Pathway

My core services focus on bulding brands that thrive, not just survive:

Clear strategy. Planning that gets you clear on where you’re going and how you’ll get there. A three-year brand blueprint, plus a practical (that means doable) 12-month plan for standing out in your market and getting noticed. What makes you different? Why do people care?
Marketing & Message. Crafting a clear, concise and compelling story for your brand that gets integrated in all your various points of contact with customers. And building a plan to deliver the message consistently with the same look and feel. All the time, every time.
Service Delivery. Engaging your team to do the little things that delight your customers and allow your story to spread. Service superiority is the one thing most brands can do to make a real difference in growing and thriving. So why do many brands fall short on service? Dumb.
Building through people. Getting the right people in the right seats, firing on all cylinders to deliver what you promise. Remember: your brand is not what you say you are; it’s what your customers think you are. Branding is mostly about people, yet many companies miss this and blame the marketers for branding problems. Dumb again.
Getting things done. Roll-up-the-sleeves tactics that help you implement and get the job done in strategy, planning, marketing, service delivery and people. Not abandoning you in execution. Actions speak louder than words.

I’m also passionate about:

Meeting facilitation

Enhancing how your team works together and makes good decisions – whatever the topic.

Keynotes, seminars and workshops

Engaging all of your team members in a common cause:

Business and executive coaching

A listening ear and a challenging viewpoint that focuses you on key priorities and helps you act on them effectively.

(Consider this the fine print.)

No one likes surprises, so here’s a snapshot of how I like to work with my clients:

Real branding matters. I like to work with clients who view branding through the same lens that I do. That means more than just advertising: strategy, marketing, message, service, people and a commitment to get things done. This sort of branding requires investing in a 24/7 process, not a “cost” for a one-time project. It's not for everyone.
Strategy first, then execution. I’m big on planning, but not just for planning’s sake. It gets us crystal clear on what we’re trying to achieve before we set out in doing it. And don’t worry – the best plans are often completed on a single piece of paper or in a two-hour meeting. We don’t need War and Peace or a three-day management retreat when they’re overkill.
I’m a collaborator and a doer. I add more value when I not only help my clients think but also help them do. This works best when I’m an extension of your team, ready and able to pitch in with the work.
Strategic partnerships offer you more. I partner with some great firms that help me broaden my services, yet also remain small, agile and keep my costs down. Additional services include graphic design, printing and production, website development, technology solutions, promotional marketing, recruitment and employee relations.
I’m focused. I stay true to my core services: brand strategy, marketing, service delivery and people as the key components of integrating your brand. I’ve zeroed in on a suite of services to help you succeed in each.
I’m a clarity freak. I’ll make it painstakingly clear what I’ll do, what the approach will be, the specific deliverables, and my fees. And I follow-up every business meeting with concise action notes so that everyone is clear on who is doing what by when.
Feedback is critical. I’ll ask you for regular and honest input on what I’m doing, how I’m doing it and whether you’re satisfied with the value you’re getting from your investment. I want to know… need to know… in order to move from meeting your expectations to exceeding them.
I love what I do. Life’s too short not to. So let’s have fun.

I’ve been lucky. I've worked with a broad range of companies throughout North America and Asia.

Client engagements have included TD Canada Trust, MD Management, the Canadian Medical Association, Golf Canada, HSBC Hong Kong, London Life, Trojan Technologies Inc., John Hancock Financial Services, Great-West Life, Bermuda Microsystems Group, LE Walker Transport, AGF Management Limited, Canada Life, Canadian Association of Life Underwriters (CALU) and many more.

I also work with a variety of entrepreneurial firms that range from financial services, private schools and technology companies to promotional marketing and consulting organizations.

Nourish your brand