Advisory Services

Building on decades of business consulting and leadership experience, Studio Tigress offers advisory services across multiple industries.

I believe in chasing potential, working with kind people, doing cool projects, and having a good time. I love listening, understanding, and helping to address business opportunities in creative and thoughtful ways. I like direct, simple communication and building high performing teams.

I am a thought partner, connector, problem solver, facilitator, integrator, mechanical engineer, communicator, and strategic planner.

I like to simplify complex things.

I believe there should be a business model in every business model.

Sara Fritsch, Founder Studio Tigress

Recent Projects

  • New Product Introduction

    A world renowned interior design firm was ready to expand beyond services by launching impeccably designed products. It continues to be an honor to help guide this process.

  • Listening Tour

    A Portland-based, community-focused development, construction & consulting firm wanted an objective outside opinion about their business model, structure, strategic plan, and opportunities. Over several months I met with their clients, team, suppliers, partners and leadership to ask questions, learn, connect dots, identify blind spots and ultimately pitch back some themes and opportunities for them to account for in their strategic planning efforts.

  • Scaling a Pottery Operation, With Heart

    Scaling with profitability is very hard. Doing that within tightly held values is harder (and inspiring). Getting to help build and support an all star team of big-hearted executives fills my mug.

  • Color Me On Board

    Joining the advisory board of the B Corp colorhouse that makes oil paints at scale (and also in tiny precise batches for the times when international art conservationists directly order paint to touch up Van Gogh's masterpieces!!!) is a career high. Between board meetings I often make up reasons to visit the factory just to be around the vibrant pigments and equally vibrant team.

  • Hand Thrown Pottery Is a Lifestyle

    The opportunity to advise for a Vermont-based operation that continues to throw all pottery by hand while also building a thriving and fast growing lifestyle brand is something I will always say yes to, with a smile and enthusiasm. Getting to contribute to the team, vision and success brings me joy (and some amazing pottery).

  • Listening Tour

    An award-winning, full-service photo and video production studio was facing some growing pains and wanted an objective opinion about their business model, structure, strategic plan, and opportunities. Making iconic art together is their mission, which won me over immediately. Over several months I met with their clients, team, partners and leadership to ask questions, learn, connect dots, identify blind spots and ultimately pitch back some themes and opportunities for them to prioritize and tackle.

  • Where the Rubber Meets The Road

    A PE-held tire company is growing extremely fast thanks to a visionary and ambitious acquisition strategy. One gal's job is to make sure the customer experience, brand, and marketing scale and shine every step of the journey. The opportunity to be her thought partner brings me back to my roots in many ways (IYKYK, I love tires).

  • Desk Job

    Getting the call to advise for a brand that is laser focused on functional and aspirational desks and desk accessories for high-end, design-conscious consumers made my day. I am a true believer in this vision and these products. This brand started with a goal to “make cool stuff and have fun doing it” - many years later that ethos still leads the way as they sell products to loyal customers around the globe.

  • Design To Make A Difference

    The mechanical engineer in me delights in the chance I get to advise at a medical device company who's specialty is building custom carts for robots and other medical equipment. Precision, empathy, innovation, and purpose come together as we design carts to improve healthcare. Since joining this board in 2018, it has been rewarding to to play a tiny role in improving healthcare one cart at a time.

  • Precision Brewing, Simplified

    A board seat offer was an amazing excuse to spend time innovating, building, and learning with people I like. Helping them to develop products and a business model I believe in is rewarding and exciting.

  • Cabinet Appointment

    The opportunity to help develop a strategic plan and lead weekly leadership team meetings for a design-forward company that solves customer problems while making spaces gorgeous fell squarely into my sweet spot. Getting to do this for a team that appreciates the help and always knows how to laugh together felt like home to me.

  • The Brand Is a Movement

    Whether it’s gathering for a meal with cherished friends or tucking yourself into bed, this growing company honors the simple, necessary, and universal delights of food and rest. This is a feminist brand committed to embodying their aspirations for a feminine economy. The chance to be a thought partner to this founder has become so much more than a business opportunity.

  • Listening Tour

    Even everyone's favorite corner store, packed full of it-girls and it-products needs help sometimes. Over several months I met with their team, customers and leadership to ask questions, learn, connect dots, identify blind spots and ultimately pitch back some themes and opportunities for them to hear and chase. Friendships grew. Business grew.

  • Using Business To Do Good

    I jumped at the chance to be a thought partner to the founder and CEO of a NY-based certified B Corp that designs and creates ethically handmade homewares, textiles, and wallcoverings. Through wins and growing pains, I am forever cheering for this vision, business model and founder.

  • A Bright Spot

    The west-end's most vibrant corner store is packed full of colorful homewares and big dreams. Getting to jump in as a thought partner to the founder has been a bright spot.

  • Making Time Count

    Taking on a role as advisor to high-energy and high-design start up who is focused on improving well-being through product design has been improving my well-being through product design. We also share a love (ok, an obsession) with time and our relationship to it.

  • Dream Team

    A world renowned interior design firm was looking for critical strategic hires. Upon posting the opportunities they were flooded with candidates because: duh. Getting tapped to lead the recruiting process was outside my normal scope in the best way. After sifting through a mountain of portfolios and a series of interviews, it was an honor to hand pick the best of the best to join the best of the best.

  • Surface Exploration

    Guiding an exploratory project for a DTC paint company that was considering the leap into wallpaper was a juggle of analysis, design, logistics and communication. In the end, the plans were put on the shelf and not the wall (with confidence that was the right call).