Intake Checklist

Get organized fast before a deadline, dispute, or escalation. Use this checklist to gather the facts, documents, and timeline we need to move with speed and control.

When a situation is time-sensitive, the fastest way to regain control is to get organized. This Intake Checklist helps you gather the minimum effective information we need to understand what’s happening, what’s at stake, and what decisions must be made next. It reduces back-and-forth, prevents missed details, and sets a disciplined foundation for a Rapid Assessment.

Use this page to compile a clear snapshot of the issue, the supporting documents, and the key stakeholders involved. You do not need perfection, you need completeness and honesty about what exists and what is missing. Once you submit the checklist, we can confirm fit quickly and move toward a decision-ready brief, risk map, and 30-day action plan.

  • ­Reduce confusion, delays, and back-and-forth.
  • ­Clarify the timeline, stakeholders, and decision points.
  • ­Prepare for a Rapid Assessment with clean documentation.

If this matter is urgent, include your next deadline and label your submission “URGENT” so we can prioritize the fastest path forward.

    What To Gather

    These three areas give us what we need to move fast: a clear snapshot of the situation, the key documents, and the stakeholders with a timeline.

    Situation Snapshot, Our Starting Point

    Every successful rapid response begins with a clear understanding of what’s happening right now. In this section, you’ll give us the short, executive-level version of the situation: what changed, why it matters, and what outcome you need in the next 30 days. This step is about clarity, not perfection, so we can identify the real decision points and move with control.

    What to Include in Your Snapshot:

    • What Happened: A 3–6 sentence summary of the issue and what triggered it.

    • Your Deadline: The next hard date that forces action (renewal, demand, meeting, filing, payment, launch).

    • Your Objective: The outcome you want, stated in one sentence (stop the escalation, regain control, stabilize operations, resolve a breakdown).

    If it’s urgent, label your message “URGENT” and include the deadline at the top so we can prioritize correctly.

    Documents & Evidence, Get Organized Quickly

    High-stakes situations don’t get solved by opinions, they get solved with facts and documentation control. In this section, you’ll gather the key documents and communications that define the relationship, the timeline, and the truth of what happened. This reduces back-and-forth and helps us build a defensible brief and risk map quickly.

    What to Gather:

    • Core Documents: Contracts, SOWs, invoices, proposals, policies, meeting notes, approvals.

    • Communications: Key emails, texts, messages, screenshots, and attachments that show what was agreed and what changed.

    • What’s Missing: Anything you cannot locate yet, and who likely has it.

    Don’t overthink it. Provide what you have, and clearly note what you don’t.

    Stakeholders & Timeline, Define Ownership And Sequence

    Speed comes from clear ownership and a clean timeline. In this section, you’ll identify who is involved, who decides, and what happened in order. This step helps us spot gaps, leverage points, escalation risks, and next actions, without wasting time in confusion or conflicting narratives.

    What to Map:

    • Decision-Maker: Who can approve action and funding, and who might block progress.

    • Key Stakeholders: Internal owners, external parties, vendors, customers, advisors, or counsel (if involved).

    • Timeline of Events: A simple sequence of what happened, when it happened, and what has been attempted so far.

    The goal is a clean, factual sequence that supports fast decisions and a disciplined 30-day plan.