The
Inner Circle
Retained advisory for serious operators. Not a programme with modules and milestones. A trusted advisor in your corner — long-term, deep, and direct.
Not a programme. A relationship.
The Inner Circle is the highest level of engagement I offer. It's not structured like a programme — there are no phases, no curriculum, no modules to work through. It's an ongoing retained relationship between me and a small number of founders and operators who are building seriously.
At this level, we're not working through a plan I've written. We're thinking through your decisions together, in real time — as they come up. Strategic pivots. Hiring decisions. New market entry. Positioning changes. The difficult conversations you can't have with your team.
The value at this level isn't structured guidance — it's access. To someone who knows your business deeply, thinks clearly, has no political stake in the outcome, and will tell you the truth rather than what you want to hear.
I work with a very small number of Inner Circle clients at any one time. That's not a sales tactic — it's the only way this level of engagement is possible. When I take on an Inner Circle client, I'm genuinely in their corner. That requires actual bandwidth.
What's actually included
A standing weekly session — yours to use however is most valuable that week. Sometimes we're deep in a specific problem. Sometimes it's a broader review. The agenda is driven by what's live in your business right now.
Real decisions don't wait for the next scheduled call. You have direct message access to me throughout the engagement. I respond quickly. When something important is happening, you can reach me — not a team, not a VA, me.
Hiring, firing, pricing, partnerships, pivots — the decisions that matter most get the attention they deserve. Not after the fact, not in a monthly review. As they're happening, when it counts.
Regular deep-dive review of performance, pipeline, positioning and direction. Not a passive review — active challenge on what the numbers mean and what needs to change. I keep the bigger picture in view when you're deep in the detail.
Building a team, managing performance, having the difficult conversations — this is often where serious operators get stuck. At this level, we work through people and leadership decisions directly.
Where relevant and appropriate, I make introductions. Not indiscriminately — only where there's genuine mutual value. But being in the Inner Circle means being in the network.
Who gets considered
This is for you if
This isn't for you if
What I actually look for
I'm honest about how I select Inner Circle clients — because the relationship only works if it's right on both sides. I'm not looking for the biggest revenue or the most impressive LinkedIn profile.
I'm looking for operators who are genuinely coachable. Who can hear something difficult and sit with it rather than immediately defending the status quo. Who take action rather than thinking about action. Who understand that growth — real growth — is uncomfortable.
I'm also looking for people who are building something they actually care about. Not just revenue for revenue's sake. There's a different quality of decision-making when you're building with genuine intention — and that's the kind of work I want to be close to.
I'll be direct in the application process. If I don't think it's a good fit, I'll tell you — and usually point you toward something that is. That's not a rejection — it's an honest answer. I'd rather be straight with you early than not serve you well at this level.
"The best advisors I've had in my life are the ones who told me what I didn't want to hear — before it cost me something. That's what I try to be for the people in this circle."
"At a certain level, the most valuable resource isn't information or strategy. It's someone who knows your business, thinks clearly, and tells you the truth — reliably, every week."
— Mike Bell
Apply for
The Inner Circle
The application is short. I review every one personally. If it looks like a genuine fit, I'll reach out to arrange a conversation — no pitch, just a real discussion about whether this is right.
Very limited places. Current availability is not guaranteed.
Submit Your ApplicationReviewed personally by Mike Bell · Selective intake · No obligation
Not sure if you're ready for the Inner Circle?
Start with UKP Ascend — the 6-month high-performance mentorship.
UKP Ascend — 6-Month Mentorship →