Recently, I renamed my company Clear Path Coaching and Consulting. It reflects the focus of helping business owners and executives develop a strategic business plan to run their business effectively and grow their business faster. After nearly two years in business, it is the name that best describes how I work with and help business owners and executives.
When I launched Student Connections in 2015, it was my first opportunity to sit in the big chair, the President’s chair. I had led business divisions and national teams for Fortune 500 companies since 2004, but never did I have the whole business residing under me. It was a big opportunity and a dramatic change in perspective.
Over the years, I had seen great examples of leadership and some terrible ones. I had my ideas for leading a business. I believed in several key principles. A successful business needs a clear mission and vision. When employees understand how their role aligns with business goals they will work harder and be more engaged. When leadership is in alignment silos are eliminated and the business can grow faster.
I planned to build a business that had a clear path forward that I could communicate with my employees and my customers. To accomplish that, I pulled together a set of tools. I brought in the One Page Business Plan to help me build a strategic plan for the business. The Core Values Index to help make better hiring decisions and to help my team better communicate. I hired an executive coach to help me clarify my goals and work through the inevitable roadblocks that got in my way.
The commitment to my vision for growing a business and the decision to bring in a robust toolset worked. In three years, we grew Student Connections from a minor player in the student loan default prevention space to a player of significance. We grew revenue 10x. We increased staff from 20 to nearly 70 employees. We had high employee engagement as measured by Emplify, resulting in recognition as a great place to work in Indianapolis in 2018.
After two years in business and working with over 25 clients, I have gained clarity on how I can bring the most value to my customers. My initial plan was to bring the same tools that successfully grew my last business to a broader audience of business owners and executives. I led with coaching and brought the other tools in as needed. What I’ve seen over the last two years is what most businesses need is a clear and strategic business plan. This is especially important for fast-growing companies that are adding employees and need to cultivate a leadership team instead of doing it all themselves.
What I will be focusing on in 2020 is taking my clients through the development of the One Page Business Plan. The tool is incredibly useful in helping leaders achieve clarity around their business. It allows them to focus on key objectives and strategies to grow their business. And that clarity helps them to focus on what projects they need to undertake that bring the best return. As one of my clients put it:
“Before we developed the One Page Business Plan with Craig and Clear Path Coaching and Consulting, we struggled to develop organizational and corporate goals that could be pursued and embraced at the departmental level. The engagement created transparency across all departments, helped focus management on those areas they had influence, and ultimately led everyone to pursuing the company’s goals and success.” – Phillip, CEO of a financial services firm
On September 8th, I will lead a one-week series on how to build a One Page Business Plan for your business. If you want to take your business to the next level, align your team and track the results and projects that matter, you don’t want to miss it.
Look for more information on the workshop over the next few weeks. If you’d like to learn more, reach out to me, and we can start a discussion.