How we work
Direct, fixed fee, accountable. Here is exactly what happens.
No mystery, no retainer you cannot escape, no proposal that reads like a brochure. Four phases, each with a clear output and a clear cost, and three ways to engage once we know what you need.
- 01
The conversation
30 minutes, no charge
A call or video meeting. You tell us about the business: what it does, roughly what size it is, what is working and what is not. We ask direct questions and tell you honestly whether we think we can help, and roughly how. If we are not the right firm, we say so.
What we need from you
Come with the problem, not a brief. We will shape it together.
- 02
The diagnostic
Two to four weeks, fixed fee
With your agreement we look under the bonnet: management accounts, bank data, payroll, contracts, supplier spend, systems, website and pipeline, depending on the issue. We come back with a short written view of where the business actually stands and the two or three changes that would make the biggest difference.
What we need from you
Access to your accounting software and an hour or two of your time. We do the rest.
- 03
The proposal
Within a week of the diagnostic
A fixed-fee proposal for the work we recommend: scope, deliverables, timeline, who does what and the measures we will report against. You can take all of it, part of it or none of it. There is no obligation beyond the diagnostic fee.
What we need from you
A decision. We will not chase you with a sales sequence.
- 04
Delivery and accountability
Project or ongoing
We do the work, bringing in the right Fortis discipline or a vetted partner where needed. Progress is reviewed against the agreed measures monthly or quarterly, in writing, with actions and owners. If something is not working we change the plan rather than defend it.
What we need from you
Show up to the reviews and make the decisions that are yours to make.
How we engage
Three ways to work with us. All of them fixed fee.
Fixed-fee project
A defined piece of work with a clear outcome
Scoped in writing, priced before we start, delivered to a date. No hourly surprises.
Typical: Diagnostic, procurement review, HR foundations, website build, growth plan, systems build.
Monthly retainer
Ongoing services and an adviser on call
A fixed monthly fee covering the agreed services, reviewed annually or when the business changes.
Typical: Accountancy, payroll, bookkeeping, HR advice line, marketing management, systems support.
Fractional leadership
Finance or operations leadership without the full-time cost
A set number of days each month, in the business, owning the numbers and the plan alongside you.
Typical: A part-time finance director or operations lead embedded in your leadership team.
Our commitments
Six things you can hold us to.
- Fixed fees
- Agreed in writing before work starts. If the scope changes, the fee changes in writing too. No hourly billing for routine work.
- Plain English
- Recommendations in a page or two, with the reasoning. No sixty-page decks, no jargon, no hedging.
- One point of contact
- A named lead who knows your business, whichever Fortis disciplines are involved.
- Your data stays yours
- Systems we build are owned by you. Documents and data are stored in UK or EU regions wherever possible.
- Honest scope
- If a problem is too small to justify our fee, or outside what we do, we tell you and point you to someone suitable.
- Regulatory clarity
- We are clear about what we are and are not: an AAT-member-led practice, not FCA-authorised, not an insolvency practitioner, not solicitors. Regulated advice comes from regulated partners.
Questions
About working with us
What does the first conversation cost?
Nothing. It is thirty minutes, by phone or video, with no obligation and no follow-up sales sequence.
What does a diagnostic cost?
It depends on the size of the business and the breadth of the review. We quote a fixed fee after the first conversation, and the fee is credited against the first project if you go ahead with our recommendations.
Do you work on site?
Most work is remote, through cloud software and video calls, which is how we serve clients across the UK. We visit when being in the room matters: workshops, restructuring, systems mapping and some HR matters.
Can we start with one service and add more later?
Yes, and most clients do. The value of one firm is that the next service starts with the context the last one built.
What if we already have an accountant or an agency?
That is fine. We work alongside existing advisers where it makes sense and will tell you honestly if we think the arrangement is costing you.
Ready for the first conversation?
A thirty-minute conversation, no charge and no pitch. Tell us where the business is and where you want it to be, and we will tell you honestly whether we can help.