March 2026 Newsletter
Even The Most Experienced CEOs and Business Owners Need Advisors
An experienced business advisor can generate a tremendous return on investment (ROI). For one thing, they provide tremendous expertise and drive measurable and positive results. That's clear from a wide range of studies over many years on the subject.
Business advisors, growth consultants, management consultants – whatever you call them - have been found to improve results from CEOs and business owners, especially if the business owner does not possess the needed expertise or experience in all aspects of the business.
For over 20 years, CEO Advisor, Inc. has worked hands-on with CEOs, Presidents and business owners of small and mid-size companies with tremendous results. A review of 25 years worth of research on advising, published in the Journal of Vocational Behavior, found advisors improve results substantially.
The type of relationship or counsel you are looking for also evolves over time. Ironically, some people abandon their trusted advisor. They feel they can go it alone, but many CEOs are firm believers in leadership under advisement for the long-term. CEO Advisor, Inc. has had several clients for ten years due to our top expertise, experience and loyalty to our clients many needs.
As a CEO and business owner, the stakes become higher and a trusted business advisor (fractional, experienced, independent contractor advisor) who meets with you weekly (online) and performs hands-on work off-site for you on your goals during the week can enable you to quickly and confidentially gain the needed expertise and advice on a whole range of issues on-going.
A strong business advisor rounds out your thinking and helps you navigate through challenging situations, advises on prioritizing and tackling major opportunities, and improves performance, as well as, provides hands-on work to accomplish critical tasks and strategies. CEO Advisor, Inc.'s specialty is preparing your company for a sale, and spending time with you to better understand what is involved in selling your company upon your exit strategy.
What is especially valuable is a business advisor that not only advises, but is proactive, rolls up his or her sleeves and is active in producing work that drives the business forward and accelerates growth. A strong business advisor will ensure that a Management Dashboard of consolidated metrics and key performance indicators (KPIs) is kept up to date and at the CEOs fingertips to make better management decisions.
Be honest about your gaps of knowledge and areas of expertise you need help and advice on. A business advisor that will mentor you, while helping your business grow and increase profits, and increasing the value of your business is priceless. One of the first things to look for in a business advisor is a strategy person with strong business acumen who is a driver for accountability and results. As President of CEO Advisor, Inc. with over 40 years of business experience, my goal is to focus on the aspects of you and your business to accelerate growth, increase profits, and build value in your company for an optimal exit in the future. Someone with thought-provoking questions, always pushing for more, challenging the status quo and is all about achieving the best results for you and the company.
As a CEO or business owner, there is nothing more valuable as a hands-on resource to help you think through complex issues, grow your business to the next level, or create an exit strategy for an optimal sale of your company. While nothing fully prepares you for the challenges of being a CEO, having a business advisor when the going gets tough, or you are at a point that you need advice on how to formulate an exit strategy to sell your company after decades of work is invaluable. The goal is to build a growing, more profitable, and more valuable company and a business advisor as an added seasoned (outside) expert and valued team member is critical.
It's important to have someone who is both experienced and not ingrained in the day-to-day issues, that you trust, to help you think through your issues, challenge you, and provide critical insight and expertise. CEOs that have a trusted business advisor tend to be enormously grateful for the impact that their advisor makes. Whatever age or stage you're at in your career, make the time to cultivate and engage with a trusted business advisor.
Since 2004, CEO Advisor, Inc. has provided the experience and expertise of advising some of the most successful CEOs and business owners of companies in Southern California and across the U.S. With nearly 160 years of combined experience, CEO Advisor, Inc. is the catalyst to propel our clients’ success.
Contact Contact Mark Hartsell, MBA, President of CEO Advisor, Inc. at (949) 629-2520, by mobile phone at (714) 697-3370, by email at MHartsell@CEOAdvisor.com or visit us at www.CEOAdvisor.com for more information.
Business advisors, growth consultants, management consultants – whatever you call them - have been found to improve results from CEOs and business owners, especially if the business owner does not possess the needed expertise or experience in all aspects of the business.
For over 20 years, CEO Advisor, Inc. has worked hands-on with CEOs, Presidents and business owners of small and mid-size companies with tremendous results. A review of 25 years worth of research on advising, published in the Journal of Vocational Behavior, found advisors improve results substantially.
The type of relationship or counsel you are looking for also evolves over time. Ironically, some people abandon their trusted advisor. They feel they can go it alone, but many CEOs are firm believers in leadership under advisement for the long-term. CEO Advisor, Inc. has had several clients for ten years due to our top expertise, experience and loyalty to our clients many needs.
