Craig Leach, MBA

Welcome to where transforming companies and careers with precision-tailored executive placements and progressive leadership coaching meets personalized solutions that align with your unique culture and strategic goals. If you're here, you're likely seeking to attract and retain top-tier talent in a competitive market, align leadership teams with corporate strategy and culture, navigate leadership transitions without disrupting operations, and ensure new hires are the right fit for long-term success.

With over 30 years of experience in leading teams, I guide executives from uncertainty and misalignment to building high-performing teams that drive results. Is reducing time spent on recruiting or mis-recruiting on your radar? Do you aspire to increase productivity and performance? If these aspirations resonate, you've found your path.

I blend my diverse skills in negotiation, business planning, operations management, sales, market development, and leadersip with my passion for talent development, crafting strategic solutions that truly represent your organization's needs. This strategy allows you to transform your leadership capital and achieve sustainable success.

My 21st Century technology-influenced approach uses personalized executive search and coaching to create long-term impact that delivers reduced commercial downtime, improved employee retention rates, and reduced overall costs to hire. I empower hiring managers to make confident decisions, so 96% of our placements are still in place after 12 months.

What you can expect:
• Minimized client commercial downtime
• Improved new employee retention rates
• Reduced overall costs to hire

Your outcomes:
• 96% of placements still in place after 12 months
• 94% of placements still in place after 24 months

Embrace a journey that transforms your organization through strategic leadership development and succession planning. Ready to start?

I offer different ways to work with me to suit your budget and needs:
• Retained Search: Exclusive tailored executive search and coaching solutions, best suited for senior leadership positions (C-Suite, VPs, Directors)
• Contingency Search: Exclusive search for technical, sales, and marketing roles
• Executive Coaching: Tailored, one-on-one partnerships to empower leaders and high-potential professionals to maximize performance and achieve personal and organizational goals

Who it's for:
• C-suite executives
• Senior managers
• Emerging leaders
• Professionals transitioning to higher leadership roles

Begin your journey: https://calendly.com/6202205911/30min

President

I Placed the Same Executive Three Times (Here's What His Ex-Bosses Never Understood)

Same guy. Three different companies. Three promotions after I placed him.

His ex-bosses? They all called me asking if I could find them "another Mike."

I couldn't help but laugh.

They had Mike. They lost Mike. And they still didn't understand why.

First placement: VP Operations at a logistics company. Mike turned their worst-performing region into their best in 18 months. Then his boss took credit for the turnaround at the board meeting. Mike called me that night.

Second placement: COO at a manufacturing firm. Mike reduced costs by 31% without cutting a single job. Found inefficiencies everyone else missed. Then they promoted someone's golf buddy over him. Mike called me that afternoon.

Third placement: President of a PE-backed distribution company. The CEO told me during reference checks: "I don't care about his resume. Tell me why he left his last two roles."

So I told him.

That CEO did something Mike's previous bosses never did:

He asked Mike what he needed to succeed.
Then actually delivered it.

Not promised it. Delivered it.

Mike wanted:
• Authority to match his responsibility
• Credit to flow where credit was due
• A boss who'd have his back when things got tough

Revolutionary concepts, apparently.

Two years later, Mike's still there. They've doubled revenue. The PE firm made him CEO last month.

His two previous bosses? Both called me this year.

"We need someone like Mike."
"What made Mike special?"
"Can you find us another Mike?"

I tell them the same thing:

You don't need another Mike. You need to become the leader Mike would stay for.

The brutal truth about executive retention:

Great executives don't leave companies. They leave bosses who take credit, make promises they don't keep, and treat talent like it's replaceable.

Mike wasn't exceptional because of his skills. Every executive at his level has skills.

He was exceptional because he'd learned what most executives learn too late:

When someone shows you who they are as a boss, believe them.

The fastest way to lose your best executive? Make them feel like they're just another employee.

The fastest way to keep them? Remember they have my number in their phone.

And they're one broken promise away from using it.

What's the real reason your best executive left?

I Work with Senior Leaders to Build Teams that Shape the Future | Executive Search | C-Suite | Top Voice 2024

The Reference Who Begged Me Not to Place Their Former Employee

"Please. Don't send him to our competitor."

First time in 200+ placements someone asked me to sabotage a candidate's job search.

I was doing reference checks for a VP Sales candidate. Strong track record. Multiple successful exits. The board was ready to make an offer.

Called his previous CEO for a reference.

