A strong fit
- Several tools hold pieces of the same job.
- People repeat work because context gets lost.
- Reports arrive late or cannot be trusted.
- The owner is involved in decisions that should be easier.
A fixed-scope first engagement
Find the bottleneck. Prove the fix.
Two focused weeks for one expensive operating problem. We map what is happening, test the best intervention, and give you a clear implementation decision.
Led directly by Zach. On-site in St. Louis when it helps.
Bottleneck foundIllustrative workflow
RequestWork enters
HandoffContext breaks
DecisionOwner waits
Clear pathProof ready
People · data · softwareOne first move
Start here when the pain is clear, but the answer is not.
The Sprint is designed for owners who can feel the drag in the business and want evidence before committing to a larger build.
Probably not yet
- The problem has no owner inside the business.
- The team cannot make time for a few short interviews.
- The goal is to add AI without a specific business problem.
- A standard product already solves the need well.
Two weeks. One clear decision.
The scope stays narrow enough to move quickly and deep enough to replace guesswork with proof.
Week one · See the system
Find where the work breaks.
We interview the people closest to the work, trace the handoffs, inspect the tools and data, and establish what the current friction costs.
Week two · Prove the move
Test the smallest useful fix.
We build a focused proof, test it against the real workflow, and define the implementation only after we know what deserves to be built.
What leaves with you.
The Sprint produces a useful decision even if Flux Nine does not build the next phase.
The bottleneck map
A concise view of the workflow, its handoffs, the systems involved, and the point where time, context, or money is being lost.
The baseline
The best available measure of the current state, such as hours, delays, errors, missed follow-up, or avoidable spend.
The working proof
A focused prototype or technical proof that tests the riskiest assumption before a larger investment is made.
The build decision
A prioritized plan with scope, timing, cost, ownership, and the explicit recommendation to build, buy, change the process, or leave it alone.
Fixed scope. Fixed fee.
The fee is agreed before work begins. If the next step is a larger build, the maps, proof, and decisions from the Sprint become its foundation.
What keeps slowing the business down?
Send the messy version. We will tell you whether it fits a Bottleneck Sprint and what we would need to see first.
Describe the bottleneck