Management Services
Competitive Advantage Services
Get past the myths; the myth that only large or well-established organization can have a Competitive Advantage, or the myth that you must spend a lot of money to compete, or the myth that you must innovate more than the competitor; the myths causing most SMB to give up on a Competitive Advantage before they even start.
Even SMBs can compete effectively within its budget and resources, it must think creatively, outside of the box, and learn to leverage its Strengths & Opportunities while overcoming its Weaknesses; AND we have the right frameworks to help you do exactly that:
- Enhance the Business Strengths that are aligned with your Vision, Mission, or Purpose
- Set Stretch Goals that motivates, not limit you,
- Leverage resources you have, turning it into opportunities,
- Aligned with Operations,
- Measure what matters,
- See Progress,
- Build Confidence
Competitive Advantage : Frequently Asked Questions
Simply put, Competitive Advantage is how well your business organizes its’ resources to outperform the competition.
By Resources we mean – Goods, Services, Culture, People, Strengths and Opportunities.
Outperform the competition, we mean – Influence target customers to repeatedly choose your products and services instead of the alternative products and services in the market.
A business will establishes a Competitive Advantage when its Product & Services creates more “Perceived Value for Money” than the alternatives.
Perceived Value meaning the target market better connects with, appreciates or value your products; it appeals to their preference, personality, needs and wants; than other products in the market. It is more about the intangible value than the tangible value.
Think Apple iPhone vs the Android – both with similar features & functionality, yet Apple despite it’s premium price dominates the market with a loyal customer base.
Competitive Advantage works by converting your strengths & opportunities into products and services customers are willing to pay for.
Your Strengths and opportunities includes but are not limited to:
- Exceptional Service,
- Quality Goods,
- Connecting to Target Customers preferences,
- Appealing to what they Desire,
- Providing an exceptional Experience,
- Becoming a brand customers want to be associated with, etc.
It your company “Monetizing it’s Strengths & Opportunities”?
Corporate Strategy Services
Business and Corporate Alignment is the epicentre of your successful Growth and Transformation, and it starts with being crystal clear about Corporate Strategy and Business Development goals.
Corporate Strategy is the building block of any organization. It defines who you are, what you do, why you do what you do, who you serve and how you serve.
Our Corporate Strategy services begins with a deep dive into your current state to develop assumptions about your business future. Then utilizing our analytical tool – Inverted Corporate Strategic Pyramid – collaboratively develops your Corporate Strategy – Vision Statement, Mission Statement and Company Values
Strategic Alignment is critical to the sustainable success of a business, that is why we provide your custom Execution and Accountability Framework, so you stay on track with your business goals.
Utilizes our proprietary Inverted Corporate Strategic Pyramid Framework:
- Holistic view of the business
- Analytical
- Intelligent Confidence
- Strategic Alignment
- Collaboration
Ready to soar?
It is not possible to grow if the business lacks a Cohesive Vision, Mission, or Purpose (or Target or Direction); the team is excited about. An Overarching goal that’s challenging yet achievable; a goal the business understands, buys into, and believes is possible.
Operating without a Vision results in moving from one Goal Post to the next with each Strategic Planning exercise; and is one of the Core Reasons for the decline of most initially successful businesses. Even Apple suffered the consequence of a lack of Cohesive Vision in the 1990’s.
A Corporate Strategy comes in many forms, you must find one that is right for your budget, resources, and state; one giving you the direction the business needs while allowing you the flexibility and agility to take advantage of the opportunities available to the business; without allocating your limited resources among competing priorities, and in the process diluting the business competitiveness.
Our Corporate Strategy Service is designed for SMBs, designing your Corporate Strategy, whether it’s the Vision-Mission-Values version, or the Purpose-Values version, or a much simpler Strategy Statement; it will provide the information necessary to set the business on a path it can build on, as it discovers more about its capabilities.
And because your success is our success, we leave you with the tool to maintain Strategic Alignment and encourage Accountability, so you stay on track with your Vision or Mission.
Corporate Strategy : Frequently Asked Questions
Corporate Strategy is the executive level organizational goals. Corporate Strategy can mean different things to different organizations, depending on its’ size and complexity. Most Corporate Strategy includes:
1.A Vision Statement: An an aspirational statement of what the company wishes to accomplish within the next 5 to 10 years.
2.A Mission Statement: A concise statement articulating the WHO, WHAT and WHY of the business, included in a single statement communicating the purpose the organization exists to the world.
3.The Company Values: The values are words that communicate the organization beliefs and behaviour in the execution of the business activities.
The Purpose of a Corporate Strategy is to serve as guidance, so everyone is moving forward in lockstep with each other while working toward the achievement of the same goal.
Short Answer – Definitely Yes!
Corporate Strategy primary purpose is it focuses on how to manage Resources, Risks & Return across the organization. Or stated differently, Corporate Strategy provides guidance to the entire organization, toward the Cohesive Planning & Operations of the business.
Short Answer – Definitely Yes!
Because without an Overarching Goal the Business is working toward; the business runs the risk of being managed haphazardly. Moving from one attractive goal to the next without developing momentum in any one area. And this is one of the main reasons most businesses initial success fades.
Operating Advantage Services
Is the business operations failing to deliver on its Value Proposition, or failing to achieve its perceived Competitive Advantage, or continuously delivering goods and services that are out of synced with the business plans?
The only explanation, and the root cause of the problem is, the Business is Operating at a Disadvantage, meaning the Business Operation are disconnected from its Value Proposition or Perceived Competitive Advantage.
This is simply because the Business Strategic Planning process was incomplete, skipping the final step in the process to develop an Operating Advantage.
