Understory finds the connections and opportunities others miss. We partner with founders and leaders to design a clear path through ambiguous challenges.Whether you're navigating product-market fit, scaling operations, or preparing for acquisition, we bring clarity to your next phase of growth and reveal key leverage points where simple changes create outsized results.Your business is a complex system that needs a holistic approach.Understory designs strategies that:

  • Incorporate vision, operations, and culture

  • Center customers

  • Inspire employees

  • Pencil out and make money

Ready to learn more? Book a free, 20-minute call and we'll dig right in.

Understory is the consulting practice of Kirsten Collins, Principal Strategist, and a network of collaborators across product design, workshop facilitation, brand & marketing, and financial modeling.

Why Understory?

In forest ecology, the understory is where the magic happens. It's the layer beneath the canopy where young trees gather strength, where networks form between species, and where the forest's future takes shape. This layer is vital for the ecosystem's resilience and renewal.Companies, too, need strong underlying systems that nurture seeds for the future.Our work happens in these essential, unflashy spaces: the connections between teams, the alignment of workflows with strategy, the design of systems that help good ideas thrive and lasting transformation take root.

  • Strategic Planning Workshops

  • Business Model Design

  • Monthly Advisory Retainer

  • Project-Based Consulting

  • Fractional & Interim Operations Leadership

Strategic Planning & Implementation

Transform market insights into action. We guide you from analysis through execution, ensuring strategies deliver measurable results.

Business Model Design

Design scalable systems for sustainable growth. We analyze your full business model to find opportunities for efficiency and impact.

Operations Optimization

Build for scale. We streamline workflows, improve team performance, and create systems ready for growth.

Ready to learn more? Book a free, 20-minute call and we'll dig right in.