How It Works

Herding Cats operates at the intersection of Organisation × Leadership × Founder Partnership.

In small business, the lines between People, Operations, and Leadership are often blurred. A team that’s unclear on roles often has a founder who’s stretched thin. A founder who’s stretched thin usually needs both a sounding board and better systems around them. So, instead of treating these as different services, I work on them together, as one connected partnership.

What working together looks like.

We’re not providing an open-ended retainer or a grab-bag of services. Rather, this is a focused 2–3 month partnership with a clear start, middle, and finish.

1. A real conversation. We talk through what’s going on in your business, where the pressure’s coming from, and whether I’m the right person to help. No obligation, no sales pitch.
2. We figure out what’s going on. Not just “what’s loudest”, but the patterns underneath. The issues that, when fixed, make everything easier.
3. We build the plan together. You’re the expert in your business. I bring the outside perspective and practical know-how. We agree on what we’re tackling, what success looks like, and map it along a timeline.
4. We do the work. Regular sessions, real support between them, and tools or systems your team can keep using – not a binder that just sits on a shelf.
5. The door stays open. By the end, your business won’t need me in the same way. But many founders find they like to keep the conversation going. Whether it’s a fortnightly call, or monthly check-in: our door stays open.

Our goal is simple:

What you can expect from me.

• Straight talk. I’ll tell you what I actually see – including the uncomfortable bits.
• No unnecessary complexity. If something simple will work, that’s what we’ll do.
• Full attention. I take on a small number of clients at a time, by design.
• Humanity. Your relationships are everything, and I treat them with warmth and empathy.

Examples of what we can work on.

Leadership

• Org structure and role clarity
• Responsibility mapping and decision-making
• Performance and feedback rhythms
• Improving the day-to-day experience of being on your team
• Reducing reliance on the founder for day-to-day decisions

Organisation

• Structuring how and where information lives
• Simplifying or replacing clunky processes
• Onboarding systems that actually set people up well
• Mapping and improving key workflows

Investment.

A fixed retainer, not an hourly meter.

Every engagement runs as a 2–3 month retainer, scoped to your business. You get senior, big-picture thinking, working closely alongside you – without the overhead, the recruitment process, or the 12-month commitment of a full-time hire.

You’re not billed by the hour, and we’re not watching a clock during our sessions. We confirm the investment together after our first conversation, once we’re both clear on what the work actually involves. No surprises.