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Every serious
business needs a
fifth chair.

Strategic commercial thinking, minus the full-time executive headcount. The Fifth Chair brings fresh executive perspective to mid-sized and founder-led businesses—uncovering friction points and sharpening your growth strategy.

Adelaide McKelvey, founder of The Fifth Chair

When you're
inside the business,
the blind spots are hard to see.

You have a strong product, loyal clients, and a capable team. Yet growth can still feel uneven, big decisions carry unnecessary weight, and momentum stalls right when it matters most.

When you’re deeply immersed in execution, identifying the root cause of friction isn't easy. That isn't a leadership gap—it's simple proximity.

Symptom

Decision fatigue at the top

Symptom

Revenue rhythm without focus

Symptom

Senior thinking not every business can afford full time
Adelaide McKelvey holding a leather notebook, looking out a window in reflection

You don't always
need another executive.

You need access to the right outside voice — at the right table, at the right time.

The Fifth Chair is not a consultancy and not a coach. It is a seat at your decision table that you can call into the room when the commercial stakes get sharper.

AI is Already in your business – Who is managing it


Join Adelaide and Maxine for a practical 45-minute working session. Learn how to keep human judgment front and center while putting automation and supervised AI agents to work where your team is stretched thin.


Click here to Register.

Scene Four · The Operator

Adelaide McKelvey standing on a staircase, founder of The Fifth Chair

Adelaide McKelvey.

Founder · The Fifth Chair

"I've spent thirty-five years inside growing businesses — running them, advising them, and occasionally rescuing them."

Adelaide is a commercial operator with senior leadership and business-ownership experience across multiple countries. She sits in rooms with owners who don't need theory — they need someone who has already done it.

Read Adelaide's story →

Scene Six · The Invitation

Bring the fifth chair
into the room.

A short conversation. No pitch. We talk about what's blocking growth and whether a fresh outside read would actually help.

Book a conversation

Ways to bring
the fifth chair into the room.

No retainers you don't need. No frameworks pretending to be insight. Four clear entry points, all grounded in commercial judgement built across 35+ years and several countries.

IFree · Start here

The Business Pulse

A structured, honest look at where the business is stuck and what genuinely needs attention first. A clear read of the room, delivered in plain language.

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IISingle engagement

The Advisory Board

A focused commercial conversation around one challenge, opportunity or decision. For owners who need a sharper second opinion, grounded in real commercial judgement.

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IIIOngoing · Three tiers

The Engine Room

Hands-on commercial direction that drives top-line revenue and protects your bottom line. Powered by 35+ years of real-world business strategy, we don't just give advice and walk away. We diagnose where the money gets made. Or quietly given away. Then map the growth plan and actively direct the commercial execution to turn strategy into measurable income.

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VFuture Proofing

The Fifth Chair:
Future Proofing

High-impact commercial consulting designed to protect your market relevance, navigate industry disruption, and maximize long-term business value. We work alongside founders and executive teams to build an agile operating model that withstands market shifts—ensuring today's revenue success becomes a durable, highly valuable enterprise asset.

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