What Our Clients Say
"Mark Hartsell and CEO Advisor provided amazing hands-on guidance from the start of the sale process through to the closing. Not having sold a company before I was not aware of the complexity, and tremendous amount of time and expertise required by someone like Mark to prepare for the sale, locate a qualified buyer, negotiate a strong offer, perform the extensive due diligence process, and drive the process through to legal contracts and closing. CEO Advisor, Inc. was the catalyst in achieving a highly successful sale.”
CEO, Professional Services Company (After Their Successful Sale)
"Thank you Mark! And thank you for all your help over the years. It is truly appreciated and it was a great ride of accomplishment for all of us. Stay in touch!
Echoing Craig's statement of much thanks and appreciation for the many years in the trenches together with us and helping us achieve a successful exit."
CEO and President, Digital Agency Client (After Their Successful Sale)
"I did an extensive search for someone with executive experience to facilitate the growth of my business. I finally came across CEO Advisor. After the first intro call I knew Mark Hartsell was the business advisor I had been looking for all along. Our company was great at customer service and asset management but we needed business management expertise and someone to help put strategic goals in place. And Mark did just that, he helped tighten up the books, improve working relationships within and outside of the firm, and set up key performance indicators that changed my mindset and gave clear focus. I highly recommend Mark Hartsell and CEO Advisor's services."
CEO, Professional Services Company Client of CEO Advisor, Inc.
"Mark, your steadfast approach and dogged excellence on all of the detail with which a deal never gets done without - and wouldn't have nearly so smoothly without you."
Media Company, Acquired a Client of CEO Advisor, Inc.
"Mark Hartsell joined our team as a CEO Advisor during a critical time in our company's journey, as we were transitioning from a software development startup into a sales and marketing machine- selling access to our software and database. His operational excellence and wide-ranging sales experience saved us an enormous amount of time and money as we were able to more quickly get to market with our B2B product. It was thanks to Mark's tireless, hands-on work that we were able to go from zero to one in terms of monthly recurring customer revenue, and I highly recommend his consulting services for any entrepreneur who wants to streamline, scale, or in any way improve the fundamentals of their business (which should be every CEO out there).
Mark and I worked together closely, earning our team's trust, and eventually, he became a valuable member of our Board of Directors where he instituted strict financial processes, cash flow reporting, and goal-based accountability throughout the business. I'm not sure where our company would be today if not for Mark's oversight and commitment, but I have no doubt that I as a CEO and a business we are much stronger today thanks to his efforts."
CEO, Software Client of CEO Advisor, Inc.
"My company has been working with Mark for the past month and we have already experienced tangible benefits from his advice and recommendations. He brings energy, experience and a high degree of professionalism as an advisor to our company. The value of having such an experienced consultant at our side at a very important point in our company's history aided us in improving our overall value. His input has been a worthwhile investment".
President, Technology Company
"I've worked with Mark on multiple client engagements over the last several years. We have worked on transactions including a technology asset acquisition, preparing an operating business for sale and the turnaround of a distressed business. Mark provides his clients with expert advice and counseling. He is great at developing a big-picture plan, and doing the work and providing the direction to implement it. Mark is a good communicator, very responsive and easy to work with."
Corporate & Transaction Attorney
"The CEO Advisor® Service is a great way to gain a seasoned, trusted business advisor and be part of a dynamic process. What I realized the most after taking on the services of CEO Advisor was that just because I knew my industry inside and out did not mean I knew how to grow my business profitably. Before I hired CEO Advisor I was growing my business, but not seeing any more money in my pocket. It almost seemed like I was running in place. My CEO Advisor helped me lay a foundation and create an immediate path to profitability. In a matter of months I was seeing an incredible velocity take place in my business. CEO Advisor helped me see opportunities that I never even dreamed of.
I can't believe how much money I was leaving on the table before CEO Advisor. He showed me how to capture a lot more profit without expending more man-hours and capital. The most exciting part is that I now have a very specific plan and forecast of my company's future. It looks very bright indeed. Thank you!"
I can't believe how much money I was leaving on the table before CEO Advisor. He showed me how to capture a lot more profit without expending more man-hours and capital. The most exciting part is that I now have a very specific plan and forecast of my company's future. It looks very bright indeed. Thank you!"
CEO, Web Services Company
"I have been a client of CEO Advisor® for 2 years, and you introduced many new ideas for us to improve our business. Once implemented we have seen very tangible increases in our sales that have added greatly to the value of the company. In addition, you advised us on many organizational changes, such as revamping our sales strategy and team that will have a big impact in the future as we raise additional funding and we ultimately sell the business.
You also helped us with our financials and coached us on using this information to make better management decisions. My CEO Advisor has shown us how to increase the price of our products and services without impacting our customer acquisition, which has been a large boost to our revenues. I strongly recommend CEO Advisor."
CEO/Founder, Software Company
"CEO Advisor's online and ecommerce experience coupled with their business expertise and hands-on approach is providing us with the needed advisory services to grow to the next level."
CEO, Ecommerce Service Provider
"CEO Advisor's focus, expertise and hands-on approach is enabling us to implement a sales and marketing strategy for today's environment to achieve a clear set of goals. This approach will enable us to move quickly and definitively."
