We Built a Referral Program That Actually Respects the Relationship

The Problem with Most Referral Programs

We talk to a lot of security consultants, managed service providers, and fractional CIOs who hear the same thing from their clients: “we think we have backups,” “we’re probably fine,” “our IT person set it up a while ago.”

That kind of false comfort is everywhere. And the trusted advisor sitting across the table knows it. But here’s the thing: most referral programs make that advisor feel like a used car salesman for sending someone your way. A flat $50 gift card, vague commission terms, zero protection if the vendor goes around you.

We wanted to build something different. Something that actually respects the fact that when you introduce a client to us, you’re putting your professional reputation on the line.

How Our Program Works

We kept it simple on purpose. Three steps, no ambiguity.

You make a warm introduction to a decision-maker, someone who has the authority to act. You send a quick context note (two or three sentences about what’s going on), and we take it from there.
We run discovery and do the work. You don’t sell for us, you don’t deliver for us, you don’t chase anyone down. Your only job is the introduction.
When the client pays for the first project, you get paid. Commission is earned after payment clears; no complicated tracking, no mystery math.

That’s it. Warm intro, closed project, you get paid.

The Actual Numbers

We researched what other consulting firms, managed service providers, and security companies pay for referrals. Most introducer-only programs land between 5% and 10%. We set our rates at the top of that range because we believe the people making these introductions deserve to be compensated at a level that actually matters.

Standard Partner: 10% of the first paid project (services revenue only; we don’t include hardware, software licenses, or pass-through costs in the commission base).

Founding Partner (first 10 partners only): 15% on your first closed referral. After that first deal closes, you move to the standard 10% for future referrals. We created this tier because our earliest partners are taking a bet on us, and we want to recognize that.

Conversion Bonus: If the client you referred signs a recurring retainer within 60 days of the first project, and pays the first recurring invoice, you earn an additional $500 on top of your commission.

For context, industry-standard finder’s fees for a pure introduction typically sit around 5-10%. Our standard rate matches the top of that range for introduction-only work; our Founding Partner rate goes beyond it. We think the trust behind a warm intro is worth more than most companies give it credit for.

Deal Protection: The Part Most Programs Skip

This is where most referral programs fall apart. You send a great introduction, and then three months later the vendor is working directly with your client and you’re left wondering what happened. It’s a blind spot that most programs never address.

We don’t do that.

When you register a referral, we confirm receipt within 24 hours, and that deal is protected for 120 days. During that window, we will not intentionally bypass you. If the client is already in active talks with us when you make the introduction, we disclose that immediately; no surprises, no games.

We also keep you in the loop at every major milestone: discovery completed, proposal sent, deal closed, invoice paid, commission due. You’re not left guessing.

120 days is right in the middle of the industry standard (90-180 days), which gives enough room for the kind of B2B sales cycles that involve procurement reviews, budget approvals, and the inevitable “let me run this by my board” delays.

What Counts as a Qualified Referral

We’re not looking for lead lists or cold contacts. We built this program around genuine, trust-based introductions. A qualified referral means:

The prospect opts in to the introduction, meaning they know you’re connecting them with us and they’re open to it
The introduction includes a decision-maker (someone with the authority to move forward: owner, CEO, COO, IT lead)
There’s a real trigger behind the conversation: a compliance questionnaire came in, backups haven’t been tested, there was a near-miss incident, they’re switching vendors, or the organization is growing faster than their systems can handle

What doesn’t qualify: cold lists, scraped contacts, mass intros without context, or situations where nobody has a problem that actually needs solving right now.

Who This Is For

We built this for the people who are already having these conversations with their clients:

Security consultants who see the gaps but don’t do DR verification or resilience hardening themselves
Managed service providers whose clients need a deeper assessment than what’s included in the managed services agreement
Fractional CIOs and CISOs who advise on strategy but need a trusted partner for execution
IT operators and trusted advisors who hear “we’re probably fine” and know better

If you’re in these conversations already, this program turns your good advice into compensation, without requiring you to change what you do. You’re already spotting the hidden risk; now there’s a way to act on it.

The Fine Print (in Plain Language)

Commission is earned only after payment clears; we never pay before cash is collected
Commission base is services revenue only: hardware, licenses, cloud spend, and pass-through costs are excluded
Payouts happen quarterly by default (we collect a W-9 before the first payout)
There’s a founding-phase cap of $2,500 per referred client, which keeps our exposure manageable while we grow (we plan to revisit it as the program matures)
If a client payment is reversed or charged back, we may net that against future payouts
Either party can end participation at any time; earned commissions remain payable per the terms at registration

We wrote these terms to be transparent and partner-friendly. No buried clauses, no gotchas.

How to Get Started

If this sounds like a fit, we’d like to hear from you. Head to our contact page and select “Partnership / Referral Inquiry” from the dropdown, and tell us a bit about what you do and the kinds of clients you work with.

We’ll send you the one-page partner sheet with the full terms, and if it makes sense for both sides, we’ll get you set up.

We’re currently building our Founding Partner group: first 10 partners get 15% on their first closed referral. Once those spots are filled, all new partners start at the standard 10%.

Key Takeaways

We pay 10% of the first paid project for warm introductions (15% for Founding Partners on their first deal)
Your only job is the introduction; we handle everything else
120-day deal protection with milestone updates along the way
$500 bonus if the client converts to a recurring retainer within 60 days
Commission is earned after payment clears, paid quarterly, services revenue only
Get in touch and select “Partnership / Referral Inquiry” to request the one-pager

Have someone in mind already? Reach out, and we’ll walk you through the process and make it easy.