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Our Process
Eight phases from NDA to the first ninety days of trading, with a deliberate decision point before you commit real capital.
NDA & Intake
Before anything substantive, we sign a mutual NDA. Then we collect what exists: the idea, the site, the numbers, the menu, whatever stage you are at.
Discovery
Market and competitive analysis, trade area review, site assessment and a hard look at your existing financials if the business is already operating.
Strategy & Model
Positioning, concept definition and a full financial model. You receive a written recommendation, including anything we think will not work as planned.
Go Or No Go
A decision point on purpose. You can stop here with a validated plan, take it to investors, or continue into build. Plenty of clients pause at this stage and that is fine.
Brand & Menu
Identity, naming, menu engineering with costed recipes, menu design and the collateral the concept needs to present properly.
Systems & Manuals
Operating procedures, station guides, prep systems, labor models and training materials, all written for the people who will use them.
Opening
Critical path management, vendor selection, hiring, training, kitchen calibration, soft opening and the adjustments the first real service always demands.
First 90 Days
We stay engaged after opening. Numbers reviewed weekly, menu adjusted on real data, systems corrected where reality differs from the plan.
The Go Or No Go Point
Why we build in a place to stop
Most consulting relationships are structured so that stopping feels like failure. Ours is not. After strategy and modeling, there is a formal decision point where the honest answer might be that this concept, at this rent, in this market, does not work.
That moment is worth more than anything else we do. A client who walks away from a bad site with a validated plan and their capital intact has received enormous value. A client who proceeds knowing exactly what the model demands is far more likely to succeed.
- A complete financial model you own and can update
- An honest assessment of the risks, in writing
- The option to pause, pivot or proceed
- Documents usable for investor or lender conversations
- No pressure to continue into a larger engagement
What We Need From You
- Honest financials, including the uncomfortable parts
- A realistic capital figure, not an aspirational one
- Access to the site and to your key team members
- Decisions within agreed timeframes
- Willingness to hear things you may not want to hear
- Lease documents and any existing plans or permits
Process Questions
Good to know
How long does a full engagement take?
Concept through opening typically runs six to twelve months, most of which is construction, permitting and equipment lead times rather than our work. A focused menu or operations project usually runs four to twelve weeks.
Can we start mid process?
Yes. Plenty of clients arrive with a concept and a signed lease and need menu, systems and opening support only. We will still review the fundamentals first, because building systems on a flawed model helps nobody.
Do you work on site or remotely?
Both. Discovery, opening and training are on site. Modeling, writing and design are done remotely with scheduled review sessions. Travel is billed separately at cost.
What if we disagree with a recommendation?
Push back. Good recommendations survive challenge. We will show you the data behind ours, and if you still want to proceed differently, we will document the decision and support the path you choose.
Do you offer ongoing support after opening?
Yes. Most clients move onto a monthly advisory retainer for six to twelve months after opening, which is when the real operating questions surface.
Have a concept, a site or a problem?
Book a consultation and we will tell you honestly what we think, what it would take and whether we are the right firm for it.