Tailored engagements on the specific Initiative your quarter is hinging on — positioning, channel architecture, community strategy, the next big bet.
A few examples of what that's looked like — not exhaustive, but representative.
If the problem has a deadline and a person on the hook, we can probably help.
Different problems call for different shapes. Sometimes you need help naming the real problem. Sometimes you need the full strategy and plan to solve it. Sometimes you need a partner to see the project through to impact. We have options to meet you where you are.
Before you can solve a problem, you have to name it correctly. A Sprint is a focused engagement to uncover the real one — the root cause, not just the symptom. You get a diagnostic deck: the research, the framing, and a clear point of view on what to do about it. Tight, bounded, and often how new clients start.
Once the real problem is named, a Project is about architecting a solution. Deep research. Synthesis. A strategic framework. An actionable plan. Plus the working sessions to get your leadership team aligned behind it. You get a full strategic deck and a one-page summary your CMO or CEO can carry into the boardroom.
Strategy isn't finished when it's written — it's finished when it's shipped. A Retainer is a standing partnership for the work that comes after the plan. We can stay embedded to help you lead through execution, or we can move with you to the next problem on the list. Priorities shift; we shift with them.
Tell us what you're working on. We'll tell you which shape is right — and if none of them are, we'll say that too.
The Brand Report publishes a strategic read every week — a brand at an inflection, a category at a turning point, a pattern that's easier to see once someone names it. The thinking that shows up there is the thinking you get when you hire us. The difference is it's focused on your brand and the problem you're tackling.
Visit The Publication →Advisory runs on a collective model. Every engagement is cast — a specific team assembled for the specific problem in front of us.
Strategists, researchers, designers, category operators — drawn from a network Dan has worked with, hired, or been hired by across two decades in brand. You get the best possible team for your work, not the people who happen to be sitting around.
Dan leads every engagement. He's the founder, editor, and advisor of The Brand Report, formerly of Nike Valiant Labs— Nike's new-business incubator — and founder of Rally.
Builder, strategist, designer — with a long record of advising brands at inflection points across sport, outdoor, and lifestyle.
A few questions to help us understand what you're working on. Dan reads every submission personally and replies within two business days.