction, cutting time‑to‑diagnostic by 30–40% and compressing executive readouts from weeks to days.

The data platform creates consistent KPI baselines for operations, leadership, and culture, enabling clients to see quantified impact within 4–6 weeks. Secure AI boosts analyst throughput 1.5–2.0x on synthesis and draft deliverables while preserving judgment through human review.

Together, hybrid collaboration and analytics enable 80% remote touchpoints, lowering travel by 25% and improving gross margin by 10–15 points.

Scalable templates and a client portal increase simultaneous mandate capacity from 10–15 to 18–25 per year without diluting a bespoke approach.

The stack also strengthens compliance (MFA, DLP, Canadian data residency) to meet PIPEDA and enterprise vendor‑risk assessments, unlocking larger tech clients.

Risks—license costs, change‑adoption, AI hallucinations—are mitigated via phased rollouts, training, and guardrails.

Overall, technology amplifies the human, collaborative model, proving measurable value faster and supporting the 3–5‑year revenue objective of approximately CAD 1.3 million.

Nationwide reach increases access to clients in Ontario, Québec, and British Columbia, with bilingual portals.

E‑signature, calendaring, and automated reporting streamline admin, freeing 6–8 consultant hours per week for client work and innovation development.

Exigences Technologiques

• Infrastructure and security: Azure tenant in Canada Central/East; Microsoft 365 E3/E5; Azure AD SSO, MFA, Conditional Access, Intune MDM; DLP and encryption at rest/in transit; backup and DR with RPO ≤ 4 hours and RTO ≤ 8 hours.
• Data platform: Azure Data Lake/Synapse for structured diagnostic data; governed data model; role‑based access; data retention policy (12–24 months default, client‑specific exceptions).
• Applications: Teams, SharePoint, Power BI Pro/Premium, Qualtrics (or Typeform as tiered alternative), Otter/Copilot, e‑signature (Adobe/DocuSign), Bookings/Calendly, CRM (HubSpot or Dynamics).
• AI stack: Azure OpenAI private endpoints; redaction tooling; prompt library; model evaluation harness; logging and auditability.
• Compliance: PIPEDA‑aligned consent/retention, CASL for marketing, NDAs/DPAs; prefer SOC 2 Type II vendors; bilingual interfaces.
• Devices and tooling: encrypted laptops (BitLocker), secure headsets, password manager, endpoint monitoring.
• People and budget: fractional security advisor, M365 admin, data analyst, and content/BI developer; training 12–20 hours/consultant; annual SaaS/cloud budget CAD 65k–95k at initial scale.

Mise en Œuvre Technologique

• Phase 1 — Architecture and vendor selection (2 weeks): finalize stack choices, data model, and security baseline. Resources: founder/tech lead, fractional security advisor, M365 admin.
• Phase 2 — Tenant hardening and governance (3 weeks): Azure AD, MFA, Conditional Access, DLP, device baselines via Intune; create SOPs and templates. Resources: M365 admin, security advisor.
• Phase 3 — Diagnostic pipeline build (4 weeks): Qualtrics setup, interview guides, ETL to Azure Data Lake, initial Power BI dashboards. Resources: data analyst, BI developer, research lead.
• Phase 4 — AI pilot and guardrails (3 weeks): Azure OpenAI private deployment, redaction, prompt library, evaluation against curated ground truth. Resources: ML advisor, QA reviewer.
• Phase 5 — Client portal and automation (4 weeks): SharePoint/Power Pages portal, Bookings, e‑signature, NPS automation, bilingual content. Resources: M365 developer, UX support, PM.
• Phase 6 — Pilot with two mandates and iterate (6 weeks): run end‑to‑end, capture KPIs, refine templates. Resources: delivery leads, analyst, PM.
• Phase 7 — Scale and productize (ongoing): launch Diagnostic Lite and Leadership Sprint; monitor KPIs; optimize cost/performance.

Gestion Technologique

• Governance: monthly tech steering with delivery leads; quarterly roadmap and risk review.
• Security management: quarterly access audits, monthly patching, weekly backup verification; incident response playbook with 24‑hour client notification SLA.
• Data lifecycle: consent capture, tagging, encryption, retention/expiry workflows; client‑specific segregation and deletion upon request.
• Vendor management: annual SOC 2 reviews, SLA monitoring, performance scorecards, exit/back‑up plans.
• Change and release management: version‑controlled templates, CAB for major changes, staged rollouts.
• AI governance: approved use cases, prompt standards, hallucination monitoring with confidence scoring, mandatory human sign‑off for client‑facing content.
• KPI tracking: delivery cycle time, analyst throughput, portal adoption, client NPS, cost‑to‑serve, and margin; report monthly.

