Why Consulting Isn’t Enough: The Power of Embedded Execution

Many ag and food tech teams turn to consultants for strategy. But strategy alone won’t bring a product to market, secure enterprise partners, or generate revenue. The missing link? Execution—and more specifically, execution from people who’ve actually done the work inside this industry.

At 9 North Group, we don’t just advise—we embed. We operate as part of your team to drive commercial outcomes where others stop at theory. Here’s why that matters.

The Consulting Trap: When Strategy Stops Short

Consultants can help shape direction, but most aren’t responsible for what comes next: navigating partner organizations, landing distribution, enabling sales teams, or removing adoption blockers.

Too often, the result is a glossy deck that sounds smart but doesn’t reflect the messy, nuanced reality of scaling innovation in food and ag. These industries are relationship-driven, highly regulated, and built on systems that don’t shift overnight. If your strategy doesn’t account for that, it won’t stick.

Embedded Execution: Strategy That Moves

Embedded execution means we don’t just recommend a plan—we roll up our sleeves and deliver it alongside you.

Here’s how we work:

• We develop the strategy and drive it forward.

• We embed inside your team to operate as internal partners, not external advisors.

• We stay accountable through implementation—measuring what matters and adjusting in real time.

Execution isn’t a handoff. It’s a co-owned outcome.

Why Embedded Execution Works—Especially in Ag & Food Tech

Ag and food tech startups face complex hurdles: from long sales cycles and distributor relationships to entrenched grower behavior and evolving regulatory constraints.

Traditional consulting doesn’t help you:

• Unlock the right connections for market entry

• Build trust with end users like growers, processors, or buyers

• Align internal functions (product, sales, ops) around commercial success

We’ve been inside those systems. We’ve launched products, led sales teams, built distribution networks, and secured enterprise deals. That real-world context shapes everything we do.

Case in Point: Commercializing a New Winter Oilseed Crop

An emerging ag innovation company set out to introduce a new winter oilseed crop into an already crowded row crop system. The science was strong. The agronomic and environmental benefits were real. It addressed a growing demand for renewable fuels. But turning a promising idea into a scalable commercial reality? That’s where they needed help.

Here’s how 9 North Group helped lead execution:

• Crafted messaging that clearly positioned the product as a new category—not just another cover crop, but a revenue-generating winter oilseed with long-term upside.

• Built and executed a grower adoption and market entry strategy designed for the dynamics of the U.S. Corn Belt.

• Developed a commercialization framework that balanced grower incentives with downstream logistics and demand—from seed to crush.

• Worked cross-functionally across agronomy, commercial, and operations teams to align execution, drive clarity, and avoid internal silos.

• Led the shift from direct-to-grower sales to a dealer model, owning the strategy, partner recruitment, onboarding, and training.

The result: The company scaled from R&D to commercial planting. Growers and dealers leaned in. Infrastructure caught up. Timelines accelerated. Risk was reduced. And a new category was born.

Final Take: You Don’t Need Another Deck—You Need a Partner Who Delivers

At 9 North Group, success isn’t defined by ideas. It’s defined by impact. That’s why we embed directly with founders, sales leaders, and commercial teams to drive real growth—fast.

If you're ready to scale, don’t go it alone. Let’s go beyond planning, and get to work -- together.