The founders of Professional Services firms are faced with a constant quandary. In addition to all the pressures of running their business … hiring, engaging, and keeping great talent, generating sales, cutting costs, overseeing operational efficiencies, developing their expertise … they are still the primary, if not the only person who is responsible for designing business strategy and driving results. Very often, the path to meaningful and significant growth is foggy at best, and not even considered at worst. Despite the underlying, insatiable motivation to deliver an exciting and attractive offer, the result falls flat … trending to healthy survival with periodic glimmers of success before returning to the mean.
We know what we are, but know not what we may be.
- William Shakespeare
This is exactly how Bernie felt as the founder and primary producer for his Insurance Advisory Firm, Cove Continuity Advisors Inc.
He had so many unanswered questions:
— How can we continue to lead the industry in such a commoditized marketplace?
— Our offer looks virtually the same as our competitors. How can we effectively differentiate from them?
— Is scaling up by size really the only way to grow revenues and leverage our expertise? And, if that’s the case, is it worth it?
Our clients, just like Bernie, who are big thinkers, hungry for impact and committed to playing full-out find themselves starting to run out of steam and looking for more inspiring outlets for their passion and energy. With dwindling enthusiasm and no clear path to a better way, they often become less enamoured by their business.
Until they meet a catalyst … someone who can help them transform their thinking. Their old approaches had them stuck. Something had to change. By shifting perspective and transforming their thinking, they can identify new opportunities that amplify their profits and their impact.
Here are some of the changes that Bernie made to transform his business:
• Built a new foundation for his business based on values that he and his team could use to grow the business in alignment with their vision for the impact they wanted to have as a company, and to turn to when challenged.
• Realized that the success of his business was linked directly to his persona and that he had to stop hiding behind what he thought he was ‘supposed to do’ and show his true self through the business.
• Discovered that there was a new way to build a new future for the business that created excitement for him and his team and that much of their growth and success could be attributed to things they accomplished outside of their core business.
• Created a new level of transparency with his clients to change the conversation with them, guide his recommendations and foster better outcomes.
• Implemented a strategy focused on creating a magnetic space, being relevant, building a social network, being around like-minded people and making it a fun exploration to get to know people.
Here’s what Bernie had to say:
“I was fortunate to be introduced to Michèle through an advisor who spoke highly of the service that she provides. When I met Michèle I was struggling with how best to position and differentiate myself from other advisers in a way that reflected my unique offering. I was tired of using the cliché approaches to marketing my services that didn’t reflect my deeper values. I was positioning my services in the same way everyone else was by focusing on the delivery of my products and services trying to send the message, “I can do it better” and hoping people would recognize this. I felt as though I had to continually reinvent myself to stay ahead of the competition in some way. My description of what made me different sounded just like everyone else and therefore didn’t differentiate me at all. The process of differentiation in a traditional sense is exhausting and time consuming.
“After working with Michèle over a number of months to produce my own Business Differentiation Blueprint I am able to enthusiastically endorse Michèle’s work first hand. Michèle’s approach is unique in that she believes we are all as unique as our fingerprints and to truly differentiate we need to get in touch and express that uniqueness in such a way that our client’s can recognize the value they are getting from our relationship. By discovering my unique essence and energy I began to focus on rebuilding my business according to my Blueprint with the intention that prospective clients and influencers, who see and appreciate my unique value proposition, would find me. I am happy to say that through this shift of attention to express my Blueprint through my business I feel greater alignment in my personal and professional life. I have found new inspiration towards the development of opportunities and relationships. This Blueprint has drawn significant strategic by-products to us that are outside of my core business as well as new and exciting relationships. A large benefit to gaining this clarity is that I am able to refine the delivery of my message rather than having to reinvent it continuously. Michèle’s approach to blueprinting me and my expression reminds me of the adage “build it and they will come”.
“Michèle was able to cut through the fluff and help me create a Business Differentiation Blueprint that truly reflects me as a person and what people can expect from me and my business. She has been invaluable because I am now telling a story about what makes me tick and how that translates to value for my clients. My wife, who is also my business partner, believes Michèle has helped me unlock deep hidden potential through this process.”
~ Bernie Geiss, Founder, Cove Continuity Advisors
How would you feel if we could unlock deep hidden potential in you and your business?
Today, Bernie is excited by the possibilities in his business, he is energized through living his values, and he is engaged with people who inspire him every day.
For those of you who are already familiar with my work, Bernie has learned to lean on his Business Differentiation Blueprint® and let it guide him when he needs clarity. He puts focused attention on actions that got him through the Gap and help him climb to the top levels on the Business Value Ladder™, and he strategically applies the 4 Forces of Differentiation™ when implementing his business plan.
Since he now builds with a crystal clear path in mind, Bernie has seen year over year growth in his business, attracted “ideal” new hires, is in-demand for high profile media interviews, and experiences a steady flow of new clients who routinely introduce his team to new opportunities.
And this momentum only continues to build.
As with any big vision that is infused with integrity, authenticity, generosity, and high value, if you build it, they will come.
Bernie has found his path. He has worked on it. He has worked for it. And he, along with his team, his family and his community, is reaping the abundant rewards.
And Michèle is his coach.
Every good coach will have an impact on you. A significant impact. An impact that leaves you better than when you started. “Better” has no lasting value when it’s solely about the money, but when you’re that much better, it’s builds on itself, and we’ve seen over and over again that the money really does follow!
Are you ready for a productive and profitable transformation in your business?
Email us at info@transformationcatalyst.ca to see if our style, approach and expertise are right for you to help you experience success, differently.