Founder & Principal Advisor of Pholus Advisory
John Cobb founded Pholus Advisory after building businesses across Latin America, Africa, and Asia—and watching one collapse due to fraud.
He works with leaders, investors, and boards who need someone who has been on the ground when things go wrong and knows how to contain risks without triggering unnecessary escalation.
I built a cross-border contract resolution business to over $7M annually. When some contractors defrauded clients, I had to dismiss the entire team and I chose to close instead of rebuilding. That experience taught me more about risk, governance, and trust than any success ever could, and it shapes how I advise clients facing their own breakdowns.
When everything was collapsing, there was no one who understood the context, no one who had been through something similar, and no clear path forward. I built Pholus because I want to be the person I needed during that time: someone who does not flinch, who understands what you are facing, and who knows how to help you move forward without making things worse.
I contracted life-threatening parasites at 16 while volunteering in Nicaragua. That experience taught me early that complexity is manageable if you stay calm and do not assume the system will save you. It also established a pattern I have followed ever since: seeking out environments others avoid and learning to operate where the usual rules do not apply.
I have operated on the ground in Peru, Mexico, Nicaragua, Uganda, and India. I have provided remote advisory services in Mozambique, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, and Indonesia. I speak Spanish at C2 level and Portuguese at B2 level, both learned through immersion and tutors. I have also studied Telugu, Eastern Huastecan Nahuatl, and Turkish out of personal interest and cultural curiosity.
Language is not just a tool for conversation. It is a way to read context, understand power dynamics, and earn trust in places where outsiders are viewed with skepticism.
I learned Portuguese from scratch. Six weeks later, I chaired my first advisory board meeting entirely in Portuguese, conducting technical discussions and translating in real time. I now serve on the advisory board of Ideal Technology, lda in Mozambique, where I chair monthly meetings and work closely with the founder on strategy, operations, and growth.
I graduated cum laude with BA in International Relations and Diplomacy from Seton Hall University. I studied agribusiness and advanced Spanish at Universidad Veracruzana in Mexico and lived in Quintana Roo, Mexico from 2019 to 2024.
My work is shaped by the reality that most problems in fragile markets are not technical. They are cultural, relational, and psychological. The only way to understand them is to be there when things go wrong.
Most crises aren't solved by better strategy.
They're solved by someone who doesn't flinch.
Most advisory relationships fail because the advisor does not understand the environment or because they create dependency instead of building capacity. I work differently. My role is to help you see what you are missing, navigate what you are facing, and emerge stronger without needing me to stay involved.
Most advisors arrive with frameworks built for stable markets. I start by understanding the environment you are actually operating in. The informal systems. The unwritten rules. The cultural reflexes that shape decisions even when no one acknowledges them.
My job is not to be visible. It is to help you contain risks, restore trust, and navigate complexity without creating drama or drawing unnecessary attention. Whether that means quietly resolving a vendor dispute, managing a founder crisis, or coordinating an exit strategy, I operate in the background.
I am not here to run your operations or become a permanent fixture. My goal is to transfer knowledge, strengthen internal systems, and leave you better equipped to handle the next challenge on your own. The best engagements end with you not needing me anymore.
If something in your organization is broken, I will tell you. If a partnership is putting you at risk, I will flag it. If your instinct to escalate will make things worse, I will say so. My value is not in making you comfortable. It is in helping you see clearly.
I have built businesses to seven figures and watched them collapse. I have navigated fraud, relocated operations under threat, and managed crises with no playbook. I understand what it feels like when the pressure is on and the usual answers do not apply.
"I built Pholus to be the advisor I needed when no one else understood what I was facing."
I work with leaders, boards, and investors who are navigating situations where the usual playbook does not apply. If you are dealing with complexity that requires discretion, operating in a market where informal rules matter more than formal ones, or facing a decision where the stakes are high and the context is unclear, these are the moments when Pholus can help.
Common situations that warrant a call:
If any of these feel familiar, let's talk. I will tell you quickly whether I can help, and if I cannot, I will point you in a better direction. No long proposals. No unnecessary delays.
If something in your organization feels off but you cannot prove it yet, if a partnership is starting to look risky, or if you are operating in a market where the formal rules exist but the informal ones still govern outcomes, I can help. I work with leaders and investors who need clarity, not reassurance, and who understand that the best interventions happen before the crisis becomes public.
I respond to every inquiry personally, usually within 24 hours. We will schedule a short, confidential call to discuss what you are facing. I will ask questions, assess the situation, and tell you whether I can help. If we move forward, I work quickly and discreetly. If I am not the right fit, I will say so and help you figure out who is.
Email: [email protected]
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