Case 2

Client: High-tech Company

Topic: Business Planning
Situation
Our client was:

An up-and-coming high tech, financial business

Possessing a viable business concept with aspirations of increased growth

Aiming to acquire the necessary venture capital to increase the size of the business

Challenges
The challenges facing us were in:

Helping the client attain the necessary capital in a given time frame

Ensuring the client's business plan was both feasible and designed for growth potential

Actions
The actions we took to address these challenges were:

Conducted a full review of the business to find any possible weaknesses

Assessed the needs of the business through an analysis of the management, technology, and
financial areas of the organization

Identified the key areas holding the most promise for growth

Developed projections of potential growth

Assisted the organization in developing a detailed business plan and presentation in order to
obtain venture capital

Results
Our actions resulted in:

The development of strategic alliances for the client

Serious negotiations with potential investors for venture capital

An effective business planning package that covered all of the necessary areas

A sound business that avoided major pitfalls and is now running smoothly

Case 1
Client: Financial Services
Topic: Strategy Implementation
Situation
Our client was:

A large company in the financial industry

Wanting to ensure that their future needs were identified and planned for

In need of a operational strategy around their existing corporate vision to ultimately generate
more revenue for their business

Challenges
The challenges facing us were in:

Acquiring information involving the input of groups threatened by the changes - those who would
stand to potentially work themselves out of a job, and whose input therefore had potential biases

Encouraging team members to think of the corporate good rather than their personal good while
contributing to the process

Dealing with distribution issues that needed to be addressed in a manner that was adaptable and
scaleable

Introducing a dramatic shift in thinking

Creating a paradigm shift, while understanding and creating new ideas that could prove profitable
both currently and 10 years down the road

Actions
The actions we took to address these challenges were:

Brought together all of the differing points of view into something that could be understood and
used to determine the direction of the company

Promoted constructive participation by those who were put at a personal disadvantage with some
of the proposed changes

Identified the strengths and weaknesses of existing processes and the core processes that
needed to be re-aligned

Assisted the client in developing a presentation for proposed changes by putting their vision into
concrete, attainable terms

Results
Our actions resulted in:

Successful implementation of the initially difficult but ultimately rewarding changes

Visioning strategies that are still reflected on and continue to maintain an affect on employees
and the organization as a whole

Case 3
Client: Small Business, Family Owned Manufacturing
Topic: Reaching Higher Levels of Profitability
Situation
Our client was:

A small, fairly successful family-owned and operated company

Producing a high-quality product that was doing well

Aspiring to take their business to a higher level

In need of help defining and directing its vision and strategy in order to take their product and
business to the next level of growth and profitability

Challenges
The challenges facing us were in:

Dealing with concerns regarding the economic downturn at the time and its affect on our client's
business

Addressing a lack of clarity regarding job roles, titles and responsibility

Providing sound and well-planned advice on growth and expansion in a volatile market

Actions
The actions we took to address the challenges were:

Assessed existing job roles and assisted in defining/clarifying each role's responsibility and core
capabilities needed to perform the job well

Provided executive coaching and strategic planning advice to the client in order to assist in
guiding their growth

Identified major issues and barriers to the increased profitability of the company

Assisted in the development of effective plans to overcome the barriers identified

Results
Our actions resulted in:

A clear focus for the company

Identification of the main areas to concentrate on for sound growth and expansion in the years to
come

Identification of the core strengths to draw upon and the core weaknesses to avoid in order to
maintain a successful enterprise, even in times of economic uncertainty

A forward-looking vision for this company