As a CEO and business owner, the stakes become higher and a trusted business advisor (fractional, experienced, independent contractor advisor) who meets with you weekly (online) and performs hands-on work off-site for you on your goals during the week can enable you to quickly and confidentially gain the needed expertise and advice on a whole range of issues on-going.
A strong business advisor rounds out your thinking and helps you navigate through challenging situations, advises on prioritizing and tackling major opportunities, and improves performance, as well as, provides hands-on work to accomplish critical tasks and strategies. CEO Advisor, Inc.'s specialty is preparing your company for a sale, and spending time with you to better understand what is involved in selling your company upon your exit strategy.
What is especially valuable is a business advisor that not only advises, but is proactive, rolls up his or her sleeves and is active in producing work that drives the business forward and accelerates growth. A strong business advisor will ensure that a Management Dashboard of consolidated metrics and key performance indicators (KPIs) is kept up to date and at the CEOs fingertips to make better management decisions.
Be honest about your gaps of knowledge and areas of expertise you need help and advice on. A business advisor that will mentor you, while helping your business grow and increase profits, and increasing the value of your business is priceless. One of the first things to look for in a business advisor is a strategy person with strong business acumen who is a driver for accountability and results. As President of CEO Advisor, Inc. with over 40 years of business experience, my goal is to focus on the aspects of you and your business to accelerate growth, increase profits, and build value in your company for an optimal exit in the future. Someone with thought-provoking questions, always pushing for more, challenging the status quo and is all about achieving the best results for you and the company.
As a CEO or business owner, there is nothing more valuable as a hands-on resource to help you think through complex issues, grow your business to the next level, or create an exit strategy for an optimal sale of your company. While nothing fully prepares you for the challenges of being a CEO, having a business advisor when the going gets tough, or you are at a point that you need advice on how to formulate an exit strategy to sell your company after decades of work is invaluable. The goal is to build a growing, more profitable, and more valuable company and a business advisor as an added seasoned (outside) expert and valued team member is critical.
It's important to have someone who is both experienced and not ingrained in the day-to-day issues, that you trust, to help you think through your issues, challenge you, and provide critical insight and expertise. CEOs that have a trusted business advisor tend to be enormously grateful for the impact that their advisor makes. Whatever age or stage you're at in your career, make the time to cultivate and engage with a trusted business advisor.
Since 2004, CEO Advisor, Inc. has provided the experience and expertise of advising some of the most successful CEOs and business owners of companies in Southern California and across the U.S. With nearly 160 years of combined experience, CEO Advisor, Inc. is the catalyst to propel our clients’ success.
Contact Contact Mark Hartsell, MBA, President of CEO Advisor, Inc. at (949) 629-2520, by mobile phone at (714) 697-3370, by email at MHartsell@CEOAdvisor.com or visit us at www.CEOAdvisor.com for more information.
Key Factors to Grow Your Business to the Next Level and Realize the Exit Strategy of Your Dreams
Since 2004, CEO Advisor, Inc. has advised CEOs of small and mid-sized companies on all aspects of growing businesses to the next level and preparing for an optimal future sale of your business.
Below are seven key factors to optimize your growth and business value in the coming year:
1. Planning
Have a clear vision and business model. Know where you want to go, document your plan and monthly forecast, and be very clear about it. This involves a strategy with defined goals to realize your vision. Without this, there is a tremendous loss of time and wasted money. If you need help, contact CEO Advisor, Inc. for assistance.
2. Forecasting
Forecasting for the current year enables (forces) you to think through your business thoroughly, set financial goals, plan effectively and better budget and manage with higher profits. When forecasting, refine your business model, your pricing, costs, gross margin targets, marketing and plans for hiring. Relook at operating expenses for the right level of profitability. Get objective expert advice in this area to ensure your growth and success for greater profits and a maximum exit in the future.
3. Strong Management Team
Make sure you have a reliable, effective and competent management team around you to complement your own skills and expertise. If not, re-assess and define your needs and replace the weak link(s) in your management team. If you cannot afford the management team you need today, bring in a seasoned business advisor that can do some heavy lifting for you - hands-on work and expertise for an interim period of time to achieve your goals. CEO Advisor, Inc. has provided management expertise for CEOs and business owners for over 20 years.
