Get the strategic thought partnership that turns your brilliant idea into a pitch that actually lands. Whether it’s your startup, your skills, or your next big proposal.
The Problem
CV’s that don’t inspire? Decks that don’t persuade?
Proposals that get polite nods?
The problem isn’t your idea. It’s that you’re writing for yourself, not your audience. You’re too deep in your own thinking to see what’s actually on the page.
You present your deck to me. When you speak, the real story emerges: clearer, sharper, more authentic than what’s written down.
I hear what you mean but haven’t captured. I see the structure that wants to emerge. I catch the visual clutter blocking your message.
Visual clarity. Verbal precision. Structural logic. One session transforms flabby into focussed.
Rory, from Studio Becoming, needed help with his proposal for the EES; there were so many messages to communicate.
What was clear from the first conversation was that Rory needed a clear and simple structure to hang the proposal on.
After some discussion we arrived at:
1. Inclusive and welcoming
2. Innovative and competitive
3. Future-fit and sustainable
Together we revised, reorganised and delivered the pitch document.
Rory won the job! He’s redesigning the EES Headquarters. Carl, from the Egyptian Exploration Society, commented on the structure of the proposal, “We really like the framework, those three pillars remain the underlying structure for our entire case for support for Heritage Lottery Funding. It really brought our Building the Future campaign together and gave it direction and meaning – I’m really thankful for it!”
20 years of strategic work taught me the good stuff is usually hiding in plain sight. I see it fast, I say it straight, and I help you build around it. It’s the New Yorker in me.
I’m neurotic about details. Visual and verbal. I will definitely spot your typos first. My approach is matter-of-fact with what has been described as “kind but blunt candour”.
If you want someone to sharpen your thinking, not just polish it. That’s what I do.
Sara was amazing at providing both critical feedback and clear creative ideas to turn a deck we were working on from flabby to focussed – cutting the crap and increasing the clarity in a way that’s very hard to do when you’re deeply immersed in something long term. It’s incredibly useful to have the stewardship and impartial eye of someone as experienced as Sara supercharge your proposition. I’d recommend her to anyone looking to get a message across fast.
Matt Golding | Founder – Rubber Republic & Antidote Studios
Sara Bender uncovers the good stuff hidden under the rocks which themselves are in plain sight. And, she does it so matter-of-factly and with what can only be described as kind but blunt candour. Her unique way of thinking brings fresh perspective, making it a joy to bounce ideas around and refine them together. Absolutely worth working with her.
Stephanie Hill | Founder & CEO – Protect What’s Ours
Sara cuts through thinking with a razor-sharp focus on the audience. She has no bullshit or baggage, speaks her mind without insecurity, and thinks through issues rather than deploying experience or process, resulting in a better understanding of what good looks like for the audience and more tangible success.
Jason Ash | Founder & CEO – Young Planet
What you get
The clarity that comes from having someone think like your audience, not like you and the confidence that comes from knowing your story lands exactly where you intended.
1. You share your document. I read it thoroughly.
2. You present it to me, I ask questions. We reflect together on what’s working, and what’s not.
3. I share specific feedback and recommendations.