The Situation This was one of the world's largest HR consulting firms—a pioneer founded decades earlier that had grown explosively through the 1970s. But by the time I arrived, growth had been flat for five consecutive years. The brand was universally recognized. The problem was perception. Buyers knew the name but associated it with methodologies from a previous era. Recognition without relevance is a dangerous position. The firm had brilliant consultants with deep expertise

The Situation This pioneer in online talent assessments had built a successful business through a network of 2,000 distributors. The product was solid. The channel was extensive. But the company had hit a plateau. Then the 2008 mortgage crisis hit. Organizations stopped hiring. Assessment companies dependent on hiring were getting hammered. The business started shrinking. I joined as their first CMO during one of the worst economic collapses in modern history. The owners—in t

The Situation This specialized sales coaching firm had approximately 20 years of expertise and a proven methodology. But the business faced an existential crisis. Everything came through word of mouth. No marketing, no thought leadership, no systematic demand generation. Worse, the founder's professional network—the source of all business—was retiring. As contacts left the industry, the pipeline evaporated. The founder knew many people but had no way to stay connected. His Li

The Situation This was the world's largest sales training company, built on a legendary methodology that had revolutionized complex B2B sales. But growth had stalled for three consecutive years. The brand was universally recognized—virtually every VP of Sales in America knew the name. But recognition wasn't translating to revenue. The brand felt dated, associated with selling approaches from a previous era rather than contemporary sales challenges. The PE owners needed to eit

The Situation This was the third-largest sales training company globally, built on a well-known consultative selling methodology. But the founder faced a perfect storm: a competitor's new methodology was capturing market mindshare, positioning consultative selling as "outdated." The firm was stuck defending legacy positioning instead of leading. The founder wanted to exit. The best offer on the table was underwhelming—acquirers saw a methodology company in decline, not an inn