Branding Agency
With five years of solid business experience, Sharon knew she liked owning her own company and she felt she was ready to grow. She had a solid roster of repeat clients who respected her work. Her project delivery was executed with out-sourced service providers. She knew she either stayed exactly as she was or she needed to grow. But she had no idea what that looked like or how to do it.
During Sharon’s Vision Session it became clear that she did indeed want to build her business. She was really excited about the opportunity to work with a collaborative team and to lead creative projects for larger clients. However, she had neither experience nor desire to put the required operational structure in place and she absolutely didn’t want to go out and sell.
With this vision in mind we worked together to develop and implement a plan that included bringing on a business partner and building a team. We created a job profile and partner’s expectation outline that addressed Sharon’s business gaps and took advantage of her creative and collaborative strengths. Within six months, she had identified the right person for partnership and offered an initial “dating structure”to “try things on”.
It isn’t a story without bumps and issues. But it does have a happy and successful ending. The partnership has thrived. There are now three partners and a strong team of 16 full-time employees augmented with specialized out-sourced skills. Everyone has a defined role allowing them to focus on applying their individual strengths to the growth and management of a thriving and sought after agency.
IT Support Company
Our client started a “break and fix” IT Company about 3 years before we met. He was super busy being all things to all people, working on client delivery at all hours of the day and night. No computer problem was too big or too small. He had a couple of “computer geeks”who he called on if they were available when things got too out of hand. He had a bookkeeper for receivables and payables but he was always just guess-timating his billable time and he never seemed to have any money. He had no time to hire anyone and he had no idea how to go about it. Things were beginning to fall through the cracks and he knew he needed to do something if he wanted to provide his clients with the support he promised. And, he wanted to have a life!
The first thing we addressed in his plan was hiring some experienced computer technicians, allowing him time for growth activities. Then we identified his Ideal Client; that being the customer who will get the greatest value from the service provided. We also created a business development plan to bring in sales and did some coaching to implement that plan.At the same time, we put prioritized processes and standards in place for timelier and better financial management.
Today his company is in a fabulous new office, servicing clients who really appreciate the support provided. They continue to build their customer base through both referrals and consistent business development. The team of 12 is celebrating breaking through the million dollar ceiling. We are facilitating his management team through the planning process and supporting them as they take on more robust projects and initiatives to continue to build a stronger and even more efficient company.