Pholus Advisory

Sales blames marketing. Marketing blames sales. Both teams are hitting their metrics—but deals are stalling, morale is slipping, and no one agrees on what’s actually going wrong. If you’ve ever heard “the leads are garbage” or “sales can’t close,” you already know where this is headed. This case study is…

When staff are detained, panic spreads fast. Internal teams scramble for answers. Stakeholders press for updates. And behind the scenes, someone always suggests “just paying to make it go away.” But bribery isn’t an option—especially if you plan to keep operating with integrity. This case study is especially relevant if…

Client updates are getting stale. Competitors are catching up too quickly. Nothing’s confirmed—but something’s off. You suspect there’s a leak. The team is small. You trust them. But trust doesn’t stop data from walking out the door. This case study is especially relevant if you are: A founder sensing a…

Investors and corporate strategists treat due diligence as a shield against unpleasant surprises. Yet many reviews rely on static checklists and desk research that overlook shifting power structures, informal networks, and on-the-ground realities. When those blind spots collide with complex environments, deals stall, assets underperform, and reputations suffer. A stronger…

In fragile markets or politically sensitive environments, the lines of authority can shift overnight. Permits are issued and revoked. New actors claim control. Field staff receive conflicting orders. In these moments, acting too quickly—or too confidently—can trigger legal exposure, political backlash, or reputational damage. A deliberate pause, not a rushed…

The lawsuit named the company—but it also named a director. At first, the leadership team stuck together. Then the story shifted. The company stepped back. Their legal strategy changed. And one director was left exposed—with no insurance, no internal backing, and no plan. This case study is especially relevant if…

You trust your advisor’s work. The filings are accurate. The guidance is solid. But calls go unanswered, emails linger, and tension is rising. You’re considering a change—not because of a mistake, but because you’re tired of feeling ignored. This case study is especially relevant if you are: A founder or…

An anonymous blog starts publishing false stories about your company—accusing leadership of fraud, inventing quotes, and fabricating screenshots. It’s not in the news cycle yet, but it’s showing up on Google. Stakeholders are noticing. And legal action would only make it louder. This case study is especially relevant if you…

Not all civil unrest leads to insurgency. But all insurgencies begin with unrest that was either ignored, misread, or dismissed as temporary noise. For organizations operating in fragile environments—especially those with field teams, strategic assets, or donor-backed infrastructure—the ability to distinguish between episodic protest and pre-insurgency conditions is a governance…

In emerging or unfamiliar markets, many international organizations turn to local advertising agencies to execute outreach, mobilization, or visibility campaigns. When the partnership functions well, it delivers cultural resonance, logistical efficiency, and measurable impact. But over time, even the most promising local agency relationships can experience drift—subtle shifts in focus,…

You’ve made the hard call: the program is ending, the funding is gone, and the country office must close. But you’re operating in a region where quiet exits rarely stay quiet. Vendors expect continuity. Staff expect fairness. And one poorly handled moment can turn a clean wind-down into a reputational…

The founder stops showing up to board meetings. At first, it’s a scheduling conflict. Then silence. Frustration builds. People start talking about exit votes, formal censure—even leaving the board entirely. No one’s saying it out loud yet, but the relationship is breaking. This case study is especially relevant if you…

Titles, reporting lines, and organizational charts often paint a clean picture of governance. But in complex or fragile markets, these formal structures rarely reflect operational reality. Power flows along lines of trust, control, and narrative—not just hierarchy. Nowhere is this clearer than in the advertising and communications process. If you…

When a project becomes reputationally, politically, or ethically compromised, leadership faces a critical decision: stay, fix, or exit. In fragile markets, even the appearance of contamination—from allegations, internal misconduct, or partner exposure—can be destabilizing. If left unmanaged, it spreads beyond the project itself, infecting donor confidence, staff morale, and organizational…

Your donor acquisition costs are climbing. The board is asking tough questions. You’ve tried agencies before—but they overpromised, underdelivered, and left your team feeling sidelined. You don’t want a rescue. You want clarity, structure, and a way forward that leaves your team stronger, not replaced. This case study is especially…