"Craig, I'll give you a glowing reference. But I need a favor."

"What kind of favor?"

"Don't place him at "ABC". They're our biggest competitor."

I waited for him to laugh. He didn't.

"You're serious."

"Dead serious. If he goes there with what he knows, we're finished."

Most executives treat departing talent like yesterday's news. Delete their access. Ship their belongings. Move on.

This CEO understood something different.

His former VP wasn't just leaving. He was taking a $50M competitive advantage with him.

The playbook he built.
The client relationships he nurtured.
The team culture he created.
The strategic roadmap he designed.

All walking out the door for a 40% salary bump.

"Why didn't you match their offer?" I asked.

"Board said we couldn't justify it. Now they're asking me to hire three people to replace him."

The math never works that way.

You don't replace one A-player with three B-players.
You replace them with your competitor's new weapon.

Six months later, "ABC" had captured 30% of his former company's enterprise accounts.

The CEO who begged me not to place him? He's now looking for a new job himself.

Board fired him for losing market share.

Here's what 200+ placements taught me about talent:

The cost of losing your best people isn't in the replacement search.

It's in watching them build your competitor's empire with your blueprints.

Companies will spend $2M on a non-compete lawsuit but won't spend $200K to keep the person worth suing over.

Your top performer isn't just an employee.
They're your competitive moat.

And moats don't come with a replacement guarantee.

What's the real cost of the last A-player you lost to a competitor?

I Send Every New CEO This Text on Day 1 (It's Saved 12 Placements)

"Your honeymoon period is a myth. Your team is updating their LinkedIn profiles right now."

Harsh? Maybe. But after 200+ placements, I've watched too many CEOs crash because they believed they had time.

The text continues:

"You have 72 hours to signal who you really are. Not 100 days. Not 90. Three days. After that, every opinion is cement."

Last year, I placed a CEO at a PE-backed manufacturing company. Smart guy. Came from Amazon. Had all the answers.

Day 1: Announced his open-door policy from his closed office.
Day 2: Scheduled "listening tours" for week 8.
Day 3: Sent a 47-slide deck about his vision.

By day 4, his head of sales had called me.

"Craig, got any other opportunities?"

That CEO lasted 11 months.

Compare that to Sarah, who I placed three months later at a similar company.

Day 1: Worked the warehouse floor at 5 AM. No announcement. Just showed up.
Day 2: Had lunch in the break room. Asked about people's kids by name.
Day 3: Fixed the coffee machine everyone complained about for two years.

Her head of sales called me too.

"Craig, where'd you find her?"

Sarah's been there 18 months. Revenue up 34%. Same team that was "unmanageable" under the last guy.

The difference wasn't their resumes. Both stellar.
The difference wasn't their strategies. Both solid.

The difference was those first 72 hours.

The CEOs who survive understand something the failures don't:

Your team doesn't care about your credentials.
They care about your character.

And they're deciding right now while you're still figuring out where the bathroom is. Whether you're worth following.

That text I send? It ends with this:

"You're not being hired. You're being tested. And the test started the second they heard your name."

12 CEOs have gotten that text.
12 are still in their roles.

Coincidence? Probably.

Your first three days aren't your warm-up.
They're your entire game.

What did your CEO do on day one that told you everything?

The Executive Who Failed Every Leadership Test (And Why I Placed Him Anyway)

Last Tuesday, I presented a candidate who bombed his interview.

Forgot the CFO's name. Mixed up the revenue numbers. Stumbled through the strategy questions.

The board was ready to pass. Then I asked them to wait 24 hours.

Here's what they didn't see:

He drove 6 hours after his father's funeral. His assistant had quit that morning. His biggest client was threatening to walk.

And he still showed up.

Most executives would have rescheduled. Blamed circumstances. Made excuses.

He didn't mention any of it. Not once.

I only knew because his reference called me. "Did he tell you what week he's having?"

The Executives Who Fail:

• Perfect interviews, perfect answers, perfect image
• Never let you see them sweat
• Treat vulnerability like weakness
• Hide every crack in the armor

The Executives Who Last:

• Show up when life falls apart
• Let their humanity show through
• Know perfection is a performance
• Build trust through transparency

That "failed" interview revealed more leadership than any polished presentation.

Real leaders don't wait for perfect conditions. They lead through chaos.

18 months later, he's transformed their company. Turned around three underperforming divisions. Built the strongest leadership team they've had in a decade.

The board member who wanted to pass? He told me last week: "Thank God you made us wait."

