For founder-led businesses between £2m and £15m
You’ve built a strong business. Growth has stalled. You can feel it, but can’t pinpoint why.
Most £2m–£15m businesses plateau not because the founder lacks ability, but because the commercial infrastructure can’t support the next level of growth. I find what’s actually blocking you, then build the systems that break the pattern.
25+ years building and scaling businesses | CEO experience with successful exit | Psychology-trained diagnostic approach
The Signs Are Always The Same
“Revenue has plateaued and I don’t know why.”
The business is busy. The team is working hard. But the number won’t move.
“I’m still involved in every sales conversation.”
You’ve hired people. You’ve delegated. But deals only close when you’re in the room.
“We win work, but we can’t scale it.”
Delivery is strong when you’re hands-on. Remove yourself and quality drops.
“Our pipeline is unpredictable.”
Some months are feast. Others are famine. There’s no system generating consistent demand.
“We hired a salesperson and it didn’t work.”
Because the problem wasn’t sales capability. It was commercial infrastructure.
“We sound exactly like our competitors.”
Prospects can’t tell the difference. So they compare on price. And you lose.
If any of these sound familiar, you’re not broken. You’re stuck between Plateau 3 and Plateau 4, and there’s a systematic way through.
“Most £2m–£15m businesses don’t have a sales problem. They have a commercial infrastructure problem. And the reason they keep failing to fix it is they keep treating the symptom: more activity, more people, more effort, instead of the cause. The founder is the system. Until that changes, nothing else will.”
Most founders don’t need a full-time Commercial Director yet. But they do need someone who thinks and acts like one. That’s a Commercial #2, a senior commercial lead embedded in your business 1–2 days a week, who owns the infrastructure side of growth: how you’re positioned, how the pipeline runs, how deals get closed, and how the business stops depending on you to hold it all together.
The difference from a sales hire: they build the system, not just work it.
I work with founders like you facing these situations
Every engagement starts with a specific problem, not a vague brief.
"I’m the bottleneck and I know it"
You built this business from nothing. Now it can’t grow past you. Every decision, every deal, every hire routes through you. You’ve tried delegating but it hasn’t stuck. The business needs commercial infrastructure that works without you in the room.
Typical outcome: Founder moves from 80% operational to 30% within 6 months. Documented playbooks replace tribal knowledge.
"Revenue has flatlined between £2m and £5m"
You’ve hit a ceiling. More effort isn’t producing more revenue, and you simply have no more time to give. What got you here (hustle, relationships, opportunistic wins), won’t get you to the next level. The business needs a commercial system, not more activity.
Typical outcome: Root cause identified in 2 weeks. Commercial strategy and infrastructure built over 90 days. Revenue trajectory shifts.
"We hired salespeople and pipeline stuck"
You invested in sales headcount expecting growth. It didn’t come. The problem wasn’t the people, it was the absence of positioning, process, and a repeatable commercial system for them to execute. You just increased your overheads, without the pay-off.
Typical outcome: Sales infrastructure diagnosed, rebuilt, and documented. Team sells from a playbook, not guesswork.
"Prospects say we sound like everyone else"
Your team delivers exceptional work. But your positioning sounds like everyone else’s. Prospects compare you on price because nothing in your messaging tells them why you’re different. You need positioning that makes comparison irrelevant.
Typical outcome: Issue-led positioning replaces generic capability messaging. Sales cycles shorten. Win rates improve.
"We’re growing, but it feels fragile"
Revenue is increasing, but it depends on a few key relationships, one or two big clients, and the founder holding it together. There’s no resilience. One bad quarter could set you back years.
Typical outcome: Commercial infrastructure stress-tested. Dependency risks identified and mitigated. Growth becomes structural, not heroic.
"I can't justify a full-time salary. yet"
You know you need senior commercial capability. But £120k+ for a full-time Commercial Director doesn’t make sense at your stage. You need the thinking, the frameworks, and the execution for just 1–2 days a week.
Typical outcome: Fractional Commercial Director embedded 1–2 days per week. Senior commercial leadership at a fraction of the cost.
A clear path from stuck to scaling
No mystery. No six-month scoping exercise. Here’s how every engagement works.
Diagnose
I map what’s actually happening, not what you think is happening. Using the 7 Plateaus Framework and structured diagnostics, I identify the specific constraint blocking your next level of growth.
You get: A clear picture of where you are, what’s broken, and what to fix first.
