We are usually hired to help solve problems like these:

Strategy

• “We’ve stopped growing. We need an unbiased view and fresh thinking on how we can profitably grow top-line revenues.”
• “We’ve grown organically, and so most of our senior management team is operationally focused. We need to learn to think strategically and do a lot more analysis on growth options that we can implement.”

Risk and Portfolio Management

• “We need to improve our understanding of how risk and portfolio management can improve our business.”
• “We’re stuck on P/I ranking and IRR hurdle rates. There’s got to be a better way.”

Pricing/Value-Selling

• “At the commodity end of our product line our salespeople are really getting beaten up on price—even though we know we deliver plenty of value beyond the competition.”
• “Whenever we deliver true innovation we have a hard time capturing price premiums that are even a small fraction of the value we bring to the table.”

Strategic Accounts/Business Development

• “There are some monster accounts that we’ve never been able to really crack open. There’s got to be a way for us to win that business.”
• “There are substantial market sectors where we could add value, but we’re not even playing. There must be a low-risk business model that will let us get going there.”
• “Some of our oldest customers who understand the value we bring best are also relatively low margin. Shouldn’t it be the other way around?”

Organizational Development

• “We need to become more marketing driven and get our R&D and sales organizations working much more effectively with marketing.”

Product Launch

• “This big product launch later this year is a make-or-break for us. We’ve got to get this one right and improve our batting average on new products.”
• “Last year’s product launch was kind of a fizzle, but we can’t afford to let the opportunity pass. Let’s figure out what went wrong and give it another good shot.”
• “We’re guilty of leaking our products into the market. We don’t have the skills to develop a real commercialization plan and stick with it.”