Advisory
Specializing in new venture creation, strategic business planning and revenue operations, and aligning technical execution with mission-driven outcomes
I tend to think like a music producer. So, when I began working with startups — and honestly even when I’ve taken on R&D projects for big companies — I saw my role through that lens.
And what is that role?
I think it’s got something to do with making sure that the “performance” — whether that’s the act of putting together a product, a team, or a pitch — clearly represents the creator’s vision and is undoubtedly indicative of their best work.
But it’s not just about messaging. It’s about problem solving. It’s about understanding the culture of building something new. It’s about letting things breathe.
So, in my advisory work — whether with founders, technologists, artists, or researchers — I help to hone that message, but I also work to help bring the work to fruition while ensuring competent strategies that support both the growth of projects and teams and the independence and unique and visionary identity of those projects and teams.
Whether you are looking to commercialize new research or a groundbreaking technology, or whether you are an artist or musician looking to bring a genre-defying concept to life — I’d be happy to chat, learn more, and see if there is a way that my experience would be helpful to you.
I work with only a few advisory clients at a time. And most of the people I work with are the types of people whose work can be difficult to describe and harder to understand. Over the years, I’ve come to understand my role providing help to the sorts of visionaries you might find hunkered down on the Island of Misfit Toys. So, if the work you're doing doesn't fit anywhere else, write me.
Working Together
I typically work on a monthly fixed-price retainer with a minimum 6-month commitment. I can provide a custom quote for a shorter engagement (such as a production project on a quick schedule).
For an engagement that is more “hands-on” in the development of revenue ops and sales, I add a commission percentage on top of the fixed fee.
While I do not publicly disclose or advertise customer engagements except in the form of mutually agreed-upon references or releases of info about projects, I am happy to provide discrete customer and business references upon request.
Let me know if you have any questions.
For reference
Jeanine DeFalco, CEO, Mixta
“Shelly Blake-Plock has been an invaluable advisor whose strategic clarity and depth of experience consistently challenge those around him to confront the complacency that often accompanies thinking you know more than you do. As someone navigating the complex intersection of AI, learning, and business innovation, I have found his counsel to be undecorated and pragmatic — channeling a strategic mindset that is both multidimensional and deeply informed. Shelly brings a rare combination of visionary thinking and operational realism. He doesn’t dress up problems, and he doesn’t waste time with the performative. Instead, he offers insight honed through years of leading, building, and navigating ambiguity in business and innovation. His ability to cut through the noise and focus on what truly matters (whether organizational strategy or market positioning) has been critical to my own leadership decisions.”