Consulting business plan

Ridgeline Operations Advisory is a solo consulting firm that helps owner-led manufacturing and distribution companies with 20 to 150 employees fix scheduling, inventory, and quoting problems. The founder spent twelve years in plant operations and supply chain roles at mid-sized manufacturers and is leaving a director-level job to consult full time. The firm sells a fixed-fee operations review and follow-on monthly advisory work.

Startup costs are about $2,800, covering entity formation, insurance, a website, and software. The firm bills an average of $3,500 per active client per month, and by month twelve it expects five concurrent clients, producing roughly $17,500 in monthly revenue. Because the founder works from a home office with few expenses, most of that revenue becomes owner income.

Ridgeline Operations Advisory LLC provides advisory services in production scheduling, inventory control, vendor management, and continuous improvement for small and mid-sized manufacturers in the region. The firm does not provide legal, tax, or engineering sign-off services, and it does not take equity in client companies.

The core product is a three-week Operations Review that includes site visits, interviews, a data pull from the client’s ERP or spreadsheets, and a written report with a prioritized 90-day plan. Many clients continue with a monthly advisory retainer to implement the plan, run weekly meetings, and track the metrics. The founder holds a lean six sigma green belt and a professional supply chain certification.

Owner-led manufacturers often grow faster than their systems. They have good products and loyal customers, but scheduling, inventory, and quoting often live in spreadsheets and the heads of a few long-time employees. These owners rarely have the budget for a large consulting firm and are wary of consultants without shop-floor experience.

The market for a specialized, practical consultant is local and relationship-driven. Buyers are reached through industry associations, the state manufacturing extension partnership, bankers, and accountants who see the financial symptoms of poor operations. Fees for independent operations consultants vary widely, but a fixed-fee review of $6,000 to $9,000 is common for companies of this size.

Competitors are large consulting firms, state-supported manufacturing extension services, ERP vendors with implementation arms, and other independent consultants. Large firms are expensive and less flexible for small manufacturers. Extension services charge lower fees but may have limited capacity and a narrower scope.

Ridgeline positions itself as a hands-on partner who has run a plant and does not push software. The founder prices at the mid-range of independent consultants, puts the deliverables in writing, and ties retainer work to measurable targets such as on-time delivery percentage and inventory turns.

The primary approach is relationship-based. In the first 90 days, the founder will contact 60 former colleagues, suppliers, bankers, and accountants with a short message describing the Operations Review. Referral partners such as CPAs and commercial lenders receive a one-page overview and a standing offer for a free 30-minute call for their clients.

The founder will also speak at two local manufacturer association meetings, publish a monthly article on LinkedIn about shop-floor problems, and maintain a simple website with case summaries. Marketing spend is modest, mostly event fees and a LinkedIn subscription, at about $250 per month.

Work begins with a no-charge 45-minute discovery call and a short scope letter. Clients sign a master services agreement and a statement of work with fixed fees, payment terms of 50 percent upfront, and a confidentiality clause. During reviews, the founder works on-site two or three days a week and the rest from a home office.

Deliverables are written in plain language with clear owners and dates. The firm tracks time and expenses in a simple project tool and invoices monthly or at milestones. The founder carries professional liability and general liability insurance and reviews client contracts annually with an attorney.