You’re ready to sell. The buyer looks clean. The deal feels done. But something’s off—maybe in the paperwork, maybe in their pitch. You hesitate, just long enough to get a second opinion. And that decision may be the only thing standing between you and a criminal investigation. This case study…

In high-risk regions, development projects, corporate investments, and even humanitarian operations can unknowingly intersect with organized crime. These links may be indirect, buried in supply chains, local subcontracting, or political patronage networks. Whether you’re deploying capital or delivering aid, exposure to organized crime presents not only a legal risk but…

You’re spending over a dollar to acquire each user—but almost none of them deposit. The dashboards look fine, but the runway’s vanishing. Investors are restless. Your team says marketing is working. Your bank account says otherwise. This case study is especially relevant if you are: A founder or CMO facing…

Unauthorized redirection of client funds is not just a breach of protocol. It’s a threat to the credibility of your operation. Whether the act was malicious, opportunistic, or a result of unclear systems, your response must prioritize containment, trust repair, and legal exposure management. Especially in fragile or cross-border environments,…

Your staff starts getting strange phone calls. The voices claim to be local officials. No money is demanded, but the tone is unmistakable: “We’re watching.” There’s no clear threat—just unease. You sense the intent isn’t fraud, but fear. And you’re right. This case study is especially relevant if you are:…

You’ve been overbilled. The service is falling short. The vendor won’t fix it—and they won’t let you out. Legal action feels like overkill. But silence is costing you real money. You need leverage, not escalation. This case study is especially relevant if you are: A COO or founder stuck in…

You’re offered a lucrative contract—fast cash, minimal questions, full creative freedom. But something about it doesn’t sit right. The urgency feels rehearsed. The polish feels performative. And suddenly, you’re not just questioning the project—you’re questioning the risk of becoming part of something you can’t walk away from cleanly. This case…

The numbers made sense. The partner checked out. But something felt off. Rumors of transit strikes. Allegations of extortion. A few vague warnings that didn’t make it into the pitch deck. The investment team needed clarity—before committing capital in a region where optimism often outruns reality. This case study is…

You’ve done the work. The results are real. But the right funders aren’t noticing—or worse, they’re visiting your site and moving on. You know you need more than passion to get in the room. But you don’t want to fake scale, overpromise, or get lost in grant databases. This case…

The founder is slipping. They miss meetings. They show up unwell. Decisions stall. The team’s whispering, and the board’s watching—but no one wants to be the first to say it: the leader is in crisis, and the company is at risk. This case study is especially relevant if you are:…

You’ve made the decision to close a department. Strategically, it’s sound. But you’re operating in a jurisdiction where even lawful layoffs can trigger lawsuits, union complaints, and reputational backlash. One wrong phrase, one rushed notice, and you’re not restructuring—you’re firefighting. This case study is especially relevant if you are: A…

Donor priorities—whether tied to governance, inclusion, sustainability, or transparency—are not just ideals. They shape how funding is allocated, how outcomes are measured, and how partnerships are judged. Yet in many settings, especially in fragile or transitional environments, some founders learn to mimic these priorities without embracing them. They speak the…

The campaign was working. Conversions were up. Then a cease and desist letter landed—loud, legal, and full of threats. Panic spread. Should they shut it down? Call a lawyer? Go silent? Instead, they called Pholus. And the campaign got better. This case study is especially relevant if you are: A…

An employee walks off the job—carrying a stack of sensitive client files. No exit interview. No handoff. No digital backup. The documents aren’t encrypted. And the stakeholders? They’re 3,000 miles away, already asking who needs to resign. This case study is especially relevant if you are: A COO or founder…

You rely on a vendor for critical infrastructure. Without them, your product fails, your compliance collapses, and your revenue vanishes. Then one day, they flag your account for termination—citing risk you know isn’t real, but can’t dismiss without sounding defensive. This case study is especially relevant if you are: A…