Read the fee alongside the actual scope
The offer is a full sales engagement, not a menu of unlimited standalone services. Capacity, account allocation, product support and client dependencies are scoped before signing. Hiring support includes role definition, assessment, onboarding and coaching; the client owns recruitment and employment decisions.
Approved engagements have a $160,000 eligible signed first-year value target. If needed, operating work continues through month six without additional base agency fees, followed by a shortfall refund capped at fees paid. This protection does not make the upfront fee zero, guarantee profit or include every external expense. Eligibility, attribution and timing need written agreement.
| Decision | Evidence to use | What changes next |
|---|---|---|
| Base fee | $40,000 × four paid months = $160,000 | Budget the actual payment obligation |
| Approved external costs | Tools and data agreed separately | Include these in acquisition economics |
| Eligible excess value | 10% only on eligible signed value above $160,000 | Calculate commission from the agreed eligible total |
Work through the decision
Illustrative arithmetic: if eligible first-year customer revenue signed during the engagement totals $250,000, the excess over $160,000 is $90,000. At 10%, the commission is $9,000. The base fee remains $160,000; approved tools and data are additional.
This example does not forecast a $250,000 result or imply that signed contracts have been paid. To assess affordability, model collections and gross contribution separately. A business can create signed value while still needing cash to fund delivery and acquisition.
Fee protection is mistaken for a free engagement
The $0 uncovered-fee comparison is a presentation of target value coverage, not a $0 invoice. Four paid months still total $160,000. Keep the actual fee, possible refund, customer signed value and profit in separate lines when comparing options.
A concrete next step
Bring your current selling bottleneck and a cash-based acquisition budget to the fit call. Ask which work is included in your proposed allocation and which internal responsibilities remain.
Sources and research notes
- Ramp Year: delivery method and public offerOur public offer; final agreement controls
- Bessemer: 10 laws of cloudInvestor operating guidance
Primary sources reviewed October 6, 2026. The operating recommendations and worked scenarios are Daavid’s analysis. Illustrative numbers are assumptions, not measured client results. Company marks identify sources and prior experience; they do not imply a customer relationship or endorsement.
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