The Work
Three ways to work together, depending on where you are and what you need.
Every engagement starts with a conversation. The format is shaped around the business, not the other way around. But having worked inside and alongside specialty coffee and consumer brands for the last decade, I’ve found that most projects fall into one of three shapes.
1. BRAND CLARITY SPRINT
For businesses that need to get clear before they move.
This is a focused engagement (typically 2-4 weeks) designed for moments when a business knows it needs to do something but isn’t sure what, or has a decision in front of it that feels heavier than it should.
It usually starts with a workshop. Not a presentation, not a reveal moment – a working session. I bring founders, leadership, and sometimes wider teams into the same room to pressure-test assumptions, surface unspoken priorities, and translate instinct into shared language. Some sessions are small and founder-focused. Others involve production teams, café teams, or people closer to the day-to-day. What matters is that the conversation reflects the reality of the business, not an abstract version of it.
From there, I deliver a positioning document and a practical roadmap – what to do, what to stop doing, and what to do first.
This tends to work best ahead of: A brand or website rebuild. A period of growth or investment. Internal misalignment between teams. A moment where decisions have started to pile up and nothing is moving.
What you get: A half-day or full-day workshop with your team. A written positioning and strategy document. A prioritised roadmap for the next 6-12 months. Typically two rounds of refinement after delivery.
Recent examples: At Curve Coffee Roasters, I ran workshops with the founders, then separately with the roasting and production team and the café team, creating alignment across the business ahead of a complete website rebuild. At Blossom Coffee Roasters, a sprint with the founder established the positioning, content strategy, and commercial priorities that now guide the business as it grows.
Investment: from £2,500 depending on scope.
2. ONGOING ADVISORY
For founders who want a strategic partner without a full-time hire.
This is a monthly retainer for businesses that don’t need (or can’t justify) a head of brand or commercial director, but need someone thinking about these things consistently. I act as a sounding board, a pressure-tester, and an extra pair of hands when needed.
In practice this means a weekly call, async support between calls, and hands-on input on whatever’s in front of you – positioning decisions, content direction, wholesale strategy, team development, hiring briefs, investor materials, or just making sense of what’s working and what isn’t.
The value isn’t in a single deliverable. It’s in having someone close to the business who sees the full picture and can help you make better decisions faster.
This tends to suit: Founders who are stretched across too many things. Businesses between hires or unsure what role to hire next. Brands that have a junior marketer or part-time support but no senior strategic direction. Businesses in a sustained period of change where decisions come frequently.
What you get: A weekly 45-60 minute call. Async support via email or voice note between calls. Hands-on input on strategy, content, comms, and commercial priorities. Someone who’ll tell you what they actually think, not what you want to hear.
Recent example: My work with Blossom Coffee Roasters evolved from an initial sprint into ongoing advisory – acting as a sounding board for the founder, supporting content and communications, and helping maintain focus as the business develops.
Investment: from £800/month, minimum three-month commitment.
3. DTC & COMMERCIAL DIAGNOSTIC
For businesses that need an honest outside perspective on what’s working and what isn’t.
This is a structured audit of how your brand, website, DTC, subscriptions, email, wholesale, and customer experience are working together (or pulling in different directions). I look at the full picture and tell you what I’d prioritise, what I’d stop, and where the clearest opportunities are.
It’s designed for businesses that feel busy but aren’t sure if the effort is going to the right places. The output is a clear, prioritised report – not a 60-page strategy deck that sits in a drawer. Something you could hand to your team on Monday morning and start acting on.
This tends to suit: Roasters or consumer brands with an established DTC presence that isn’t performing as it should. Businesses where wholesale, retail, and DTC feel like separate brands. Founders preparing for investment, a rebrand, or a new hire and wanting clarity on where the gaps actually are.
What you get: A full review of brand, DTC, content, email, subscription, and wholesale alignment. A prioritised report with specific, actionable recommendations. A 90-minute debrief call to walk through findings and discuss next steps.
Investment: from £1,500.
Every business is different, and not everything fits neatly into one of these three shapes. Sometimes the right thing is a combination. Sometimes it’s something else entirely. The starting point is always a conversation — no fee, no obligation, just an honest assessment of whether I can help.
If any of this feels relevant to where you are right now, get in touch.
Joshua Small, Creative Consultant 