Our Operating Advantage Service helps get you back on your competitive path; highlighting areas that conflicts with the business value proposition and in the process suggests recommendations to:
- Improve Strategic Alignment with its Value Proposition,
- Reduce or eradicate Siloization,
- Drive Result Oriented Practices,
- Foster Proactive Management to Strengthen the Business Competitiveness .
Operating Advantage: Frequently Asked Questions
Operating Advantage is the business ability to Organize, Resource and Execute the operations of the business to deliver on the Company’s Competitive Advantage – establishing Operations Competitive Advantage Alignment.
A Business Competitive Advantage is not possible without having established internally it’s Operating Advantage.
Because if the business isn’t able to operate the activities of the business to deliver on its Competitive Advantage Plan, the business will not deliver the goods and services necessary to establish an advantage over its competitors; not establishing a Competitive Advantage.
Operating advantage is achieved when the business organizes its Resources, Personnel, Procedure, Practices, Communication, etc. in perfect alignment with its Competitive Advantage plans; in the process delivering Good & Services to establish a Competitive Advantage in the Market.
Often to become more Competitive, business falls into the trap thinking that the solution is to implements industry best practices and to optimize operation; in the process strategically converging with the competitors, resulting in creating products that are more and more similar to its competing product and services.
Operating Advantage develops & strengthens the business competitiveness.
Brand Culture Services
A Business’ Brand originates internally, radiates outward and is strictly a product of your actions, your teams’ actions, and the perception your actions create in the mind of your customers, competitors, your target market, or the greater public.
Discard the myth that your Brand is created in the boardroom, is accepted and because it is what the company wanted, it’s the brand. No! Brand does not work like that. Your Brand is an extension of your Culture. The Company Culture is the foundation of a strong brand.
Our Brand Culture Services:
- Hones-in on how your actions impact the type of company you want to be,
- Defines small impactful actions to help you develop the behaviours necessary to achieve that image, and
- Create a custom Accountability Framework to track your progress, improve and take control of your entire brand and culture journey with Confidence.
Brand and Culture are critical to the success of your organization and is often the most difficult corporate items to resolve for most businesses.
We work with you to identify the gaps in your culture that infects your Brand. We identify Small Impactful Actions that repairs the root cause and begin rebuilding your core strength – your Culture and Brand.
Finally, with your renewed confidence and your custom Accountability Framework, you get the tools to continue creating value long after we have completed our engagement.
Utilizes our proprietary Strategic Optimization Framework:
- Create Value sooner
- Proactive
- Flexible
- Intelligent Confidence
Brand Culture: Frequently Asked Questions
Realistically, the Company Culture is the sum total of the collective behaviours of the workforce; regardless of whether that collective behaviour is positive, productive, respectful or dysfunctional; and when it comes down the the wire for your prospective customers, is the determining factor on whether to do business with you or your competitor.
Culture is Not the “Words” or “Phases” written in the Business Corporate Handbook, but how the daily behaviours allowed in the execution of the employees duties is experienced by its employees and customers, which defines a company culture.
“How you do any things is how you do everything”
Culture is at the CORE of every business. It is the single most critical factor that determines how you execute the activities of the business, and whether in the daily execution of your duties, your staff execute their duties with respect, thoughtfulness and diligence.
Workplace Culture is important because its one of the deciding factor on whether potential customers and high caliber talent want to be associated with your company.
Culture is a thoughtful daily practice, founded on discipline and respect.
To develop the culture you want, you must work backward; first determine the values from the “behaviours” and “practices” that will complement the business Mission or Purpose, then make it your daily mission to work with employees to embody the values in everything they do – developing the practice and discipline to “Live your Values.”
Brand tells the world (Customers, Employees, Community) who you are and what your beliefs are. It is what people connects with, and the intangible traits that ignites customers and employees loyalty. Your Company’s brand is the external representation of your Company Culture.
Business Transition Services
Prepare your Business for Sale.
SMBs business owners spend their entire lives passionately building their businesses, never contemplating having to sell when they are ready to retire; only then being told that their business isn’t as valuable.
It’s not too late!
The truth is buyers are looking at business valuation based on their rules and their ability to transform your business to multiply its current value, creating massive returns for themselves and their shareholders.
Our Business Transition Service will help you identify your business potential value, create a plan to develop and enhance your business value, with recommended scenarios on how your business can benefit different potential buyers. We are also available to work with your agent to help in the sales process if necessary.
Business Transition: Frequently Asked Questions
Business Transition is the transfer of the ownership of an organization. Emphasizing the Business transition as the “Sale” of a business from the current owner(s) to new owners.
In one word – Goodwill!
Transferring the True Value the business owner invested years to build, years in building a turnkey recognizable business with recurring revenue, loyal customers and a brand; A business that would otherwise take interested buyers years to build. Every existing, operating business has goodwill which is the added value above the sum total of the value of its asset and liabilities.
Business Transition is important to ensure that the seller gets a fair and reasonable price for his business, while the buyer is assured that they get value for money.
There are four options available to a seller when he is ready to move on from the business. 1: Sell to Family; 2: Sell to Business Partner and/or Management & 3: Sell to external parties; and the least favourable alternative when no sales is acceptable, 4: Discontinue the business and sell of the assets.
Ideally, when you started the business, the business transition plan should be incorporated into the business plan.
However, that very rarely happens. The next best time to being your Business Transition process is approximately 5 years prior to when you plan to sell or exit from the business.
If all else fails, the before actually starting the sales process, set aside a few months to prepare your business for sale.
