Our Services

Strategic Advisory

Positioning You for Success

Am I ready  

to go to market?

Maximize what you built by positioning your company for the best outcome before you go to market.

Whether you're five years away or nearing the finish line, our strategic advisory services give you a clear, honest picture of where your company stands today and a defined path to exit on your terms.

Exits are often driven by personal decisions, and the moment can come unexpectedly and quickly. By starting now, your business will be ready when the time is right for you.

At a Glance

  • A professional, defensible valuation lays the foundation

  • Wayfinder Report: a concrete plan for preparing your company for transition

  • Long-term strategy that always keeps the end goal in focus

  • A seamless transition into Sell Side Advisory, on your timeline

A Goal With a Plan

Most owners are understandably focused on running their business and planning a successful, high-value exit gets pushed to the back burner. Everyone has a target in mind, but few have a concrete plan to hit it.

As the saying goes "a goal without a plan is just a wish."

Some key strategies that move the needle the most, like cleaning up financials, resolving customer concentration, or structuring for tax efficiency, often take years to fully execute.

A major liquidity event of your business is too important to fire from the hip. It took years to build your company so why should the exit planning be an afterthought?

Taking the time to prepare means positioning your company for an exit on your terms, when the time is right, and ensuring the legacy you've built has a path to endure for generations to come.

“a goal without a plan is just a wish.”
— Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

On This Page

Advisory Service Overview

Wayfinder Report

Partnership to the Closing

Frequently Asked Questions

What Strategic Advisory Covers

We provide a spectrum of support options to come alongside our clients and chart the course to a successful transition, So whether you’re seeking to recapitalize, exit your company, or bring in a capital partner for growth, there's a path for you.

01 | COURSE CHARTING

Know exactly where you stand

A comprehensive report lays out an exit navigation plan, Course Charting is where most Strategic Advisory engagements begin.

Engagement Overview

There is no retainer or ongoing commitment. This consultation is designed to provide clarity so you can confidently take the next steps, with or without us.

Timeline: 30-60 Days, typically 1-3 meetings

Our Effort: 40–80 hours total

Investment: $10,000–$20,000, one-time fixed fee (set at time of proposal)

Credit: 100% of your Course Charting fee is credited towards future advisory engagements. At our firm, you're never paying twice for the same work.

Scope:

  • We conduct a full 360-degree review of your business: finances, operations, personnel, and contracts, along with the things that don't show up on a balance sheet, but absolutely show up in a buyer's diligence.
  • We sit down with you directly, because the numbers only tell part of the story. We want to understand what actually drives value in your business, how it operates, how it will grow in the future, and what external forces are important.
  • You receive a Wayfinder Report which includes a detailed methodical valuation built on real sale comparables and discounted cash flow analysis and then lays out your deal readiness, your key value drivers, and a concrete, prioritized action plan to prepare your company for diligence and post-closing transition.

02 | GUIDED ADVISORY

Execute with a partner beside you

For owners who want strategic support as the tactical plan is implemented, to keep the roadmap on schedule.

Engagement Overview

Structured as a quarterly engagement, scalable from a light quarterly touchpoint or a more involved partnership depending on how much support your plan requires.

Timeline: Varies by need — typically for the length of the pre-market runway

Our Effort: 5–10 hours per month

Also included: Periodic deal-readiness assessments and valuation updates

Investment: Quarterly retainer, fixed fee, based on effort level (set at time of proposal)

Credit: 50% of Guided Advisory fees are credited towards the Sell-Side Advisory success fee at closing, up to 50% of the total success fee, contingent on Mainmast serving as your exclusive sell-side advisor.

Scope:

  • You receive a Wayfinder Report as layed out in the Course Charting service. With your input, we build an execution roadmap directly from the Wayfinder Report.
  • We stay engaged: providing execution guidance, referring vetted third-party vendors when specialized help is needed, provide availability with senior staff if troubleshooting issues arise, and meeting with you at regular intervals to keep the plan on schedule.

03 | STRATEGIC OFFICE

You call the play, we run point

This is the highest-touch tier, built for owners who desire professional oversight of their vision’s implementation

Engagement Overview

Structured as a quarterly engagement, scalable to match the cadence of the strategic initiative.

