Strategy Sparring
As a CEO, you often make strategic decisions alone. The board is too far away, the leadership team is too close, the advisory board meets too rarely. What is missing: someone who challenges your assumptions, uncovers your blind spots, and sharpens your decisions — not as a consultant who wants to sell a project, but as a strategic counterpart at eye level.
That is strategy sparring. Monthly. Reliable. To the point.
Format
| Rhythm | Monthly |
| Scope | 4 hours per month (flexibly divisible) |
| Access | Ad-hoc between sessions (email, phone, within 24h) |
| Minimum term | 3 months |
| Cancellation | Monthly after minimum term |
Does this format fit? → Schedule a conversation
What Sparring Is — and What It Is Not
| Sparring is | Sparring is not |
|---|---|
| Strategic counterpart at eye level | Coaching (we work on your strategy, not on you) |
| Challenging assumptions, uncovering blind spots | Reporting (we don’t create reports) |
| Sharpening and validating decisions | Implementation support (that is what project formats are for) |
| On call when a decision is due | Permanent presence (4 hours/month, not 40) |
Typical Topics
- Strategic direction decisions: growth, focus, market entry or exit
- Business model adjustments: pricing model, customer segments, value chain
- Product prioritization: feature vs. focus, build vs. buy
- AI integration: where is the lever, where is the hype?
- Team and organization questions with strategic relevance
- Preparation for board meetings, investor conversations, strategic negotiations
A Typical Month
Week 1: 2-hour deep dive — topic set by the CEO. Structured analysis, leverage point identification, decision preparation.
Week 2-3: Ad-hoc exchange via email or short calls. Follow-up questions on implementation, new information that changes the analysis.
Week 4: 2-hour review — What has changed since the deep dive? New insights? Course corrections? Preparation for the next month.
The split is flexible. Some months need one 4-hour block, others need four short sessions.
When Sparring Makes Sense
- After an offsite or project: The leverage points are identified, but implementation needs guidance. Sparring maintains focus.
- In phases of strategic uncertainty: Market shifts, competitive pressure, technology disruption. Quick strategic assessment without a lengthy project.
- For CEOs without a strategic counterpart: Those who decide alone need someone who pushes back. Not on principle, but based on methodology.
Results from Practice
Starting point: After a strategy offsite, 12 months of sparring as ongoing support. During that time, three strategic pivots: market entry into a new customer segment, building a partnership model, adjusting the pricing model to regulatory changes. Each pivot was based on the leverage point analysis from the offsite — sparring ensured that focus stayed on the right lever, even when new information changed the landscape.
Starting point: After a Product-Market-Fit Sprint, monthly sparring during scaling. Core topics: pricing decision (self-service vs. enterprise), hiring the first executives, preparing the Series A narrative. Sparring helped separate strategic from operational decisions — and delegate the operational ones.
Starting point: New CEO after generational transition, no strategic history in the company. 6 months of sparring as orientation phase. Core topics: Which strategic initiatives of the predecessor to continue? Where to set own priorities? How to win the leadership team for the new direction? Result: clear 3-year strategy with team buy-in.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does monthly strategy sparring cost?
Strategy sparring is in the mid four-figure range per month — depending on the agreed hour budget. Minimum term 3 months, then cancelable monthly. You receive a binding offer upfront.
What happens between the monthly sessions?
You have ad-hoc access via email and phone. Strategic questions that cannot wait for the next session are answered within 24 hours. The monthly hour budget includes these interim interactions.
How is sparring different from coaching?
Coaching works on you — sparring works on your strategy. We don’t discuss feelings or leadership style, but strategic decisions, business models, and leverage points. Sparring is a strategic counterpart, not a personal advisor.
Can I pause individual months?
After the minimum term of 3 months, sparring is cancelable monthly and can be paused at any time. During a pause, there is no entitlement to ad-hoc access.
Does sparring also cover business model and product questions?
Yes. Sparring is not limited to strategy in the narrow sense. Business model adjustments, product prioritization, AI integration, organization and team questions with strategic relevance — everything that affects your strategic direction.
What if I need more than 4 hours per month?
Additional hours are possible and billed at the agreed hourly rate. If the need is consistently higher, we adjust the sparring package.
Related Services
- Strategic Design — Strategy consulting as a project format (8-12 weeks)
- Business Design — Business model development and validation
- Strategy Offsite — 2-day intensive format for leadership teams
- Strategy Analysis — Half-day diagnosis as entry point
