Who We Are
Next Level is private partnership united by a strong set of experienced CEOs, CIOs, COOs and specialty experts.
We have lived in and run businesses, and worked with and for top consultant firms.
Our projects help organizations resolve their most complex business problems while providing in-house talent development.
We are successful when our clients are successful.
Ryan Brown
Principal Consultant & Founder
For over a decade, Ryan has delivered measurable results for leading companies including Energizer, James Hardie, GCC of America, Boral, Philips Healthcare, Wrigley, Applied Materials, and others. With every engagement, the focus remains the same: to create transformational business outcomes while positively impacting the people within the organization.
Following a series of engineering and managerial roles at AGC Glass and Boral Industries, Ryan joined Kepner-Tregoe in 2011. In 2014, he founded Next Level Essentials to support a building products industry that was rapidly recovering—but lacking the internal resources to keep pace. Since then, the firm has expanded to serve a wide range of industries, applying proven problem-solving methods to complex business challenges.
Next Level Essentials has carved out a niche in helping independent companies remain independent, while also supporting businesses in enhancing profitability in preparation for mergers or acquisitions.
EXPERTISE
Specialties: Operations | Supply Chain | Step Change
Advanced Materials Engineering
Clemson University
Master of Business Administration
University of Georgia
14 years management consulting (including 3 years with Kepner-Tregoe) 15 years of engineering and industry management
John Lowe
Associate Consultant
John’s career has encompassed fifteen years of management consulting (including three years with McKinsey & Co.), senior corporate operations management roles (to US VP-level), and the Australian Army (to Lieutenant Colonel). These three elements equip John with a broad perspective and insight in working with clients.
John's military experience provides a fundamental grounding in leadership and management at all levels. His former corporate roles provide an understanding of, and empathy with, the requirements for corporate success, including the competing pressures that are faced by corporate executives and the challenges of implementation. And the consulting experience provides the capability of knowing how to derive the key drivers of business performance, to act on those drivers, and to work with clients to produce sustainable results.
Professional and Academic Qualifications
MBA: University of Sydney
Bachelor of Engineering (Mechanical): University of New South Wales
Post-Graduate Diploma (Reliability/Maintainability): US Army Logistics Management Center (Two-year program)
Graduate: Australian Army Royal Military College (RMC) Duntroon
Graduate: Royal Australian Navy Staff College.
OUR MISSION
Next Level Essentials is dedicated to a personalized, human-centric approach, providing context and creativity.
We base our enterprise enhancements across a wide range of applications that link to the real drivers of value
CORE VALUES:
Excellence
We are committed to upholding the highest standards of excellence in every aspect of our work, setting new benchmarks for quality and performance.
Innovation
Innovation is at the heart of everything we do. We constantly seek new and creative ways to optimize processes and drive advancements in the construction and engineering industry.
Collaboration
We believe in the power of collaboration and teamwork, working closely with our clients to achieve mutual success and foster enduring professional relationships.