How you buy growth work shapes what you get. This section breaks down the engagement models behind modern growth partnerships — retainers, embedded pods, project scopes, performance-based deals, hybrid setups — and what each one actually costs, rewards, and punishes. It's built for founders and growth leaders trying to figure out whether to hire, outsource, or embed, and how to structure a contract that keeps incentives pointed at shipped outcomes instead of billable hours. Expect straight talk on pricing ranges, scope creep, exit terms, and the tradeoffs nobody puts on a pricing page.