Here's what 200+ placements taught me:

The executives worth $3.2M aren't the ones who never stumble.

They're the ones who stumble and keep walking.

When's the last time you hired someone despite their worst day?

I Keep a 'Never Again' List of 7 Companies. Here's Why Each One Made the Cut

I've developed a simple rule: Some bridges are meant to burn.

My "Never Again" list isn't about grudges. It's about patterns.

1. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗶𝗿𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗲𝗱 𝗠𝗲 𝗧𝘄𝗶𝗰𝗲
127 flights with them. System glitch double-charged my card $3,400. Their response? "Dispute it with your bank." Took 4 months to resolve. 

𝗟𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗻: Loyalty without reciprocity is just exploitation.

2. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗼𝗳𝘁𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗛𝗲𝗹𝗱 𝗠𝘆 𝗗𝗮𝘁𝗮 𝗛𝗼𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗲
Paid $12k annually for their CRM. Tried to export my data when switching providers. "That'll be an additional $5,000 for data extraction." My own data. That I entered. That I paid to store.

𝗟𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗻: Always know your exit strategy before you enter.

3. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗮𝗻𝗸 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗠𝗮𝗱𝗲 𝗠𝗲 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝗜 𝗘𝘅𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗱
20-year customer. They froze my business account for "suspicious activity". 6 hours on hold. 7 departments. Had to physically appear at a branch with my birth certificate.

𝗟𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗻: Convenience dies the moment you actually need help.

4. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗙𝗶𝗿𝗺 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘇𝗲𝗱 𝗠𝘆 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗮𝗹
Spent two weeks on a detailed search strategy for them. They passed. Three months later, saw my exact framework in their "proprietary methodology" deck. Word for word. Even kept my typo.

𝗟𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗻: If they'll steal from vendors, they'll steal from clients.

5. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗛𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗹 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗖𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝗠𝘆 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗶𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻
Board meeting in Dallas booked three months ahead. Confirmed twice. Arrived at midnight to "We gave your room away at 6 PM." Their solution? A motel 40 minutes away. Full price.

𝗟𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗻: A confirmation that can't be trusted is worse than no confirmation.

6. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗩𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗼𝗿 𝗪𝗵𝗼 𝗜𝗻𝘃𝗼𝗶𝗰𝗲𝗱 𝗔𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗚𝗵𝗼𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴
Marketing agency. Disappeared for 3 months. No deliverables. No communication. Then sent a $15k invoice for "strategic planning." The strategy was hoping I'd just pay it.

𝗟𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗻: Silence is acceptance until it's accompanied by an invoice.

7. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗱 𝗧𝗲𝗿𝗺𝘀 𝗠𝗶𝗱-𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁
Two years into a three-year agreement. They "updated" their terms of service. Suddenly our grandfathered pricing disappeared. New cost? Triple. Their email: "Accept the new terms or lose access in 30 days."

𝗟𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗻: A contract is only as good as your leverage to enforce it.

Companies that disrespect your time will always disrespect your money.

The cost of switching is nothing compared to the cost of staying.

When someone shows you their values through their actions, believe them the first time.

My "Never Again" list isn't about being petty. It's about being profitable.

Every minute not spent fighting broken systems is a minute invested in relationships that matter.

Your standards aren't too high. Their service is too low.

I Now Use This 3-Second Test Before Hitting Send on Any Executive Communication

Last month, I deleted an email that took me 45 minutes to write.

The one I sent instead? Three sentences. No promises. No positioning.

It landed me a $50k search.

Here's what changed:

I stopped selling. Started solving.

Most recruiters lead with their credentials. Their track record. Their "proprietary process." Their AI-powered candidate matching. Their exclusive network.

I used to do the same thing. Pages of capabilities. Impressive client logos. Success metrics.

Then a CEO told me something that flipped my entire approach:

"I don't care how fast you are. I don't care about your network. I care about Tuesday's board meeting where I have to explain why our COO position is still empty after six months."

That's when I created my 3-second test.

Before hitting send, I ask myself: Am I trying to impress them or help them?

The Emails That Get Deleted:
• "We're the fastest growing executive search firm..."
• "Our unique 7-step process ensures..."
• "With years of experience, we..."
• "Let me tell you why we're different..."

The Emails That Get Responses:
• "If there's one problem I could take off your desk, what would it be?"
• "What's keeping you up at night about this role?"
• "What would success look like in 90 days?"
• "How can I be most helpful right now?"

Boring is better.

No promises I can't keep. No claims about being faster or better connected than every other recruiter calling them.

