Draw on Experienced Business Advisors for Added Wisdom
Practical business advisory support for leaders who need experienced perspective, strategic guidance, and added executive wisdom.
Experienced Business Advice for Leaders Navigating Growth
The Osborne Group is a team of experienced executives that has been helping organizations succeed since 1993. We provide interim management, consulting, planning, and project management services to small, mid-sized, and multinational organizations across the not-for-profit, public, and for-profit sectors.
Our principals work closely with business leaders to develop customized strategies, processes, and advisory support that help organizations move toward their vision, mission, and strategic objectives.
Many leaders are focused on growth, transition, or operational challenges, but have limited time to step back, plan, and assess the best path forward. Osborne’s advisory services provide experienced external perspective, practical guidance, and a trusted sounding board focused on strengthening the business.
Our advisors help leaders clarify priorities, identify gaps, make confident decisions, and turn strategic goals into practical action.
Businesses We've Helped Move Forward
What Are Our Clients Telling Us?
Who can help us think beyond day-to-day operations?
Many business leaders are consumed by daily demands, leaving little time for strategic planning or long-term thinking. This is especially true for new, growing, or lean organizations where leadership capacity is stretched. We provide experienced advisory support that helps leaders step back, identify gaps, and focus on the strategic issues that will shape the future of the business.
How do we identify gaps in strategy, leadership, or succession plans?
Without external perspective, organizations may overlook risks related to succession planning, leadership continuity, or structural weaknesses. Our advisory services help leaders surface blind spots, assess readiness for growth or transition, and plan proactively for leadership and ownership continuity.
How can we access experienced advice without adding full-time executives?
Many organizations could benefit from senior-level insight but do not require or cannot justify full-time executive roles. Through advisory boards and support from dedicated advisors whether that be on a fractional, interim or as needed basis, The Osborne Group provides access to experienced leaders who bring practical judgment, objectivity, and perspective on a flexible basis.
Our Business Advisory Services
Advisory Support for Entrepreneurs and Growing Businesses
We work with entrepreneurs, founders, and family-owned businesses to formalize organizational structures, clarify strategy, and identify opportunities for growth. This may include guidance on mergers, acquisitions, partnerships, or organizational changes that help move the business to its next stage.
Individual Executive Coaching and Advisory Support
We provide one-on-one advisory and coaching support for business owners and senior leaders. This personalized approach helps leaders make more confident decisions and remain focused on immediate challenges and long-term objectives.
Business and Leadership Development Assessments
Our assessments provide a structured way to evaluate leadership capacity, management effectiveness, and organizational readiness. These reviews help identify gaps, address management blind spots, and support succession planning.
Need help to increase profit margins and improve business performance in your operations?
Multi-Functional Advisory Boards
Advisory boards provide business owners with access to diverse perspectives and experienced insight without the formal governance requirements of a board of directors. We help design and facilitate advisory boards composed of experienced leaders who bring complementary skills and practical experience.
Advisory boards serve as a trusted sounding board, offering guidance and support, and provide accountability helping leaders to stay focused on established priorities.
Build Your Advisory Board
This video explores how our Advisory Services provide business owners with experienced, strategic support across finance, HR, IT, and operations. More than just advice, our advisory board model offers a trusted sounding board, practical executive guidance, fresh perspective, and mentorship to help leaders navigate challenges and make confident decisions for long-term success.
Our Clients Say It Best
We engaged The Osborne Group to help streamline our programs and address several long-standing challenges. Their program review process was exceptionally well planned and thoughtfully executed. They took the time to meet with every team member, listen to individual perspectives, and gain a deep understanding of our organization. What was most impressive was their ability to tailor their services to our specific needs rather than applying a one-size-fits-all approach.
We now have a clear change management strategy and a stronger sense of organizational cohesion. Staff engagement is high, and we are seeing positive changes happen in real time with minimal disruption. We are extremely pleased with the work The Osborne Group provided and highly recommend their services.
Mary Davis, CEO
CMHA North Bay and District
As our organization grew, we found we needed more comprehensive support in strategic planning, financial management, and human resources. The Osborne Group provided exceptional guidance in all three areas. What stood out most was their deep understanding of our work and the genuine care they brought to every engagement, consistently prioritizing the best interests of our organization and its long-term success.
From an HR perspective, they helped us build greater stability by strengthening employee relations, enhancing our people practices, and ensuring the right processes and supports were in place. On the financial side, they coached our staff on day-to-day financial management practices, strengthening our internal capabilities. Finally, the strategic plan they helped us develop has put us on a clear path toward growth and long-term sustainability. Their partnership has been instrumental in helping our organization become stronger, more stable, and better positioned for the future.
