The problem we solve
The Activity Trap
Organizations confuse motion with progress. They track activity, celebrate outputs, and ship work, often without knowing whether anything meaningful is changing.
This is the Activity Trap.
It looks productive. It feels responsible. It quietly wastes time, money, and talent. In today’s organizations, teams log hours, ship features, and publish reports. These are outputs. The tangible products of work.
But outputs are not the goal.
The real goals are outcomes resulting in meaningful, measurable changes in behavior or circumstance.
Metrics that Measure Change
Move beyond just tracking activity
Incentives
Aligned to outcomes
Planning Processes
Tied directly to impact
Decision-Making
Structures that reinforce focus
How we're different
Most consulting firms deliver frameworks, recommend initiatives, and leave execution to the client.
Pando does something else
We architect holistic systems including metrics, incentives, planning, and decision-making in one place so that organizations operate differently at their core.
Alignment becomes automatic
Teams focus on impact, not activity
Organizations produce measurable results consistently
Sectors of expertise
Projects resulting in direct impact
Engagements aligned with outcomes
Our approach
The Pando "One Root System" Model
Our name comes from the 40,000-tree aspen grove in Utah. Every tree shares one root system. One organism. That’s how we build organizations. Every team, every process, every metric connected to a single purpose.
Most organizations are fragmented:
Teams operate in silos
Metrics don't align
Effort doesn't compound
We change that.
We build systems where alignment is built-in, work connects across functions, and outcomes drive behavior. Like Pando’s root system feeding thousands of trees, we design organizations where every element drives toward meaningful, measurable change.
The Outcome Operating Model
Diagnose
Diagnose
We identify where activity is disconnected from outcomes and where systems break down.
Design
Design
We build aligned systems across metrics, incentives, and processes that push and drive the right behavior.
Deploy
Deploy
We implement and embed these systems, so they function in real-world conditions.
Diagnose
Diagnose
We identify where activity is disconnected from outcomes and where systems break down.
Design
Design
We build aligned systems across metrics, incentives, and processes that push and drive the right behavior.
Deploy
Deploy
We implement and embed these systems, so they function in real-world conditions.
Meet our clients
Who we work with
We partner with organizations that need to produce real outcomes—not just activity.
Government organizations seeking measurable public impact
Foundations and nonprofits focused on meaningful change
Corporate leadership teams navigating complexity and scale
Organizations ready to align strategy with execution
What is Pando Advisory?
Pando Advisory is a management consulting firm specialized in outcome-driven transformation. We combine rigorous management science with hands-on execution to deliver measurable, lasting change.
Our team includes industry veterans, researchers, and strategists who have led transformations across sectors.
We share one obsession: impact you can measure.
We don’t just advise.
We architect change.
The team
Years of expertise, one team dedicated to impact
Adam Johnson, Founder
Adam Johnson is the CEO and founder of Pando Advisory, where he helps organizations redesign systems to drive measurable outcomes. In his previous role as Chief of Staff at Cicero Group, he worked across foundations, nonprofits, and government, and stood up the firm's homelessness practice. He is the founder of two nonprofits, and a Truman Scholar and Knight-Hennessy Scholar.
Board of advisors
Craig Christensen
Advisor
Paul Brest
Advisor
Frequently asked questions
What does Pando Advisory do?
Pando Advisory helps organizations design systems that produce measurable outcomes, rather than just outputs or activity. We align strategy, AI, operations, and decision-making so that organizations consistently deliver real impact.
What is outcome-driven transformation?
Outcome-driven transformation is the process of redesigning how an organization operates across metrics, incentives, planning, and execution so that meaningful, measurable outcomes become the natural result of daily work.
What is the Activity Trap?
The Activity Trap occurs when organizations focus on outputs rather than outcomes, which reflect real change or impact. It creates the appearance of progress without producing meaningful results.
Who does Pando Advisory work with?
We work with government agencies, nonprofits, foundations, and leadership teams navigating complex challenges and seeking measurable impact.
How is Pando Advisory different from traditional consulting firms?
Traditional consulting often delivers recommendations and frameworks. Pando Advisory designs and implements systems that change how organizations operate which ensures that outcomes are consistently produced, not just planned.
