Sides & Associates

What Sides & Associates does

Sides & Associates, Inc. is a privately held management consulting firm founded in 2001 by Lynley Sides and headquartered in Lafayette, California. The firm provides flexible interim executive, advisory, and consulting services to entrepreneurs and executives at new and growing ventures, operating under a professional services revenue model where engagements are custom scoped and billed at consulting rates. Core service lines include interim CMO/COO/CEO placements, advisory and consulting (business plans, market assessments, investor materials), outsourced marketing and business development, organizational excellence, and a specialized Life Sciences Practice serving biotech and biopharma clients. An additional training program covers management decision-making, process mapping, project management, and drug development processes.

The firm's central methodology is the proprietary 'S&A Pyramid of Organizational Excellence,' an assessment framework used to evaluate and improve organizational effectiveness across R&D, Medical Directors, Clinical Operations, Marketing Services, and Engineering groups. Delivery is built around a small principal team (Lynley Sides, John Harlow, Kristen Sager, Julie Cullinane-Smith) supplemented by an on-demand network of specialists and vendors spanning website development, PR, social media, IR, executive coaching, and venture capital. Distribution is sales-led and direct, with over 90% of business originating from existing client referrals.

S&A's named client roster spans enterprise biotech and pharma (BioMarin, Genentech, Illumina, Onyx Pharmaceuticals/Amgen, Cadence, Responsys) and early-stage ventures across real estate technology (REX), mobile (Goodsnitch), and social enterprise (The Glue Network, The Gratitude Network, 360 Group). The firm has remained independent and founder-owned since inception, with no disclosed external investors, parent company, or institutional funding, and maintains a stated integration of social-good and pro-bono work into its consulting practice.

Name

Sides & Associates

Legal name

Sides & Associates, Inc.

Website

https://sidesandassociates.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Sides & Associates is a Lafayette, California-based management consulting firm founded in 2001 that provides interim executive, advisory, and consulting services to entrepreneurs, life sciences companies, and growing ventures, with over 90% of business from referrals.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Management Consulting Services

NAICS

Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services (541611), Management Consulting Services (54161)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Strategy & Corporate Development Consulting (BPAHACAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Organization Design & Change Management Consulting (BPAHACAD), Operations & Process Improvement Consulting (BPAHACAB), Organization Design & Operating Model Consulting (BPAHAGAB)

Keywords

• Management consulting services
• Interim executive placement
• Organizational excellence
• Marketing advisory
• Life sciences consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

Lafayette

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Consulting and Advisory Services: Flexible consulting engagements including interim executive roles (CMO, COO, CEO), strategic advisory, business planning, market assessments, organizational excellence initiatives, and project management. Revenue generated through professional service engagements billed at consulting rates.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Sides & Associates provides flexible interim executive, advisory, and consulting services to entrepreneurs and executives at new and growing ventures. Core engagements include interim CMO, COO, and CEO roles or partner-to-a-founder support, business planning, market assessments, investor materials, outsourced marketing and business development, organizational excellence assessments, and a dedicated Life Sciences practice serving biotech and biopharma clients. The firm's proprietary "S&A Pyramid of Organizational Excellence" framework underpins its organizational improvement work, while engagement models range from short planning projects to multi-year interim executive placements.

