> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://help.whetstone.au/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# How Whetstone Works

> Learn the three-step process to get matched with a verified advisor and book an insured advisory session on Whetstone.

Whetstone connects Australian business owners with verified industry experts in three steps. There are no retainers and no open-ended contracts. Every session is covered by professional indemnity insurance, and your payment is held until the work is done.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Describe your challenge">
    Tell us what you need help with. Include your topic area (for example, pricing, cash flow, compliance, operations, or business transitions), your business size, and how urgent the issue is. The more detail you give, the better your matches will be.
  </Step>

  <Step title="A person reads it and picks your shortlist">
    Your challenge is read by someone at Whetstone, not sorted by an algorithm. They hand-pick advisors with relevant experience — ex-COOs, ex-CFOs, exited founders, ops directors, heads of compliance, plant managers — and write you a sentence on why each one fits your situation. Every advisor has been identity-checked and reference-verified before they can take bookings.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Book an insured session">
    Choose a package, pick a time from your advisor's calendar, and pay. Your money is held by Whetstone rather than passed straight to the advisor, and is released only once the work is done and you have confirmed it.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## What makes Whetstone different

* **Matched by a person.** Someone reads your challenge and writes the reason each advisor is on your shortlist. That reason is the difference between a list of strangers and a set of introductions.
* **Verified advisors.** Identity, credentials and background are all checked before anyone can take a booking.
* **Insured sessions.** Professional indemnity insurance covers every session end-to-end.
* **Bounded scope.** A fixed session count and a written scope, copied onto your booking so it cannot change afterwards.
* **Money held until the work is done.** Your payment sits with Whetstone, not the advisor, until you confirm the work happened.

<Note>
  Posting a challenge and receiving a shortlist are free. You only pay when you book.
</Note>

## Related articles

* [Create your account](/getting-started/create-your-account)
* [Describe your challenge](/getting-started/describe-your-challenge)
* [Finding an advisor](/owners/finding-an-advisor)


## Related topics

- [Describe Your Challenge on Whetstone](/getting-started/describe-your-challenge.md)
- [Create Your Whetstone Account](/getting-started/create-your-account.md)
- [How Whetstone Session Packages Work](/billing/session-packages.md)
- [Understanding Bounded Scope on Whetstone](/trust/bounded-scope.md)
- [Find a Matched Advisor on Whetstone](/owners/finding-an-advisor.md)