Stratégie Numérique

1. Data‑Driven Diagnostic Engine

   Objective: standardize and accelerate the Personalized Organizational Diagnostic while preserving bespoke insight.

   Tactics: codify interview guides and survey banks; deploy Qualtrics with branching logic; transcribe interviews via Copilot; land all data in an Azure Data Lake with a canonical schema; build Power BI dashboards for operations, leadership, and culture indices; and automate action‑item tracking. Establish KPI libraries (cycle time, defect rate, decision latency, engagement) and create sector benchmarks for Canadian tech SMEs.

   Resources: one data analyst, one research lead, and a part‑time Power BI developer.

   Target outcomes: 30% faster diagnostics, first readout by week four, and quantified value tracking for 90 days post‑engagement.

   Privacy by design: PIPEDA consent language, data retention rules, and client-specific data segregation baked in from outset.

2. Hybrid Delivery & Client Portal

   Objective: enable high‑touch, low‑travel engagements nationwide.

   Tactics: build a secure client portal on SharePoint/Power Pages with SSO; embed engagement plans, milestones, dashboards, risks, and decision logs; integrate Microsoft Bookings for coaching; enable bilingual content; and provide mobile access. Configure standardized Teams workspaces with playbooks, templates, and governance. Automate status reporting and NPS collection.

   Resources: one digital project manager, a M365 developer, and fractional UX support.

   Targets: 80% of touchpoints remote, 25% travel cost reduction, 10–15 point gross‑margin uplift, and cycle‑time compression on document reviews from three days to twenty‑four hours.

   Security: MFA, DLP, client-specific permissions, and Canadian data residency enforced. Compliance workflows for NDAs and DPAs with e‑signature. Embedded feedback widgets capture sentiment to complement KPIs and trigger course corrections.

3. AI‑Enabled Knowledge & Coaching

   Objective: scale founder-grade insight without diluting quality.

   Tactics: build a curated knowledge base (case notes, playbooks, facilitation guides) in SharePoint; enable semantic search and drafting via Azure OpenAI with private endpoints; publish modular leadership micro‑lessons and templates; and embed AI assistants within Teams channels for summarization and action extraction.

   Governance: redaction tooling, approved prompt library, model evaluation against ground truth, and human‑in‑the‑loop sign‑off.

   Resources: content lead, part‑time ML advisor, and QA reviewer.

   Targets: 1.5–2.0x analyst throughput on synthesis, 20% faster proposal creation, and a 10‑point improvement in client perceived speed‑to‑value.

   Risks: hallucinations and over‑reliance mitigated through confidence scoring, escalation rules, and mandatory human edits. All content supports English and French delivery to serve Ontario and Québec clients and meet expectations.

4. Productized Programs

   Objective: reduce capacity bottlenecks while preserving bespoke value.

   Tactics: launch two digital offers—Diagnostic Lite (self‑serve survey + one facilitator workshop + dashboard) and Leadership Sprint (six‑week cohort with assignments, office hours, and manager toolkits). Deliver through the portal, with Stripe‑enabled payments and automated onboarding. Build a tiered pricing model to expand reach to growing, average‑revenue tech firms.

   Resources: product manager, instructional designer, and marketing lead.

   Targets: generate 20–30% of revenue from productized services within 24 months, shorten sales cycles by 25%, and create a steady lead‑in to higher‑touch transformations. Embed PIPEDA-compliant consent flows and anonymized benchmarking to show clients how they compare to ICT peers. Implement certification-style badges for completion to reinforce adoption and provide ROI through before/after KPI deltas.

5. Digital Go‑to‑Market and CRM

   Objective: build a predictable pipeline in tech SMEs across Ontario, Québec, and British Columbia.

   Tactics: deploy a CRM (HubSpot or Dynamics 365) with lifecycle stages and attribution; publish monthly thought‑leadership on operational excellence and modern leadership; host quarterly webinars; run targeted LinkedIn campaigns; and nurture with automated sequences.

   Enforce CASL compliance.

   Resources: part‑time demand‑gen lead, content writer, and SDR.

   Targets: 30% MQL‑to‑SQL conversion, 20% win‑rate, CAC payback under six months, and 25% of new mandates sourced from digital channels within twelve months.