Just one simple question that cuts through the noise.

The irony? When you stop trying to prove you're valuable, you become invaluable.

That $50k search? The CEO's response was seven words: "Can you talk at 3pm today?"

Here's what 200+ placements taught me:

Executives don't want another vendor pitch. They want someone who understands that their problem isn't finding candidates.

It's finding the right one while everything else is on fire.

Your elaborate email is competing with 47 other "urgent" items in their inbox.

Make it easy to say yes by making it about them, not you.

What's the shortest email that's ever changed your business?

The CFO Who Cried During Our Interview (And Why That's Why She Got Hired)

She lost it right there in the boardroom.

Full breakdown. Tissues everywhere.

The other board members were uncomfortable. One started reaching for his phone to "check the time."

I leaned in.

"Tell me more about that."

She'd been describing her biggest failure. A $12M acquisition that tanked. 200 people lost their jobs. Her first time leading due diligence.

"I signed off on projections I knew were aggressive. I wanted to prove I could close deals like the guys. Those families trusted us."

Most CFO candidates give me polished failure stories.

"We learned valuable lessons."
"It was a growth opportunity."
"The market shifted unexpectedly."

She gave me the truth. Raw. Uncomfortable. Real.

The board wanted someone bulletproof. I believed that I saw someone who'd never make that mistake again.

CFOs Who Flame Out:

• Never admit real fault
• Hide behind market conditions
• Treat losses like line items
• Protect their image above all

CFOs Who Build Dynasties:

• Own their catastrophes completely
• Feel the weight of their decisions
• Remember the human cost
• Let their scars show

That breakdown told me everything.

She didn't just understand financial risk. She understood human cost.

Three years later:

She's caught four deals that would have buried the company. Saved 400 jobs by restructuring debt instead of cutting heads. Built the strongest finance team they've had in two decades.

The board member who reached for his phone? Told me last month: "Best hire we ever made. She sees around corners we didn't know existed."

Here's what 200+ placements taught me about tears in interviews:

The ones who never crack under pressure? They're usually the ones who crack when it counts.

The ones who crack in front of you? They've already been broken and rebuilt stronger.

Your next great executive isn't hiding their humanity.

They're leading with it.

When's the last time vulnerability in an interview changed your mind?

The Email That Made Me Fire a $75K Client (Template Inside for Spotting Red Flags)

"Craig, you work for me. Start acting like it."

That's the line that ended a $75K engagement in 17 seconds.

Not because I can't handle direct feedback. I've been in executive search long enough and have heard worse.

But because after 200+ placements, I've learned something most recruiters learn too late:

The way someone treats you when they're paying you tells you exactly how they'll treat the executive you place.

This client hired me to find their new COO. Big budget. Bigger ego.

Week 3: "Why haven't you delivered 10 candidates yet?"
Week 5: "These resumes are garbage. Are you even trying?"
Week 7: That email.

I called him immediately.

"I'm returning your retainer. Find another recruiter."

"You can't do that. We have a contract."

"Read clause 7. I can and I am."

He threatened to sue. To ruin my reputation. 

That was 18 months ago.

The COO they eventually hired? Gone in 6 months.
The one after that? 4 months.
They're on their third search firm now.

Here's my template for spotting client red flags before it costs you:

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗙𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗖𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗧𝗲𝘀𝘁:
• Do they ask about your process or just your speed?
• Do they mention their team's growth or just headcount?
• Do they say "we need" or "I want"?

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗘𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗹 𝗣𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝘀:
• Demands without context = future micromanager
• CC'ing unnecessary people = political nightmare
• "ASAP" in every message = unrealistic forever
• Questioning your expertise week 1 = will undermine the hire too

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗮𝘆𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗧𝗲𝗹𝗹:
• Negotiating standard terms aggressively
• "Proving yourself first" before paying
• Changing deal terms mid-engagement
• Using money as a weapon, not a tool

The math is simple:

A $75K client who treats you like dirt will cost you more than $75K in reputation, stress, and failed placements.

A $50K client who respects the process will bring you $500K in referrals.

I keep a list of clients I won't work with.
It's shorter than my client list.
But it's more valuable.

Because every client you fire makes room for one who gets it.

Here's the truth about professional services:

You're not just selling your expertise.
You're choosing who deserves it.

And some money is too expensive.

What red flag made you walk away from easy money?

The Executive Who Saved His Career by Breaking His Own Email Rule

For 15 years, my rule was simple: No long emails. Ever.

