For leaders doing pivotal work
You face a challenge that you've never faced before.
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A decision that will define your career.
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A project that is crucial.
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A team that is essential.
Through advisory services, operational strategy, and leadership coaching, we help senior leaders master their career defining moments and the challenges that matter most - not just in strategy and execution, but in developing the confidence and presence to lead through the challenges of our times.​
Each of us brings 20+ years at the highest levels. CEOs. VPs. Agency heads. Innovation leaders. We've held roles like yours. We've faced pressures like yours. Our diverse collective brings deep expertise, creative thinking, and grounded wisdom and spans Fortune 500 companies, startups, government, and nonprofits.
The band that you always wanted to be in is here.
We are a collective of masters in our disciplines.
We are the ones who :
Brought clean water to over 100,000 people and stopped a cholera outbreak during the Haiti earthquake, leading the disaster response effort for Nike.
Built and launched 35 new ventures for Nike, each designed to generate $250M annually at scale.
Built cloud services in 2014 before market demand existed, so that infrastructure was mature when cloud boom arrived in 2018.
Built IT infrastructure for brands: John Deere, Costco, Epson, TOK America, Keen Footwear, Danner Boots, Leatherman Tools, Benchmade Knives.
Built the world's fastest e-Discovery processing system with no budget, officially verified by Relativity as their top-performing infrastructure globally.
Built Patagonia's national distribution framework.
Delivered 150% growth (pre-IPO) for On Running through increased product placement and 100 new premium retail partnerships in a single year.
Drove 85% growth accelerating Patagonia's Trail Running category.
Gave 2 million refugees across 9 countries a voice by designing the world's first customer feedback system for humanitarian services.
Generated $100M for Nike in annual recurring revenue while saving 2 million shoes from landfill through Nike Refurbished, achieving 100% sell-through across 96 global stores.
Increased 2020 Census participation by millions through founding the U.S. Census Bureau's first innovation lab and developing national civic-engagement strategies.
Invested early in Lyft, Notion, and 20+ other category leaders now worth billions.
Invested in Anthropic, OpenAI, and Perplexity -- the foundations of the AI revolution.
Oversaw $100M+ in assets managed by Cambridge Associates.
Reached 2 billion people through the design of a line of Nike products.
Repositioned Sorel as a lifestyle brand adding 160 new lifestyle retailers and scaling national account partners.
Shaped the national AI conversation by curating Aspen AI Forum with McGovern Foundation, uniting tech leaders, journalists, artists, and theologians.
Transformed how C-suite executives lead at American Express, BASIC Agency, Crispin, and DEPT through leadership mastery coaching.
Transformed how the US Senate allocates $23B in foreign aid by partnering on data systems with Palantir for the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
Transformed 180 employees into high performers at one of the world's most innovative design agencies with comprehensive human development systems.
WHAT we do and some areas WHERE we've done it
Scaling a DTC brand into wholesale retail? Launching innovation labs inside a government agency? Leading an established organization through AI disruption? These are career-defining moments. No playbook exists.
We're here for you
Senior Expertise Only
Each of us has 20+ years leading at the highest levels. No junior consultants. No mid-level analysts. When you work with us, you work directly with people who've held your role and faced your pressures.
Speed Through Experience
We understand your challenge immediately. No lengthy discovery phases. No theoretical frameworks. We start creating solutions in days. We solve in weeks what takes months of internal deliberation.
Cross-Sector Innovation
Your best solution might come from another industry. We bring corporate efficiency to government and nonprofits. Startup agility to enterprises. Mission focus to profit-driven companies.
New Paths Forward
We take on unprecedented challenges. When there's no best practice or case study, we create new approaches. We're the senior experts you call when conventional wisdom won't work.
Leadership Development
We develop you, not just your strategy. Beyond solving immediate challenges, we help you build the presence and vision to meet whatever comes next. Personal growth that enables organizational change.
The Difference
We aren't typical consultants. Each brings charisma, humor, and all of our genuine humanity to the work. Working sessions feel grounded and electric. The hard work of change becomes energizing.
CONTRABAND is your secret agent
