Background
Jonathan Wang Design, a boutique architecture firm, partnered with us to gain clarity on how to scale profitably and strategically. While producing excellent work, the firm lacked clear systems in operations, finance, and marketing, leaving leadership without the tools to grow or the confidence to focus on a specific market.
Overview
The engagement centered on building a roadmap and compass for the next two years, aligning the firm’s vision with day-to-day execution. Early strategy sessions revealed the need for a marketing pivot: away from Instagram and toward Xiaohongshu, a platform better suited for reaching Chinese business owners. This shift allowed the firm to identify and pursue its niche in the specialty food and beverage space, particularly small restaurants and boba shops, leading to a 30% increase in pipeline opportunities.
At the same time, we applied the Profit First method to establish financial discipline, cut expenses, and achieve immediate profitability. Team management systems were introduced to reduce bottlenecks and build capacity, while workflow mapping clarified cross-functional collaboration. To support execution, we built a custom Notion dashboard that tracked client lifecycles and complex projects, and converted strategy sessions into a Copilot Manual, giving leadership a practical guide to drive decisions. Quarterly strategic planning sessions reinforced revenue alignment, while leadership coaching encouraged innovative thinking and adaptability during growth transitions.
The result was a thriving firm with a clear audience, profitable operations, and the systems to scale.
Results
Jonathan Wang Design achieved a 30% increase in sales pipeline opportunities by entering the Chinese restaurant niche, with new traction in boba shops and specialty food spaces. Profitability improved immediately under Profit First, while team and leadership systems created a culture of accountability and reduced reliance on the principal architect. The Notion dashboard became the central hub for managing client lifecycles and projects end-to-end, giving the firm greater efficiency and clarity in its operations.
Impact
“I'm glad we went through these [strategy] exercises together. I think it's extremely beneficial to have completed them.
I believe not everyone actively thinks about these business strategy concepts, and I wasn't even aware that some of them existed, like the "Profit First" approach, for example. It's valuable to learn about ideas that aren't common knowledge.
I would highly recommend any business participate in these strategy sessions. This is especially true for new entrepreneurs who may not know exactly what they're doing and are just trying to survive and expand. I feel it's incredibly helpful.”