The things people wonder before they book the call.

A veteran-owned fractional executive consulting firm founded by Casey Howe and Chase Howe — but the Collective is bigger than the two of us. Casey brings fifteen years inside PEO and HCM organizations, every role from payroll specialist to VP. Chase brings over fifteen years of IT expertise and a systems engineering career forged in commercial and military aerospace — specifically unmanned aircraft.

What we've both spent those careers building — beyond the work itself — is a network of exceptional people across every function and industry we've touched. That network is the Collective. When your situation calls for a technical engineer who can execute a complex integration, we have one. When it needs an industry executive who has navigated exactly your problem from the inside, we know them. We don't claim to know everything — we know who to call. That's what allows us to bring the right expertise to every engagement, every time.

No. We are consultants and advisors who specialize in helping organizations build, optimize, and scale PEO and HCM operations. We are not an employer of record and we do not administer payroll or benefits on behalf of your clients.

No — and this distinction matters. We are the strategic and operational advisory layer that works alongside your implementation team, not in place of them. We help you make the right decisions about workflows, processes, and configuration before things get built the wrong way. We have seen what happens when that layer is missing. It is one of the most common and costly mistakes organizations make during an HCM implementation.

Chase is a U.S. Army National Guard veteran whose military aviation career set a standard of precision, zero-ambiguity execution, and mission-first discipline that he brings to every engagement. When we say something is validated, it has been validated. When we say a process is documented, it will hold up. That standard doesn't change based on the size of the engagement.

Every engagement starts with a discovery call. We learn your business, your goals, your current state, and where the real gaps are. We don't make assumptions and we don't come in with a predetermined solution. The discovery conversation is where we figure out whether we're the right fit, what the engagement should actually look like, and what done means for your specific situation.

It depends entirely on what you need — which is intentional. Some engagements are intensive and hands-on for a defined period. Some are ongoing advisory relationships at whatever cadence serves you. Some are project-based with clear milestones and a defined end. We scope every engagement individually and update that scope honestly when things change. We are not a firm that locks you into a rigid structure that doesn't flex.

Yes — absolutely. Casey and Chase each came in through a specific door: hers through PEO, HCM, and service bureau organizations, his through IT, systems engineering, and aerospace.

But what brought us together — and what made the Collective a genuine possibility — was a realization we'd both arrived at separately across our careers: the problem sets we kept seeing weren't industry-specific. The same operational gaps, structural mismatches, and people-and-systems patterns show up wherever leaders are trying to scale, integrate, modernize, or untangle something complex. The vocabulary changes from one industry to the next; the underlying work doesn't. Tell us about your situation and we'll give you a straight read on whether we're the right team for it.

Absolutely — and in many cases that's the ideal model. We often partner with internal project managers, letting them focus on tactical execution while we hold the strategic vision and industry expertise. We integrate with existing teams without disrupting them. We're not here to replace your people. We're here to make them more effective.

Both, depending on what the engagement requires. Many engagements are conducted remotely with structured touchpoints. Some situations — particularly operational rescue or intensive program launches — benefit from on-site presence. We discuss this during the discovery conversation and build it into the scope accordingly.

Yes. We believe in building long-term relationships with our clients, not transactional ones. On-call advisory support after a formal engagement is available and something we actively encourage. When something comes up later — and it will — we want to be the call you make.

Pricing is based on the scope and type of engagement — there is no one-size-fits-all rate. A focused advisory engagement looks different from a fractional executive retainer, which looks different from a full program management engagement. After the discovery call we put together a scoped proposal with a clear investment that reflects exactly what your situation requires. We are transparent about pricing and we don't surprise clients.

Both models are available depending on what makes sense for the engagement. Project-based engagements are typically scoped and priced as a fixed investment. Fractional executive and ongoing advisory relationships are typically structured as monthly retainers. We discuss the right model during scoping and build whichever structure serves both parties best.

It depends on the type of engagement. Some advisory engagements can be short and focused. Others — particularly PEO launch advisory or fractional executive relationships — require a longer runway to deliver real value. We are honest about this upfront. If something can be done well in a shorter timeframe, we'll tell you. We don't stretch engagements to generate more billing.

The single biggest factor is organizational readiness for change. We can diagnose problems, design solutions, and build frameworks — but we cannot want it more than the organization does. The most successful engagements are with leaders and teams who genuinely want to fix what's broken, are open to honest feedback, and are willing to act on what they learn. When that's present, we can do exceptional work together.

Openness and honesty — at every level. The organizations that get the most from working with us are the ones that give us real access to real information, including the things that are uncomfortable to share. We are not here to judge. We are here to fix. The more honest you are with us about what's actually happening, the better the outcome for your organization.

Every engagement is governed by a mutual confidentiality agreement. What you share with us stays with us. We work inside organizations at every level and we take the trust that comes with that seriously. We have never and will never share client information with other clients or use it for any purpose outside the engagement.

Nothing formal is required. Come ready to talk honestly about where you are, what you're trying to accomplish, and where things aren't working. The best discovery calls are conversations, not presentations. We'll ask the questions that help us understand your situation — you just need to be willing to answer them honestly.