Work with us · Annual
The Strategy Twin retainer
In short
What is the Strategy Twin retainer?
The Strategy Twin retainer is strategy1's annual strategy advisory retainer that keeps a client's strategy current. It includes a living Strategy Twin, a monthly Strategy Council that reviews KPIs against decisions, drift alerts and re-run scenarios, and engine credits for new decisions as they come up, without a new contract each time.
Read how the Strategy Twin works. Most retainers start after an Engine Sprint; when KPIs are clear, an outcome-linked mandate can follow.
The rhythm
A living strategy has a rhythm.
Choose a row to highlight it in the figure.
Choose a cadence to see where it falls in the month.
The monthly Council pack
What the Council sees
- 01
KPIs against decisionsEach KPI shown next to the decision that set it.
- 02
Drift alertsWhere results are moving away from the plan.
- 03
Re-run scenariosWhat has changed since last month.
- 04
Proposed decisionsWith evidence, red team and the gate each needs.
Engine credits
For the decisions that come up between.
The retainer includes engine credits. Use them for any engine when a new decision comes up — a launch, a brand question, an event — without a new contract each time.
Every ad-hoc engine run is measured against a baseline agreed in the Council.
Before you start
Who the retainer suits
Who it suits
- Clients who already have a Twin with us, most often after a Sprint.
- Teams whose decisions keep coming — a launch, a brand question, an event — and who want them on one living strategy.
- Leadership that wants a monthly Strategy Council, with each KPI shown next to the decision that set it.
What we need from you
- A Strategy Council that meets every month to review its pack.
- Read-only connections to the systems your KPIs live in, so they can be brought into the Twin daily.
- A baseline agreed in the Council for every ad-hoc engine run.
- A named owner for each staged action, who accepts it before anything is written to your systems.
Next step
When the KPIs are clear, tie part of the fee to them.
For launch, savings or event decisions, an outcome-linked mandate ties part of our fee to KPIs measured in your own systems. A mandate usually follows a Sprint or a retainer.
About mandates- Strategy Readiness Scan30–60 min · See
- 72-Hour Strategy Bootcamp3–5 days · Land
- Engine Sprint1–3 weeks · Prove
- Strategy Twin retainerAnnual · Expand This page
- Outcome-linked mandatePer mandate · AlignNext
FAQ
About the retainer
What does the retainer cost?
It is an annual fee, agreed with you and exclusive of GST. Retainer pricing is not published. Talk to us about a retainer
What are engine credits?
Credits included in the retainer. Use them for any engine when a new decision comes up, without a new contract each time.
How often does the Strategy Council meet?
Every month, with its pack: KPIs against decisions, drift alerts, re-run scenarios and proposed decisions.
Do you need access to our systems?
Your KPIs are brought into the Twin through read-only connections. Nothing is written to your systems until your named owner accepts it.
Who is accountable for the advice?
A named Strategy Partner signs the decision memo. Licensed professionals sign technical, financial and legal conclusions.
How does the retainer keep a strategy current all year?
Through a monthly rhythm. Your KPIs come into the Strategy Twin through read-only connections and drift from the plan is flagged. Each month the Strategy Council reviews a pack of KPIs against decisions, drift alerts, re-run scenarios and proposed decisions, each with its evidence, red team and the gate it needs.
Is the retainer like a fractional chief strategy officer?
It covers similar ground in a different form. Instead of one part-time executive, the retainer gives you a pod (a Strategy Partner who signs the decision memo and Forward Deployed Strategists, with Domain Fellows where liability exists) working on a living Strategy Twin, with a monthly Strategy Council and engine credits.
For decisions that keep coming.
Most clients start a retainer after a Sprint, when the Twin is already built.