How We Partner

Built with you.
Owned by you.

Every engagement is a direct collaboration. No account managers, no junior hand-offs, no black-box software you depend on indefinitely. You get the work, you own it, and your team can maintain it.

Direct access to the person doing the work
No account manager translating your feedback. You talk to the analyst building your solution.
Scope and price locked before work starts
No ambiguous statements of work. You approve the scope before anything gets built.
Everything we build belongs to you
No licensing. No access fees. No dependency on ONA to keep it running after delivery.
Documented and trained at handoff
Your team can use and maintain what we build. That's the point.
The alternative

Why the standard options fall short.

Most businesses trying to solve data and process problems land on one of two paths. Neither gives you something you actually own and can rely on independently.

SaaS Platforms

You adapt to the tool.

Off-the-shelf platforms are built for the average business. You end up working around their limitations, paying monthly for features you don't use, and losing access the moment you stop paying.

Large Consulting Firms

You get a report, not a solution.

Big firms assign you an account manager who assigns you a team you never meet. Projects move slowly, feedback loops are long, and the final deliverable often sits in a drawer.

Old North Analytics

You own what we build. No strings.

Everything we build is yours - no subscriptions, no vendor lock-in, no dependency on us to keep it running. You stay in the loop throughout, and the final product reflects how your business actually works.

The process

Four stages, consistent every time.

Every full engagement follows this sequence. Depth varies by scope, but the structure doesn't change. Click each stage to see what it looks like in practice.

01
Understand
We start by listening. That means understanding your operations, your data, and the decisions you actually need to make - before recommending anything.

This is a discovery conversation, not a sales call. We ask about your current tools, your team's workflow, and where things break down. Most clients find the conversation itself clarifying - often, the real problem isn't what they initially described.

02
Plan
We define scope, deliverables, and success criteria before any build begins. No ambiguity, no moving targets. You approve it before we move forward.

You receive a written scope document covering exactly what will be built, what the handoff looks like, a fixed price, and a delivery timeline. Nothing starts until you've signed off. If scope changes, we discuss it before it affects the work or the price.

03
Build
You have direct access throughout - not a status report at the end. Feedback happens in real time so the final output reflects what you actually need.

Most engagements include one or two structured check-ins during the build phase, plus direct access via email or video call between sessions. You see the work taking shape before it's finished - no surprises at delivery.

04
Deliver
You receive the deliverable, full documentation, and a walkthrough so your team can use and maintain it independently. The engagement ends when you're fully equipped.

Delivery includes a live walkthrough session, a written user guide, and any supporting files your team needs. The goal is that someone other than you - with no context - can pick it up and use it. That's the benchmark we hold to.

Operating rules

What every client can count on.

These aren't aspirational values. They are operating rules that apply to every client, every project, every time.

04
Non-negotiable commitments
01 Direct access, always

You work with the person doing the work. No account manager translating your feedback, no junior team executing a brief they didn't write. Direct communication means faster cycles and fewer errors.

02 No surprises on scope or cost

We define scope before work begins and hold to it. If something changes, we discuss it before it affects the deliverable or the price. You will never receive an invoice that doesn't match what you agreed to.

03 You own everything outright

Every dashboard, tool, workflow, or document we build belongs to you from the moment we deliver it. No licensing, no recurring access fees, no dependency on ONA to keep it functional.

04 Built for your team to maintain

We document everything we build and walk your team through it before the engagement closes. The goal is your independence - not a reason to keep calling us.

The intro call
What to expect from the first 30 minutes.
No commitment. No pitch. Just a direct conversation.
You describe the problemWe listen and ask follow-up questions to understand the full scope of what's actually going on.
We tell you what we'd doNot a sales pitch - a direct read on whether the work makes sense and what it would likely involve.
You get a clear next stepEither a scope proposal, a referral elsewhere, or confirmation that what you need doesn't require a full engagement.
Already know what you need?
Quick-Win Solutions are pre-scoped and ready to deploy. Fixed price, fixed scope, no discovery phase - start within one week of scope confirmation.
See Quick-Win Solutions
Get started

See if the approach fits your business.

The free 30-minute call is where we figure out if the work makes sense. No commitment, no pitch - just a direct conversation about your situation and whether ONA is the right partner for it.

The 30-minute call covers:
30 minutes, no prep required Come with a description of the problem. We'll handle the rest.
No cost, no commitment If the work doesn't make sense, we'll tell you that in the call.
Clear next step at the end A scope proposal, a referral, or confirmation you don't need a full engagement.

Contact ONA

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