SAW = (Sm/E)^W
Success At Work = your Smarts divided by your Ego, raised to your Work Ethic
Why
Our principal cut his teeth in the non-profit sector as a young buck, then innovated his way through more than a decade in the Behavioral Health segment as a founder of an SME that averaged 52% growth year-over-year before making an exit and launching Polestar Consulting.
How
We have a bullpen of heavy hitting associates/consultants, operators, and even academics who can provide guidance based on experience as well as theory to instill confidence in a way that only true experts can. Don’t worry: our work hits heavy, not our personalities or fees.
What
Polestar has pulled its weight on the consulting side for everything from Private Equity firms, financial institutions, political campaigns, retail, education, real estate ventures, and technology, to NGOs (Foreign and Domestic). The most fun we have? Helping small business owners sell.
FAQs
I’ve Never Worked with a Consulting Firm Before, is it Expensive?
Anything we do together will be based on an economical arrangement that works well for both parties. We competitively set our rates (a) per hour or (b) per project, and retainers are minimal.
Can You Help Me Save My Business?
We’d like to use some finesse here, or insert a platitude that could bolster your spirits for a fleeting moment…but maybe it’s better to answer plainly: “Possibly, but probably not, and we probably won’t try to.” Consultants are best used as consultants instead of firefighters. A turnaround specialist could walk you through that brutal process, but remember — “It ain’t over until the [healthy BMI + non-specific gender pronoun] sings” so keep your head up.
Why Use a Consulting Firm?
Well, you are perusing this website so there’s likely something that is pushing you to look for guidance. That’s a good thing no matter who you are. Let us not make the mistake of being a “know it all” instead of a “learn it all.” Put simply, we will help a willing organization reduce uncertainty in its operating environment and work to develop new institutional heuristics so as to provide the best possible business outcome.
Our Founder and Principal
I’m the Organizational Alchemist
“I love consulting because it feels suspiciously like getting paid to do what I’d do for free anyway—solve interesting problems. Give me a messy situation, a stuck team, or a question with too many moving parts and I’m in my element. The variety keeps me sharp; no two weeks look the same, and that change of pace is fuel for me, not friction. I genuinely enjoy helping people and organizations replace the chaos complexity can bring, reclaiming confidence and clarity. And one of the quiet perks? I can say no to work that doesn’t spark curiosity—so when I say yes, it’s wholehearted, focused, and built to make a difference.”
Micah Woodworth, MBA | President | Polestar Consulting, Inc.