CEO, Technology Systems Integrator
"I highly recommend CEO Advisor®. We rebuilt my management consulting business and, in all honesty, I couldn't have done it myself - incorporating, marketing plans, sales coaching, prospective client lists and a dozen other tasks - all in less than six months. My CEO Advisor was easy to work with, supportive, and perhaps most importantly, he had workable, practical answers to my business questions and problems that flowed from his broad business experience."
CEO, Energy and Environmental Consulting Firm
"As President of a small technology company, I have been very pleased with the services provided by my CEO Advisor®. He contributed in many areas, but identified marketing and sales as our primary need. His guidance and contributions have been invaluable in establishing and maintaining a meaningful marketing and sales program for the company. He is a knowledgeable business advisor and a pleasure to work with."
CEO/President, Engineering Services/Manufacturing Company
"I owned a small but growing company and realized I was in need of an experienced business consultant to help organize our existing structure which would enable us to seek outside funding. Our CEO Advisor® was encouraging and demanding, which is just what we needed. He brought a level of professionalism to our company that eventually allowed us to sell to private equity.".
CEO, Consumer Products Company
"I was very pleased that my CEO Advisor® accepted us as a client, and we've been handsomely rewarded by their efforts. He brings an abundance of expertise, insight and passion for the success of his clients. Armed with exceptional listening skills, he will save any company at any stage valuable time and money. CEO Advisor will remain an integral partner of our company going forward, and because of them we are growing leaps and bounds."
CEO, Healthcare Technology Company
"Our CEO Advisor® is an invaluable asset to me as a business owner. His experience, insight, and guidance, his professionalism, and genuine concern for my success are why I strongly recommend CEO Advisor to any business owner, large or small."
President and CEO, Video Production Company
"My CEO Advisor's expert knowledge in sales and marketing has brought our company to a higher level of potential growth. CEO Advisor® is the key to success for any entrepreneur, start up company, or mature company. It is a great honor to recommend CEO Advisor."
CEO, Engineering Services and Manufacturing Firm
"Over a one year period, CEO Advisor® helped me to understand what my role entailed as a CEO of a small company. Together, we segmented my numerous headaches into achievable goals. I learned to focus on specific issues and predict obstacles by looking at my business in monthly, quarterly and yearly tasks by priority. My CEO Advisor prepared our Business Plan and Financial Forecast as the road map for the growth of our business, and taught me how to understand financial reports, as well as, the implication of budgets and spending. I now understand how to measure the performance of my company and profitably grow my business."
CEO, Web Services Company
"I want to start by telling you that I am very pleased with what we've accomplished over the last four months. It would probably be more accurate to say that I'm pleased with what YOU have accomplished. Our CEO Advisor® did what he said he would; actually DOING things instead of just telling me what I needed to do. This is always my big concern when working with consultants. So many times they offer sage advice but fail to actually do anything more than talk. You have produced a volume of tangible work that is very useful to me and my management team as we work hard to build the company in 2008 and beyond. Thanks for driving us forward."
CEO, Media Services Company
"My CEO Advisor's expert knowledge in sales and marketing has brought our company to a higher level of potential growth. CEO Advisor® is the key to success for any entrepreneur, start up company, or mature company. It is a great honor to recommend CEO Advisor."
CEO, Engineering Services and Manufacturing Firm
"As a small business owner, I do not have someone to discuss ideas, details on major decisions, projections, or forecasting. I have really enjoyed working with CEO Advisor® these last few months. You are a very smart advisor with great ideas. Your clients are very fortunate to have you as a consultant. Thanks for everything."
President/CEO, Manufacturing Company
"CEO Advisor® was extremely helpful in working with us to develop a meaningful business plan. My measure of a consultant's value is how much work he/she leaves for me to do vs. what they actually do. So many consultants tell you what you already know and then leave you to do all the actual work. Not so with CEO Advisor. That's why I hired him and he delivered on his promise to do the heavy lifting. I could never have completed the work we did together were it not for his steady and consistent work."
CEO, Web Application and Programming Company
"CEO Advisor® has generated tremendously positive results at our company. As more of an operations person, I lacked several key skills to successfully manage our company at the CEO level. In short, CEO Advisor put me through CEO boot camp and helped me learn how to properly perform my duties. He taught me how to create, monitor, and measure small tweaks to our workflow and operations in order to squeeze out more profit. This year, we re-contracted with CEO Advisor to further accelerate the performance of our company. So far, the results have been outstanding."
CEO, Document Management Software and Services
"As a CEO of a software company, I found the services offered by CEO Advisor® very valuable in everyday work. By focusing on key components of the business, we were able to eliminate unnecessary paths and variety in the business model, which enabled us to reach specific short term goals and aim the company forward. I would highly recommend their services to any business, not just software. Their model, experience, and thinking procedure can be very beneficial and key to success."
CEO, Engineering Services Firm
"CEO Advisor played an important role in acquiring the right type of growth capital and continues to be a valued resource as we expand into additional markets."
CEO, SOFTWARE COMPANY
"CEO Advisor® provides a unique advisory service for CEOs. He not only tackles high level strategic issues to assist CEOs navigate through challenging times, but he also gets very involved in actually addressing important issues head-on by performing the work to achieve tangible results. Whether it is growing a business to the next level, turning a distressed company around or preparing a company for an exit, CEO Advisor provides a broad range of services and you are there for the CEO every step of the way."