MBA: By the Seat of the Pants
When you build a professional practice from scratch into a multi-million dollar business, oversee and manage an office with 120 people and $18 million dollar budget, you face new challenges every day. Whether they be getting marketing staff to focus on the right business opportunities, hiring talented people or firing those that did not fit, managing cash flow with limited budgets, resolving conflict among team members, making decisions on expanding and shrinking office space, assessing capital improvements, embracing new technologies, and celebrating successes – I learned a lot about himself and how to run a business.
While success breeds opportunity and challenges – more challenge than opportunity – it taught me what it feels like to sit in the executive chair.
Beyond the Benchmark: You’re on your own
Making changes is risky. Leaving the success of the corporate world is scary. Passion becomes the driver. Philosophy: Success and fulfillment come from the passion within us. I followed my passion.
In 2001 I founded Beyond the Benchmark. My mission: To inspire and educate business-minded people, through a supportive and fun environment, to move beyond their current level of success to a higher level of fulfillment.
For five years, I served as leader of executive peer advisory groups for Vistage International. Working in small groups, I facilitated the identification, discussion, and decision-making process for the most challenging issues facing CEOs and small business owners. Through executive coaching I supported and held the organization leaders accountable for their actions. My efforts provided accountable decisions, significant business results, and personal leadership development.
These business owners wanted someone to talk to, they wanted clarity around what action to take, they wanted someone who they could confide in. I was their group facilitator and personal coach.