Design
I build the commercial strategy and infrastructure blueprint. Positioning, sales system, pipeline architecture, team structure, designed specifically for your plateau and your business.
You get: A commercial strategy you can actually execute, not a 90-page deck.
Build
I work alongside you to implement the design. Playbooks get written. Systems get installed. People get aligned. This isn’t advice from the sidelines, I’m in the business, building with you.
You get: Working commercial infrastructure, documented, tested, operational.
Scale
The systems work without you. Growth becomes repeatable. I step back progressively as internal capability strengthens, or i stay embedded as your ongoing Commercial #2 until the time is right.
You get: A business that grows without breaking, and without depending on you for every decision.
Choose How To Start
Discovery Engagement
Know exactly what’s blocking your growth-
In two weeks, you’ll know precisely which plateau you’re on, what’s causing the stall, and what to fix first. No guesswork. No generic advice. A structured diagnosis built on 20+ years of pattern recognition.
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What changes:
• You stop guessing why growth has stalled
• You see the root cause, not the symptoms
• You know what to fix, in what order
• You can brief anyone with total clarity -
How it works:
7 Plateaus diagnostic, stakeholder interviews, root cause analysis, and a commercial strategy blueprint delivered in a focused 2-week engagement.
HERE
Fractional Commercial Director
Senior leadership without the £120k+ commitment-
Your Commercial #2. I embed in your business 1–2 days a week and build the commercial infrastructure. Strategy, systems, team development, and execution, all without the overhead of a full-time hire.
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What changes:
• Commercial stops depending on you
• Your team operates from playbooks
• Pipeline becomes systematic
• You get your time back in the business -
How it works:
Starts with a Discovery engagement (included in the first month), then transitions into embedded commercial leadership. Monthly retainer. No long-term lock-in.
VALUABLE
Proposition Architect
Escape the comparison trap in 4 weeks-
In 4 weeks, I rebuild your positioning from the ground up: issue-led value proposition, signature methodology, and website copy that makes comparison irrelevant. Prospects no longer compare you purely on price.
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What changes:
• You stop sounding like everyone else
• Prospects understand what you solve
• Sales start from a position of authority
• Your website becomes a conversion tool -
How it works:
Competitive positioning audit, issue-led value proposition design, signature methodology blueprint, and complete website copy rewrite. Delivered in a focused 4-week sprint.
RESULTS
Not sure which is right? Start with the free 7 Plateaus Assessment. It takes 3 minutes and tells you exactly where you are.
Where are you stuck?
Every £2m–£15m business sits on one of these plateaus. The jump from 3 to 4 is where most founders stall, not because they lack talent, but because what got them here won’t get them there.
Plateau 1: Startup
“Will this actually work?”
Plateau 2: Early Traction
“It’s working, but it’s fragile.”
Plateau 3: Operational Capability
“We’re growing, but everything depends on me.”
Plateau 4: Systematic Approach
“We need systems, not just effort.”
Plateau 5: Scalable Infrastructure
“Growth is real, but the organisation is straining.”
Plateau 6: Differentiated Position
“We’re good. But the market doesn’t know it.”
Plateau 7: Market Leader
“We own our space.”
Most businesses I work with are stuck between Plateau 3 and Plateau 4.
Strong delivery. Weak commercial infrastructure. The founder is the system. The jump to Plateau 4 requires different architecture, not more effort.
What a typical engagement looks like
The Situation
A founder-led professional services business. £4.5m revenue. Profitable, well-regarded by clients, strong delivery reputation. But growth had stalled for 18 months. The founder was involved in every sales conversation and most delivery decisions. Two salespeople had been hired in the previous year. Pipeline hadn’t improved.
The DIAGNOSIS
A 2-week Discovery engagement revealed the business was operating at Plateau 3: strong operational capability, but no commercial infrastructure independent of the founder. Root cause: no documented sales process, no positioning that differentiated from competitors, and no system for generating consistent pipeline. The salespeople had been set up to fail.
THE BUILD
Over 90 days as embedded Fractional Commercial Director (2 days/week): rebuilt positioning from capability-led to issue-led, documented a repeatable sales playbook, restructured the pipeline system, and established commercial rhythms the team could run independently.
THE SHIFT
- Founder moved from 80% sales involvement to 25%
- Pipeline predictability improved within the first quarter
- Sales team operating from a documented playbook for the first time
- Positioning differentiated, stopped losing deals on price
Note: This is a composite based on typical engagement patterns.
