Caroline Stacy & Co.
Case Study

Strategy and Business Transformation

We were selected by the owner of a regional tax preparation and financial planning firm to create a business and transition plan to position the company for future growth and to enable the founding partner to transition into retirement.

Develop a Business and Transition Plan to Help a Financial Services Firm Transform

The Problem

This successful financial services business was thriving, but the founding partner was still heavily involved in day-to-day operations and wanted to chart a new path forward. We were engaged to develop a business plan outlining a new strategic direction that would enable this purpose-driven organization to grow and flourish. We were also asked to create a transition and leadership succession plan that would allow the lead partner to phase out his involvement over time.

Caroline Stacey and Ray Stacey consulting with a business professional, strategizing patient experience improvements and digital transformation solutions.

The Approach

  • Market research and stakeholder interviews
  • Strategic planning and offsite facilitation
  • Leadership team assessment and evaluation
  • Strategy, vision, and succession plan formulation

We worked closely with the firm’s leadership team to understand the organization and to identify opportunities and challenges. Our work included interviewing key stakeholders, researching best practices, the local market and competitive landscape, and understanding the firm’s culture and financial performance.

We then facilitated a strategic offsite planning session with the leadership team to outline the future vision, strategy, and key priorities. We also conducted a comprehensive assessment of the senior leadership team to understand their strengths, weaknesses, and future career aspirations as a key input to creating a leadership succession plan.

RESULTS

A well thought out and co-created vision, strategy and leader succession plan positioned this successful business for future growth and charted a path that allowed the founding partner to enjoy his future retirement.

“I enlisted Caroline Stacey and Co. to help with a business and succession plan. Caroline listened well to the needs I expressed, laid out a fine process, ably enlisted participation from key staff members, and helped us move a long way from ‘Founder-Leader’ to a ‘Management Team’ approach. I found it easy to speak frankly with Caroline. From beginning to end she was an objective consultant with empathy for the challenges we faced and a willingness to push us to develop solutions. — Scott B, CEO and Founder”

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Client Feedback

"Caroline is a highly effective commercial business leader who is able to apply her knowledge and experience to make a material impact on business results. Caroline’s skill set enables her to operate at a strategic level then lead teams to translate the strategy into tangible actions and results. Caroline is a strong people leader with excellent communication skills and the ability to influence people at all levels within an organization."
Helen D.
Software Company Executive
“Caroline was an innovative and collaborative leader who does a great job bringing the right internal stakeholders together to achieve a goal.  [She] is a strategic thinker who can help move from strategy to execution to achieve amazing results.” 
Chris D.
VP, Digital Experience
“I enlisted Caroline Stacey and Co. to help with a business and succession plan. Caroline listened well to the needs I expressed, laid out a fine process, ably enlisted participation from key staff members, and helped us move a long way from ‘Founder-Leader’ to a ‘Management Team’ approach. I found it easy to speak frankly with Caroline. From beginning to end she was an objective consultant with empathy for the challenges we faced and a willingness to push us to develop solutions. We have now explicitly stated the Mission, the Vision, and the Values of the company. This allows me to let go the reins more easily since I have greater confidence that those succeeding me will respect the firm’s roots as they carry it forward to the next level.”
Tracy L.
Director, Patient Experience, Large Healthcare System
“Thank you so much for your help with [our] project to [… help] patients connect with their families. Your energy and passion were the reason why I wanted to [implement this new patient experience] so soon!”
Healthcare System Leader
"This is just one of the many examples of the awesome work Caroline Stacey and Co. has done for our [project] rollout. Everyone was sharing excitement for the go live next month. The CS&Co team had such a natural way of encouraging all team members to contribute and stay engaged on this project. Plus, they completed all their major deliverables early, setting us up for success with the launch!"
Malia I.
Digital Innovation Product Owner