4. Put Processes and Procedures in Place
Refine and document your processes and procedures to ensure your on-going success. This will enable you to run your business more profitably, is easier for new employees to get trained faster, will make the business more efficient, and will make your business more valuable and attractive to investors and acquirers. A business advisor can assist you to accomplish this very efficiently.
5. Innovate
Innovation is important for all businesses. Focus on how you could do something differently to generate a higher ROI for both you and your customers, make your customers more loyal and profitable, reduce time, be better than your competitors, and develop a more effective business model. Innovation takes expertise, planning and the mindset to execute so seek the expertise you need.
6. Sales Strategy
Your sales strategy is critical to your growth and profitability. Pinpointing your target markets, determining your most efficient and cost-effective sales structure, best sales team, sales compensation, product mix, gross margins, sales CRM and reporting and sales goals are all critical to your success. This requires diligent and proactive sales management on a weekly basis. The majority of your growth may depend on the strength of your sales strategy and effective sales management so engage with a seasoned business advisor that utilizes best practices to achieve your goals.
7. Build Value
Ensure you have the proper pricing and a recurring revenue business model that maximizes sales, gross margins, profits and value for a successful exit when you decide to sell your business. CEO Advisor, Inc. has the experience and expertise to grow your business and build substantial value, as well as, to prepare for a sale of your company.
CEO Advisor, Inc. has the needed expertise, coupled with hands-on advice, to help you increase sales, profits, value and to grow your business to the next level. Contact Mark Hartsell, MBA, President of CEO Advisor, Inc. for a no cost initial consultation at (949) 629-2520, by mobile phone at (714) 697-3370, by email at MHartsell@CEOAdvisor.com or visit us at www.CEOAdvisor.com for more information.
Below are seven key factors to optimize your growth and business value in the coming year:
1. Planning
Have a clear vision and business model. Know where you want to go, document your plan and monthly forecast, and be very clear about it. This involves a strategy with defined goals to realize your vision. Without this, there is a tremendous loss of time and wasted money. If you need help, contact CEO Advisor, Inc. for assistance.
2. Forecasting
Forecasting for the current year enables (forces) you to think through your business thoroughly, set financial goals, plan effectively and better budget and manage with higher profits. When forecasting, refine your business model, your pricing, costs, gross margin targets, marketing and plans for hiring. Relook at operating expenses for the right level of profitability. Get objective expert advice in this area to ensure your growth and success for greater profits and a maximum exit in the future.
3. Strong Management Team
Make sure you have a reliable, effective and competent management team around you to complement your own skills and expertise. If not, re-assess and define your needs and replace the weak link(s) in your management team. If you cannot afford the management team you need today, bring in a seasoned business advisor that can do some heavy lifting for you - hands-on work and expertise for an interim period of time to achieve your goals. CEO Advisor, Inc. has provided management expertise for CEOs and business owners for over 20 years.
4. Put Processes and Procedures in Place
Refine and document your processes and procedures to ensure your on-going success. This will enable you to run your business more profitably, is easier for new employees to get trained faster, will make the business more efficient, and will make your business more valuable and attractive to investors and acquirers. A business advisor can assist you to accomplish this very efficiently.
5. Innovate
Innovation is important for all businesses. Focus on how you could do something differently to generate a higher ROI for both you and your customers, make your customers more loyal and profitable, reduce time, be better than your competitors, and develop a more effective business model. Innovation takes expertise, planning and the mindset to execute so seek the expertise you need.
6. Sales Strategy
Your sales strategy is critical to your growth and profitability. Pinpointing your target markets, determining your most efficient and cost-effective sales structure, best sales team, sales compensation, product mix, gross margins, sales CRM and reporting and sales goals are all critical to your success. This requires diligent and proactive sales management on a weekly basis. The majority of your growth may depend on the strength of your sales strategy and effective sales management so engage with a seasoned business advisor that utilizes best practices to achieve your goals.
7. Build Value
Ensure you have the proper pricing and a recurring revenue business model that maximizes sales, gross margins, profits and value for a successful exit when you decide to sell your business. CEO Advisor, Inc. has the experience and expertise to grow your business and build substantial value, as well as, to prepare for a sale of your company.
CEO Advisor, Inc. has the needed expertise, coupled with hands-on advice, to help you increase sales, profits, value and to grow your business to the next level. Contact Mark Hartsell, MBA, President of CEO Advisor, Inc. for a no cost initial consultation at (949) 629-2520, by mobile phone at (714) 697-3370, by email at MHartsell@CEOAdvisor.com or visit us at www.CEOAdvisor.com for more information.
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