Margot Lin Consulting
Operations and systems for owner-led service businesses.
I help solo founders and small operators stop running their business out of inboxes and shared docs. Independent. Remote. US-based.
- 47
- businesses advised since 2019
- $0
- equity, referral fees, or kickbacks
- 12 yrs
- inside service-business operations
Engagements
Three ways we work together.
Pick the engagement that matches the next decision in front of you. All pricing is flat. No retainers that drift, no scope that creeps.
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Strategy Sprint
Two-week intensive on one specific problem — pricing, hiring, capacity, or service-line decisions. Walk out with a written plan and the next 30 days mapped.
$4,500
flat, two weeks
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Quarterly Advisor
A standing relationship for owners who need a thinking partner on the hard calls. Two video calls a month, async access, written quarterly review.
$9,000
per quarter
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Operations Audit
A full review of how the business actually runs — tools, handoffs, billing, scheduling, customer flow. Delivered as a written report with prioritized fixes.
$2,500
one-time
Recent engagement
A dental practice cut scheduling friction by 32% in six weeks.
Mara runs a two-chair practice in Indianapolis. She came in with the same problem most owner-operators have: too many tools, no source of truth, and front-desk staff burning hours every day reconciling them. We rebuilt her scheduling system around a single calendar, retired three apps, and rewrote the patient intake flow.
- 32% reduction in scheduling friction (measured: avg time-to-confirm dropped from 14 min to 9.5 min)
- Three SaaS tools retired — $4,200/yr saved on subscriptions
- Front-desk hours on scheduling cut from ~12/wk to ~7/wk
- New patient intake flow shipped in week 4
- Written 90-day operating plan delivered at wrap
Margot Lin
Founder, Margot Lin Consulting
About
Hi, I'm Margot.
I spent twelve years inside service businesses before going independent — five running operations for a 40-person home services franchise, four as COO of a regional dental group, and three doing the same work as a fractional consultant.
What I keep seeing is the same: smart owners running real businesses with the operational equivalent of duct tape. Not because they're bad operators — because no one ever sat down with them and built a real system.
I take on a small number of clients each quarter so I can actually do the work. If we're a fit, I'll tell you. If we're not, I'll send you to someone who is.
- MBA, Indiana Kelley School of Business (2014)
- Former COO, Heartland Dental Partners (2019–2023)
- Lean Six Sigma Black Belt
Past clients
What owners say after the work.
First name and industry only — most of my clients prefer it that way.
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“Margot rebuilt our scheduling system in six weeks. We retired three apps, our front desk got five hours a week back, and patient confirms got faster. The audit alone paid for itself.”
Mara, dental practice
Owner, two-chair practice
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“I'd been circling a pricing decision for nine months. Two weeks with Margot and I had a plan I actually believed in. Revenue per job is up 18% and I haven't lost a single customer.”
Daniel, HVAC
Owner-operator, 6-tech shop
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“Quarterly advisor was the right call. She doesn't sit there nodding — she pushes back when I'm wrong and shows me the math. Easiest renewal I've ever signed.”
Priya, accounting firm
Managing partner, 4-person firm
How it works
Four steps from intro to outcome.
Same process for every engagement. No mystery, no surprises.
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Intro call
A 30-minute call to confirm fit. No pitch. We either move forward, or I refer you to someone better suited.
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Onboarding
A short questionnaire and a review of your current tools, P&L, and one quarter of operating data. I show up to session one prepared.
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The work
Weekly cadence against a written plan. Async support between sessions. Decisions go into a shared decision log so nothing gets lost.
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Wrap
A written 90-day operating plan you can run without me. The point is durability, not dependency.
Common questions
Things owners ask before signing.
How is this different from a business coach?
I do less listening and more telling. If you want a thinking partner who pushes back and shows the math, that's me. If you want someone to hold space, I'll refer you out. Coaches are great. I'm not one.
Do you take equity instead of cash?
No. Cash only, transparent flat pricing. It keeps the incentive clean — you're paying for the work, not buying into a deal.
Do you work with my industry?
Most of my clients are owner-led service businesses: dental and medical practices, home services, accounting and legal firms, small agencies. If your business runs on appointments, projects, or service hours, we're probably aligned.
What if it's not working?
Quarterly Advisor engagements can be ended after the first quarter with two weeks' notice. Sprints are flat-fee and non-refundable, but if you feel the engagement didn't deliver, I'll do a free 30-day follow-up to make it right.
Where are you based?
Lexington, Kentucky. I work with clients across the US — most engagements are fully remote. I do a small number of in-person engagements per year for clients within driving distance of Louisville, Cincinnati, or Indianapolis.
How quickly can we start?
Sprints typically start within 2-3 weeks of the discovery call. Quarterly Advisor seats are limited — I take on a maximum of 8 active advisor clients at a time and there is sometimes a waitlist.
Schedule
Book a 30-minute discovery call.
No pitch deck. No pre-call form. We spend the time on your actual problem and decide together if there's a fit.
- Free 30-minute call
- Held on Zoom or by phone, your choice
- You leave with at least one tactical recommendation, fit or not