A research-led strategy studio for high-impact digital products.
Building software is expensive - building the wrong software is really expensive. We help product teams build the right product from the start.
Services
With decades of experience driving product impact, we offer these services tailored to each client’s needs.
Product Catalyst Sprints
Quick-turn engagements to unlock clarity, define success, and align your team to act immediately.
Product discovery workshops — Clarify hypotheses, surface risks, and define a focused strategy.
Stakeholder alignment — Focus your team and decision-makers around shared goals.
Fast-track team momentum — Get your team on the right track—faster and with confidence.
Duration: 2-4 weeks
Best for: New initiatives, pivots, or high-stakes decisions
Rapid Research
Deep insight, fast. Make decisions with confidence.
Generative & evaluative user research
Market research
Problem/solution fit validation
Real, actionable insights aligned with business value
Duration: 2-4 weeks
Best for: Product-market fit, MVP prioritization, de-risking investment
Full Delivery via Space and Flow
Need a full team to bring your vision to life? Through our partnership with Space and Flow, we specialize in re-platforming and launching new initiatives:
Full development pods (design, product, and engineering)
Specialized design teams to kickstart new initiatives or re-platform products
Embedded teams that work alongside your internal staff to accelerate delivery and knowledge transfer
Duration: 1-3 months +
Best for: Launching new products, major re-platforming efforts, or scaling initiatives quickly
“Z+CO is the gold standard for user research. Every client has been blown away by their expertise and invaluable insights. ”
— Melissa Perri, CEO Product Institute & Author of Escaping the Build Trap, and Product Operations
Why We’re Different
We bring the speed and discipline of startups together with the depth and context of enterprise experience.
We move quickly, ruthlessly optimizing for time to value.
We understand lean product development — but also the challenges of older, larger companies and the necessary transitions.
We are designers and technologists at heart with two decades of hands-on experience creating solutions with business outcomes - not just strategists who build decks.
We adapt to your needs, your timeline, your process.
We care about your business and your outcomes. We’ll work with you to clarify your thinking, define your goals, and chart the most efficient path to reach them.
Our Experience
We’ve worked with clients from early & growth-stage start-ups to large enterprises.
Contact us for a walkthrough of specific case studies.
About Z+CO
Michelle Zassenhaus, Founder
Michelle Zassenhaus is a strategy and research leader who helps product teams build the right thing—faster and with less risk.
She founded Z+CO to bring lean, insight-driven strategy to companies navigating product launches, re-platforming, and innovation initiatives.
Michelle has led strategy practices at firms like Deloitte Digital and Giant Machines, and has partnered with teams at PayPal, Vanguard, Gap, Glossier, and Walmart to turn insight into clear, actionable direction.
At Z+CO, she combines decades of hands-on product experience with a pragmatic, high-velocity approach to help teams align, validate, and move forward with confidence.
Michelle also serves as VP of Strategy & Business Development at Space and Flow, leading strategic engagements that combine research, product, design, and engineering to accelerate growth and transformation.