Companies of all sizes and at all stages of corporate growth retain our services. Here are examples of the results we've achieved. Company names and industries have been withheld to respect confidentiality.

Accelerating Merger & Acquisition Integration at a $1 billion company. The M&A executives requested an independent cross-functional assessment of five prior acquisitions, totaling over $200 million, to establish a baseline and improvement plan for future growth through acquisitions. The project highlighted to corporate executives the need to change the role of the business unit in the M&A process; transferred best practices; redefined the structure of the integration teams; provided cost effective solutions to resolve cross-functional interface challenges; recommended methods to streamline program management activities; realigned the focus on value drivers; outlined actions to improve employee retention; and recommended extensions to measuring and monitoring M&A success. As a result, the executive team moved forward with greater knowledge of how to improve integration of future acquisitions as they drove towards increased shareholder value.

Enabling Rapid Growth through Acquisitions and IPO. Working with cross-functional teams from highly competitive acquisitions, we led product line growth at a 35% compound annual growth rate to $70 million in revenue, while the company grew to $500 million and executed a successful IPO. Under our leadership, geographically dispersed teams overcame product integration and quality challenges, customer and employee discontent, and geographic and cultural issues. We initiated performance tracking and management programs using metrics to make progress visible, and to motivate and reward the staff for exemplary performance.

Revitalizing a US subsidiary of a multi-billion dollar global company. At the request of the marketing executive, who was seeking to move to a position of greater responsibility, we assessed the subsidiary's marketing operations to identify areas for improvement. Based on preliminary findings, the project expanded to a cross-functional assessment of all core business areas to determine the reason for missed revenue targets. The results were combined with the financial assessment of a major accounting firm to restructure the $30 million services company, revise its business model and revitalize growth through a customer-centric business approach in this rapidly evolving market.

Addressing Customer Relationship Management Issues between a US service provider and an industry leader in Japan. To determine the reason for customer dissatisfaction, we interviewed both parties and audited the application development processes and procedures for the $80 million application being developed for the customer. To put the application development process back on track, improvements included: better management of the customer's expectations to limit scope expansion; a scheduled review process to address potential schedule slippages in advance of major project delays; and a disciplined product development process to ensure quality. In addition, system performance improvements were made to bridge between the service levels provided by the information technology (IT) organization and the service levels required by the application group to meet aggressive delivery schedules.

Bridging the Planning Gap for a spin-off company seeking $8 million in funding from its parent company. Working with the executive who had just taken over responsibility for growing the customer relationship management division, we led the planning efforts and developed both a financing and operational business plan to set the course for growth. Within 20 days of plan completion, the division was spun off and awarded the requested funding.

Jumpstarting Operations of an early-stage international products company. Working with the founders to establish corporate marketing, we established simplified messaging for customer-focused communications; provided industry perspective for a prospectus used to raise funding; filled the leadership and implementation gaps within the marketing organization; and transferred knowledge to the team responsible for integrating early acquisitions. These efforts resulted in a dramatic increase in company visibility with the press and industry analysts, greater sales revenues by presenting to prospects the benefits of the company's complex products, and success in raising Euro 35 million in financing from venture capitalists and investment bankers.