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From Chaos to Organization
Lee, Construction Company CEO
Lee’s Predicament: An entrepreneur named Lee came to me with his business in a precarious state. Although it was an established company, it was on the brink of collapse. A new office manager hire had taken over operations, customers, even financials, linking them all to her personal email account, shutting Lee out of his own business.
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Knowing there was no use in attacking this person for her duplicity, I used stealth. I worked fast to establish a rapport with her using my knowledge of psychology. After gaining her trust, I regained access to the business accounts. Then I changed all passwords overnight so Lee could fire her the next day.
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Addressing the Challenge: Lee needed reliable administrative support his nightmare hire failed to provide. I assisted Lee in sourcing an incredible new office manager who fit in with the company culture from the start. The best part? She requested a salary far below the bloated pay of the person she replaced.
I also advised Lee on the need for further structure to scale. This led to the hiring of a project manager and a site supervisor, greatly increasing his team’s performance. The strategic staffing moves enhanced the value of Lee’s company—while also coming in under budget.
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Positive Outcome: Just months after a significant crisis, Lee’s business underwent a stunning transformation. The company now operates from a position of strength, staffed with the right people in the right roles. Lee went from an overwhelmed entrepreneur to a thriving business owner with a top-notch team.
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“Ashley came highly recommended from one of her competitors. We were all amazed at how quickly and professionally she operates. A huge asset to our business, I’m certain she would be an asset to any business that hires her.”
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~Lee, Construction Company CEO
Amy(Name Changed), Executive Director of a
University-Affiliated Organization
Amy, Executive Director University-Affiliated
I meet clients where they are. This organization affiliated with a major university was years past the initial phase. Amy (name changed) had recently taken over as executive director. She found a team in disarray. Out of 11 employees, a small few were causing significant issues, resulting in a dysfunctional team.
Amy explained the many problems her organization suffered:
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Deliverables weren’t being met.
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Drama regularly exploded
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Amy couldn’t deliver on her own work
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Unnecessary costs ballooned due to lack of accountability
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Constant finger pointing and spinning made work a circus
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Likewise, people crying and yelling and not wanting to come to work—even remote employees—sabotaged operations.
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From my psychological training, I knew I could help this toxic office environment. Everyone needed to understand themselves more and how to relate with coworkers. I began with a DISC assessment, providing eye-opening personality insights. Next, I provided tools to help align cultural behavior and manage personal emotions.
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The employees were so receptive to what they learned they even asked for additional coaching. I built a team of expert coaches to work individually with employees and with me. At the same time, I met 1-1 with Amy to refine her leadership approach and create strategies to help her align employee efforts towards common goals.
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Outcome: From the first group session, there was tremendous potential to overcome past dysfunctions. Many team members revealed they had never received help in working together. Positive results went into overdrive as each employee received personal coaching from experts I sourced.
After two months, the team could have hard conversations as never before, staying calm and not breaking into tears and/or yelling. No more finger pointing. No more playing the blame game.
After four months of coaching, even the most disruptive employees could provide constructive feedback and get it without drama. Suddenly, deadlines were hit like clockwork and the toxicity dissipated.
"We are finally able to work through things we haven't been able to in the past. As a team, we are really starting to come together and align our efforts to move forward."
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- Executive Director
Craig, Non-Profit Executive Director
Craig, Executive Director - OMIC R&D
Process Challenges: Craig’s lucrative career as a lobbyist failed to scratch his entrepreneurial itch. He wanted to make a bigger impact on the world. He found his calling with a nonprofit dedicated to creating innovation in next- generation manufacturing techniques. OMIC, his company, is a fantastic idea, but Craig turned to me for help because he was drowning in operation details.
Having worked with Craig previously, I knew he was a creative right-brain thinker. We worked together to quickly improve skills he didn’t need before, like delegation. This freed up time to tackle more important tasks. In short order, Craig transitioned from an expert doer to an expert leader.
Addressing People Challenges: OMIC quickly proved its value to the Pacific Northwest’s manufacturing community. But then Craig had a new challenge—scaling his team from three to 11 employees. During this growth phase, Craig asked me to help him build a collaborative environment so new employees could hit the ground running.
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I organized a DISC assessment of the growing team, uncovering behavioral strengths that were lacking. We then built a strategy to fill in gaps while defining those skills and behaviors required at each stage of company growth.
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Positive Outcome: 3 years after our work, Craig has a diverse team leveraging each member’s strength. They work together constructively to achieve goals and communicate effectively without the toxicity and drama plaguing so many organizations. OMIC continues to expand under Craig’s confident leadership.
“Where I am now compared to where I was when I started is a world of difference. I am finally working the way I wanted and no longer stuck in the minutia. I cannot recommend Ashley highly enough to anyone wise enough to take advantage of the assistance she can provide.”
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- Craig, Nonprofit CEO
Falling in Love with Her Company (Again)
Gracie, CEO - Small Business Owner
Gracie founded her HR consulting agency to leverage best practices from her corporate career, enabling smaller companies to raise their HR game. She loved working with her clients on certain projects, but it wasn’t all roses. Gracie found herself stretched too thin. She was offering services she didn’t enjoy providing, yet still considered a necessary evil to stay afloat.
I met Gracie through a certification program. Together we streamlined her menu of services, deciding which were “keepers.” We then devised a strategy to increase her work in areas she enjoyed while minimizing those she didn’t. The result? A happier, more focused Gracie.
"Ashley's technical skills are out of this world. But it's her ability take what is in my mind, consolidate, and create something tangible that makes her so valuable to me."
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- Gracie, Inacay HRC
Scaling a Better Dog Treat
Christie, CEO - Small Business Owner
Christie baked dog treats at home because she wasn’t satisfied with store offerings. After months of friends and family ooh-ing and ah-ing over her creations, she took the plunge: selling her unique goodies to other pet lovers. She soon encountered unprecedented challenges beyond creating treats for demanding pups. She struggled to manage her production process.
In Christie, I recognized someone with passion for a superior product. Together, we charted her problems, developing plans to manage them. Back then, she still rolled and cut dough by hand before baking them. I helped her identify options to accelerate production and reduce manual labor without harming quality. I also presented helpful data on weighing costs versus benefits, transforming her operations. Less than a year later, her treats sold on the shelves of major retailer MudBay.
"I would be spinning my wheels without Ashley's direction and guidance"
- Christie, Clyde Dog Treats
Building Future Success Stories
I look forward to building your future success story!
Your amazing ideas, visions, and yes—even your thorny operational issues—are why I get out of bed in the morning. Through collaboration, I’m ready to overcome your people and process challenges! Let’s strategize how to break you out of the alone trap today.
Overcome Your People and Process Challenges
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