Executive Briefings

Tactical sessions built for founders, boards, and teams navigating high-stakes decisions in complex environments. We don't teach theory. We show you what actually breaks companies and how to protect what you're building before the pressure hits. Every briefing is grounded in real operations.

Most Advisory Briefings Are Useless. These Aren't.

Most advisory briefings are polished, forgettable, and useless the moment they end.

You've sat through them. The consultant flies in, delivers a keynote full of frameworks and buzzwords, then disappears. Your team nods along, takes notes, and goes right back to making the same mistakes—because nothing they heard applies to the messy, high-stakes reality they're actually facing.

Pholus briefings are different.

We don't do theory. We don't sanitize case studies or pretend markets are predictable. Every session we deliver is built from real operations—fraud we've contained, crises we've managed, exits we've executed, and risks we've spotted before they became disasters.

These briefings aren't motivational. They're tactical. You'll walk away with frameworks you can use immediately, red flags you'll recognize before they cost you money, and decision-making tools designed for environments where the rules don't always protect you.

Whether you're preparing founders for due diligence, helping boards navigate governance failures, or training teams to operate in fragile markets—we'll show you what actually works when the pressure is on.

Choose a briefing below, or let us build something custom for your team.

Board Advisory & Governance | Recruiting & Structuring Effective Boards

No More Ghost Advisors: How to Build a Board That Actually Shows Up and Delivers

Most founders assemble advisory boards for the wrong reasons. They end up with a list of impressive names who ghost meetings and add zero value. This session teaches you how to , structure meetings that drive decisions, and . Stop pretending your board is useful. Make it actually work for your business.

Founder & Team Advisory | Pre-Sale Due Diligence & Valuation Protection

90 Days to Sell: Fix These Problems or Lose Millions at the Closing Table

Sophisticated buyers have a checklist of deal-killers you’ve never seen. They’ll find the skeletons in your closet and use them to slash your price. This session reveals , how to on your own company, and which problems you can fix in 90 days. Don’t let lazy preparation cost you millions. Get ahead of the game before they do.

Crisis Advisory & Emergency Response | Security & Operational Continuity

From Kidnappings to Coups: How to Keep Your Business Alive When Everything Goes to Hell

A security incident, a missing employee, a sudden regulatory crackdown—these aren’t hypotheticals. They’re real threats that can destroy your business overnight. Learn , , and make decisions under fire. Crisis isn’t a question of if. It’s a question of when. Be ready when it hits.

Market Entry & Intelligence | Cross-Border Trust & Credibility Signals

US Investors Aren’t Ignoring You. You’re Just Speaking the Wrong Language.

US buyers and investors don’t distrust your product. They distrust your signals. The way you position your company, structure your payments, and even phrase your emails can make or break the deal. This session shows you how to , , and close deals without losing your identity. Stop wondering why they’re not responding. Start fixing what’s broken.

Board Advisory & Governance | Fraud, Compliance & Regulatory Adaptation

When the Rules Don't Protect You: Building Systems That Do

Fraud, corruption, and sudden regulatory shifts can destroy your business overnight. This session teaches you how to build fraud-proof internal controls, navigate ethical gray zones, and structure operations to survive when the rules change. Don’t wait for a scandal. Protect yourself before it’s too late.

Operational & Political Risk Forecasting | Early Warning Systems & Scenario Planning

Seeing Around Corners: How to Spot Risks Before They Become Crises

Most organizations react to crises—they don't anticipate them. This session teaches you how to map political and operational risks, build early warning systems, and create contingency plans while you still have options. Learn to spot weak signals, interpret drift before it becomes disaster, and adapt faster than your competitors. The storm is coming. Make sure you see it first.

Market Entry & Intelligence | Partner Vetting & Deal Structuring

Your LATAM Partner Seems Perfect. Here’s Why You Should Still Be Skeptical.

A well-connected local partner can open doors—or trap you in a dependency nightmare. Too many founders realize too late that they’ve signed away their leverage. This session teaches you how to , , and walk away before it’s too late. Not all partnerships are created equal. Make sure yours doesn’t become a noose.

Strategic Exit & Wind-Down | Controlled Market Withdrawal & Asset Protection

You Built a Business. Now Get Out Alive. A Founder’s Guide to Exits Under Fire.

Exiting a business in a volatile market isn’t about maximizing profit. It’s about survival. Whether you’re facing political upheaval, currency controls, or personal risk, you need a plan. This session teaches you how to , , and negotiate from a position of strength. When the walls are closing in, your exit strategy is your lifeline.

