Chicago skyline and the Lake Michigan shoreline at blue hour

Business advisory · Chicago and remote

A clear plan for your business, in six weeks.

Tallis Advisory helps owners of $5M–$75M companies find what’s costing them growth or margin, decide what to do about it, and see it through.

Portrait of Nora Kessler, Founder and Managing Partner at Tallis Advisory

Talk to Nora Kessler

About Tallis

A small firm, on purpose.

Five advisors who have run, fixed or financed the kind of business you own. We take on a few engagements at a time, so the people you meet on the first call are the people who do the work.

160

+

Engagements completed

160

+

Engagements completed

160

+

Engagements completed

$52

M

In measured client gains

$52

M

In measured client gains

$52

M

In measured client gains

71

%

Repeat and referral

71

%

Repeat and referral

71

%

Repeat and referral

Chicago and remote. Since 2012.

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What we help with

Start with the problem you have.

Most owners come to us with one of three. Each needs a different fix, so we begin by working out which one you’re really facing.

01.

Growth strategy

“We’re busy, but growth has stalled.” We find where your next dollar of growth should come from, and which markets, customers and offers to stop chasing.

02.

Operations and margin

“Sales are up. Profit isn’t.” We trace where margin leaks out, from pricing and quoting to rework and freight, then fix the biggest leaks first.

03.

Finance and decisions

“I don’t trust the numbers I’m deciding with.” We build the cash forecast, reporting and decision rules that let you act on facts instead of instinct.

01.

Growth strategy

“We’re busy, but growth has stalled.” We find where your next dollar of growth should come from, and which markets, customers and offers to stop chasing.

02.

Operations and margin

“Sales are up. Profit isn’t.” We trace where margin leaks out, from pricing and quoting to rework and freight, then fix the biggest leaks first.

03.

Finance and decisions

“I don’t trust the numbers I’m deciding with.” We build the cash forecast, reporting and decision rules that let you act on facts instead of instinct.

How it works

Three steps. Fixed fee. No lock‑in.

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01.

A free 30-minute call

You tell us what isn’t working. We ask questions, share what we see, and say plainly whether we can help.

True Parallax Image

01.

A free 30-minute call

You tell us what isn’t working. We ask questions, share what we see, and say plainly whether we can help.

True Parallax Image

01.

A free 30-minute call

You tell us what isn’t working. We ask questions, share what we see, and say plainly whether we can help.

True Parallax Image

02.

A written plan in six weeks

We study your numbers, talk to your team and your customers, and give you a plan with priorities, owners and targets.

True Parallax Image

02.

A written plan in six weeks

We study your numbers, talk to your team and your customers, and give you a plan with priorities, owners and targets.

True Parallax Image

02.

A written plan in six weeks

We study your numbers, talk to your team and your customers, and give you a plan with priorities, owners and targets.

True Parallax Image

03.

We help you carry it out

If you want us to, we join your team one or two days a week until the targets are met.

True Parallax Image

03.

We help you carry it out

If you want us to, we join your team one or two days a week until the targets are met.

True Parallax Image

03.

We help you carry it out

If you want us to, we join your team one or two days a week until the targets are met.

The people you’ll work with

Five advisors. No hand-offs.

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Nora Kessler

Founder and Managing Partner

Nora Kessler

Founder and Managing Partner

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Amit Rao

Partner, Operations

Amit Rao

Partner, Operations

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Leah Okonkwo

Partner, Growth strategy

Leah Okonkwo

Partner, Growth strategy

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Jonas Ahlberg

Analyst

Jonas Ahlberg

Analyst

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Tomás Ibarra

Senior Consultant

Tomás Ibarra

Senior Consultant

Meet the whole team

Five advisors who have run, fixed or financed the kind of business you own.

In their words

What owners say after the work is done.

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“We got six points back in under a year.”

Marcus Hale

COO, Brightwell Manufacturing

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“We got six points back in under a year.”

Marcus Hale

COO, Brightwell Manufacturing

“We can take a real vacation.”

My brother and I can take a real vacation. Decisions that used to land on us now get made, and written down, by the managers.

Portrait of Ruth Rowe

Ruth Rowe

Co-owner, Verde & Rowe

“We can take a real vacation.”

My brother and I can take a real vacation. Decisions that used to land on us now get made, and written down, by the managers.

Portrait of Ruth Rowe

Ruth Rowe

Co-owner, Verde & Rowe

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“The three we did open all broke even inside nine months.”

Dr. Priya Menon

Founder, Northfield Dental Group

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“The three we did open all broke even inside nine months.”

Dr. Priya Menon

Founder, Northfield Dental Group

“A name and a date next to every line.”

I expected a binder. I got a to-do list with a name and a date next to every line, and Amit on the phone when something slipped.

Portrait of Tolu Adeyemi

Tolu Adeyemi

CEO, Pinegate Supply

“A name and a date next to every line.”

I expected a binder. I got a to-do list with a name and a date next to every line, and Amit on the phone when something slipped.

Portrait of Tolu Adeyemi

Tolu Adeyemi

CEO, Pinegate Supply

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“Now I see 13 weeks of cash on Monday morning.”

Ben Alvarado

Owner, Copperline Logistics

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“Now I see 13 weeks of cash on Monday morning.”

Ben Alvarado

Owner, Copperline Logistics

“They finished early.”

Fixed fee, fixed scope, and they finished early. I’ve never said that about a consultant.

Portrait of Shauna Pryce

Shauna Pryce

Managing Partner, Larkin & Pryce

“They finished early.”

Fixed fee, fixed scope, and they finished early. I’ve never said that about a consultant.

Portrait of Shauna Pryce

Shauna Pryce

Managing Partner, Larkin & Pryce

Questions

Asked before almost every engagement.

Portrait of Nora Kessler, Founder and Managing Partner at Tallis Advisory

Founder and Managing Partner

Nora Kessler

A two-week diagnostic starts at $4,500 and a six-week roadmap at $14,000, both at a fixed fee. Ongoing partnership starts at $7,500 a month. You get a fixed quote in writing after our first call, and it doesn’t change mid-project.

Empty boardroom with afternoon light across the table

Free 30-minute call

Tell us what isn’t working.

Thirty minutes, free. You’ll leave with a clearer view of the problem, whether or not we work together.

Empty boardroom with afternoon light across the table

Free 30-minute call

Tell us what isn’t working.

Thirty minutes, free. You’ll leave with a clearer view of the problem, whether or not we work together.

Empty boardroom with afternoon light across the table

Free 30-minute call

Tell us what isn’t working.

Thirty minutes, free. You’ll leave with a clearer view of the problem, whether or not we work together.

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