What Happens After You Sign the Engagement Letter
Starting an advisory engagement is straightforward. Understanding what happens inside that engagement — and how to get the most value from it — takes a clear picture of the rhythm, the deliverables, and the expectations on both sides.
Month 1: Onboarding
The first month is the most intensive from your side. We need access to your financial records (three years of tax returns, current financial statements, your general ledger), copies of your operating agreement, any existing buy-sell agreement, and a completed intake questionnaire covering your business profile, ownership structure, and goals.
During onboarding, you will have an introduction call with the full advisory team — the founder, your alliance attorney, and your CFP partner. This is a 90-minute session that establishes the baseline: where you are, where you want to be, and what the advisory cadence will look like. By the end of month one, you will have portal access, a clear understanding of the communication rhythm, and your first deliverable in progress.
Months 2–4: Foundation Building
This is where the diagnostic work happens. We complete an initial exit readiness assessment across six dimensions — financial health, owner dependency, legal infrastructure, market positioning, tax readiness, and team strength. We review your entity structure. We begin the bookkeeping oversight process.
Your first quarterly advisory call happens in this window. It is a 60-minute session covering the diagnostic findings, initial recommendations, and priorities for the next quarter. Preparation materials are sent five days in advance. This is a working session with a structured agenda and documented action items.
Months 5–8: Strategic Development
By mid-year, the advisory work shifts from diagnostic to strategic. Your tax preparation is underway. The value driver analysis is being translated into a specific improvement roadmap — the two or three things that will have the highest impact on your business value over the next 12 to 24 months.
The second quarterly call focuses on tax planning — proactive strategies for the current year and positioning for future years. If entity restructuring is indicated, the timeline is developed here. Your alliance attorney conducts the annual legal health review during this period.
Months 9–12: Year-End Planning and Review
The final quarter focuses on year-end tax planning, the annual CFP snapshot, and preparation for year two. The Q4 advisory call is a year-in-review session — what was accomplished, what changed, what the priorities are for the next twelve months.
You will receive a year-end package: comprehensive financial summary, updated exit readiness assessment, tax projection, and recommended priorities for the next engagement year.
What to Expect Throughout
Communication. The portal is your primary channel for non-urgent matters. Messages are responded to within one business day. Urgent matters are handled through the priority call protocol — two priority calls per year are included in the Cornerstone retainer.
Deliverables. Monthly financial review is ongoing. Tax returns are prepared as part of the retainer. Quarterly advisory calls are pre-scheduled at onboarding. The exit readiness assessment, legal health review, and CFP snapshot each happen once per year.
Your role. The engagement is collaborative. We need timely access to financial information, honest answers about your goals, and preparation before advisory calls. The clients who get the most value are the ones who treat it as a partnership.
Callwen Advisory Group is built around a structured advisory cadence — because the most valuable advice is advice given consistently. Tax strategy, valuation, legal coordination, and wealth planning, delivered in a rhythm that compounds over time.