Trusty Oak vs. Catalant
Two very different ways to add expertise without a full-time hire — one is an enterprise marketplace of independent consultants you source and manage, the other is a managed team we run for you. Here's an honest look at how they compare so you can pick the right fit.
A quick overview
Catalant and Trusty Oak both help you bring in talent without committing to a full-time salary, but they're built for different worlds. Catalant is an enterprise-focused marketplace of independent consultants — by its own numbers, 100,000+ vetted experts averaging 19+ years of experience, many former Big 3 consultants and Fortune 500 operators — that companies and private equity firms tap for project-based strategy and transformation work. You describe your need, Catalant helps you source an individual, a team, or a boutique firm, and you direct that engagement. Trusty Oak gives founders, solopreneurs, and SMBs a managed relationship that flexes from a single executive to a full team of US-based EAs, Specialists, and Executives under one monthly budget, with account management and oversight included. Below is a side-by-side comparison to help you decide which model fits your needs.
Enterprise consultants · Self-managed · Quote-based pricing 
Flexible team · US-based · Scalable monthly budget Some of our US-based talent
Lindsey L. Maryland 
Hasanna G. Texas 
Jennifer S. Michigan 
Kasi B. Virginia Head-to-head comparison
Trusty Oak vs. Catalant
Trusty Oak leads in 3 of 11 categories. Want to see how it works for your business?
Book a Free Discovery CallWhich service fits you better?
Both are legitimate options. The right choice depends on what your business needs.
may be better if… - You're an enterprise or private equity firm tackling a defined strategy, transformation, or M&A project at scale
- You need deep, domain-specific strategy consultants — including former Big 3 and Fortune 500 backgrounds — for a high-stakes initiative
- You want to source and assemble an individual, a project team, or a boutique firm yourself, and you're comfortable directing the engagement
- You have the internal procurement and management capacity to run a consulting engagement
- You're fine with quote-based pricing negotiated per engagement rather than published rates
is the better fit if… - You're a founder, solopreneur, or SMB, not an enterprise with a procurement team
- You want the option of a single executive AND the ability to scale into a full team, without onboarding a new vendor
- You'd rather we manage the work — account management, oversight, weekly reporting — than direct a consultant yourself
- You need a mix of administrative, specialist, and strategic support, not just a strategy project
- You want US-based professionals in your time zone and transparent pricing you can see before any sales call
- You prefer to start with a smaller monthly budget and scale up or down as needs change
- You value an ongoing relationship with people who know your business, not a one-off engagement
Why businesses choose Trusty Oak
A single exec or a whole team
Need just one strategic operator? Start there. Need admin and specialist support around them? Add it from the same budget. You get flexible senior support without assembling and managing a project team yourself.
We manage it, not just match it
Catalant helps you source consultants, then you direct the engagement. With Trusty Oak, a dedicated account manager and weekly reporting keep the work on track, so you get outcomes without the management overhead.
Three levels of talent, one budget
Access EAs, Specialists, and Executives from a single monthly budget. No need to scope, source, and contract separately for admin, creative, or strategic work.
Transparent, flexible pricing
Start at $1,000/mo and scale up or down as your needs change. Minimums are published on our site, so there's no quote process just to learn the rates.
US-based professionals
Every team member is a vetted, US-based professional working in your time zone. No timezone gaps, no cultural misalignment, no language barriers.
An ongoing relationship, not a project
You work with the same people who learn your business over time, not consultants brought in for a defined engagement. When you need something, you talk to someone who already has context.
"Trusty Oak has been a game-changer for our business. The flexibility to access different levels of talent through one budget has saved us time and money compared to hiring in-house."
Sam Baker CEO, Sam Baker Consulting Compare other services
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Ready to see the difference?
Book a free discovery call to learn how Trusty Oak's flexible model can give you a single executive or a full team, without the long-term commitment.