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A Moment to Reflect
11 years used to feel like a long time. This month, I’m grateful to celebrate another anniversary for Next Level Essentials, Inc. While...
Sep 221 min read


The Carrot and Stick Myth
Have you ever seen a company throw more money at an unhappy employee and wonder why they're still unhappy? I see this all the time. The...
Sep 31 min read


The Success Trap
Success feels good. It feels like a destination. You've climbed the hill. You are on the plateau. This is the most dangerous place to...
Aug 271 min read


The Three Words at the Heart of Every Great Business
Let's strip away the corporate speak and get to the absolute core of what makes a business tick: it exists to solve someone else's...
Aug 252 min read


The Real Reason Behind All Those Grounded Flights
In the United States, one of the big news stories is of top airlines’ continued failures to work around a rash of technical glitches that...
Aug 252 min read


What My Backyard Taught Me About Entrepreneurship
Last weekend I was in the wooded portion of my backyard and noticed all sorts of bamboo shoots I hadn’t noticed before. It turns out...
Aug 252 min read


Installing a dynamic sales and operations process (S&OP) to stop margin leaks and excessive transport costs
National manufacturer improved forecasting, and cut $1.5M in logistics costs while boosting on-time deliveries and customer satisfaction.
Jul 293 min read


Constrained by Storage, Big Business Unlocks Supply in Tight Market
A building materials manufacturer solved seasonal storage bottlenecks by optimizing inventory locations, unlocking $21M in annual EBITDA gains with a 2-year payback.
Jul 292 min read


Supplier Optimizes Distribution Costs
A leading market supplier saves nearly $3m in freight and variable costs by optimizing its western region product distribution.
Jul 291 min read


Manufacturer Turns Profitable
Materials manufacturer goes from -5% to +10% EBITDA in 7 months.
Jul 292 min read


U.S. manufacturer leverages profit opportunities
Market leader delivers 7% to the bottom line in materials, operations, logistics and sales while establishing a tool for future synergy analysis.
Jul 292 min read


With life cycle cost analysis, building materials manufacturer ramps up for growth
By determining the optimal age in which to turn over aged fleet, a supply company positions itself for a market upswing while lowering transport costs by 8%
Jul 291 min read


Redesigning the Supply Chain to Improve Profitability
With the help of linear optimization, an international supplier maximizes profit margins while seeding future growth opportunities.
Jul 291 min read


Through analytical problem solving, a company reduces its exposure to costs of quality
By analyzing four dimensions of a costly quality problem, a manufacturer reduces its cycle time to resolution and discovers key operational benefits in the process.
Jul 291 min read


Transformational Cost Repositioning for Building Materials Giant
A leading roof tile manufacturer faced shrinking margins from rising costs and pricing pressures. Past cost-cutting failed to deliver lasting impact. Through a structured cost transformation program, we identified quick wins, optimized labor and utilities, and streamlined operations. The result: $1.6M annual savings, stronger profitability, and resources freed to fuel growth in new markets and acquisitions.
Jul 292 min read


Case Study: Supplier Optimizes Distribution Costs
The key question for the company was: What is the optimal distribution plan by plant in order to maximize profit?
May 2, 20231 min read


Is Your Business Ready to Sell? Lessons from a Year of M&A in Building Materials
Major deals like the BFS-BMC merger and multiple acquisitions by private equity firms reshaped the competitive landscape. With nearly 500 locations changing hands and more than 40 companies actively buying, the industry is consolidating faster than ever.
May 25, 20212 min read


Maximize Earnings and Reduce OPEX in the Year Leading Up to Sale
Selling your business is a highly personal event and having a third party assign a value to the worth of your enterprise can be off-putting to some. A common refrain from owners early in the process is, “But my business is worth more than that!”
Sep 3, 20203 min read


Thriving After the Chaos
Successfully managing through the turbulent times should include both short-term cash management for survival and addressing broader resiliency issues to ensure business viability on the other side
Aug 17, 20205 min read


Pricing is the Biggest Tool for a Slumping Bottom Line
Targeted pricing is often lost as an approach, but one needs to do it properly...as even modest reductions in volume as a consequence can undo the value.
Jun 2, 20203 min read
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