Chama Chongo
Executive Director, Madison Community Services
Faced with potential operational funding cuts, our not-for-profit organization recognized the urgent need to consider various scenarios to plan for financial change. We were looking for structure and experience to help us think through some difficult questions. The Osborne Group facilitated a workshop with our board and using our current strategic plan, they developed three financial scenarios for the organization to explore. The Osborne Group was very thorough and provided the external perspective needed to ask hard questions that led to in-depth conversations and great engagement from the board. We can now step back and look at our organization from a wider lens and we have a plan to best move forward. Overall, The Osborne Group provided incredible value and we are very pleased with the outcome.
Wendy Rading
Executive Director, Arts Etobicoke
Our organization lacked clarity around board governance, defined roles, and how each position fit within the overall structure. Entrenched habits and inconsistent practices made it difficult for directors to understand their evolving responsibilities. The Osborne Group provided practical insight into our challenges and a clear path forward. The principal worked to build trust quickly, adapted the approach as needed, and met individually with each director to address the key challenges. As a result, we now operate with clear governance guidelines, structured onboarding for new members, and strong checks and balances to ensure accountability. Overall, the engagement was professional, straightforward, and highly effective.
Tracey Williams
Director of Operations, Waterloo Minor Hockey Association
Our organization needed a strategic plan to enhance our professionalism, establish clear direction, and define our goals. The Osborne Group guided us in creating this plan. Their approach was professional, organized, and structured, enabling full team participation. As a result, we now have dynamic policies, procedures, and sub-committees in place, allowing us to take a proactive approach.
Doug Morrison
President, Board Member, The Table Soup Kitchen Foundation
Faced with challenges related to governance, organizational culture, and a leadership transition, we required a consulting firm that could support both our day-to-day operations and long-term strategic priorities. The Osborne Group helped us navigate these complexities by delivering practical solutions tailored to our organization, while also considering the external factors that impact our environment.
Their reputable principals bring deep expertise and a high level of professionalism across their respective disciplines. They took the time to work closely with our team, providing coaching and mentorship that helped build the skills needed for sustained success. As a result, we are now on a clear path to stability and growth made possible through The Osborne Group’s trusted guidance.
Volletta Peters, PhD
Executive Director, Sistering
Our agency was going through a period of major transition, and we lacked bench strength on our team to help assess what was going on and provide top level leadership. The Osborne Group provided an interim executive leader who listened and quickly assessed the strengths and weaknesses of the organization. The ED made recommendations for new staff, restructuring and provided solid solutions that laid the groundwork for us to execute new initiatives and have long-term growth. We now have a stronger organization that's armed with a strategic plan for a way forward.
Cindy Blakely
Founder, New Circles
We were working with a team that had grown dissatisfied and was facing a lot of changes which resulted in low engagement scores. The Osborne Group was able to provide an HR advisor who facilitated sessions to talk with the group about the changes and expectations, new ways of measuring performance, explained the policies and processes and helped them explore career opportunities. After the sessions with the team, we could tell that the team was opening up to new ways of working and realize the benefits of the changes. We feel that overall, the sessions had a positive effect and that we are now on the right path forward.
Marcel Badertscher, CHRE
Vice President, Human Resources, Heartland Mutual Insurance
Working as a small team had become insular and repetitive, and the challenges of dealing with a tight budget meant we had to be creative to make the most of the available funds. We worked with The Osborne Group to create our new strategic plan because they had experience working with family health teams. They facilitated thoughtful and inclusive discussions with our team which allowed us to generate new ideas, gain a fresh perspective, and get out of our comfort zone. It was all very worthwhile because we now have a realistic plan that includes actionable items that we can work towards to reach the end goals and help drive us forward. The new plan is useful and understandable across sectors and allows the funders to see the challenges that lie ahead but also future success.
Kate Malisani
Executive Director, Crosstown Family Health Team
Our organization was operating without the systems, procedures, and policies needed to support efficiency, transparency, and productivity. We were extremely busy and lacked the time to reflect and map out where we wanted to go. The biggest challenge was managing change while determining what was truly valuable and what was not.
The Osborne Group helped us develop a strategic plan tailored to our organization. Their approach was not cookie-cutter or based on a standard toolkit. It reflected our workplace and executive board culture and long-term aspirations. As a result, we now have a multi-year plan with clear direction and the confidence to pivot as needed. We are very pleased with the work The Osborne Group did and the thoughtful approach they brought to the process.
Glenn Wheeler
COPE Ontario
Experienced Advice When It Matters Most
With a tailored, practical advisory approach, The Osborne Group helps business leaders overcome complex challenges and achieve long-term strategic objectives efficiently and effectively.