You've built something real. So why does growth feel this hard?
You're not coasting. You're pushing - new markets, bigger teams, more complexity. But somewhere along the way, the efforts stopped lining up and now everything feels heavier than it should. I work with growth-stage companies to find the log jam. Then we clear it.
Start with a Conversation
Sound familiar?
Unclear ownership. Everyone's busy but nobody's sure who's actually responsible for what.
Marketing, sales, and ops are moving - just not in the same direction.
Your reporting exists. But leadership has quietly stopped trusting it.
You're growing. But the structure that got you here is starting to work against you.
How I Work
I don't add more complexity. I find what's creating the drag.
Growth-stage companies don't stall from lack of effort. They stall because growth creates complexity - and complexity creates drag. The capacity is there. It's just being absorbed by misaligned systems, unclear handoffs, and data that stopped reflecting reality somewhere along the way.
I help you see exactly where the jam is. Not a 40-page report. Not a list of 20 recommendations. The one or two things that, once cleared, change the trajectory.
Clarity before strategy.
01
I look at what's actually happening
CRM, pipeline, lead flow, team structure, reporting - wherever the friction lives. I'm not looking at the org chart. I'm looking at how things actually move.
02
I find what's creating the most drag
Not everything. The thing. Most businesses already have the capacity to grow - it's just being absorbed by the wrong places. I find those places and name them clearly.
03
You leave with a written plan
Specific. Prioritized. Yours to act on - with or without me. Most clients say the clarity alone was worth it.
"Most organizations don't have a growth problem. They have a log jam - and it's been quietly costing them for longer than they realize."
— Cobi Ellis
The friction looks different at every scale. The patterns are always the same.
I've worked with growth-stage companies across modular housing, insurance, education, agriculture, construction, and nonprofit - from $400M enterprises to 10-person family businesses.
Steep Hill Equipment · Su Casa Design · Nickel Bros · Tynebridge Digital · Farm to Garden Organics · School by You · Westbow · Mint Tiny House · Westbrook Friesen Group · City Life Church · Highroad Academy · Mutual Fire Insurance
The Process
Simple. Fast. No ambiguity.
01
A 30-minute conversation
You talk. I listen. I ask the questions most people haven't thought to ask. I'll tell you honestly whether I think I can help - and what that would look like.
02
A focused diagnostic (2–3 weeks)
I go deep on the areas where friction hides - CRM, pipeline, team structure, reporting, decision-making. I'm looking for what's actually happening, not what the org chart says should be.
03
A written deliverable
What I found. What it's costing you. What to fix first. You own it completely - act on it with or without me.
Some leaders stop there. Others bring me in to help execute. Either way, you leave knowing exactly what's in the way — and what to do about it.
Free Tool
Want to see where your team is getting in its own way?
A 10-minute behavioral assessment that surfaces the communication gaps and blind spots slowing your decisions - the kind nobody talks about but everyone feels. No cost. No follow-up unless you want it.
What This Looks Like in Practice
What I actually find when I look closely.
It looked like a lead generation problem. It was a data problem.
A company was spending consistently on ads. Leads were coming in - then vanishing before anyone followed up. The CRM wasn't capturing them correctly and nobody had noticed. We fixed the break, rebuilt the lead lifecycle, connected marketing to sales. Same spend. Far fewer lost deals.
It looked like a staffing issue. It was an ownership problem.
A growing organization had capable people and multiple business units - but decisions kept stalling. Nobody was sure who owned what. I mapped accountability, clarified roles, built a structure that matched how the business actually ran. The team didn't change. The clarity did.
The data was there. Leadership just couldn't trust it.
A family business had reporting in place but had quietly stopped relying on it. The numbers didn't match what people were seeing on the ground. I cleaned the CRM, fixed the tracking, gave leadership a pipeline view they could actually navigate from. The pressure dropped once everyone could see the same picture.
"The businesses that break through aren't always the ones with the best strategy. They're the ones who finally got honest about what was slowing them down - and did something about it."
— Cobi Ellis
What Leaders Say
In their words.
"He's one of those rare people who can elevate a team. Cobi brings a level of detail, clarity, and strategic thinking that makes everyone around him better. Principled, sharp, and steady - a deadly combination."
- Andrew Young, Senior Leadership, Westbow
"His capability across all areas - marketing, CRM, project management, finance, and HR - was exactly what we needed. He addressed operational gaps that were holding back our growth."
- Derrick Westbrook, Owner, Westbrook Friesen Group of Companies
"Cobi brings a rare mix of proactivity, ownership, and execution. He took initiative, identified gaps, and delivered real solutions without needing to be prompted. I'd strongly recommend him to any organization looking for a consultant who not only strategizes but also gets results."
- Farrukh Saeed, CFO, Mint Tiny House Company
Free Resource
Not sure if this applies to you? Start here.
A short guide on where revenue quietly leaks in growing organizations - and the patterns I see most often. No opt-in. No follow-up. Just something useful.
After we work together, most leaders say the same two things.
"I finally understand what's really happening in the business."
"I now know what to focus on — and what to stop doing."
The noise quiets down.
The numbers start making sense.
And you stop leaving money on the table without knowing it.
If something feels off, trust that instinct.
  • You sense friction somewhere - but you can't quite name it yet.
  • Your team is capable. The results still aren't where they should be.
  • You're not looking for another strategy deck. You want to know what's actually in the way.
30 minutes. I'll ask the right questions, listen carefully, and give you an honest read on what I'm seeing.
About
Cobi Ellis
I work with growth-stage companies - founders, executives, and owners who are genuinely trying to grow, not just talk about it. My job is to find what's creating the drag and help them clear it.
My background spans operations, CRM, marketing systems, HR, finance, and behavioural science. I bring leadership, systems, and operations back into alignment — so the effort your team is already putting in actually shows up in the results.
Focus areas: leadership and team alignment (DISC-informed), CRM and revenue visibility (HubSpot/Salesforce), operational alignment across marketing, sales, and ops, and fractional leadership during growth or transition.
I don't do long retainers or open-ended engagements. Most are 2–8 weeks and end with a written plan - yours to act on with or without me. 19 years in leadership. An MBA at 42. Clarity before strategy.
One conversation. You'll know if this is worth your time.
30 minutes. I'll ask about your organization, listen carefully, and give you an honest read on what I'm seeing. If I don't think I can help, I'll tell you that too. No pitch. No pressure.