Three bullets max. One clear ask. Get to the point or get deleted.

Then I watched a $60k deal die because I followed my own rule.

The client needed context. Background. The why behind the numbers. But I sent my usual three-bullet update.

"We need to pivot the strategy."
"Timeline shifts 6 months."
"ROI still intact."

His response? "This feels rushed. Let's revisit next quarter."

Translation: You just lost $60k because you couldn't explain yourself.

That night, I broke my rule. Wrote a 2-page email. Detailed every assumption. Mapped out three scenarios. Explained why waiting would cost them $15k more.

Took me 3 hours to write. He read it in 10 minutes.

Called me immediately. "Now I get it. Let's move."

Here's what 200+ placements taught me about executive communication:

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝘂𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗞𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗿𝘀:
• Always be brief
• Never over-explain
• Stick to bullet points
• Keep it simple

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗧𝗿𝘂𝘁𝗵 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗦𝗮𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗺:
• Match the moment, not the rule
• Some decisions need stories, not bullets
• Context beats brevity when stakes are high
• Your communication style is a tool, not an identity

That "too long" email saved the deal. Saved my reputation. Taught me that rigid rules make fragile leaders.

The best executives know when to break their own rules.

Your greatest strength becomes your greatest weakness the moment you stop questioning it.

What rule have you broken that changed everything?

5 Ways to Land Clients

Currently Seeking New Opportunities

Seeking Director, VP, SVP of Operations or Fractional COO roles.
Location: Southern California (Riverside, Orange Country, Los Angeles, San Diego counties)
Seeking full-time, in office, hybrid, or remote.

Director of Operations

Koboldt Consulting

Koboldt Consulting is a boutique business (side hustle) focused on consulting and coaching (executive, leadership, lean operations, career) services, along with fractional COO gigs.  

Industries:  Telecom, Health and Wellness, Luxury Furniture, Technology, Action Sports
Revenues:  $1M-$15M

LEADERSHIP COACHING
🔷 Level up with a new leadership role (Manager, Director, VP, SVP)
🔷 Develop other leaders to level up into new leadership roles

LEAN OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT COACHING
🔺 Coach your team on 'lean' principles to increase efficiencies and maximize net income, while building a customer-centric culture
🔺 Recent contract with Quintus (11/2023 - 04/2024)

Check out our 125+ testimonials! 
Learn more at: koboldt.com

*Please note that this side hustle does not compete in anyway with my corporate roles.

Executive Business Consultant | Fractional COO | OpEx Leadership | Career Elevation Coaching

At Koboldt Consulting, we believe that every career journey is unique and worth investing in. Whether you're transitioning into a new field, striving for a promotion, or simply seeking to realign with your purpose, our mission is to empower you to take control of your professional story. With our proven strategies in career coaching, resume writing, LinkedIn optimization, and interview preparation, we’ve helped hundreds of professionals across industries stand out, excel, and land positions they deserve.

CAREER COACHING
🔷 Architecting your career path to high $six-figure achievement
🔷 Coaching for high performance / mindset
🔷 Navigating career crossroads + work/life integration

GETTING YOU THE JOB
🔺 Resume writing
🔺 Linkedin / networking
🔺 Personal branding
🔺 Interviewing
🔺 Negotiating
🔺 Rolodex of experts
➤ 98% resume success rate in landing you an interview in 60 days!  (FY23)
➤ Salary increases range from $7,500 to $100k, with an average of $31k (last 30). 

koboldt.com

Job Search | Jobs | Job | Career Ladder | Career Coaching |  LinkedIn Profile Optimization | Resume Writing | Resume Help | Resume Tips | Resume Advice | Resume Writers | Resumes | Career Advancement | Career Advice | Coach | Career Change | Leadership | MBA | Executive | Director | VP | SVP | Manager | COO | Michigan State University | Pepperdine University

Career Coach | Resume Writer | LinkedIn Optimization | Interviewing 

Quintus aspires to be the most exciting maker of luxury home furnishings in the world; leading with extraordinary new design and industry-best customer service.  Manufacturing: Los Angeles, CA

𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗟𝗟𝗘𝗡𝗚𝗘 #𝟭: Lack of standardization around production planning with ship-promise compliance <20% and 27-week lead times. Reporting was segregated and had bad data. Late orders were growing exponentially. Extremely upset customers! 

