Aligned from the start
We don't believe in engagements where our incentives and yours point in different directions. The best commercial partnerships are built on shared stakes, where the firm's success is inseparable from the client's progress.
That means we take the time to understand what you're actually building before we propose how we can help. It means we structure engagements around outcomes, not deliverables. And in select cases, where the fit is deep and the opportunity is significant, we participate in the upside we help create — through equity arrangements that align our work with your long-term trajectory.
We are not an agency. We don't rotate teams, hand off to junior staff, or disappear between milestones. When you engage Couët Strategic Advisors, you get a senior commercial leader embedded in your team — present in the room, on the calls, and in the decisions that matter. Most of our client relationships span multiple years. That's not a coincidence. It's the model.
Flexible by design
We offer four engagement structures, chosen based on your stage, your needs, and the nature of the work. In practice, most partnerships begin with one model and evolve over time as the relationship deepens and the work expands.
Retainer
For companies that need ongoing embedded commercial leadership (ie. a fractional CMO/CCO/CRO). A fixed monthly commitment that gives you consistent, senior presence without the overhead of a full-time executive hire. Our most common engagement model, and the foundation of most of our long-term partnerships.
Banked Hours
For companies with variable needs across a defined period. Hours are purchased in advance and drawn down as needed, giving you flexibility without sacrificing continuity or priority access to senior thinking.
Project-Based
For companies with a defined scope and a specific commercial challenge to solve (ie. product launch, funding raise, new market penetration). A structured engagement with clear milestones and a tangible deliverable; often the entry point to a longer relationship.
Hourly
For targeted advisory input on specific questions or decisions. Available selectively for companies that need senior guidance without a longer commitment.
From first conversation to close
Every engagement begins the same way: with a conversation focused entirely on your situation. No pitch, no predetermined solution, no junior analyst doing the intake. You speak directly with a senior commercial strategist from day one.
From there, we propose an engagement structure that fits the problem and the relationship. We move quickly into the work, stay embedded throughout, and are honest when something isn't working. At every stage, you have direct access to the same senior leader; not a account manager, not a rotating cast.
Most of our clients don't have an off-boarding conversation. The work evolves, the scope shifts, and the relationship deepens. That's what we build toward from the first call.