Overview

Business development means business improvement. We’re able to work with members in virtually every area of their business because of this core playbook, customizing solutions to their specific requirements and helping build durable competitive advantages.

Components

01Strategy

The integrated set of actions an organization takes to achieve its goals; the art and science of allocating resources. At its core, this means identifying the right trends and making the right moves to capitalize on them is critical to success. We help members implement strategies for better growth and development.

The business environment is dynamic. Regularly reviewing and adapting the strategy ensures that the organization remains aligned with its environment and can respond to changes effectively. Even the best strategies can fail if not implemented correctly. Strategic execution has a few critical components:

  • Clear communication of the strategy to all stakeholders.
  • Regular monitoring and feedback mechanisms.
  • Flexibility to adapt to changing circumstances.

How We Help

Business strategies can take many forms and can be focused on different aspects of the business, such as marketing, operations, finance, and human resources. They need to be reviewed and updated regularly to reflect changing market conditions and business priorities. Here are some of the ways we help members.

  • Business direction
  • Understand the market
  • Resource allocation
  • Competitive advantage
  • Specific objectives
  • Performance measurement
  • Long-term survival and growth
  • Preparing for change

02Innovation

Defined as creativity plus delivery, innovation is the process of creating and implementing a new idea, method, or product that adds value. This can involve improving existing products or services, creating new ones, enhancing production processes, implementing new strategies, or changing the organizational structure or culture. It can also be vital to funding new investments, attracting great talent, and acquiring great assets.

Innovation should be a strategic, systematic process, rather than a random occurrence. This includes fostering a culture of innovation, allocating resources to research and development, and having mechanisms in place to test and implement new ideas. Remember that innovation is not a one-time effort; it’s a continuous process that requires ongoing commitment. Companies that consistently focus on innovation are more likely to sustain long-term success and growth.

How?
(i) Make innovation a key focus area in your business;
(ii) Invest in initiatives with enough resources to win;
(iii) Differentiate and improve value propositions as the market changes;
(iv) Launch quickly and effectively, scale in the right markets.

How We Help

Building a business with innovation as a cornerstone involves more than just coming up with creative ideas; it requires a systematic approach and a culture that encourages and rewards innovative thinking. We help members drive results through new products, services, processes, and markets.

  • Competitive Advantages
  • Increased Revenues and Growth
  • Efficiency and Cost Savings
  • Customer Satisfaction and Loyalty
  • Adaptation to Market Changes
  • Attract and Retain Talent
  • Long-Term Survival
  • Product Innovation
  • Process Innovation
  • Business Model Innovation
  • Market Innovation
  • Organizational Innovation
  • Customer Experience Innovation
  • Sustainability Innovation

03Operations

Business operations refer to the day-to-day activities that a company engages in to generate value, either in the form of goods or services. These activities are designed to create revenue and profits and include aspects such as production, supply chain management, customer service, human resource management, and much more.

How goods are delivered to market. Successful companies build repeatable models around core offerings, focusing on attaining full potential. Improve the return on OpEx investments by identifying the ones that offer the highest value potential, optimizing resource implementation, and generate greater predictability.

How?

By setting automated policies and procedures, then manage the people to ensure they’re meeting customer needs across interaction touch points. Using a framework to Test. Adjust. Optimize. Create new processes and procedures, test one different activity at a time or many depending on current level of consistent KPIs, adjust to the feedback in comments from employees and customers as well as financial KPIs, and finally optimize for scale and outperformance.

How We Help

The way operations are managed and optimized can significantly influence a company’s profitability, growth, and competitive positioning. We help blend strategic thinking with proven insights to solve almost any ops challenge.

  • Efficiency
  • Customer Satisfaction
  • Profitability
  • Quality Control
  • Supply Chain Management
  • Customer Service
  • Cost Management
  • Scalability
  • Sustainability
  • Risk Management
  • Innovation

04Organization

Despite the rise of technology and automation, business is still about people; and how an organization is structured is vital to culture and differentiation. Skill transfer, talent management, culture change, and capability building are all equally important ingredients in executing. Turning foresight into key social, demographic, regulatory, and digital trends, can shape an explicit workforce strategy while improving productivity and efficiency.