Actions:
- Odoo ERP implementation and collaboration with data expert.
- Developed an excel GANTT chart which then was built into Odoo with printable planning reports for each employee.
- Got rid of physical kanban cards for planning.
- Instituted weekly production reviews of all 260+ orders ensuring engineering drawings were completed, components ordered, etc. 
- Created a 'master plan' that could be exported, giving visibility to each operation (woodshop, finishing, upholstery, etc.).
- Reset planning in Odoo, assigning employees to the work.
- Setting up barcode scanning.

Result: 
➤ Lead times reduced below industry average of 16 weeks currently. 
➤ Ship promise compliance boosted 17%.
➤ Organized capacity-based planning system maximizing efficiency. 

𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗟𝗟𝗘𝗡𝗚𝗘 #𝟮: Culture was weak and mis-aligned. Unhappy employees. Numerous operational mistakes being made. Poor communication from one person to the next.

Actions:
- Deployed cultural transformation initiative, restructuring compensation structure with new, detailed job descriptions for operations team, and KPI alignment.
- Implemented 6S audits and Gemba daily walks.
- Instituted 3-part metric system in manufacturing environment: ship-promise compliance, lead times and first-time quality. 
- Created twenty-three new standard work instructions across shipping, purchasing, and operations.

Result:
➤ Improved first-time quality from 68% to 87%.
➤ Improved plant safety with 114 days of zero safety incidents.

#supplychain #manufacturing #operations #procurement #logistics

Lean Manufacturing Consultant | Company: Quintus

Acuity Brands

➤ Led Architectural Technical Sales (ATS) team, covering 3 regions across 24 states, Western Canada and International (Latin America, Europe, Asia, Middle East) with 16 ATS Managers (mechanical, industrial, electrical engineers), seven direct reports.  

➤ Achieved sales revenue growth of 5% FY22, 5% FY21, 7% FY20, 12% FY19, 17% FY18, 12% FY17, growing one brand $100M+ in five years.

➤ Earned a 9.8/10 CSAT score for the ATS service levels, increased from 8.1 in FY19.

➤ Instituted Lean / Six Sigma process improvements:  $3.2M in savings | 14 kaizens | Delivered thirty-seven process improvements with seventy-one standard work instructions composed for ATS team. 

➤ Executed a $11.7M growth strategy as part of a $200M AIP; utilized House-of-Quality with monthly reporting to President and executive team.

➤ Delivered a digital 'order tracker' transformation using Agile 'sprint' methodology as part of 'Where's my stuff' project within 6 weeks with cross-functional team and COO sponsorship. 

➤ Earned a SPOT award from Human Resources VP for culture annual improvement plan (AIP) focused on "Light the Way" leadership that transformed 28 new leadership competencies.

➤ Reduced lead time from six days to four hours via the creation of robotic processing automation for no-charge sample orders, removing five admins from the process; SVP-sponsored strategy, delivering a monthly presentation to CEO.

➤ Lean and Six Sigma tools utilized:  DMAIC, Fishbone, A3, 5 Why’s, 6S, FMEA, Value Stream Mapping, Standard Work, SIPOC, House of Quality, 8 Waste, Flow, VOC, Affinity Diagrams, Gantt Charts, and Pareto Charts.

Customer Success | Customer Engagement | Customer Experience | Client Engagement | Operations | Fortune 100 | Performance Levels | Key Metrics | Project Plans | Key Stakeholders | Industry Standard | Service Level Agreements | Customer Requirements | Executives | C-Level | SVP | VP | Interpersonal Skills | Clarity | Vision | Agility | DMAIC | A3 | Sales Operations

Architectural Technical Sales Director | $4B | C-Level & SVP Stakeholder Management

SALES
➤ Achieved revenue growth of 12% in FY17, across 5 architectural brands.

CUSTOMER SUCCESS
➤ Reduced submittal turnarounds from 5.2 days to 2.3 days. 
➤ Trimmed tech support cycle time from 4.8 days to 1.5 days.

➤ Championed 11 continuous improvement efforts with a myriad of kaizen events:
2/20/17 -  Implement SSQ process to improve sales samples to museum quality
3/20/17 - Value stream mapping of architectural services w/ lean consultant
5/3/17 - Palletization in linear runs / kanban production facility
6/29/17 - Reduce engineering cycle time
9/11/17 - Quality transformation at Mexico production facility
9/25/17 - Value stream mapping customer care / architectural technical sales; reduce response times
12/5/17 - Reducing escalations Brand X; 72% improvement  
2/8/18 - Reducing escalations Brand Y; 71% improvement
4/15/18 - Reducing escalations Brand Z: 65% improvement
11/29/18 - Define event for commitment orders
12/11/18 - Sales sample kaizen

Architectural Technical Sales - Zone Lead | Lean Six Sigma | >$5M Cost Savings

➤ Led multi-phased, $multi-million projects, cradle to grave.

