Active mentorship is a Mix of Coaching, Consulting and Advisory focused on helping you the business owner realise your professional and personal goals faster and with fewer missteps
Our Aim is to help you Self-Drive as Quickly as Possible.
A system for success
Plan2Execute
In times of adversity and change, you need a plan. Our proven system is designed to help your business thrive through change.
Case Study
Warehouse Stationery
Real-World Success Stories and Insights.
The Business
Business to Business (B2B) Sales operation (Turnover > $15 million, Staff = 33) selling Stationery, Office Supplies and Equipment to commercial businesses.
Quick Facts
Completed a strategic review of the B2B Sales operation, recommended and implemented a series of actions be taken to deliver to its multi-channel (i.e., Online – Retail – Telesales) business strategy.
The Challenge
Develop and implement a new, more scalable and sustainable Business Market model.
The Result
Implemented a new Business Market model on time, within agreed financial parameters and with minimal disruption to existing customers.
Big Win:
Material cost savings and a significantly improved Earnings before interest, taxes, and amortization % to Sales.
We’ve helped over 100 kiwi businesses right the ship and move forward with purpose
Read about some of our recent results.
Owner, Engineering Consultancy, Power & Energy
Craig and Richard have been consultants to our company for over 5 years (a bloody long time). During this time, the company has been through a demerger, doubled in size, implemented a practice management system, and moved to Xero. Craig has been involved in all levels of the company from reviewing the accounts, advising on strategy, and taking responsibility for the admin team. He has been a rock, ensuring that our financial reporting has been consistent and professional above what would be expected of a company our size. Craig sits on our advisory board of four and offers sage advice well beyond accounting that has contributed to the overall success of the company. While Richard’s primary role is chairman of the board, he has always taken a hands-on role within the company and is the de-facto CEO. He provides leadership both in direction and style that has contributed to our company’s success. Under Richard’s leadership, our company has made strategic decisions to expand into Civil Engineering, into the South Island and through project reviews and better project management increased profitability. This has put our company in a strong position to ride out the Covid-19 shut down.
Director, Business Consulting
I quickly found Rhys to be a person with a good strategic and practical approach to general management, sales and marketing. Rhys is able, as demonstrated to me, to quickly establish excellent working relationships with staff and management at all levels and has an ability to engender trust with people. Rhys has well developed sales training and marketing skills and he has demonstrated to me that he is able to effectively manage a team of people to achieve set objectives.
Human Resources Manager, Industrial Storage and Racking Systems Manufacture
Rhys delivered results on time, professionally, and ensured that the level of communication was suitable to our entire organisation. I highly recommend him to any organisation that requires assistance with any change process – his clear thinking, professional approach and calm demeanour ensures that the expected outcome will be achieved, and more than likely, exceeded.
We’ve helped over 100 kiwi businesses right the ship and move forward with purpose
Read about some of our recent results.
“I quickly found Rhys to be a person with a good strategic and practical approach to general management, sales and marketing”
Business Consulting
Director
“Andrew helped us accelerate commercialisation of a new service and upskill a new team member. He quickly understood our needs and established an effective programme of support to assist us. Andrew then helped us finalise development of the service, refine the go-to-market plan and to get it out in front of prospective customers.”
Kevin Oldham
President of Sales
“Rhys delivered results on time, professionally, and ensured that the level of communication was suitable to our entire organisation.”
Industrial Storage and Racking Systems Manufacture
Human Resources Manager
In times of adversity, ambition and change,
nothing beats experience.
Confirm your business’ priorities during your next coffee break.
Take our business self assessment and help confirm what’s working well in your business, and what isn’t. Confidential, free, and delivered to your inbox.
Includes an optional feedback session with one of our directors.
All our services come
with a no-cost guarantee
We are extremely confident in the expertise of our Business Advisors and Senior Commercial Finance Contractors, and in our client engagement approach. So much so that we will agree a “no-cost” deadline when we confirm the engagement. If you feel we have not added value up to that point, we will end the engagement with a handshake and not charge you for any services provided.
Engaging a senior Finance Contractor is an important and material investment so make sure they have significant commercial experience to work with you and/or your Management Team to deliver the required outcomes.