Make the organization a better place to work by aligning the ecosystem to deliver on company objectives, and remain flexible to the needs of your talent, especially as the culture and society as a whole evolves over time.

How?

  • Create flexible talent strategy to meet stringent business needs
  • Create talent systems and workforce culture for long-term organizational health
  • Develop leaders to deliver and sustain performance to drive growth
  • Learn, understand and strengthen workforce dynamics, incorporating compensation, training, employee engagement, diversity, and regulatory compliance
  • Turn the HR function into a business partner, driving strategic people initiatives while improving the cost, quality and speed of recruiting, training, and administration

Organizational structure refers to the way a company arranges its people and jobs to carry out its work. It involves a variety of aspects, including departmentalization, hierarchy, rules and procedures, and decision-making processes.

The right organizational structure can vary depending on the company’s size, industry, goals, and culture. For instance, a small startup might benefit from a flat structure that encourages collaboration and rapid decision making, while a large corporation might need a more hierarchical structure to manage its various divisions and departments.

How We Help

Organizational structure and design significantly impact several aspects of a business. Regardless of the specifics, a well-thought-out organizational strategy can play a crucial role in a company’s success. We help members shape their organizations to improve top and bottom line results.

  • Roles and Responsibilities
  • Efficiency
  • Communication
  • Decision Making
  • Accountability
  • Culture
  • Growth and Adaptability
  • Talent Attraction and Retention

05Technology

A catalyst for efficiency and innovation. It enhances productivity, improves customer experience, and drives growth. Today every industry has been reshaped by technology, and many that soon will be again in the age of artificial intelligence. We help members achieve goals through proper technology spending and integration, management, and engagement.

Technology is now at the core of every successful business and should support business goals, not constrain them. Being able to effectively sort through crowded tech-based solutions to create lasting results. When utilized correctly, it helps companies transform themselves and grow their business. The impact will depend on how effectively it is aligned with the company’s overall strategy and operational needs, as well as on the company’s ability to manage the risks and challenges associated with new technologies.

While technology offers numerous benefits, it’s important for companies to consider potential challenges, such as cybersecurity threats, privacy concerns, and the need for employee training. Additionally, businesses need to be adaptable as technology continues to evolve rapidly. Having a clear technology strategy aligned with the overall business strategy can help companies leverage technology effectively for their growth and success.

How We Help

As technology continues to evolve, businesses need to be adaptable and proactive in leveraging technology for their advantage. The technology function within a business plays a critical role in multiple areas. We help members achieve more with better integration and management of technology.

  • Operational Efficiency
  • Innovation
  • Data Management and Decision Making
  • Communication and Collaboration
  • Customer Experience
  • Business Agility and Scalability
  • Security and Risk Management
  • Sustainability
  • Workforce Management and Talent Development
  • Compliance

06Branding

The process of creating and building a brand by blending of sales, marketing, and service. Marketing creates awareness and demand; sales convert these into revenue and profits; service helps the cycle repeat more effectively. By defining the benefits and experiences that make brands relevant, credible, and distinctive, we help members develop and implement strategies that drive superior positioning in both local and global markets.

Without revenue (aka sales), a business dies. To produce sales, marketing is necessary to disqualify non-buyers via prospecting and/or induce buying via a lead generation funnel. And, to retain brand value good service before, during, and after purchase is paramount. Each should work hand in hand to create the company’s brand narrative, which makes the entire process easier.

Brand is tied to experience across touchpoints and making something people want or need is not enough. Happy customers are more likely to recommend a company to their friends, family, and colleagues. In the digital age, online reviews and social media sharing have amplified the power of word-of-mouth referrals. In competitive markets, offering a superior customer experience can help a company stand out among competitors. It can be a key differentiator that attracts customers to your brand over others.

