What has the last 90 days really required of you?

The CORE
Decision-Making
Framework

For £3M-£8M DTC brands operating in a state of constant urgency.
Buy back your freedom from operational chaos.
Use this structured method to make fewer, better decisions by consciously choosing what to Commit, Offload, Resequence, or Eliminate.

CORE5 OS - 5 operational pillars
Step 1 - Run every decision through these 3 tests
Test 01 - Replacement
Am I the only one who can make this?
Am I making this decision because I am uniquely positioned or because I have become the default?
Test 02 - Compounding
Does this create value that grows over time?
Will this matter next quarter or am I just managing today's pressure?
Test 03 - Fear
Am I avoiding this or is it genuinely not the right call?
Am I postponing because I don't want to face the consequence of deciding?
How your answers route to the right bucket
Commit
Replacement ✓ + Compounding ✓
Only you can make it and it creates value that grows over time. Act now.
Offload
Replacement ✗ + Compounding ✓
Someone else can own this but it still compounds. Build the system or hire to own it.
Resequence
Compounding ✓ + Wrong timing
Right decision. The operational or financial prerequisites aren't in place yet. Come back to it.
Eliminate
Replacement ✗ + Compounding ✗
You're doing it by default or it's covering up a harder call. Stop.
Fear Test - use it before you Eliminate Am I avoiding this because it's genuinely not the right call, or because I don't want to face the consequences of deciding? If it's fear, the decision belongs in a different bucket.

STEP 2 - Sort every decision into one of 4 buckets

Use the answers made from the tests mentioned above to place each decision in the right bucket.

C
Commit
Only you can do it. It compounds. Act now.
Problem
Overdue supplier POs with a negative net cash position
Decision: Call the supplier.

Solution: Negotiate a payment plan. Every week this goes unfixed erodes the relationship and makes the next order harder to place.
Problem
Cash locked in slow-moving stock from last season's over-buy
Decision: Set a buying limit before placing next season's order.

Solution: Define an open-to-buy budget based on current sell-through rates. Over-buying now compounds the cash problem for the next 6-12 months.
Problem
The founder is the default decision-maker for every operational question
Decision: Make the first senior operations hire.

Solution: The right ops hire stops the founder being the bottleneck. People compound - the longer this is delayed, the longer every other fix takes.
O
Offload
Someone else can own this. Still important - build the system.
Problem
Nearly half of "where is my order?" contacts are a communication gap
Decision: Who should own fixing this?

Solution: Your CS lead or ops manager, with two dispatch notification automations. Once built, the system handles it with no founder involvement.
Problem
Return-related questions are reaching the founder
Decision: What to do with return-related calls?

Solution: Ask your ops head to create a Returns Policy - a decision guide that tells CS: under what conditions to approve a return, what to offer for each reason (refund, replacement, credit), how to respond, and when to escalate.
Problem
The founder is manually pulling operational numbers every week
Decision: Who should own the weekly ops report?

Solution: A VA or ops manager owns the pull and the flag. Once the system exists, the founder reads the output - not builds it.
R
Resequence
Right idea. Wrong moment. Sequence it properly.
Problem
Considering a new product line while existing stock is over-aged
Decision: Is now the right time?

Solution: Not yet. Overdue POs and tight cash make new range expansion a sequencing error. Clean the existing inventory first.
Problem
Wanting to scale paid marketing while margins are barely positive
Decision: Is the margin floor ready to support it?

Solution: Not yet. When CM2 is barely positive, scaling ads compounds the wrong number. Fix unit economics first - then paid acquisition makes sense.
Problem
Fulfilment performance is below benchmark
Decision: Is it time to switch 3PL provider?

Solution: Not yet. Issue a written SLA and give a 60-day improvement plan with data first. Switching without evidence means the same problems follow you to the next provider.
E
Eliminate
Fear or default. No compound value. Stop it.
Problem
Daily WhatsApp check-ins with the warehouse on dispatch status
Decision: Is this a good use of the founder's time?

Solution: No. Replace with a weekly SLA scorecard. If you need daily check-ins, neither party has a system. The data should replace the conversation.
Problem
Founder reviewing individual customer support tickets
Decision: Is this necessary?

Solution: No. The category breakdown is the only number worth reading. Ticket-by-ticket review fails the Replacement Test - your CS team should own this.
Commit when
You pass the Replacement Test (only you) AND the Compounding Test (it grows over time)
Offload when
You fail the Replacement Test (someone else can) but it still compounds - build the system or the hire to own it
Resequence when
It passes the Compounding Test but the operational or financial prerequisites are not in place yet
Eliminate when
It fails both tests - you are doing it by default or avoiding a harder call it is covering up

The reason you can't COMMIT is that you haven't built a system to OFFLOAD, RESEQUENCE OR ELIMINATE.

CORE5 OS is that system.
5 operational pillars, one audit, complete decision clarity.

Whenever you're ready, I am here.

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