About Tom Wood
20+ years building and scaling businesses. CEO of a company that grew from startup to market leader. Psychology degree, which is why I think in systems, not silver bullets.
I’ve sat in your chair. I know what it feels like when growth stalls and you can’t work out why. I know the difference between a sales problem and a commercial infrastructure problem. And I know that most advice you’ll get treats the symptoms, not the cause.
Addoli exists because I kept seeing the same pattern: brilliant founders, stuck between Plateau 3 and 4, working harder at a problem that effort alone can’t solve.
Is this the right fit?
I’m selective about who I work with. Not because I’m precious, but because this only works when the conditions are right.
This is for you if...
- You’re a founder, CEO, or MD of a £2m–£15m business
- Revenue has plateaued and effort alone isn’t shifting it
- You know you need help, but don’t know where to start
- You’re willing to invest in systems, not just more sales activity
- You want a partner, not a consultant who writes reports
- You’re ready to make structural changes to how the business operates
This isn't for you if...
- You’re looking for a quick-fix or a magic bullet
- You want someone to write a strategy deck and leave
- Your business is pre-revenue or pre-product-market fit
- You’re not prepared to change how things are done
- You want a traditional management consultant experience
- Budget is your primary decision factor (this is a value investment, not a cost)
Questions you’re probably asking
Q: How is this different from hiring a management consultant?
Management consultants typically produce a strategy document and leave. I embed in your business. I build alongside you. The deliverable isn’t a report, it’s working commercial infrastructure that your team runs after I step back. Think of it as the difference between an architect who draws plans and one who stays on site until the building stands.
Q: What if I’ve already tried bringing in commercial help and it didn’t work?
This is more common than you’d think. Usually the previous hire failed because they were given a sales role without commercial infrastructure to execute against. No positioning, no playbook, no pipeline system. They were set up to fail. I start by fixing the infrastructure, the system they’ll operate within, before expecting results from people.
Q: How quickly will I see results?
The Discovery engagement gives you clarity in 2 weeks. If we move to Fractional Commercial Director, you’ll typically see structural changes within the first 90 days, documented playbooks, repositioned messaging, rebuilt pipeline systems. Revenue impact follows as these systems take hold, usually becoming visible within 3–6 months.
Q: I’m a £2m business. Is this too early for me?
It depends on why you’re stuck. If you’ve achieved product-market fit and your constraint is commercial infrastructure, not product, then no, it’s not too early. The Discovery engagement is specifically designed to answer this question. If I’m not the right fit, I’ll tell you.
Q: I’m a £12m business. Is this too small-scale for my needs?
No. Many £10m–£15m businesses are stuck at Plateau 4 or 5. They have the revenue but lack the commercial infrastructure and positioning to reach the next level. The frameworks scale to your complexity. The Proposition Architect service is particularly relevant for businesses at this stage.
Q: What does “fractional” actually mean in practice?
It means I’m in your business 1–2 days per week, in meetings, working with your team, building systems. I’m not an advisor who calls in once a month. I’m your Commercial Director, fractionally. I attend leadership meetings, run commercial reviews, and am accountable for outcomes.
Q: Do you work with any industry or sector?
I work across sectors, but the pattern is consistent: founder-led, £2m–£15m, service-based or B2B businesses where growth has stalled. The diagnostics and frameworks are sector-agnostic. The implementation is always tailored to your specific context.
Q: What happens after the engagement ends?
If we do it right, you won’t need me. The whole point is building infrastructure that outlasts my involvement. Some clients choose to keep me embedded long-term as their ongoing Commercial #2. Others graduate from fractional support as internal capability strengthens. Both are success.
Q: What’s the minimum commitment?
The Discovery engagement is a fixed 2-week, £4,000 commitment. No lock-in. No ongoing obligation. If we move to Fractional Commercial Director, it’s a monthly retainer with a 3-month initial commitment, because meaningful change takes at least that long to build.
WHAT THEY SAY
“Tom took the time to fully understand what we wanted to achieve and knew how to get us there. I learned so much from working with him, and it really transformed the business. He could empathise with my frustrations, and put solutions in place from day one that helped both me and my team.”
Nikki Bennett,
Managing Director, Professional Services Consultancy
Ready to find out what’s actually blocking your growth?
Start with a 3-minute assessment or book a free diagnostic call. No pitch. No pressure. Just clarity.
No forms to fill. No sales sequence. Just an honest conversation about where you are and what’s possible.
From the trenches
Pattern recognition from real commercial diagnostic work. Updated as the work happens.
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