How We'll Collaborate

I'm an accomplished strategic communications consultant with a focus on strategic content development who works only with well-established financial services industry firms.

I understand the value of a well-defined collaboration structure. It's this structure that prevents misunderstandings, missed deadlines, budget overruns, and invoicing disputes, ensuring a mutually beneficial collaboration. 

But I prioritize fostering strategic communications experiences that are both productive and enjoyable. My goal is to build thought partnerships that aren't just successful but also fulfilling for all the professionals involved.

So, below are some policies and procedures that I established over the years I've worked as an external communications consultant. They’re also based on recent legislative attempts of establish parameters for independent consultants. 

For me, they are keys to our successful collaboration, no matter what project type we undertake. These parameters define our project from the concept to its execution.

I'm an established strategic communications consultant operating under Thrive Media Collaborative, Inc. as an incorporated communications consultant. UpThink Strategic Communications is a division of Thrive Media Collaborative.

I offer my solutions to multiple clients simultaneously, including those in the same sector or industry, under that corporation. I do not sign non-compete agreements.

My primary contact for my clients is a senior leader in your organization who has decision-making authority. So disputes are rarely an issue.

The independent consultant framework and work process below assures engagements that comply with existing state and federal laws and for both me and my clients. Here's an overview of my business framework.

As principal strategic content consultant of Thrive Media Collaborative, the success and growth of my business depends wholly on the strategic and operational decisions I make for my enterprise. Our initial discussions will focus on how my expertise and your objectives align so that we may explore a mutually beneficial collaboration where my business gains new opportunities and you achieve your communications goals.

My role is one of an independent consultant, not a temporary employee, and my success depends directly on delivering valuable solutions and results for clients through my enterprise. So, our initial conversation is not just about identifying your needs but also about establishing the parameters of our professional relationship, and emphasizing the opportunity for mutual advantages of a thought partnership.

After the introductory call described under "Workflow Process," we'll outline the scope and investment required from both sides, ensuring clarity and mutual benefit. I will invoice you for any financial investment we agree upon through my corporation, and you will render payment via its bank account or other payment processor.

Whether it's a one-off consulting project or a longer-term engagement, we define the scope and duration of our engagement in a formal contract. We only will work under a fully executed contract between your organization and my corporation, as defined further below.

I bring my expertise your organization as an independent consultant, without expecting guaranteed work from you. I work during the hours and from a remote location determined by me using tools and equipment. I rarely travel to client offices, but when I do, I'm compensated for that travel and in office time. 

Our detailed contract scope of work will further outline my independent work process while honoring mutual accountability. It also will articulate my intent to remain an independent contractor as defined by federal law. Thus, the nature and control remain collaborative, respecting our mutual organizational autonomy.

My offerings are customized to the specific communications challenges you identify. Because you may not have professionals on staff with my unique skills, you've determined a need for my consultant expertise. But my services aren't integral to your day-to-day operations.

I'm a doctoral researcher with a master's in corporations and an award-winning journalist who's been an independent communications consultant for nearly 25 years. I bring a unique blend of skill and initiative to every project, including advanced analytical, problem-solving, strategic communications and project management skills. The statement of work or other terms of our formal agreement will outline many of those.

If you're interested in strategic content, we start with a brief email exchange then a 15-30-minute introductory call. I provide no strategic content insights in these email exchanges or during this call. Each only establishes what solutions you require, how I can provide them, and what your resources are, including budget.

Senior or Managing Editors at respected mainstream media publications can email with their proposed assignment and we'll continue from there.

If your need is strictly strategic content writing or journalism services, we establish project scope, terms, statement of work, fees, and other standard aspects of editorial and strategic content writing services. We establish these terms together to gain a mutually beneficial agreement about the solution you want me to provide. (See "Contracts & Payment" below for further details.)

If you want me to help you solve your external communications challenge, including related strategic content planning, after the introductory call, we would start our work together with paid consulting time. If your ask is for brainstorming or ideation (sometimes called "brain picking"), we establish a fee for those services and you pay in full in advance for them. Afterward, I provide a report to you about what we discussed and how I suggest you move forward.

If we agree a much more in depth paid discovery project (or communications assessment) is ideal, we establish a written, task-oriented scope for the project. I then provide you with a working quote and an invoice for prepayment.

Once we complete the discovery project (or communications assessment), I generate a project blueprint exclusive to your firm that's designed to meet your specific organizational or corporate communications strategic objectives.

After you receive your strategic blueprint, if we agree I should to work with you to complete your strategic content development project, I will provide the additional fees required to continue. Otherwise, you will have a strategic content communications blueprint you can use to execute your strategic content project in-house or to hire another consultant for that work.

Whether for strategic content development solutions or journalism projects, before beginning any work, we execute a detailed agreement between your organization and my corporation, Thrive Media Collaborative, Inc. 

After I review the contract, if I request no changes, I sign the document and get it back to you quickly so we can begin work. If the contract is more complex than I expected or have terms I don't fully understand, I may have it reviewed by experienced legal professionals.*

My clients compensate me for all work I do. That includes outlines, and preliminary or final drafts of written content clients decide not to publish. Fees may be by the word or project depending on project type, scope, length, and volume of work requested from me by your organization. I may require retainers or payment schedules for larger projects.

I consider pre-engagement discussions or work—that which I do before we are under formal contract or written agreement—about strategic content development consulting time. That includes strategic conversations with your communications or marketing leaders, reviews of content or other materials related to your project, or interviews or discussions I conduct with your firm's principals about editorial content.

In those cases, I invoice for a minimum of two hours of time at my regular consulting rate, regardless of verbal agreements. Most clients find it more efficient to sign a written agreement with me before we begin any strategic content development work or related strategic communications activities.

You can expect my fees to be market rate or higher for someone of my caliber. Typically, we establish my fees in a written contract with my parent corporation, Thrive Media Collaborative, Inc., but where we haven't established a full contractual relationship, I still invoice for my time. Invoices come from my corporation, too, and, to prevent payment disputes,* reflect the payment terms agreed upon between us in writing or stated on this page.

As an incorporated consultant, I'm not entirely dependent on any single organization for work. It's possible that during our initial interactions, we may find that we're not the right fit for each other. But, both parties reserve the right, in writing, to decline further engagement at any point before any compensable work starts.

Sometimes, we discover during this process that we are not a fit for one another. So, we reserve the mutual right to decline to work with each other. Also, the policies and procedures identified here may not include all those necessary for Thrive Media Collaborative, Inc. to engage with a specific firm.

While written contracts supersede the policies on this page, I may assert policies and procedures on this page to supplant verbal agreements. These polices also may change or get expanded without notice, and I will implement those changes in client relationships with The Financial Communicator.

If you agree that this is the best way to work together, contact me about how we can collaborate on your strategic content development or journalism project.

[*I'm a member of The Author's Guild. See my profile here.]