Product overview

Sides & Associates is a consulting firm offering flexible interim executive, advisory, and consulting services for entrepreneurs and growing ventures. The firm provides a integrated suite of services including Interim Executive Services (CMO, COO, CEO roles), Advisory and Consulting Services (business plans, market assessments, investor materials), Marketing & Business Development Services (outsourced marketing, CRM, digital/social media), Organizational Excellence Services (process improvement, team design, career development), a specialized Life Sciences Practice for biotech companies, and Training Programs. These services work together to help new and early-stage ventures form, grow, and thrive while also supporting later-stage companies with organizational transformation and scalability.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Interim Executive Services Flexible interim executive placement services providing interim CMO, COO, CEO roles or partner-to-a-founder support for entrepreneurs and growing companies across multiple stages and industries.
• Advisory and Consulting Services Strategic advisory and consulting services including business plans, market assessments, investor materials, due diligence, organizational design, and process improvement for entrepreneurs and growing companies.
• Marketing and Business Development Services Outsourced marketing department services including messaging, marketing plans, website development, sales lead management, CRM systems, PR, digital and social media programs, and integrated lead generation campaigns.
• Organizational Excellence Services Organizational assessments, design of project team systems, process improvement, career development infrastructure, role and competency definition, and leadership development using the S&A Pyramid of Organizational Excellence.
• Life Sciences Practice Specialized practice serving biotech and life sciences companies with organizational improvement, drug development team systems, clinical operations, regulatory affairs consulting, market assessments, and lessons-learned studies post drug launch.
• Training Programs Customized training programs covering management decision making, process mapping, consulting processes, project management, interviewing, and drug development processes for client teams.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 90% of business from existing client referrals
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Springboard EnterprisescoreGTM or Marketing PartnerLynley Sides completed the Springboard Enterprises accelerator program, which helps female founder CEOs raise capital and grow successful businesses. The program provided mentorship, bootcamp, and visibility at the Venture Forum.
• The Gratitude NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerS&A created The Gratitude Awards for The Gratitude Network (a social venture fund) to recognize and support global social entrepreneurs. S&A continues as advisor to The Gratitude Network.
• The Glue NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLynley Sides co-founded The Glue Network in 2010 - a platform enabling companies to improve bottom lines through giving and social media. Served as CEO for three years and board member, raising angel and Series A funding.
• Max Cure FoundationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerS&A and The Glue Network partnered with Max Cure Foundation as nonprofit partner. Max Cure raises funds for pediatric cancer research through events like Roar For A Cure carnival.
• GoodsnitchcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerS&A acted as partner to CEO and CMO of Goodsnitch (mobile app for consumer feedback) to develop go-to-market strategy, positioning, and core marketing programs.
• REX (Real Estate Exchange)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPartnered with founder & CEO to establish REX including team, operations, website, and board. Served as interim executive before assuming COO and CMO positions.
• Haas Alumni NetworkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-hosted 'High Tech in Biotech' event with Haas Alumni Network featuring speakers from Complete Genomics, Proteus Biomedical, Neurospace, and Canaan Partners.
• 360 GroupminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDeveloped social mission for 360 Group, assessed nonprofit partners, established giving program including website modifications and communications. Continues to facilitate giving program.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• ghSMART & Company: ghSMART is a boutique leadership advisory firm focused on CEO and executive advisory for growth companies and private equity-backed ventures. Comparable to S&A's interim executive and partner-to-the-founder engagement model.
• Trinity Partners: Trinity Partners is a life sciences consulting firm providing strategic and organizational consulting to biotech, pharma, and medical device companies. Directly comparable to S&A's biotech organizational design and drug development team work.
• Resources Global Professionals (RGP): RGP is a global consulting firm specializing in on-demand professional services, including interim executive placement, change management, and operational consulting. Directly comparable to S&A's interim executive and consulting model for growth-stage and enterprise clients.
• Slalom Consulting: Slalom is a boutique consulting firm providing strategy, technology, and organizational transformation services to growth-stage and mid-market companies. Comparable to S&A in flexible consulting delivery and entrepreneur-focused engagement.
• B.E. Smith (AMN Healthcare): B.E. Smith specializes in interim healthcare executive placement and consulting for hospitals, health systems, and life sciences organizations. Comparable to S&A's interim executive and life sciences practice offerings.
• ZS Associates: ZS Associates is a major management consulting firm specializing in life sciences, providing strategy, sales, and marketing consulting to biotech and pharma clients. Comparable to S&A's Life Sciences Practice, though at much larger scale.

Broad incumbents

• FTI Consulting: FTI Consulting is a global business advisory firm providing strategy, operations, and organizational transformation consulting. Comparable in management consulting and change management services, though with much broader scale.
• Korn Ferry: Korn Ferry is a global organizational consulting firm providing executive search, talent management, and organizational design services. Comparable to S&A's organizational excellence and life sciences talent development work, though at enterprise scale.
• McKinsey & Company: McKinsey is a leading global management consulting firm providing strategy, organizational, and operations consulting across industries including life sciences. Comparable in strategy and organizational consulting capabilities, though serving enterprise clients at massive scale.
• Heidrick & Struggles: Heidrick & Struggles is a global executive search and leadership advisory firm providing executive placement, leadership assessment, and organizational consulting. Comparable in serving senior executive and advisory needs, though at significantly larger scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Sides & Associates