   Build bilingual landing pages and case briefs to serve English and French audiences. Instrument analytics with UTM discipline and dashboard weekly. Activate partner referrals with boutique software vendors and accelerators, supported by co‑branded content and clear referral incentives.

Management Structure

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Organizational hierarchy

Ownership and governance reside with the Founder and Managing Partner, Samuel Depres, who holds 100% equity and sets vision, delivery standards, and commercial priorities.

Day‑to‑day leadership is lean: a Delivery Lead oversees operational‑excellence and leadership engagements; a Client Success & PMO Coordinator manages planning, cadence, and reporting; and a Research & Insights Analyst supports diagnostics through interviews, surveys, and process reviews.

A vetted bench of associate consultants—experts in operating‑model design, change leadership, and innovation—are mobilized per mandate to preserve a 100% tailor‑made approach. Finance and administration are outsourced to a fractional controller to maintain cost discipline pre‑launch.

Responsibilities are explicit: the Founder owns strategy, key accounts, and quality assurance; the Delivery Lead owns methodology and outcomes; the PMO Coordinator owns project governance and stakeholder communication; the Analyst owns evidence gathering and analytics; associates co‑deliver and coach client teams.

This structure supports 10–15 bespoke mandates per year with high touch service.

Decision‑making process

Decision-making combines founder governance with collaborative input. Strategic decisions (market positioning, pricing, hiring, partnerships) are taken by the Founder after a monthly review of pipeline, utilization, and client NPS.

Engagement decisions follow a stage‑gate: Discover (fit and value hypothesis), Diagnose (evidence and targets), Design (co‑create interventions), Deliver (execute and coach), with go/no‑go criteria on ROI, capacity, and risk.

Weekly operating reviews with the Delivery Lead and PMO Coordinator establish priorities, assign owners (RACI), and track KPIs (milestone burn‑down, client health, budget to actual). Decisions are documented in a central knowledge base and communicated to collaborators through bi‑weekly stand‑ups and written briefs, ensuring clarity for a compact team of 3–5 core staff plus associates.

Material changes are cascaded to clients via engagement governance.

Human Resources Management

• Managing Partner (Founder): Owns strategy, key accounts, quality; steers delivery standards. Requirement: 10+ years in tech/operations leadership; MBA or engineering; bilingual (EN/FR).
• Delivery Lead, Operations & Leadership: Designs interventions, leads co‑delivery, tracks outcomes. Requirement: 8–12 years consulting/industry; Lean/Agile and change credentials (e.g., PROSCI, PMP).
• Client Success & PMO Coordinator: Plans sprints, manages risks, ensures reporting and client cadence. Requirement: 5+ years PMO; CAPM/Scrum Master; strong communication.
• Research & Insights Analyst (part‑time): Runs interviews/surveys, process mapping, analytics. Requirement: 2–4 years research/BI; BA/MA; Excel/BI tools. Quantitative interviewing, SQL, and visualization for diagnostics are assets.
• Associate Consultants (on‑demand): Specialist coaches in operating model, leadership, innovation. Requirement: 10+ years; sector fluency; ICF coaching an asset.
• Fractional Controller (outsourced): Budgeting, billing, compliance. Requirement: CPA; 7+ years. Canadian GAAP expertise.
• Marketing & Business Development Coordinator (0.5 FTE): Pipeline ops, proposals, content. Requirement: 3–5 years B2B marketing; CRM proficiency. Familiarity with Canadian SME funding programs is beneficial.

Recruitment

Sourcing will combine founder networks, targeted referrals, and national channels (LinkedIn, Indeed, Workopolis) with outreach to professional bodies (CMC‑Canada, I4PL) and selective university partnerships for analysts. Selection criteria emphasize values alignment (human, collaborative), evidence of measurable client impact, tech‑sector fluency, bilingualism for Québec clients, and relevant certifications.

The process follows six steps: sourcing and screening; structured competency interview; case exercise simulating a diagnostic; cultural interview with the Founder; reference checks; and a paid pilot assignment to validate fit. Candidates are assessed against a role‑specific scorecard and must meet minimum thresholds on problem‑solving, communication, client stewardship, and strong ethical judgment.

Employee Training and Development

Professional development focuses on building modern management capabilities while scaling a consistent delivery toolkit. Programs include: onboarding to the bespoke diagnostic methodology; courses in operational excellence (Lean, value stream mapping), change leadership, and inclusive people management; facilitation and coaching skills for client co‑delivery; and data literacy for survey design and analytics.

