Strategy your whole team owns and actually executes
I do not hand you a document and walk away. We build the strategy together, so the people responsible for executing it are the people who shaped it.
A plan that creates momentum, not one that sits in a folder
Most businesses have some form of strategy. Very few have one that is genuinely alive in the organisation. The difference is not the quality of the document. It is whether the people doing the work feel ownership over the direction.
The strategy development process I use is collaborative by design. Your leadership team is in the room, contributing to the choices, challenging the assumptions and committing to the outcomes. That shared ownership is what turns a strategy into real momentum.
I bring a CA(SA)'s discipline to the financial grounding of the strategy, and a career's worth of commercial experience to the harder questions about markets, positioning and competitive advantage. The result is a strategy that is ambitious enough to matter and grounded enough to execute.
"The strongest businesses are built on a clear vision, a meaningful mission and values that give people direction, purpose and something to believe in."
Barend van den Berg, CA(SA)Six outcomes a strategy engagement delivers
A direction your team believes in
Not a statement written by a consultant. A genuine articulation of where you are going and why it matters, built with the people who will bring it to life.
Honest assessment of your current position
A clear-eyed view of where your business stands today: your strengths, your constraints, your competitive position and the market conditions shaping your options.
Priorities your whole team can act on
Not a list of fifty initiatives. Three to five clear strategic priorities, each with an owner, a timeline and measurable outcomes. Enough focus to actually move.
A model that tests strategy against reality
Strategy without numbers is aspiration. I build the financial model that tests your priorities against reality and shows you what different outcomes look like.
A rhythm for review and course correction
Strategy dies without a review rhythm. I help you build the cadence: how you check in on progress, how you adjust when things change, and who is accountable for what.
A strategic partner beyond the engagement
For many clients, the strategy engagement is the beginning of an ongoing relationship. I remain available as a sounding board as the strategy evolves and the business grows.
Four phases, from diagnosis to deployment
Every engagement is different, but the structure follows a proven sequence that ensures the strategy is grounded, owned and executable.
Diagnosis
We start by understanding the business as it actually is. Financials, team, market, competitive position, customer feedback and the leadership team's honest view of what is working and what is not.
Direction
The leadership team works together to define or refine the vision, mission and values. We surface the real choices the business faces and identify the strategic priorities that will drive growth.
Design
We turn strategic priorities into a clear, actionable plan. Each priority gets an owner, a timeline, a budget and defined success metrics. The financial model is built and tested against the plan.
Deployment
The strategy is communicated across the organisation. We set up the review rhythm, the accountability structure and the reporting cadence that will keep the strategy alive beyond the initial engagement.
The right moment for a strategy engagement
Strategy work is most valuable at specific inflection points in a business's life.
Growing businesses without a clear direction
Revenue is increasing but the business feels unfocused. Too many priorities and not enough alignment on which ones actually matter most.
Businesses at a crossroads
Facing a new market, a product pivot or a potential acquisition and needing a structured process to think it through with rigour.
Businesses rebuilding after difficulty
The turnaround is underway or complete. Strategy is how recovery becomes sustainable growth rather than a temporary stabilisation.
Leadership teams that are not aligned
The team is capable but pulling in different directions. A collaborative strategy process builds the shared understanding that alignment requires.
Businesses planning the next three to five years
Stable and profitable today, but wanting to be deliberate about where the business goes next. A strategy engagement gives that thinking structure.
Founders preparing to step back
Thinking about succession, a partial exit or transitioning to a management team. Strategy work is a core part of making that transition work well.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a strategy engagement take?
The core engagement, from diagnosis through to a completed strategy and communication plan, typically takes six to twelve weeks depending on the size and complexity of the business. Ongoing strategic counsel continues beyond that on a retainer basis for clients who want it.
Do we need to have a leadership team in place before starting?
Not necessarily. The strategy process can help clarify the leadership structure the business needs. However, the engagement works best when the key decision-makers, whoever they are, are genuinely involved and committed to the process.
What makes this different from hiring a strategy consultant?
Most strategy consultants produce a document. The process I run is designed to produce ownership. Your team is in the room, shaping the choices, which means they are committed to the outcomes. The financial grounding from a CA(SA) perspective also ensures the strategy is viable, not just aspirational.
Can this be done remotely?
Partially. The diagnostic and review phases work well remotely. The collaborative workshops, where direction and priorities are shaped, are significantly more effective in person. Barend is based in Stellenbosch and works with businesses across Gauteng and South Africa, and can travel for those sessions.
What does a strategy engagement cost?
The engagement is scoped and priced based on the size of the business, the complexity of the challenge and the level of involvement required. The best starting point is a conversation about what you are trying to achieve, which Barend offers at no charge.
Related services
Strategy work connects naturally with these services, before, during or after the engagement.
Virtual CFO
Strategy needs financial grounding. A Virtual CFO keeps the numbers aligned with the direction as the business executes.
TurnaroundResilience Capital
For businesses rebuilding after difficulty. Strategy is how a turnaround becomes a growth story.
MentoringExecutive Mentoring, Ignite
Strategy without leadership development rarely sticks. Ignite builds the capability to execute on the direction.
Ready to build a strategy your business will actually follow?
Start with a conversation. No preparation needed, no pitch. Just an honest discussion about where you are and what a clear direction could unlock.