How we can support your next chapter
Case study: From chaos to confidence – supporting a freelance photographer
Explore the ways we work with clients and choose what fits your current needs best.
The situation
In 2015, we supported a freelance photographer who was incredibly talented but deeply disorganized. His business was struggling due to poor time management — he was arriving late to weddings and baptisms, delivering photos weeks behind schedule, and constantly overwhelmed by administrative tasks.
Although his creative work was strong, negative client feedback was starting to hurt his reputation and limit new bookings.
How we helped
We offered pro bono support to bring clarity and structure to his operations. We introduced him to tools like Google Calendar for time tracking, helped him create reusable contract templates, and organized all client files in Google Drive.
We also encouraged a more strategic approach — including hiring a second shooter as backup and preparing printed samples and contracts for in-person meetings.
The outcome
With better systems in place, he began showing up on time, communicating more clearly with clients, and managing events with far less stress.
Having a second shooter proved crucial during unexpected situations — like a car breakdown before a baptism, which was handled seamlessly.
His confidence returned, his reputation recovered, and his bookings increased steadily.
Case study: Scaling a travel operations team from survival mode to sustainable growth
The situation
In 2019, we supported a small airport shuttle and hotel booking agency struggling to keep up after landing a large new contract. The entire team consisted of just three people — the founder and two employees, one of whom was on the verge of quitting due to burnout.
They were working 12+ hour days trying to coordinate flight arrivals, hotel transfers, and guest communication — and things were slipping. Flights were delayed, hotel bookings were getting lost, and guest complaints were escalating.
How we helped
We stepped in for a 9-month engagement to stabilize and rebuild their operations.
Working closely with the founder, we:
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Define delegation processes helped build a scalable team structure
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Hired and onboarded new staff members
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Co-created weekly schedules to eliminate understaffing and prevent burnout
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Implemented an internal chat and ticketing system
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Documented SOPs and trained staff
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Identified and trained the next team leaders
This wasn't just about fixing systems — it was about rethinking how the business operated under pressure
The outcome
By the end of the collaboration, the agency was handling client volume efficiently and confidently. Staff were no longer working excessive hours, the quality of service improved, and leadership was no longer in constant crisis mode.
Most importantly, the agency survived the pandemic with minimal layoffs — thanks to stronger internal systems and a team that could run things independently.
They even expanded to handle new hotel partnerships and contracts.
Case study: Restructuring operations during explosive growth — and again during a crash
The situation
Between 2020 and 2022, we worked with a fast-scaling e-commerce company that experienced a massive boom during the pandemic. Practically overnight, their active client base jumped from 700 to over 2,000. They needed to hire 25 new team members and expanded operations across multiple time zones, including Asia and the Middle East.
But this sudden growth came with major cracks:
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Their core product was still under development
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Support and operations were merged without planning
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Team members were overwhelmed, misaligned, and under-trained
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Client retention was dropping fast due to poor service
That’s when we were brought in — first to stabilize, then to restructure.
How we helped
We joined during a period of explosive growth — the company had only 20 team members but needed to onboard 25 more in record time. Over the next year, we focused on rebuilding structure and stability through:
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Managing recruitment, interviews, and onboarding for 25 new hires
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Redesigning support and ops workflows to prevent burnout
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Creating SOPs, internal documentation, and knowledge transfer plans
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Advising on tool transitions (e.g. moving from Intercom to a more scalable CRM)
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Coaching leadership on delegation and long-term team structure
We returned again in 2021 to support a second restructuring phase when post-pandemic slowdowns and leadership shifts created new instability.
The outcome
By the end of our collaboration, the company had the systems, structure, and leadership needed to operate at scale. Their team stabilized, client service quality improved, and internal chaos was replaced with clarity.
Even after temporary shifts in tools and strategy, the business returned to many of the foundational processes we built. These systems are still in use today — helping the company stay afloat through team downsizing, market downturns, and major leadership transitions.
Disclaimer:
All case studies are published with the explicit consent of the individuals or businesses involved. Personal details have been shared only with permission, and in some cases, names and identifying information have been changed to protect client confidentiality.