Discover the key role that senior commercial finance contractors play in the growth and success of small and medium businesses in today’s competitive landscape.
Why Management Response is the right option for business advice and support?
Our Business Advisory team come with many years of business experience spanning small, medium and larger NZ businesses. Many have also been Business Owners in their own right and as such have a deep understanding of the challenges this role presents.
Our philosophy and approach is to keep it as simple as possible and work alongside the Business Owner and senior leaders to first clarify the challenge, opportunity or priority and then assist with the planning and the execution to deliver the required outcomes.
Whilst we can help with just the Plan and then end our involvement, our strong preference is to continue working with you to help you execute the plan as effectively as possible – we really want to see the job done and the result achieved.
While we have a number of tools, “frameworks”, and methodologies in our kit bag, we typically tailor them to ensure they will work for the specific circumstances of your business and operating environment e.g. business maturity/lifecycle stage, industry norms, customer preferences, and team culture.
We most definitely aren’t a one size fits all Business Advisory service. We focus on ensuring we are first and foremost pragmatic and helpful, looking to create capability within the team to improve performance, achieve better outcomes and build value.
What are the key criteria in choosing a Business Advisor or Coach?
Ultimately its about finding someone you are happy to work closely with and that you believe can help you improve your business performance and value.
The key criteria in selecting the right Business Advisor or Coach includes:
Relevant experience – have they been there and done that? Do they have the Leadership, Industry, lifecycle, specific pain or opportunity related experience?
Relationship – are they the right “type” of person to help me and my team? Do I need a subject matter expert or mentor who has been there and done that or more of a Coach that will help me and my team find the best answers and approach?
What are the key qualities you are looking for in the Advisor e.g. flexible, adaptable, ethical , empathetic, non-judgemental, clear communicator, able to build rapport, ability to motivate people etc
Will they help me and my team to grow our capability and performance and not need their support long term? Help me to self drive? What is their approach to managing their exit?
Their willingness to agree clear measures of progress and success.
Their pricing, engagement and payment terms
What does getting started with a Business Advisor or Coach look like?
There will generally be two or three initial conversations or face to face meetings to start to get to know each other and clarify what the key issues and results being sought are.
We then discuss and document the scope of work in an Engagement Agreement and make sure you understand and agree with the scope, work plan of activities and timeline along with the target outcomes and pricing.
We will also make sure that you remain comfortable with the level of progress along the journey by checking in with you regularly to review progress.
To help with peace of mind around choosing the right Advisor or Coach we also agree a date up to which we will work with you and give you the opportunity to see us in action. If you don’t believe sufficient value has been or will be delivered then you can terminate the agreement by the agreed review date and we will end the engagement, wish you well and not charge for any services delivered up to that point.
What does a Business Advisory or Coaching arrangement look like?
The shape and approach for each Engagement is tailored to suit the requirements and outcomes being sought.
Initially there will be some “fact finding” and “getting to know each other” discussions and if you are interested to proceed with an engagement we would agree a plan of action with you covering the scope, work plan and Engagement agreement.
Management Response will also ensure there is another senior manager across the Engagement relationship – this provides coverage and continuity in the event the Advisor is unable to continue or is not available for a given period.
The Coaching or Advisor meeting cadence (which will be a mix of face to face and remote) will vary depending on the scope and agreed timeline. Advisory engagements will often require a period of more active involvement in the early stages and then gradually reduce over the engagement term. Coaching will more likely involve a two to three hour meeting or call on a monthly basis for an agreed term.
Engagements will typically have a 3, 6 or 12 month term – again depending on the scope and outcomes being sought.
How does your no-cost guarantee work?
When we decide to work together, we agree:
A Client Engagement Agreement, and
An engagement plan which includes the activities to be undertaken by you and your team and where, when and how we will be involved.
Based on this plan we will also define a “review” date. If you determine there has been insufficient value delivered as of the review date and there is little or no benefit to you or your business in Management Response continuing its involvement, we will immediately end the engagement. Naturally, we would like to understand your reason whilst accepting your decision, and we will immediately end the engagement with a handshake and not charge for any services provided to that point.
Let’s talk about an advisory solution for your business
Please choose a date that works best for you. We look forward to speaking with you soon!