Creative Business Partners understand how real work gets done inside organizations. We're not here to sell you bloated scopes or services you don't need. Our job is to identify your key challenges, help clarify what’s needed to overcome them, and roll up our sleeves to make sure things move forward.
Types of engagements
ULTRA SHORT-TERM
Catalyst Engagements
One-day or short-format workshops to unblock a problem, define strategy, or align a team.
Examples:
- Brand strategy sprints
- Facilitated innovation brainstorms
- “Barrier Breaker” workshops (Explore and address a critical strategic or organizational issue)
- Strategic keynotes and talks
SHORT-TERM
Strategic Projects
Short-term, outcome-focused engagements that deliver clear strategy and momentum.
Examples:
- Business, brand, or marketing plan development
- Campaign or GTM strategy
- Cultural alignment or employer brand strategy
- Organizational resilience assessments
LONGER-TERM
Embedded Leadership
Part-time, longer-term leadership support for major change or capacity gaps.
Examples:
- Fractional head of brand, marketing, or transformation
- Digital or creative leadership
- Support during M&A or reorganization
- Change stewardship across departments
SOMETHING ELSE
Custom Blended Engagements
Flexible combinations of the above, tailored to your needs, stage, and team.
Many engagements evolve naturally, starting with a workshop, moving into a focused project, and then deepening into embedded leadership support as momentum builds.
Dutch is built for flexibility because real business challenges demand it.
Every Dutch Uncle engagement is anchored by our core principles of embedded collaboration, flexible engagement, agenda-free advice, real creative stewardship, and clear momentum.
What we help with
Take a deeper dive into Dutch Uncle's core competencies, and explore some of the ways working with a Creative Business Partner can help your organization adapt, communicate, and grow.
1. Marketing and Positioning
Clarify what you offer, to whom, and why it matters.
We lead brand strategy, messaging, and marketing alignment, then help execute the work across teams, channels, and campaigns.
Deliverables may include:
- Brand platforms and positioning frameworks
- Messaging architectures
- Go-to-market plans
- Content strategy and creative direction
- Cross-functional marketing team coordination
2. Alignment and Integration
Connect culture, leadership, and strategy across the business.
We work across departments to define values, align leadership narratives, and make sure what the organization says, does, and believes actually matches.
Deliverables may include:
- Organizational values articulation
- Leadership alignment frameworks
- Internal communication strategies
- Employee value propositions
- Integration of customer, employee, and brand experience
3. Growth and Innovation
Translate big goals into clear, actionable plans.
We help identify opportunities, define priorities, and develop practical strategies for innovation, expansion, or transformation.
Deliverables may include:
- Innovation opportunity mapping
- Strategic planning documents
- Product or service launch plans
- New business models or revenue strategies
- Roadmaps for growth, scale, or repositioning
4. Navigating Change
Tackle complexity, ambiguity, and sensitive decisions with clarity.
We help organizations face big shifts—technological, structural, cultural, or economic—with honesty, empathy, and focus.
Deliverables may include:
- AI adoption and digital transformation strategies
- Change-readiness assessments
- Stakeholder communication plans
- Strategic reframing or decision-mapping
- Scenario planning for tech shifts, consumer behavior changes, or regulatory uncertainty
5. Getting Things Done
Make sure strategy carries through to execution.
We coordinate internal and external contributors, guide creative development, and stay close to the work until it lands.
Tasks often include:
- Creative and production oversight
- Vendor coordination (design, dev, research, etc.)
- Review and feedback cycles
- Timeline and milestone management
- Protecting strategic alignment throughout delivery
How it works
Working with a Creative Business Partner means getting expert leadership and support without inflated costs, hidden incentives, or disappearing-act endings.
CBPs operate like strategic general contractors, helping you define what needs to change and why, then staying embedded to lead the work, guide decisions, and keep everything aligned with your strategy.
Creative Business Partners are:
- Lean, embedded, and accountable
No blended rates, bloated process, or junior team handoffs. You work directly with a seasoned strategist. - Creative + strategic, without the overhead
The same strategic thinking and executional excellence you'd expect from a top-tier agency or consulting firm, with no hidden incentives. - Tactically agnostic
Work backwards from your specific challenges to figure out what tactics actually make sense for your business. No more FOMO or wasted effort. - Focused on outcomes, not assets
Work with a creative problem-solver who speaks the language of business, not an account manager with creative services to sell.
Frequently asked questions
I’m not sure which engagement type fits my needs. Can you help me decide?
Absolutely. Start with a free intro call. You'll speak to a creative business partner who'll help clarify your goals and recommend the right level of support. Whatever happens, you'll probably feel like you got value out of it.
Can we start small and scale up later?
Yes. Many clients begin with a workshop or short project and expand into deeper collaboration as momentum builds or clarity increases.
What’s included in a Catalyst Engagement?
Typically custom talks or keynotes, or one-day intensives like brand strategy workshops or “barrier breaker” sessions designed for clarity, momentum, and fast decisions.
Do Embedded Leadership engagements replace internal roles?
Not at all. We complement your team with senior strategy and creative leadership on a flexible basis.
Can Dutch Uncle work with our existing agency or internal creative team?
Yes, and often does. We don’t compete with executional teams, we help set them up for success. Whether it's a digital marketing agency, in-house creative group, or freelance bench, we help align their output with your strategic intent. That means fewer rewrites, clearer briefs, and better results.
Will bringing in a CBP cause friction with my team or partners?
It shouldn’t, and we’re deliberate about avoiding that. Creative business partners aren't looking to “take over.” Our role is to clarify direction, frame the problem, and support execution, not to judge past work or upend relationships. We’ve worked with everyone from skeptical agencies to overwhelmed teams, and know how to lead without stepping on toes.
Ready to go Dutch?
Find out if working with a creative business partner is right for you.
Book a free intro call