In a vast landscape of business consultants and coaches, The Resultants stand apart because our Business Advisors work differently. We don’t just leave you with a three-ring binder of strategy to gather dust on a shelf; we work closely with business owners as accountability partners to transform their business and achieve their unique goals.
Many of our potential clients come to us with questions about our process, and want to know what they can expect from working with us. In this blog, our Business Advisors are answering your most frequently asked questions to help you decide if a partnership with The Resultants is right for your business.
Q: What kind of companies do The Resultants usually work with?
A: We work with small to midsize, privately held organizations that are growth-oriented, have a reasonably healthy balance sheet, and leadership with the capacity to work on the business.
Q: How long does the process usually take?
A: On average, clients are with us for 2-3 years before “graduating” to running their Business Operating System independently. Some clients choose to keep us on longer as they evolve to the next level and experience new challenges, higher ROI, and greater success.
Q: How can I trust The Resultants with the business I have spent years building?
A: It can be daunting to let someone into your company, especially when change is needed. But at The Resultants, we hold a deep respect for our clients and their businesses, some of which have taken a lifetime to build. Since 1999 we’ve been earning our clients’ trust and building a reputation of success. When we partner with you, we’re in it for the long-haul to help you thrive.
Q: What is expected of me in terms of time and involvement?
A: Our most successful clients are business owners and leaders who are coachable: willing to show up, try new things, and learn new ways of approaching business management. Your continuous involvement is key to your success, but don’t worry, we won’t overload you with new tasks. Instead, expect to meet with us regularly and dig into business operations so we can devise how to make your organization more efficient than ever.
Q: With the economy feeling a bit shaky, is now the right time to invest in a partnership?
A: Business goes on in all different kinds of environments. We’ve worked with clients through upturns, downturns, and the unknown. We provide you with the tools and systems to build the right structure and team, and this groundwork will allow you to successfully pivot and adapt to whatever comes your way.
Q: How can I afford to bring in help with my business?
A: How can you afford NOT to? For the price of a mid-level manager, The Resultants bring decades of experience and a proven process to help you grow and scale. Look at our services as a percentage of your revenue and make the nominal investment to transform your business. We’ll help you set the foundation for a high-performing team that continues to deliver a return for years to come.
Q: My company/product is very niche. Will The Resultants be able to help me?
A: While the products may differ, the components of successful business operating systems hold strong across industries. When you partner with us, you’ll have a talented team around you and access to helpful resources such as content from trusted business leaders, solid advice from subject-matter experts, and peer groups. We might not know how to build your widget, but we have the tools, resources, and facilitation magic to help you make widgets better than ever before!
Q: Owning a business isn’t what I expected. Is that normal?
A: It’s more common than you think. It helps to remember that your company is an asset to grow, not a business to manage; done successfully, it isn’t supposed to be like a job. Our Business Advisors function as a “head coach”, working with owners 1:1 to assist them in identifying the issue, delegate business operations to a well-developed team, and get out from under the day to day details of business management.
Q: My situation is complicated: I’ve had a business partner for 15 years and want to pass along my half of the company to my son/daughter. How can The Resultants help?
A: Owners often feel like their situation is too complex for anyone to coach or advise them through. The good news is that we help owners navigate all kinds of problems — from the complexities of competing goals, to operating agreements (or lack of them), to next generation planning. We also have trusted referral partners and resources available to assist with a variety of professional needs.
Q: I already know everything about running a business operating system. I’ve read all the books and have been in professional development for many years. Why do I need The Resultants?
A: Reading and “knowing” is a lot easier than applying, executing, and implementing. If it was just about knowing, we wouldn’t need professionals in any field (dentists, car mechanics, wealth managers, tax preparers, etc.)! However, we love to work with companies who have experience with and understand the concept of an operating system.
Q: Does my business really need this kind of “intensive engagement”?
A: As General Patton would say, “A good plan violently executed now is better than a perfect plan executed next week." Our focused engagement requires consistent interactions with the leaders of your organization. This allows us to bring strategy to life, as opposed to putting it in a three-ring binder to gather dust on a shelf!
Q: Is this going to require even more meetings?
A: Actually, most of our clients find it’s the same number of meetings, and sometimes less. This is because most meetings held in organizations are ineffective - they have no agenda or structure, no actions, no accountability. When we come in, we focus on quality over quantity; our meetings are going to streamline your decision-making and eliminate all the ad hoc hallway meetings that leave people out of the loop and create chaos.
Q: Can you really help me not feel handcuffed to the bank or my business?
A: Yes! Owner freedom goes hand in hand with financial freedom, and our Business Advisors understand that one of the ways to gaining financial freedom is to build a leadership team that has the tools to function with or without you. So, whether your definition of freedom means enjoying afternoons on the golf course, having the money to buy another business, or leaving a legacy with a philanthropic effort, The Resultants can help you get there.
Q: Can you help my leadership team enjoy working with one another?
A: Absolutely. Your team health is one of the most important keys to your business’s success, and improving poor team health requires consistent behavioral changes that often need a specialized coach to lead teams through. That’s where we come in. We are experienced in helping owners identify who is (and who isn’t) a good fit for your culture. But, while our Business Advisors will make the observations and ask the important questions, it is the business owner or leader who ultimately has to make those decisions.
Q: Who should be involved at the Leadership Team level and why?
A: At a minimum, all areas of the “Three-Legged Stool” should be represented: Sales/Marketing, Operation/Production, and Administration/Finance. Depending on the size and industry of the organization, leadership teams may include additional functional leaders as needed in the best interest of the organization. These may include strategic HR, IT/Technology, Purchasing/Supply Chain, Inventory Management, etc.
Q: How are The Resultants different from other business coaches out there?
A: The Resultants are different because we focus on the A.R.T of Business:
Accountability: We increase accountability through frequency of interaction and depth of relationships.
Results: We achieve results with proven, documentable performance and tracked data.
Teams: We help build high-performing teams with healthy, core values-based cultures.
Furthermore, our clients see us as The Team Behind Their Team™. We aim to improve the lives of entrepreneurial leaders, their teams, and their families. We take a holistic approach using The Resultants Accelerate Your Business™ Process and the Value Builder System™ to ensure that the most optimal outcomes are achieved. And, with the help of our Client Account Managers, clients find adopting new operating systems and tools to be much easier and more efficient than expected.
Got More Questions? We’ve Got Answers!
If you didn’t see your question on this list of frequently asked questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us by filling out the contact form on our website. One of our Business Advisors will be happy to answer any questions you may have about working with The Resultants. We look forward to helping you take your business further, faster.