Timeline: Varies by need — based on scope of transformation goals

Our Effort: 20–100 hours per month

Also included: Actively maintain deal readiness: valuation updates, data room preparation, and a warm buyer list.

Investment: Quarterly retainer, fixed fee, based on effort level (set at time of proposal)

Credit: As with Guided Advisory, half of every consulting fee you pay is credited toward your success fee at closing, up to 50% of the total success fee, contingent on Mainmast serving as your exclusive sell-side advisor.

Scope:

  • We serve as your project management office — providing full oversight of the entire initiative.
  • You receive a Wayfinder Report as layed out in the Course Charting service. With your input, we build an execution roadmap directly from the Wayfinder Report.
  • We recruit and hold accountable any third-party vendors the plan requires, and handle hands-on implementation support directly with key staff.
  • You get regular oversight sessions for full transparency into progress, but the day-to-day coordination is ours to carry, not yours.
  • By maintaining deal readiness, we’re starting ahead of the game when the time comes to go to market.

Inside the Wayfinder Report

Every Strategic Advisory engagement is anchored by the same tool: the Wayfinder Report. We build this from a deep dive of your company’s data combined with direct conversations with you. We cover a wide spectrum of topics including Financials, Assets, Technology, and Legal. It addresses four key areas every owner needs to know before going to market:

1.   Company Valuation

What your business is actually worth today, grounded in solid valuation principles, sale comparable data, and industry outlook.

2.  Market Readiness

Assessment were diligence may find friction and how smoothly the company can transition to the next chapter.

3.   Growth Plan

What levers are available to increase value and attractiveness between now and a liquidity event, and realistically how long each one takes to pull.

4.   Navigation Plan

A prioritized, concrete set of actionable next steps, so “someday” becomes a schedule. Crafted with the finish line in mind.

A Partnership to the Closing Table

We believe in forging a partnership from the start of planning all the way to the closing table.

Our business model keeps that same horizon in full view:

Every dollar you pay us for Course Charting is credited back toward your next step with Mainmast. And if that next step is Guided Advisory or Strategic PMO, half of those fees are further credited toward your success fee at closing, up to 50% of the total success fee, when we serve as your exclusive sell side advisor.

We believe in candor about timelines, fees, and effort. Every engagement is scoped to match your company’s real needs.

Real partnership means we do well when you do well. That's not a cute slogan; it's our business model.

The timeline is yours. We’re here for the long run.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

  • If you're planning an exit within the ten years with a company size of 20-200 employees, we can help you. Value drivers take time to build. Clean financials, a strong management bench, or a diversified customer base don’t magically appear overnight or under deadline pressure.

    If you're closer than that, or already fielding inbound interest, a Course Charting engagement alone can still give you the clarity to negotiate from a position of strength.

  • A valuation tells you what your business is worth today. The Wayfinder Report tells you that and gives you a plan to improve your valuation and be optimally prepared for diligence and post-closing transition.

  • No. We believe in winning your trust through the quality of our work and our personal touch. There's no obligation to continue beyond any of our services.

  • That's normal, and it is exactly why Strategic Advisory is structured in tiers. The Guided Advisory and Strategic PMO services can be scaled up or down every quarter based on the company’s needs and will be subject to regular assessments on our part to ensure our scope matches your goals and timeline. Your commitment is quarterly, so if you ever change your mind, there is a no-penalty off-ramp from the engagement.

  • Charting is a one-time fixed fee. Guided Advisory and Strategic PMO are quarterly retainers set at a fixed rate and scaled to the level of support you need. The structure stated clearly in our proposal. There are no hidden fees, expense reimbursements, or running hourly clocks.

    Proposals can be adjusted quarterly if the effort level needs to be increased or decreased to match a change in a client’s goals, scope, or timeline.

    In every case, a significant portion of what you've paid is credited toward your next step with us, including a future sale.

  • Absolutely. We are committed to strict confidentiality standards as the guardian of your information. We sign a unilateral confidentiality agreement at the outset of every engagement. We understand that the high level of transparency required of our clients must be matched by an equal measure of vigilance on our part.

Start the Conversation Today

It starts with a conversation, not a pitch

Set up a no-pressure discovery call with us.

We'll listen first, answer your questions, and make sure it's a good mutual fit. Call or text 919.998.6246, or use the link below.

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