How We Help

Sales, marketing, and service are each pivotal in driving brand and market values. Here are some impact areas we help members improve. By focusing on these areas, a company can enhance its brand value, which in turn can lead to increased customer loyalty, higher market share, and improved financial performance. We help members develop and implement strategies that drive superior positioning.

  • Data-Driven Decision Making
  • Brand Awareness
  • Customer Acquisition
  • Brand Image and Reputation
  • Customer Retention and Loyalty
  • Product/Service Innovation
  • Community Building
  • Customer Experience
  • Customer Engagement
  • Creating Value Proposition
  • Increasing Revenue Opportunities
  • Market Positioning
  • Revenue Growth

07Finance

Managing a company’s money; from budgeting, forecasting, investing, and risk management to ensure financial health. Organizations looking to generate consistent ROI recognize the importance of finance in managing costs while finding ways to improve value. We help members through insights and solutions that guide financial strategies and capital allocation.

Finance plays a crucial role in building value for any company, regardless of its size or industry. Finance guides how capital is allocated within the business. It determines which projects, departments, or ventures receive funding based on projected return on investment, which can lead to growth and increased value.

Companies that manage finances effectively are more likely to be successful in achieving their strategic objectives, maximizing profitability, and generating value for shareholders. This is done by selecting appropriate metrics to define the value aspirations and then design strategies linked to day-to-day decisions to maximize resources, monitor progress towards your goals, and embedding a value-first mindset.

Each of these areas contributes to the financial stability and success of the company. However, it’s important to remember that finance is about more than just managing money; it’s also about using financial insight to drive strategic decisions and create value for the business.

How We Help

The finance function plays a central role in managing a company’s resources and driving its economic performance. We help members implement better financial strategies and capital allocation.

  • Capital Management
  • Budgeting and Forecasting
  • Risk Management
  • Investment Decisions
  • Financial Reporting and Analysis
  • Cost Control and Profitability Management
  • Regulatory Compliance
  • Strategic Planning
  • Improve Intrinsic Value
  • Cash Flow Management
  • Shareholder Value Creation
  • Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A)

08Risk

Potential events that may negatively impact operations or profits. Identifying and managing risks is key to sustainability. Our team uses risk-adjusted performance methods and tools to help companies gain higher economic returns and increase customer and shareholder confidence by protecting against the adverse impacts and potential business disruption.

Risk management is not just about preventing negative outcomes; it’s also about identifying opportunities and making informed decisions to drive a company’s success. In a world of increased complexity and regulation, protecting against adversities and potential business disruptions is a must.

Competitive advantages can spring from intellectual property, whether protected by law or secret sauce (i.e. Coca-cola), this can help brand the business as it puts a stamp of exclusivity on it. Of course, legal protection doesn’t mean what you do is relevant or necessary to the market. Many companies have trademarks, copyrights, and patents even at the small business level, which never amount to competitive advantage.

There are four major risk factors for today’s business:

(i) Digital, the infrastructure and architecture helps rationalize data and use it as a key strategic asset;

(ii) Operational, fail to manage non-financial risks and suffer impacts which can be even more serious financially than typical-financial risks. Manage these risks with company-wide tactical solutions;

(iii) Regulatory, new laws and regulation can cut across every industry and are becoming more detailed, extraterritorial, and the consequences of non-compliance more severe;

(iv) Workforce, growth changes company culture – fail to adjust with scale and face higher switching costs and profit stagnation.

How We Help

Risk management is a crucial part of running a business. It involves identifying, assessing, and prioritizing risks, and taking steps to reduce their impact. We help members improve resilience with a unique view to risk management.

  • Prevent Losses
  • Support Strategic Planning
  • Enhance Operational Efficiency
  • Protect Reputation
  • Compliance
  • Strategic Decision-Making
  • Operational Efficiency
  • Financial Stability
  • Legal and Regulatory Compliance
  • Reputation Management
  • Cybersecurity
  • Business Continuity
  • Project Success
  • Employee Safety
  • Supply Chain Management

The desire for safety stands against every great and noble enterprise.