The Challenge
When Lena Ortiz, founder of Harbor & Pine, a boutique outdoor‑goods company, prepared for a major relaunch, she needed to choose a branding and marketing partner. She collected several proposals, but none of them matched in scope, pricing, or terminology. The stakes felt high, the timeline was tight, and she didn’t want to make a $12,000 mistake.
Lena came to us because she had branding proposals that didn’t line up in scope, pricing, or language. She couldn’t tell why one agency was quoting $7,800 and another $18,000, or what any of them actually included. She felt rushed, unsure, and worried about making a $12,000 mistake she couldn’t justify.
46%
Of the Original Proposal Value
was tied to vague or unscoped deliverables that would have triggered change orders later.
3 of 7
Of the collected offers
were missing at least one critical component (licensing rights, revision rounds, or strategy sessions) that would have affected the final outcome.
27%
Value Variance
Existed between agencies’ pricing models once normalized, revealing hidden fees and inflated line items that weren’t obvious in the raw proposals
“I didn’t realize how many gaps and hidden fees were buried in those proposals until they were laid out side‑by‑side. It felt like someone was finally protecting me from making a costly mistake.”
Lena Ortiz
Owner – Harbor & Pine
The Value We Brought
We We’re An Easy Solution
By stepping in early and rebuilding the entire decision from the ground up, we became the one steady element in a process that felt chaotic to Lena. Instead of pushing her toward a vendor or overwhelming her with analysis, we created a calm, structured space where every option was verified, every assumption surfaced, and every risk made visible. In a moment where she felt rushed and unsure, we became the partner who slowed things down, protected her from hidden costs, and gave her the confidence to choose a $12,000 partner without second‑guessing herself.