Development paths pair micro‑learning with cohort workshops and supervised client work. Each role has a competency matrix with quarterly goals.

Effectiveness is measured by Kirkpatrick levels (reaction, learning, behavior, results), client NPS ≥60, time‑to‑impact against engagement KPIs, certification attainment (e.g., PROSCI/PMP/ICF), and on‑the‑job observations. Target completion rate is 90% per quarter with a four‑week ramp‑up to independent delivery for analysts and an eight‑week horizon for new associates. Leaders receive quarterly peer coaching circles internally.

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Policy

The company embeds responsibility in how it advises, operates, and travels. Social commitments center on elevating Canadian SMEs through ethical, human‑centered consulting that transfers capability, not dependency.

At least 2% of annual revenue is allocated to pro bono or discounted support for underrepresented founders and nonprofit tech initiatives; team members receive two paid volunteer days.

The firm advances inclusive leadership by integrating accessibility and DEI practices into every engagement and by sourcing at least 30% of subcontractors from diverse‑owned businesses.

Data privacy and client confidentiality follow Canadian regulations and industry best practices.

Environmental stewardship is built into a hybrid delivery model: a remote‑first default, targeted on‑site sessions, and rail preferred over air for short‑haul travel.

The target is a 40% reduction in travel‑related emissions per engagement versus a 2025 baseline, with remaining emissions offset annually.

Procurement favors local, low‑carbon suppliers. An annual Impact Note discloses goals, metrics, progress, and next actions.

Specific 2026 targets include: 50% of engagements delivered hybrid or virtual, paper use reduced by 70% through digital workflows, and employee training achieving 100% completion on ethics, privacy, and sustainability modules.

The firm will mentor two startup cohorts annually through Canadian tech hubs and publish supplier diversity spend publicly.

Growth Strategy

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Market Development

Short term (0–18 months)

• The firm will win share in Canada’s CAD 26.2B consulting market by concentrating on Ontario (~48% of demand), British Columbia (~17%), and Québec (~15%).
• Target clients are tech SMEs with 10–500 employees inside the 48,390‑company ICT sector, prioritizing the ~7,500 firms with 10+ staff.
• A hybrid delivery model (on‑site for workshops, remote for sprints) leverages the fastest‑growing format and compresses time‑to‑impact.
• Acquisition goals: 12–15 bespoke mandates/year, a 25–30% proposal win rate, and a 3‑month average sales cycle.

Medium term (18–36 months)

• Selective hiring and partner capacity lift throughput to 18–20 mandates/year, anchored by published case studies and a 40% referral rate.

Long term (36+ months)

• National reach is reinforced with programmatic digital campaigns and ecosystem speaking, attaining ~0.4% of SAM (≈CAD 1.3M annual revenue) with stable client concentration limits (no client >15% of revenue) by design.

Product Development

Short term

• The personalized Organizational Diagnostic becomes a productized, hybrid experience: standardized interview scripts, online surveys, and a remote process‑review toolkit reduce cycle time to four weeks and feed a quantified baseline (KPI library for throughput, lead time, quality, and engagement).
• Each engagement bundles a leadership sprint (6–8 weeks) with measurable outcomes (e.g., +10–15% productivity, +20 NPS).

Medium term

• Modular offerings are added: Operating‑Model Redesign, Leadership for Tech Managers, and Innovation Cadence.
• Each is delivered online or in person, with tiered packages (CAD 60k, 90k, 150k) and a digital portal for client analytics and action‑tracker adoption >80%.

Long term

• Scalable assets are launched: an online leadership academy aligned to Canada’s >20% CAGR corporate e‑learning trend, an AI‑ready operating‑model playbook supporting federal SME AI programs, and a proprietary transformation score (pre/post) that proves ROI within 90 days and underpins case studies and guarantees.
• Content is continuously updated from client field learnings.

Partnerships

Partnerships will amplify reach and capacity without diluting a bespoke model.

Near term

• The firm will pursue channel and subcontracting agreements with national players that face standardization limits: BDC Advisory (access to SME clients and financed mandates), MNP’s regional offices (specialty pods for leadership‑and‑culture inside tech transformations), and Kaizen Institute (two‑way referrals between Lean toolsets and modern leadership work).
• In parallel, collaboration with federal SME AI‑adoption programs will position people‑and‑process services as wrap‑around support during technology shifts.
• Targets: 3–5 active partners within 12 months, 25–30% of qualified pipeline from partners, and 2 joint case studies per year.