Founder & Team Advisory | M&A Due Diligence & Risk Assessment

Cross-Border Acquisitions: How to Spot a Lemon Before You Sign

Buying a business in emerging markets? Hidden liabilities, fake revenue, and regulatory traps can turn your acquisition into a nightmare. Standard due diligence won’t cut it. This session reveals , how to dig deeper, and from a deal that seems too good to be true. The best acquisitions are the ones you avoid. Learn to spot the red flags before you sign.

Ongoing Advisory & Proximity | Strategic Decision-Making Under Stress

When the Pressure Doesn’t Stop: How to Lead Through Sustained Uncertainty

In fragile markets, the pressure doesn’t let up. Founders and leaders face constant uncertainty, weak signals, and high-stakes decisions—often without a playbook. This session covers how to , , and make strategic decisions when the standard rules don’t apply. Learn how to stay ahead of the curve instead of constantly reacting to crises.

We Build Briefings for Your Specific Reality

Your team isn't dealing with textbook problems. You're navigating fraud in emerging markets, preparing startups for cross-border M&A, or managing governance risks that don't fit neatly into compliance checklists.

That's where custom briefings come in.

We design sessions tailored to your industry, market, and immediate challenges. Whether you need a workshop on fraud prevention for fintech startups in Latin America, a board simulation preparing founders for hostile due diligence, or a crisis response training for teams operating in politically volatile regions—we'll build it from the ground up.

What makes our custom briefings different:

  • Real case studies from our work in Latin America, Africa, and Asia—not sanitized business school examples
  • Tactical tools your team can implement immediately, not generic frameworks
  • Honest assessments of what works, what doesn't, and what gets people in trouble

We've delivered custom sessions for chambers of commerce, accelerators, corporate risk teams, and investment funds. Every briefing is grounded in operational experience, not theory.

Tell us what your team is facing. We'll build the session that actually prepares them for it.

For Chambers of Commerce

Your members are operating in markets where the rules don't always protect them.

They're navigating cross-border transactions, vetting local partners, managing regulatory uncertainty, and trying to protect their operations when things go sideways. Generic trade advice and networking events aren't enough. They need tactical guidance on the risks that actually break businesses and how to avoid them.

Our briefings give your members immediately actionable tools for:

  • Fraud prevention and internal controls in emerging markets
  • Partner vetting and deal structuring that protects independence
  • Crisis response when security incidents or regulatory crackdowns hit
  • Building governance systems that survive when the rules change overnight

We can deliver sessions at your member events, design workshop series for specific industries or regions, or create custom content that addresses the exact challenges your members are facing right now.

Formats we offer:

  • Single keynote or panel session (60-90 minutes)
  • Half-day or full-day workshops with case studies and Q&A
  • Multi-session series for deeper skill-building
  • Remote or in-person delivery

We work with chambers across the Americas, delivering sessions on market entry, operational risk, and crisis management. Every briefing is grounded in real operations, not theory.

For Startup Accelerators & Incubators

Your founders are building fast.

Before they pitch investors, enter new regions, or scale operations, they need to understand what actually breaks companies. Not the polished lessons from business school case studies: the messy, high-stakes realities that destroy businesses when founders don't see them coming.

Our briefings prepare founders for what they'll actually face:

  • Due diligence that exposes weaknesses before buyers slash the price
  • Partner agreements that turn into dependency traps
  • Governance failures that erode investor confidence
  • Fraud, corruption, and regulatory risks in markets where controls are weak

We don't teach frameworks. We show founders how to recognize red flags, build resilient operations from day one, and make better decisions under pressure.

Formats we offer:

  • Cohort sessions integrated into your curriculum (60-90 minutes)
  • Workshops with simulations (due diligence walk-throughs, crisis scenarios)
  • Office hours or advisory sessions for individual founders
  • Multi-session series for deeper preparation (selling, scaling, risk management)
  • Remote or in-person delivery

Every briefing is tactical, specific, and designed for founders who need to make better decisions now, not eventually. We show them what to look for, what breaks companies, and how to protect what they're building.

How to Schedule a Briefing

If you're scheduling a briefing for your team, cohort, or conference, book a call using the link below. We'll discuss your preferred topic (or help you design a custom session), confirm availability, and finalize format and logistics.

What we'll cover on the call:

  • Your organization and audience (size, industry, experience level)
  • Preferred briefing topic or the specific challenge you're addressing
  • Date, time zone, and format preference (virtual, in-person, or hybrid)
  • Any particular case studies, markets, or risks you want us to emphasize

Most briefings run 60-90 minutes, with time for Q&A. Custom sessions can be structured as half-day workshops, board simulations, or multi-session series depending on your needs.

We deliver remotely or in-person. If you're in Latin America, we're based in Lima and available for on-site sessions. For other regions, we coordinate travel as needed.

Briefing fees vary based on format, audience size, and whether the session is standard or custom-built. We'll discuss pricing during the call.

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