Results

Estilo Publishing group – 2010

Founded in 2005 by Fernando Botero, the group quickly grew to five lifestyle magazines with circulation throughout Mexico. When the Difference Engine was engaged the company was losing marketshare, and money, facing bankruptcy.
Process – Direct coaching with founder, key management and staff
Review and analyze costs and operations
Direct intervention and coaching of sales team
Rationalization of magazine group decreasing number of publications from five to one anchor magazine “Estilo”
Results – Group is now on sound financial footing
June 2010 highest grossing month in company history
By end of Q3 2010 company has already surpassed top grossing and most profitable full previous years
Monthly operational costs have been reduced 70%
Previous staff morale has acheived new heights team members innovating and actively engaged in creating exciting futures for themselves and the company

Lululemon

First retail store opened 1999 – Coached owner/founder Chip Wilson
Process – Created key principles for running a high performance exceptional place to work.
Creative training work done with 4-5 top people.
Training provided to 20-25 of key leadership personnel.
Speaking and training at AGM with all company staff.
Results – Company more than doubled every year for years.
Chip won Ernst and Young entrepreneur of the year award
Chip sold 48% of the company for $108 million in 2005 and shared about $8 million in cash and shares with 650 employees world
The company went public and shot to a 3 billion dollar market value.

Screenetics – 2009

Health screening company in the UK, operating nearly one year. Was seen as a good company with 2 months of operating funds and considered to likely fail soon.
Process – Began concentrated work in January. Developed group of novice entrepreneurs into savvy business people by:
Reworking management and helping staff to develop and mature through this process
Creating and reorganizing systems
Recreating all communication
Results – An 8 times increase in sales occurred and the ability to have powerful conversations, internally and externally, with any level of person.
Screenings moved from 50 to 400/month – more importantly, contracts changed from many individual contracts to major contracts signed for thousands of pounds
Began negotiations in the fall to bring on a key partner that will generate nationwide television coverage as well as a major health insurance company with a demand to partner up which would begin with 45,000 screenings as a test, with the intention of making up to $2 million.

Performance Textiles (Canadian provider for Polartec) – 2008

January 2008 – head office declared market was saturated, that there would be no growth until new materials were delivered.
Process – Staffing assessed and rebuilt. Set up new approach for sales and strategic approach for expanding into new markets.
Results – Performance team declares increase from $9 to $12 million. (Head office deems it unlikely.) Actual result produced $12.5 million – in 6 months.

Panther Constructors – 2008

Company had been in “head just above water” situation for 15 years with numerous ineffective interventions. Highest sales in one year was $7 million.
Process – dealt with barriers, how partners sabotaged themselves – individually and with each other. Then, worked with partners to produce a breakthrough in sales, created plan to double sales from $7 to $14 million in one year. Established an overall strategy of management and a daily sales activity.
Result – $7 to $15 million increase in 3 months.

Elevate Film Festival – 2007-2008

Festival had a maximum attendance of 500-600.
Process – Stepped into executive producer role and dealt with raising finances.
Created cohesive vision for festival
Brought business culture into the group
Raised quality level and impact of films
Results – In 2007, 3200 in attendance and people turned away at the prestigious Kodak theatre (home of Academy Awards). In 2008, over 5000 in attendance at the Nokia theatre – festival was rated as one of the top 25 films festivals in the world by Movie Maker magazine.

ANK (Apparel manufacturing) – 2007-2008

Process – Regular coaching with 2 of 3 owners
Set up a sales approach and strategy
Took initiative to grow company and generate breakthrough in quality of life at the same time
Dealt with the partnership issues (with partner running the factory)
Established new approaches with clients and areas of sales
Worked on the effective use of people’s time and sales conversations
Created ways of managing the pipeline effectively
Results: – Sales increased from $5 to $11 million
Partners reduced work hours and increased peace of mind and health
- Plans set up for moving to $40 million, then $100 million, while competitors are bracing for reduction in sales