Mid‑term

• Partnerships expand to provincial clusters in Ontario, Québec, and BC to secure co‑branded workshops and accelerate multi‑site delivery and remote cohort programs.

Risks and Mitigation

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Risk 1 — Capacity and delivery concentration in a fully bespoke model

A 100% tailor‑made, human‑centered approach requires significant senior time and multi‑disciplinary effort, creating delivery bottlenecks in a pre‑launch phase. Reliance on founder‑level expertise heightens key‑person risk and can elongate lead times for clients across Ontario–Québec–BC, where on‑site work still dominates. Overextension threatens margin, quality, and client satisfaction as concurrent mandates increase. The high‑touch diagnostic (interviews, questionnaires, process reviews) can also lengthen cycle times if not tightly scoped. In a fragmented market with rising virtual expectations, the inability to balance bespoke depth with speed‑to‑impact risks missed opportunities and inconsistent outcomes as demand from tech SMEs accelerates.

Mitigation — Operationalize bespoke delivery with capacity guardrails

Industrialize the front end without losing customization: standardize a 4‑week diagnostic sprint (scoped discovery, baseline KPI pack, value hypothesis) and a 12‑week transformation cadence with defined artifacts. Cap delivery at 10–15 mandates/year in Years 1–2; maintain 65–75% delivery utilization; enforce a 3x pipeline‑to‑capacity rule. Build a vetted associate bench (4–6 specialists across op‑ex, leadership, change) with QA playbooks and peer reviews. Target a 70/30 remote–on‑site mix to compress travel and ramp‑up times. Track delivery KPIs (cycle time, adoption, NPS ≥ 60, gross margin ≥ 45%). Implement succession and knowledge‑management protocols to reduce founder dependency.

Risk 2 — Price and scale pressure from subsidized and large competitors

SME‑focused incumbents can undercut pricing and compress margins. BDC Advisory can finance fees and has delivered 7,000+ projects with ~500 experts, accepting losses (e.g., CAD 39M in 2022) to widen access—difficult for boutiques to match. National firms (e.g., MNP) bring extensive benches and coverage across 150+ offices, while Lean specialists offer lower‑cost standardized training. These dynamics extend sales cycles and shift buyer expectations toward templated offers. For growing tech SMEs with average revenues, competitive alternatives may appear “good enough,” risking lower conversion and reducing willingness to pay for bespoke leadership and operating‑model work.

Mitigation — Differentiate on measurable outcomes, speed, and tech‑sector fit

Compete where scale advantages matter least: tech SMEs (10–500 employees) requiring culture‑plus‑operations transformation. Lead with a 6–12 week diagnostic that quantifies baseline and ROI targets (e.g., 10–15% cycle‑time reduction, 20% faster decision cadence, leadership capability uplift measured via pre/post). Offer pilot‑to‑program pathways, value‑based or milestone pricing, and optional performance holdbacks. Publish proof (mini‑cases, KPI dashboards) and reference programs. Co‑sell with accelerators and digital‑transformation partners; align to federal SME AI adoption initiatives to unlock budget. Focus geographically on Ontario (~48%), BC (~17%), and Québec (~15%) with a hybrid model to deliver faster time‑to‑impact than standardized plays.

Risk 3 — Pre‑launch market entry and pipeline reliability

As a new boutique, brand awareness and trust are limited despite a strong technology background. The market is large (CAD 26.2B) but fragmented (≈76,000 firms), and decision makers demand quantifiable value and rapid impact. Tech‑sector SMEs are numerous (48,390+ ICT firms; ~7,300–8,000 with 10+ employees) but budget‑sensitive and inundated with offers ranging from subsidized advisory to low‑cost training. Without a focused go‑to‑market, predictable lead flow, and disciplined qualification, there is risk of thin pipeline, volatile utilization, and slower ramp to the targeted SOM (~0.4% of SAM by Years 4–5).

Mitigation — Focused GTM with instrumented funnel and partner leverage

Concentrate on ICPs: Canadian tech SMEs (10–500 FTEs) in Ontario/Québec/BC. Build a named‑account list (300–400 firms) and run a quarterly outbound cadence (email/social/events) tied to leadership modernization and operational excellence themes. Launch a self‑serve online assessment to capture demand for hybrid diagnostics; target 20 qualified conversations/month, 25% win rate, and 3x pipeline coverage. Establish co‑marketing/referral channels (accelerators, SaaS ecosystems, federal AI programs). Publish monthly insights and 2–3 case briefs per quarter. Track funnel KPIs (MQL→SQL conversion ≥ 35%, CAC payback < 6 months). Use a 90‑day rolling forecast to align selling velocity with delivery capacity.