➤ Managed 25+ projects for 3 agencies from Ventura to San Diego to Vegas, as well as supported 7 sales reps from Western Canada to Colorado to Phoenix. 

➤ Applied lean methodology to institute and organize 30 standards of work for the project management team of 20.

➤ Navigated a complex matrix organization to:
- pull hundreds of orders through the supply chain
- minimize post sales delays
- improve engineering cycle time
- reduce coding cycle time
- get answers to complex tech or product support questions
- assist sales team 

➤ Reported to Director of Design & Application Services, reporting to V.P. Customer Experience.

www.acuitybrands.com 

Acuity Brands, Inc. (NYSE: AYI) is the North American market leader and one of the world’s leading providers of lighting and building management solutions for commercial, institutional, industrial, infrastructure, and residential applications throughout North America and select international markets. With fiscal year 2021 net sales of $3.5 billion, Acuity Brands is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia with operations throughout North America, and in Europe and Asia.

Solutions Project Manager | Senior Project Management 

University of Phoenix

Earned Phoenix500 award in 2021 and 2022 for top professors.
Guest lecturer:  Pepperdine University, University La Verne

Taught the following graduate MBA classes:
OPS 571 - Operations Management
MGT 526 - Managing in a Changing Environment
MGT 521 - Executive Management
MGT 498 - Strategic Management

Taught the following undergraduate classes:
BUS 475 - Integrative Business Topics
MGT 445 - Organizational Negotiations
MGT 420 - Supply Chain Management
MGT 330 - Management Theory

I taught 49 classes from 2006-200 impacting 496 students lives.

All classes were taught on campus 6-10 pm. in Ontario, Murrietta, Pasadena, Garden Grove or Woodland Hills.

MBA Professor | Earned Phoenix500 Top Professor Award (2021, 2022)

Business Consultant | Company: Somadome

Assisted CEO with operations for his new luxury furniture company. This was a short-term, consultant-only position.

➤ Implemented lean processes including development of 20+ new standards of work; 6S, value steam mapping, DMAIC.

➤ Developed a 5-part metric system and continuous improvement board with 60+ actionable items. 

➤ Instituted a detailed management performance system for employee development improving efficiency.

➤ Created a production schedule board for vendor management resulting in improvement of on-time performance, while increasing first-time quality. 

➤ Contributed to project setting up new system integrating All Orders (production management), QuickBooks (accounting), and Salesforce (CRM).

Lean Six Sigma | CEO Engagement | Luxury Home Furnishings | On-Time | Design Excellence | Furniture | Textiles | First Time Quality | Lead times | KPI Management

Lean Consultant | Company: Quintus Home

Rose Tarlow Melrose House

In charge of all operations for this luxury, high-end company serving the interior design community. Products include furniture, textiles, lighting, rugs and accessories. Lead the management staff of 16 including Production, Purchasing, Customer Experience, Warehouse, Quality, Logistics, and Special Projects.  Reason for leaving: joined CEO at his new company Quintus.

➤ Increased on-time performance from 40% to 78%, while reducing overall lead times from 20.9 to 16.4 weeks through enhanced scheduling and workflow optimization.  

➤ Implemented a comprehensive overhaul of the quality management system, resulting in an 18% improvement in first-time product quality and a significant reduction in rework costs.

➤ Drove continuous improvement initiatives by developing 45 new Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), aligning production with key customer needs, reducing non-value-added SKUs, and achieving a 10% reduction in shipping errors.

➤ Led a customer-centric culture shift through CXPA training programs, resulting in a 51% increase in customer satisfaction (CSAT) scores across key client accounts.

➤ Member of the CXPA - customer experience professional association.

➤ Launched thirty-five new products, partnered with Cox London (UK company) to release sixty new products, and launched a finished sample program.

➤ 45+ new standards of work written. 

➤ Managed the relationship with 25 local vendors producing 150+ sales orders per month, 1000+ SKUs, while working with 200+ designers, design firms, 17 partner showrooms, as well as our flagship store in LA.

➤ Orchestrated three high-profile projects, ranging from $2M to $5M, for billionaire clients, delivering all projects 100% on time and under budget while maintaining strict quality standards.

