Mediation

FountainBlue LLC has built its business on facilitating innovation and leadership through change. For almost two decades, we have worked with leaders, managers and teams to mediate through the inevitable conflicts brought on by change.

Today, we provide facilitative, evaluative, transformative, and directive mediation services for small claims and corporate disputes.

We are proud to be recognized by Expertise.com as a leading mediator and arbitrator in San Diego.

When we provide Facilitative Mediation services, we focus on guiding parties to find common ground without providing evaluative feedback. In January 2024, we received a mediation certificate from Waymakers Dispute Resolution Services. We currently serve as a volunteer mediator, focusing on small claims business disputes for Waymakers, a nonprofit organization based in Southern California.

FountainBlue offers Evaluative Mediation services when our clients bring a dispute to us and requesting a “reality check” with feedback and suggestions on their draft resolution options. Our clients leverage our diverse and extensive business, technology, and management experience to provide evaluative feedback with specific recommendations as a neutral party who considers the interests of both parties while reviewing the dispute in question.

At times, we begin our mediation services as a Facilitative Mediator, which progresses to Evaluative Mediation if both parties can not come to an agreement and both parties agree to request our evaluative mediation services.

FountainBlue’s Transformative Mediation service focuses on empowering key stakeholders to make their own decisions while focusing on preserving their relationships and the organization overall.

FountainBlue’s consulting and advisory services generally include cultural and business transformation projects which include transformative mediation services. Our transformative mediation services are generally included when we conduct larger and broader ongoing consulting and advisory services.

However, we do volunteer for select nonprofit and community organizations on an ongoing basis to help lead, support, and grow the cultural transformation process and impact.

On occasion, FountainBlue will offer Directive Mediation or Arbitration services if the parties engaged in facilitative mediation both agree to participate in a binding, more directive approach. These services generally also include evaluative mediation services as well. 

What Sets Us Apart

  1. We have an open, non-judgmental style and a welcoming approach which welcomes respectful communication and interaction.
  2. Our goal for each interaction is to help all parties better connect with each other and communicate with each other so that everyone feels heard.
  3. As experienced facilitators and communicators, we clearly state objectives and ground rules so that all parties are heard.
  4. We help all parties focus not just on their needs, but on the motivations of all parties.
  5. As impartial, fair-minded mediators, we excel at facilitating the conversation and the process to help ensure a mutual agreement between all parties.
  6. As creative problem-solvers, we help all parties brainstorm a range of alternatives and options which would serve the needs of all parties.
  7. As experienced coaches, we draw from our deep experience working with a wide range of conflicts on a host of issues.
  8. As lifetime learners, we learn with each interaction and leverage new knowledge and skills to help improve our own facilitation skills.
  9. We are people-oriented and business-focused, making sure that all parties feel understood and heard.
  10. We have deep experience working on conflicts at the most senior levels of organizations – in the board room and in the executive suites and take pride in the value we provide leading through conflict-ridden change.

Rates and Fees

Our fees for Mediation services run from $200-$400/hour or $1600/day plus meeting, travel and lodging expenses.

  • 1-4 hours = $400/hour
  • 4-8 hours = $300/hour
  • 8+ hours = $200/hour or $1600 daily

These rates do not including any travel or lodging expenses and does not include preparation and review time. Preparation time shall not exceed 15 minutes for every one hour of mediation.

If you are considering mediation services, please email us and provide us with information about your circumstances, including the information below.

  • the nature of the conflict, 
  • the people and power dynamics involved, 
  • the emotional intensity and urgency, 
  • the desired level of control over outcomes and
  • the history of the conflict/situation/relationship.

We will respond within 2 business days and schedule a 15-minute, no obligation Zoom call if we feel we might be of service to you.

Linda has an empowering, non-judgmental way to connect with all parties, coupled with the deep conviction that we could both resolve the complex, emotional issues which held us back for so long.

Linda has done the impossible – she brought the two of us together to embrace a common ground when we both lost hope.

I would highly recommend Linda for her fierce intelligence, her calm disposition, and her fair and collaborative approach which brought us from mediation to arbitration.

Linda has a way to focus on business issues while making sure that all parties felt supported and heard. With her guidance, we focused on collaborating to create a solution which supported both parties.

It’s amazing that we both felt like we ‘won’.