Operations Health Check
A fast, broad read on where your operations stand and what to fix first.
- You get
- Risk heat map and 90-day plan
- Typical length
- 1–2 weeks
Operations · Product development · Supply chain · Manufacturing
Launch on time.Land at cost.Improve margin.
Active Advisors is an operations consulting firm for technology product companies and their investors. We help teams plan, develop, launch and sustain products, hold cost and margin, and keep supply running when manufacturing has to change.
Why now
79%
of U.S. importers moved some sourcing away from China in 2025, and more than 40% plan further diversification in 2026.
STG Logistics survey, March 2026
98%
of manufacturing leaders are taking or planning action to offset tariff changes.
Fictiv and MISUMI, 2026 State of Manufacturing & Supply Chain
80%
of manufacturers plan to put at least 20% of their improvement budgets into smart manufacturing.
Deloitte 2026 Manufacturing Industry OutlookNew suppliers, new countries and new systems all land on operations teams that are already stretched. That's the work we do.
Our approach
Define, plan, develop, execute, sustain
Every product moves through the same five phases, each with a gate that has to be earned. We bring the operations discipline that makes each gate a real decision.
Phase 1
Define
Is it the right product to fund?
- Business case, return on investment and margin targets
- Portfolio prioritization across products and programs
- Make-or-buy and build-location options
- Resource and capital plan for the program
- Go or no-go recommendation
Phase 2
Plan
Can it be built to target?
- Cost targets tied to the business case
- Manufacturing partner and supplier assessment and selection
- Statements of work and sourcing strategy
- Early manufacturability and design-for-cost input
- Trade compliance and country-of-origin strategy
- Engineering and capital budget planning
Phase 3
Develop
Can it be built at cost and quality?
- Design-for-manufacturing and test reviews
- Bill of materials setup and integrity
- Product and factory process setup
- Packaging and labeling design
- Long-lead parts, second sources and risk buys
- Issue tracking and cost reviews at every build
Phase 4
Execute
Will supply be ready on launch day?
- Build readiness and clear-to-build
- Capacity planning and factory ramp
- Package and label validation
- Regulatory and environmental documentation
- Launch supply plan and inventory positioning
- First customer ship and revenue ramp
Phase 5
Sustain
Does it keep making money?
- Value engineering and product cost reduction
- Manufacturer on-time delivery and yield
- Engineering change implementation
- Component obsolescence and second sources
- Returns and failure analysis
- End of life and last-time buys
Governance that runs through every phaseSix disciplines we put in place on every engagement.
Gate reviewsClear entry criteria for each phase, with a go or no-go decision and named owners.
Schedule and riskOne integrated schedule, with risks and issues tracked to closure.
Cost and marginCost reviewed against target at every build and every change.
Supply readinessMaterials, capacity and manufacturing partners ready ahead of demand.
Change controlEvery engineering change weighed for cost, inventory and cut-in timing.
Executive reportingA one-page view of program health for leadership, weekly and at each gate.
Services
Assess, lead, and connect the systems
Start with a fixed-fee assessment that shows where you stand, bring us in to lead the work, or have us set up the processes and systems that keep it running.
Not sure where to start?Begin with the Operations Health CheckA fixed-fee, 1–2 week read on where your operations stand and what to fix first.
Have one specific question?Book an advisory sessionA focused working session on one problem, such as a supplier quote, a build plan or a cost gap. Billed by the hour.
Assess
Fixed scope and fee, one to four weeks.
Launch Readiness Assessment
An independent read on whether your next build and launch will go to plan.
- You get
- Readiness scorecard and 30-day recovery plan
- Typical length
- 2–3 weeks
Product Cost & Tariff Landed-Cost Review
Where your product cost stands against target, and what tariffs and country of build do to it.
- You get
- Cost model, build-location scenarios, action plan
- Typical length
- 2–4 weeks
Supplier & Contract Manufacturer Assessment
Choose the right manufacturing partner, or check whether your current one is the right one.
- You get
- Shortlist or audit findings, contract gap list
- Typical length
- 3–6 weeks
Operational Due Diligence
An operator's view of a company or product line, for investors, acquirers and leadership teams.
- You get
- Risk memo and questions for management
- Typical length
- 2–6 weeks
Lead
Hands-on leadership, by project or monthly retainer.
Program Leadership
A part-time program lead for launches, manufacturing transfers and system rollouts.
- Shape
- Monthly retainer
- Typical length
- 3–6 months
Manufacturing Transfer & Supplier Diversification
Move production to a new partner or country, or qualify a second source, without a gap in supply.
- Shape
- Project fee or retainer
- Typical length
- 4–9 months
Sustaining & Value Engineering
Keep products already in the market profitable and shipping.
- Shape
- Project fee or retainer
- Typical length
- 3–12 months
Systems & integration
Processes and tools that make the work repeatable.
Operations Workflow Automation
Less time assembling reports, more time acting on them, using modern automation and AI tools.
- Shape
- Pilot, then project
- Typical length
- 2–6 weeks per pilot
PLM, BOM & Change Control Setup
A product lifecycle process your team can follow, in the tools you already have or are adopting.
- Shape
- Project
- Typical length
- 1–3 months
S&OP and Supply Planning Setup
A monthly planning cycle that keeps demand, supply, capacity and finance on one plan.
- Shape
- Project
- Typical length
- 2–4 months
ERP & Supply Planning Integration
The operations voice on an ERP, PLM or planning system rollout, working alongside your integration partner.
- Shape
- Project or contract role
- Typical length
- Scoped to the rollout, typically 3–12 months
Shapes and lengths are typical ranges for reference. Every engagement is scoped to your situation, and the format, timing and fee are agreed in a written proposal.
Expertise
Where we go deep
New product introduction
Phase-gate lifecycle from concept to launch, build readiness and factory ramp.
Cost & value engineering
Cost targets, value analysis, cost-down roadmaps and landed cost.
Supplier & partner management
Manufacturer selection, statements of work, master agreements and scorecards.
Supply & demand planning
Capacity planning, supply-demand alignment and sales and operations planning.
Sustaining & quality
Engineering change, obsolescence, supplier quality and field returns.
Systems & integration
PLM and ERP processes, integration support and workflow automation.
How we work
From first call to handoff
Step 1
Intro call
A free 30-minute conversation about where things stand and what you need.
Step 2
Proposal
A short proposal with scope, timing and fee. For smaller engagements, a one-page letter.
Step 3
The work
Check-ins sized to the engagement, so you always know what we found and what comes next.
Step 4
Handoff
Plans, trackers and processes your team keeps running after we step back.
Who we are
Operators, not observers
Active Advisors brings operations and program management leadership from inside global technology companies: product launches, manufacturing transfers, sustaining programs and cost reduction. For larger engagements we add specialist consultants in areas such as quality, compliance and supply chain systems.
The product changes; the program doesn't. Whether it's a device, network infrastructure or connected software, the same questions decide the outcome: can it be built at cost, can the supply chain scale it, and will it still make money in year three?
Gates are decisionsWe hold each phase to clear entry criteria, so problems surface while they're still cheap to fix.
Cost is designed inMargin is set in planning and development, then protected through sustaining.
Supply never surprises the customerTransfers, second sources and ramps are sequenced around inventory and demand.
Your team owns it afterEverything we build is handed over in a form your people can run.
Contact
Building something big, or fixing something messy?
Tell us a little about where you are. We'll set up a free 30-minute call to talk it through.
- We reply within one business day.
- A free 30-minute call to understand what you need.
- A short proposal with scope, timing and fee, sized to the work.