About

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Company Mission

The problem

• Growing technology companies across Canada often outpace their management practices. They face fragmented operating models, uneven leadership capability, and initiative fatigue from one‑size‑fits‑all frameworks—at a time when buyers demand measurable productivity gains and faster time‑to‑impact.
• The need is material: Canada’s management consulting spend reached CAD 26.2B in 2025, with SMEs representing roughly 31.5% and growing fastest. The ICT sector alone comprises 48,390+ firms and contributes CAD 131.6B to GDP, yet the majority are SMEs that require right‑sized, leadership‑and‑operations support rather than enterprise‑scale programs.

The mission

• Develop leaders and talent while enabling operational excellence—so clients consistently achieve higher standards of performance and quality.
• Deliver a personalized organizational diagnostic, then co‑design and co‑implement bespoke improvements that strengthen leadership, streamline operations, and foster innovation.

How the firm is different

• 100% tailor‑made solutions: No standard playbooks; each mandate aligns precisely to context, constraints, and ambition.
• Human and collaborative delivery: Co‑delivery with client teams builds internal capability and lasting cultural change.
• Tech‑savvy leadership focus: Strong technological expertise ensures modern, effective management practices that match current market challenges, including AI‑ and digital‑driven change.
• Hybrid access across Canada: Online and in‑person formats compress ramp‑up time and cost while preserving the value of targeted on‑site work.

Impact objectives (measurable commitments)

• Establish value milestones within 30 days; deliver first operational or leadership wins within 90 days.
• Achieve 10–20% productivity or cycle‑time improvements within 6–12 months in targeted processes.
• Raise leadership effectiveness scores (e.g., 360 or pulse metrics) by 10–15% within 6 months.
• Ensure 75%+ adoption of new management routines by month 4 through hands‑on coaching and role‑modeling.

Company Values

Operational excellence as a core value

• Definition in practice:
  • Evidence‑based decisions: Diagnostics via interviews, questionnaires, and process reviews inform clear, data‑driven recommendations.
  • Measurable outcomes: Every intervention links to explicit KPIs tied to quality, speed, engagement, or cost.
  • Capability transfer: Co‑delivery and coaching reduce consultant dependency and sustain gains over time.
  • Continuous improvement: Iterative refinements ensure that leadership behaviors and operating routines endure beyond the engagement.
• Why it matters: Clients seek sustained performance, not short‑term fixes. A disciplined excellence mindset—paired with a human, collaborative approach—accelerates adoption, strengthens culture, and improves ROI on transformation investments.

Team

Founder and Principal

• Samuel Depres
• Role and contribution: Sets the firm’s vision and delivery standards; leads complex mandates from diagnostic to implementation; ensures every solution is precisely adapted to the organization’s reality.
• Core competencies:
  • Strong technological expertise to bridge product/engineering realities with modern management practices.
  • Operating‑model design and performance optimization.
  • Leadership and talent development, executive coaching, and cultural transformation.
  • Data‑informed diagnostics and pragmatic, high‑impact implementation.

Associate ecosystem (on‑demand)

• Composition: A curated network of senior consultants, coaches, and facilitators engaged as needed to match scope and timelines.
• Contribution: Expands capacity while preserving the bespoke nature of each mandate; provides specialized depth (e.g., change leadership, process improvement, innovation practices) without imposing standardized templates.
• Quality assurance: All associates deliver under the firm’s methodology and performance bar, maintaining coherence and measurable outcomes across engagements.

Teamwide capabilities

• End‑to‑end transformation: Diagnostic → design → co‑delivery → capability transfer.
• Leadership and culture: Practical routines, coaching, and feedback mechanisms that embed new behaviors.
• Operational excellence: Streamlined processes, management systems, and performance rituals aligned to strategy.
• Innovation enablement: Modern management practices that improve product cadence and cross‑functional collaboration.
• Hybrid delivery across Canada: Virtual delivery for speed and reach; targeted in‑person sessions for pivotal workshops and alignment.

This founder‑led, fully custom, and collaborative model is intentionally designed to serve growing, average‑revenue technology organizations—the segment where standardized programs underperform and where tailored leadership‑plus‑operations interventions create durable value and client loyalty.