Built on Real Conversations, Not Quick Fixes

Since 2019, we've been sitting across from business owners who are tired of negotiation tactics that sound good but don't actually work when stakes are high. Most advice out there treats every deal like a generic puzzle. We think that's backwards.

Every business negotiation carries its own weight and context. The financial deal that keeps you up at night deserves more than template responses.

Our Beginning

Started From Frustration With Bad Advice

Back in early 2019, our founder Callum Thorsby was working with small manufacturers around Canberra who kept getting steamrolled in supplier negotiations. Not because they lacked business sense, but because the negotiation "experts" they'd hired taught them American-style tactics that felt alien and awkward.

The turning point came during a contract renegotiation that went sideways. The client had followed textbook strategies perfectly, and still walked away with terms that hurt their cash flow for two years. That's when we realized the problem wasn't execution. It was the entire approach.

So we started teaching negotiation differently. Not as performance or manipulation, but as structured conversation between people with legitimate interests. Turns out, when you stop trying to "win" and start trying to understand what both sides actually need, better deals happen more often.

Business professionals engaged in authentic negotiation discussion

What We Actually Believe About Business Negotiations

These aren't marketing talking points. They're the ideas we test in real negotiations every month, and the framework we use when training businesses across Australia.

Context Always Trumps Tactics

A negotiation strategy that worked brilliantly for a tech startup in Sydney might bomb for a family-owned manufacturer in regional Victoria. We spend time understanding your specific situation before suggesting anything.

Long-Term Relationships Matter More

Squeezing every last dollar out of a supplier might feel like winning, but it's usually short-sighted. We help you negotiate deals where both sides walk away feeling respected, because you'll probably need to work with them again.

Preparation Beats Charisma Every Time

You don't need to be naturally charming or aggressive to negotiate well. What you need is solid preparation, clear objectives, and realistic alternatives. The rest is just showing up and having honest conversations.

How We Help Businesses Negotiate Better

Our approach combines structured preparation frameworks with practical communication skills. No theatrical tactics or psychological manipulation.

Professional business negotiation training session

Strategic planning and deal structure analysis

Pre-Negotiation Preparation Sessions

Most negotiations are won or lost before you ever sit down at the table. We walk through your situation, identify what you actually need versus what you think you need, map out realistic alternatives, and build a clear strategy.

This usually takes 2-3 sessions over a few weeks. Sometimes we discover the negotiation you're planning isn't the one you should be having, which saves a lot of wasted effort.

Live Negotiation Support

When the actual negotiation happens, we're available for real-time guidance. Not sitting in the room with you (that's usually counterproductive), but on standby to help you process what's happening and adjust strategy.

Think of it as having an experienced second opinion when things get complicated or emotional. Sometimes negotiations take unexpected turns, and having someone to talk through options with makes a real difference.

Post-Deal Analysis and Learning

After it's done, we sit down and review what worked, what didn't, and why. This turns individual negotiations into learning experiences that improve your skills for next time.

We've found that people who do these post-mortems consistently need less support over time because they start internalizing the frameworks and developing their own judgment.

Who You'll Actually Work With

Callum Thorsby

Lead Negotiation Advisor

Spent fifteen years doing commercial negotiations for manufacturing companies before realizing he was better at teaching it than doing it. Has a weird fascination with how different cultures approach business disagreements, which occasionally makes him useful in cross-border deals.

Based in Canberra but works with businesses across Australia. Prefers phone calls to emails because tone matters in negotiation work. Will probably ask you uncomfortable questions about what you're really trying to achieve, because vague objectives lead to mediocre outcomes.

Outside of work, spends too much time reading academic research on decision-making and behavioral economics, which occasionally produces useful insights for client situations. Not great at small talk but genuinely interested in solving complicated business problems.

If You're Facing a Negotiation That Actually Matters

We're taking on new clients for preparation work starting September 2025. If you've got a complex financial negotiation coming up and want someone in your corner who's seen how these things actually unfold, let's talk.

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