Our Engagements

Most clients don’t come to Strategy Shark looking for a predefined service. They come with a question, a decision, or a problem they need to work through.

The work is shaped by the problem in front of us. Some engagements are focused and finite. Others expand as decisions stack and priorities change.

This page outlines the types of questions we are typically brought in to answer, and what engagement can look like in practice.

The Questions We’re Asked To Answer

  • Do we know why customers choose us, and does our positioning reflect that?
  • We are putting effort into growth. What is actually working, and what is not?
  • Which customers, products, or initiatives are driving the business right now?
  • Are we ready for the next channel, partner, or retailer, and does our story hold up?
  • What do customers think about us, and how do we compare to competition?
  • Where do we place our next portfolio bet, and how do we validate before scaling?
  • We have a lot of data. How can we make trustworthy decisions seamlessly?
  • As a new founder, what do I need to be focused on so I build the right thing?

How We Approach Engagements 

While every engagement starts from a different question, our work follows the same problem-solving approach: building intelligence to create clarity, developing strategy to set direction, and supporting execution so decisions hold up in the real world. Some engagements live entirely within one area. Others span intelligence, strategy, and execution. Scope follows the problem to be solved. While we do not sell a menu of predefined services, many engagements lead to common work and outputs.

Our Engagement Structures

Strategic Projects

Focused work around a specific decision or moment.

Strategic projects are the most common way new relationships begin. They are designed for situations where a business needs clarity to make a real decision and move forward with confidence.

This engagement is a fit when:

  • There is a defined question, opportunity, or inflection point
  • Leadership needs clear insight and direction, not just more analysis
  • The goal is to make a decision that unlocks the next phase

Strategic projects are intentionally scoped. Some conclude cleanly. Others evolve as new questions surface.

Retainer

Ongoing strategic support as decisions stack over time.

Retainers are built for teams that want consistent, senior-level thinking close at hand. This structure works best once there is shared context and trust in how decisions are made.

This engagement is a fit when:

  • Important decisions are recurring, not one-off
  • Insight, strategy, and execution need to stay connected over time
  • Leadership wants continuity without repeated onboarding

Retainers are flexible by design. The work adapts as priorities change and new information emerges.

Fractional

Embedded leadership inside the business.

Fractional engagements are appropriate when a company needs experienced leadership embedded in the organization. This is active participation, not advisory from the sidelines.

This engagement is a fit when:

  • A senior role is needed, but not yet full-time
  • A senior operator needs to drive alignment and lead teams across functions
  • Leadership wants accountability alongside partnership

Fractional work represents the deepest level of involvement and is typically built on an established relationship.

A Note on Fit

A Strategy Shark Engagement is a fit if:

  • You want clarity before committing to meaningful bets
  • You are open to pressure-testing assumptions and changing direction if needed
  • You value judgment, prioritization, and decision quality over activity

A Strategy Shark Engagement is NOT a fit if:

  • You are looking for task-only execution or a plug-and-play agency
  • You want validation for decisions already made
  • You need predefined services without diagnosis or context

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