Fractional Consulting Retainers

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Strategic consulting for Allied Health, NDIS and Aged Care providers who want an adviser woven into the rhythm of their business, available between sessions and carrying full context about your team, your numbers and your priorities.

A retainer means I become part of your business. When a question comes up on a Tuesday, you don't wait until our next scheduled session. You reach out and get substantive input from someone who already understands your situation. Between conversations, I'm tracking the reform landscape, watching your competitive environment and thinking about what's ahead for you.

The result is faster decisions, fewer blind spots and less time spent figuring things out alone.

Mentoring or Retainer?

Mentoring works well when you have clear questions and want structured time to think through them with someone who knows the sector. A retainer works well when you want someone embedded in your business between sessions, available when decisions come up and proactively flagging what you need to know.

Many clients start in mentoring and move to a retainer as their business grows in complexity. Some stay in mentoring permanently because it's the right fit. Both work. A strategy call is the easiest way to figure out which suits your situation.

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What I work On

Most of my retainer work falls across four areas. Your retainer focuses on whichever of these matter most right now and shifts as your business evolves.

Commercial and financial sustainability. Pricing models, margin analysis, cost-to-serve modelling, service mix and funding stream diversification. Making sure your numbers hold up and your services are priced to last.

Workforce and operations. Hiring, role design, salary bands, onboarding, caseload management, reporting, automation and practice management systems. Structuring your team and your operations so you can grow without proportionally increasing your own workload.

Growth and referral strategy. CRM, referral pipeline development, BD strategy, account management, market entry and competitive positioning. Knowing where your next clients are coming from and building the systems to make it consistent.

Reform readiness and compliance. NDIS and aged care reform navigation, registration strategy, audit readiness, clinical governance frameworks and policy development. Staying ahead of regulatory change rather than reacting to it.

Retainer Tiers

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    Advisory Retainer


    From $1,500/month + GST

    I know your business, I'm available when you need me and I bring things to you between sessions. You make the decisions. I make them better.

    What this looks like:

    • Substantive async support between sessions via email, Teams or Slack: when a decision comes up, you get a considered response within the week rather than parking it until next session
    • Proactive input: I track reform developments, pricing changes and sector trends relevant to your business and flag what matters before it becomes urgent
    • Review and feedback on documents you're developing (e.g. a draft position description, a pricing proposal, a policy update) as part of the engagement
    • Regular strategy sessions, typically monthly, with flexibility for additional sessions when things are moving fast

    Best for providers who are running a solid business and making good decisions but want an external adviser who knows their business well enough to challenge their thinking, pressure-test decisions and flag risks between sessions.

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    Partner Retainer


    From $3,000/month + GST

    Everything in Advisory, plus I'm actively involved in your key projects. I work alongside your team on the decisions and delivery that matter most.

    What this looks like:

    Active involvement in planning, execution and project delivery between sessions

    • Document drafting, modelling and collaboration with your team (e.g. pricing models, service design, recruitment collateral, operational frameworks, outreach strategy)
    • Input into hiring decisions, provider engagement and internal processes
    • Ongoing context: I'm across your priorities, your pipeline and your challenges in real time
    • Fortnightly strategy sessions as standard, with working sessions added as projects require

    Best for providers who are scaling, restructuring, entering new markets or navigating concurrent priorities across multiple areas and need someone consistently in the detail with them. This is the tier most providers find is the right fit when they move to a retainer.

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    Embedded Retainer


    From $5,500/month + GST

    Everything in Partner, plus I operate as part of your leadership team. I'm integrated into your weekly rhythm, across your people, your numbers and your strategic priorities.

    What this looks like:

    • Direct involvement with your team including meetings, mentoring and performance discussions where needed
    • Deep involvement across projects, pricing, service design, systems and leadership decisions
    • Collaborative implementation and review cycles with your team
    • Full operational awareness of your business with proactive identification of risks, opportunities and priorities
    • Weekly strategy or working sessions

    Best for providers in high-growth or complex reform environments where the volume and complexity of decisions justifies a dedicated external partner embedded in the weekly rhythm.

Testimonial

"Trystan is one of the most knowledgeable and informed Allied Health consultants in the sector. What stands out is how he shares it. Clear, generous and always willing to give his time. Every conversation I've had with Trystan has left me better informed."

Con Sotidis — NDIS Growth & Partnership Manager LinkedIn Recommendation

Case Studies

Not Sure Which Tier?

Every engagement starts with a strategy call and a structured diagnostic across five dimensions of your organisation. From there, I recommend the tier and level of involvement that fits.