Case Studies

At Kaizen, we are proud of the work we do. It is exciting to watch leaders transform from being tired and overworked to people who are vibrant and excited about the future of their business. When someone is finally able to put words to the things that concern them and together we develop a plan of action – it is fulfilling to see the tension lift from their shoulders.

To give you an idea of what we’ve done in the past, here are a few examples. These are not all-encompassing to the type of work we do, but will provide insight into the scope of our expertise and into issues you may be facing.

The Problem:
Joe is extremely frustrated with his staff. He can’t seem to find the right people, and ends up doing too much work himself. He spends a lot of time hiring and training people because they keep leaving. He doesn’t trust that his staff is capable of making day-to-day decisions in the business.

Our Approach:
Joe needed to develop some personal leadership skills in order to better equip his people. There were big gaps in his staff’s knowledge and abilities that were preventing them from being effective. By asking the right questions, communicating with and training his team better, Joe realized good teammates have needs and as he got better at seeing and filling those needs, his staff turnover went down and down until everyone wanted to stay and continue to be part of a business they are proud to be a part of. We also worked with Joe to design and implement an ongoing recruitment system to keep a line-up of qualified applicants at his fingertips. From then on, when Joe needed someone, he had a folder full of options. Joe used to think there was a shortage of good employees. He learned, there is also a shortage of good employers.
  

The Problem:
Mary felt like she was on a treadmill. She had become sick of the corporate life and took the “entrepreneurial leap” into something she felt passionate about turning into a business. At first it was fun, but as time went by, and she got busier, she soon became overwhelmed in doing the day-to-day work in the business. Her waking hours were spent at, or thinking about, her business.

Our Approach:
Mary isn’t alone of course. Many business owners follow this path, beginning a business without the necessary formal business training and/or practical business skills. Mary heard of us through a friend and had the courage to reach out for help, without really knowing at the time what she needed. We quickly identified the challenge. Mary was having trouble saying no and letting go. Although she had hired good people, she was not empowering them to serve the customer. She often dealt directly with customers, as she did when she started the business. This consumed the time she needed to support her team, leaving them relatively ineffective and uninspired. We laid out a plan to take what was in Mary’s head and create systems to free up her time. After assessing how she spent her time, we were able to identify activities she neither enjoyed, nor was good at. We systematized and delegated those first. Mary was then in a position to invest her time working on the business, creating a business that could eventually work without her constant micromanagement.
  
The Problem:
Bill has owned his business for many years but never made much money at it. In fact, he is in serious debt and his wife pays the bills by holding down another job. Bill wasn’t sure he could even afford a business coach – but got to the point where it was either seek help or shut down.

Our Approach:
One of the first things we always look at when we begin working with a client is their pricing model. Bill’s was seriously flawed. He was losing money with every sale. It was something he suspected, but didn’t know how to fix. He was burnt out. He couldn’t afford to hire anyone, and his existing people weren’t very good. Bill had no one to talk to and felt afraid and alone. Feeling ‘alone and fearful’ is not uncommon for the people we help. The biggest killer of businesses is lack of cash. After an education in business math 101, Bill was able to fix his pricing model. He created a new quoting tool that took him a fraction of the time. He raised his prices and created a marketing program to sell on value not price. As his strength and confidence returned, so did his vision. He became excited again and it was contagious. He grew his business, sold it, and now he is running two other businesses using the same generalized principles he learned in turning around his first business.