Strategy for people, organizations, and ideas ready for what’s next.
1717 Consulting works at the intersection of strategy, creativity, culture, and execution by bridging creative thinking and practical execution—with a particular interest in helping people and organizations move beyond maintaining what exists toward building what comes next.
Who I Work With
Nonprofits & Mission-Driven Organizations
Leaders who have a lot of vision but need help turning that vision into effective strategy, systems, communications, and execution.
Cultural Organizations
Arts organizations, presenters, festivals, cultural initiatives, and other organizations looking to strengthen their operations, reach, or impact.
Place, Tourism & Community Initiatives
Organizations developing destinations, cultural tourism, community initiatives, or regional growth strategies.
Creative Professionals/Entrepreneurs
Musicians, artists, producers, writers, and creative entrepreneurs who are building the next stage of their practice or career.
The 1717 Approach
I believe the most interesting work often begins with a question:
What could this become?
From there, I look at the whole picture—vision, people, systems, opportunities, resources, and obstacles—to determine what is actually needed to move forward.
Sometimes that means creating a strategy.
Sometimes it means restructuring what's already there.
Sometimes it means developing an idea that hasn't yet found its shape.
And sometimes it means being the person beside the founder or creative leader who can see the forest while everyone else is busy managing the trees.
1717 brings clarity to complexity, strategy to possibility, and momentum to ideas ready for their next chapter using a Four Pillars process:
STRATEGY
Clarifying direction, positioning, goals, audiences, partnerships, and growth opportunities.
SYSTEMS
Streamlining operations, workflows, processes, project structures, and organizational infrastructure.
STORY
Brand strategy, communications, marketing, messaging, content, and audience engagement.
EXPERIENCE
UX, websites, digital presence, audience journeys, and how people encounter the organization or creative work.
How?
01 — Discover
We start by understanding the bigger picture.
What are you trying to accomplish? What is working? What's getting in the way? Where is the untapped potential?
This may involve conversations, research, reviewing existing materials, and examining the systems, structures, and assumptions surrounding the challenge.
02 — Diagnose
Before recommending solutions, we identify what is actually happening.
Where are the bottlenecks? What needs to change? What should be strengthened, simplified, expanded, or reconsidered?
The goal is to distinguish the symptoms from the underlying problem.
03 — Strategize
Together, we determine where to go next.
I develop practical strategies, priorities, frameworks, and recommendations designed around your actual goals, resources, and circumstances—not generic formulas.
04 — Activate
A strategy is only useful if it moves something forward.
Depending on the engagement, I can help translate the strategy into projects, systems, partnerships, communications, workflows, or concrete next steps.
05 — Evolve
The work doesn't necessarily end when the initial plan is delivered.
For ongoing engagements, 1717 can serve as a strategic partner as new opportunities, challenges, and questions emerge—helping you adapt, refine, and continue moving forward.
The goal isn't simply to create another plan. It's to create clarity, momentum, and meaningful progress.
Options:
1717 Organizational Assessment
For organizations that need to understand how the whole operation could become stronger.
Strategy & Direction
Together, we’ll clarify goals, priorities, positioning, and the path forward.
Organizational & Project Development
Let’s turn your ideas and opportunities into workable structures, projects, and plans.
Systems & Operations
I’ll help you identify bottlenecks, streamline workflows, build processes, and create systems that actually support the work.
Communications & Audience Experience
Let’s strengthen your messaging, digital presence, UX, marketing, and the ways people connect with your work.
Growth & Partnerships
Identify opportunities for new audiences, partnerships, markets, collaborations, and sustainable growth.
Strategic Implementation
When appropriate, 1717 doesn't just hand you a report and disappear. We can help move the strategy into action.
OR
1717 Creative Practice Assessment
For artists/creative entrepreneurs who need to understand how the ecosystem around their creative work could become stronger, we look at:
Career/project strategy
Where you should focus and what should come next.
Positioning
What makes you and your work distinctive (what’s your “it-factor”)?
Project infrastructure
How to turn ideas into actual plans, timelines, budgets, partnerships, etc.
Communications & audience
Website, messaging, content, email, social, audience journey.
Partnerships & opportunities
Presenters, festivals, organizations, funders, collaborators, international connections.
Systems
How you can stop having to reinvent the wheel every time you launch something.
Implementation
What you should actually do over the next 90 days/6/12 months.
