diff --git a/errors.go b/errors.go
index c5313c7..c385003 100644
--- a/errors.go
+++ b/errors.go
@@ -11,4 +11,7 @@ var (
 
 	// ErrExecTimeout means that the provided context was done before the command finished execution.
 	ErrExecTimeout = errors.New("command timed out")
+
+	// ErrInsufficientPermissions means the calling executable was invoked without enough permissions to run the selected command
+	ErrInsufficientPermissions = errors.New("insufficient permissions for action")
 )
diff --git a/systemctl.go b/systemctl.go
index 4d54196..4667aa2 100644
--- a/systemctl.go
+++ b/systemctl.go
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package systemctl
 
 // TODO
 func IsFailed(unit string) (bool, error) {
+
 	return false, nil
 }
 
diff --git a/util.go b/util.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..960742d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/util.go
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+package systemctl
+
+import (
+	"bytes"
+	"context"
+	"os/exec"
+)
+
+var systemctl string
+
+const killed = 130
+
+func init() {
+	path, err := exec.LookPath("systemctl")
+	if err != nil {
+		panic(ErrNotInstalled)
+	}
+	systemctl = path
+}
+
+func execute(ctx context.Context, args []string) (string, string, int, error) {
+	var (
+		err      error
+		stderr   bytes.Buffer
+		stdout   bytes.Buffer
+		code     int
+		output   string
+		warnings string
+	)
+
+	cmd := exec.CommandContext(ctx, systemctl, args...)
+	cmd.Stdout = &stdout
+	cmd.Stderr = &stderr
+	err = cmd.Run()
+	output = stdout.String()
+	warnings = stderr.String()
+	code = cmd.ProcessState.ExitCode()
+
+	return output, warnings, code, err
+}