Who are your clients?

By design, a real mix. Ranging from federal and state government agencies, large global corporates, international non-governmental agencies, non-profits and associations, and rapid-growth start-ups. We blend our clients to keep the work interesting and avoid conflicts of interest.

Why do you have such a broad range of services?

It can appear that we have a large array of services relative to our size, but fundamentally we’re deploying the same expertise applied in different ways. At the core, our skills are focused on that intersection of negotiation theory, behavioral economics, and neuro-economics. We apply those to reach agreements in leadership retreats, shift employee behaviors, build partnerships, resolve conflicts, and work through DEI challenges. And we teach that same set of skills in our executive development programs.

Do you have industry expertise?

No, we’re industry agnostic. We leave that to the large management consulting firms. Our expertise is functional - how individuals and groups make decisions and how to shift those choices and behaviors.

What/who is an ideal client?

Executive director of a non-profit or NGO, division head of a large global corporate, CEO of a fast-growth start-up, or government agency head. An individual who has a reasonable span of control, a team that has high potential, and is genuinely interested in making a difference.

Why do you deliver executive development programs, but not management development programs?

Once an individual has reached a certain level of leadership - or on a steep career trajectory - they know all the fundamentals of operations and management and are ready to work on advanced-level skills that land in our wheelhouse…. stakeholder negotiation, organizational influence, and conflict resolution. So the short answer is, we’re not qualified to teach management development programs, but we’re a great fit once individuals reach a level where they’re having to operate in ambiguous environments and make optimal choices with limited information.

How do you find your clients?

Almost always through referral from existing clients. Occasionally as a result of us speaking at conferences and events. As you can tell from this website, we’re not the most professional self-marketers. We’re a bit of a risk for an executive to hire as we’re not a “safe” consulting brand. Our clients need to be smart/brave enough to embrace a different approach, so referrals from existing clients make a lot of sense.

Why do you produce media?

Technology in media has experienced a revolution in recent years. High-quality media in support of negotiations or facilitation has become a critical arrow in a quiver of tools that we’re, honestly, surprised more consulting firms haven’t developed. We’re happy to use it as a competitive advantage for our clients. While we have a distinct crew of filmmakers. known as Rogue Media, we’re all co-located and embedded on integrated teams serving client initiatives.

Why do you speak at conferences?

Couple of reasons. There’s a lot of mediocre stuff out there, the Ted-Talk style narratives that sound great but aren’t grounded in research. We like to replace the feel-good hype of motivational speakers and fill those stages with pragmatic material that people can use in their work and lives. It’s also fun and can be impactful for influential audiences.

What’s with the not-so-serious videos and podcasts?

They’re self-indulgence. We find many of our competitor firms take themselves really seriously. And while the issues we work on with clients can have life-saving qualities, we don’t think it’s valuable to take ourselves seriously. Sometimes we’re provoking opinions, shedding some light on an issue, or light-heartedly poking fun at intellectual snobbery. You can hear the podcast at EnvoyRecordedRadio.com

Why don’t you respond to media requests?

Our role is to be background support to clients. While we talk publicly about our general field at conferences, we do not talk to media about any specific initiatives or projects. We defer all comments to the press officers or PR agencies of our respective clients.

Who do you compete with?

We struggle to find a firm that completely matches the capabilities of ours (that may suggest our business model is insane), but we occasionally overlap slightly with research firms, ad agencies, PR firms, law firms, and strategy consulting firms. But not to a great degree, in fact, many of those types of businesses are also clients.

What are your fee structures?

Project fee or outcome fee is common. Though our closest clients are typically on a subscription. We do not charge hourly fees. Ever.

Why are you based in Richmond, Virginia?

Largely by coincidence. And while many of us are based in Virginia in the US, we’ve also got a small UK-based crew. While it’s not significant that we’re specifically based in Richmond, being in a smaller city outside of the “Acela bubble” is helpful to keep us grounded and connected to more issues that affect the non-elites. In the US, it’s a crossroads between cultural north and south, and a “blue” city in a “red” region of a “purple” state. It’s a big art town, so helpful for recruiting amazing creative talent and the cost base allows us to be price competitive on chasing really great projects with clients.

Are you lobbyists?

No. While we work on many programs to influence key decision-makers and build partnerships between entities, you won't find us pounding the halls of legislatures hustling policy changes, earmarks, or contracts.

Why do you take groups out into nature?

We started taking groups out into parks and onto waterways during the COVID pandemic as a safe way to bring people together. We also noticed that the quality of the conversation was markedly deeper and more constructive when taking a walk through the woods or along the river. So, we spend a good chunk of time outside as an integral part of team retreats and as a way to keep our mental and physical health sharp.