Scope of Services
Every engagement is shaped around the client’s needs. Depending on the project, 1717 may provide:
Strategy & Diagnosis
Organizational and project assessment
Strategic planning and roadmaps
Problem identification and diagnosis
Opportunity and landscape research
Positioning and differentiation
Growth and development strategy
Creative & Project Development
Concept development
Program and initiative design
Artist and creative project development
Cultural programming
Project planning and implementation strategy
Partnership and collaboration development
Organizational & Operational Strategy
Workflow and process assessment
Organizational streamlining
Systems and infrastructure
Role and responsibility clarification
Identifying inefficiencies and bottlenecks
Building structures that support sustainable growth
Leadership & Strategic Partnership
Founder and executive thought partnership
Strategic right-hand support
Decision-making and priority setting
Research and problem-solving
Initiative development
Turning vision into actionable plans
Communications & Audience Strategy
Messaging and positioning
Communications strategy
Audience development
Engagement strategy
Digital and content strategy
Translating complex ideas into clear, compelling narratives
Engagements can range from focused strategic projects and assessments to longer-term advisory partnerships.
Pricing
1717 Consulting offers project-based, advisory, and ongoing strategic engagements, with scope and investment determined by the nature and complexity of the work.
Because every engagement is different, I begin with a conversation to understand the challenge, desired outcome, scope, and level of support needed before proposing an approach.
Engagements may include:
Focused Strategic Sessions
For a specific question, decision, challenge, or idea that would benefit from an experienced outside perspective.
Project-Based Consulting
Defined engagements with a specific scope, deliverables, and timeline—from organizational assessments and strategic roadmaps to project and program development.
Strategic Advisory Partnerships
Ongoing support for founders, artists, executives, and organizations who want a strategic thought partner and trusted right hand over a longer period.
Custom Engagements
For complex or evolving challenges that don't fit neatly into a predefined package.
Investment
1717 Consulting offers several ways to engage, from strategic work to ongoing partnership. Every engagement is tailored to the organization, project, and desired outcome.
01 — Discovery Call — Complimentary | 20–30 minutes
A brief introductory conversation to understand the situation, priorities, and what kind of support may be most useful.
May cover:
What prompted you to seek support
Current challenge or opportunity
Desired outcome
Relevant context
Whether my services are a good fit
Recommended next step
02 — Strategic Session
$250–$500
A focused 60–90 minute session for a specific question, challenge, decision, or idea.
Ideal when you need an experienced outside perspective without a larger consulting engagement.
May include:
Pre-session review of relevant materials
Strategic discussion and analysis
Recommendations and next steps
Brief written follow-up
03 — Focused Assessment
$1,000–$2,500
A targeted assessment of a specific area that isn't working as effectively as it could.
Examples include:
Communications and messaging
Audience or user experience
Workflow or operational processes
A specific program or initiative
Project structure
Organizational challenge
Includes: discovery, analysis, findings, and practical recommendations.
04 — Comprehensive Organizational Assessment
$2,500-$6,000
A deeper examination of how an organization is functioning as a whole.
Particularly suited to nonprofits, arts organizations, and mission-driven organizations seeking an outside perspective.
Depending on the engagement, the assessment may examine:
Strategy • Systems • People • Programs • Communications • Audience Experience • Leadership • Operations
The result is a clear picture of strengths, challenges, opportunities, and areas requiring attention.
05 — Strategy & Roadmap
$4,000–$10,000
For organizations or leaders ready to move from understanding the problem to determining what to do about it.
May include:
Strategic priorities
Positioning and direction
Program or initiative strategy
Organizational recommendations
Growth and partnership strategy
Implementation priorities
Action roadmap
Measures of progress
This engagement can build on an assessment or begin with discovery and diagnosis as part of the project.
06 — Project & Program Development
$2,000–$8,000+
For developing a new program, cultural initiative, creative project, organizational offering, or strategic opportunity.
Scope may include:
Concept development
Feasibility and opportunity assessment
Program design
Project planning
Partnerships
Positioning
Communications
Implementation strategy
Pricing varies according to the complexity and stage of development.
07 — Strategic Advisory
Starting at $1,500/month
Ongoing strategic partnership for founders, executive directors, artists, and organizations who want a trusted outside perspective as they navigate decisions, opportunities, and challenges.
May include:
Strategic thought partnership
Decision support
Research and analysis
Priority setting
Initiative development
Problem-solving
Project oversight
Ongoing strategic guidance
08 — Fractional Strategic Leadership
Starting at $3,000/month
For organizations or founders who need a more deeply embedded strategic partner.
This may involve acting as an extended member of the leadership team—helping connect vision, strategy, systems, communications, projects, and execution.
Scope, availability, and responsibilities are defined collaboratively.
Custom Engagements
Some organizational challenges don't fit neatly into a predefined engagement.
1717 also develops custom consulting engagements for larger organizational transformations, strategic initiatives, partnerships, and complex projects.
Every proposal clearly defines the scope, deliverables, timeline, and investment before work begins.
A Note on Pricing
I believe pricing should be clear and appropriate to the value and scope of the work. Each proposal outlines the scope, deliverables, timeline, and investment before work begins, so there are no surprises.
If you have a defined budget, I'm happy to discuss what may be realistically achievable within it.
Interested in working together? Let's start with a conversation.