➤ Championed a zero-incident safety culture, ensuring full compliance with all safety regulations and maintaining a flawless safety record. 

➤ Lean tools: 6S, value stream mapping, A3, DMAIC, fishbone, kaizen

Director of Operations | Senior Operations Executive

BambooBuddy

BAMBOOBUDDY, LLC
In charge of all operations for marketing and distributing products made from bamboo under various brands to major retailers including Lowes Home Improvement Store and Home Depot. Direct staff of 19 including Operations, Sales, and Warehouse Managers, as well as 5 independent sales representatives in the U.S. 
➤ Beat revenue goals, increasing sales 51% year-over-year by educating Lowes management in 
 merchandising techniques.
➤ Expanded distribution through Lowes from 40 stores in 3 states to more than 450 stores in 30
 states with diversified product range.
➤ Drove quality rates to less than .5% defect.
➤ Deployed Kaizen projects using Lean and Six Sigma techniques; cut warehouse labor expense by
 7%, increased fill rate from 94.55 to 99.87, and raised employee productivity by 23%.
➤ Reached 99%+ on-time delivery rate, gaining A-level rank from Lowes for inventory turns, quantity
 fill rates, and monthly sales as a vendor.
➤ Achieved 14% reduction in operating costs enabling investment in other brand pursuits without
 additional financing or loss of equity. Instituted process improvements resulting in consecutive
 annual 12% budget reduction.
➤ Cut and right sized inventory, reducing by $102k and developed accurate JIT forecasting model.
➤ Boosted cash flow 6% over prior year through negotiations with overseas factories, and cut
 excess inventory costs 15% over prior year.
➤ Managed overseas operations in China including yearly travel to visit factories.

Logistics | Sourcing | Business Development | Supply Chain Management | Quality Control & Assurance | Product Development | Lean | Six Sigma | Leadership | Big Box retail | Inventory Control | Sales | Marketing

COO | Senior Operations Executive | Owner | C-level strategic execution

Bamboo Skateboards

BAMBOO SKATEBOARDS, DBA UNDER BAMBOOBUDDY, LLC, OCEANSIDE, CA
Accountable for all aspects of business operations, including product sourcing, marketing, finance, accounting, technology, and logistics.  Managed staff of 5, as well as 6 outside sales representatives.

➤ Exceeded goals and delivered 30.2%+ annual growth, 105% growth in 2013 for dealer sales.
➤ Initiated marketing strategy to educate and convince consumers to switch from maple boards to
  bamboo boards.
➤ Grew brand with limited marketing budget and resources; instituted college internship program
  helping nurture some 70+ college interns.
➤ Created brand profile on Hookit.com gaining more than 3.5M impressions; sponsored 1500+ athletes with 1 of the top skateboarding athlete programs.
➤ Launched Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign raising $15k towards environmental awareness
➤ Equity owner; sold company in 2014

President  | Senior Operations Executive | Owner

Dark Horse Distribution, Inc.

Charged with turning around this struggling $3M+ action sports company that was operating at a loss. Directed production, supply chain, finance, accounting, and strategy for this company with 13 employees. Managed $1.6M operating budget.  Dark Horse earned INC Magazines Top 500.

Results: Executed new business plan, reduced operating costs by $753K, established budget and financial accountability.

➤ Exceeded business plan goals, reducing COGS by $740k and operating costs by $753K.
➤ Drove quality defects to less than .01%.
➤ Reduced COGS by $740K and sourced new overseas factories for key products; negotiated with American vendors to reduce costs; savings freed up cash to pay off outstanding payables and invest into marketing and fresh branding efforts, including individual product updated logos, brand identity and new apparel line.
➤ Expanded Internet sales by more than 5,100%; orchestrated design and launch of 2 new
  websites, including SEO, Adwords, and shopping cart with OS commerce.
➤ Reduced inventory costs by $50K and increased warehouse and office efficiency by applying 5S techniques.
➤ Established new sales quotas, commission structures, and sales training.

Brands:  Grind King, Dogtown skateboards, Kreper trucks, Grind Queen clothing, Von Dutch, Hazmat snowboards, Termite skateboards

Vice President of Strategic Operations | C-level turn-around

Milgard Windows and Doors

MILGARD MANUFACTURING, INC., OWNED BY MASCO CORP
Directed purchasing of more than $45M inventory for this $120M window and door manufacturing plant with 400+ employees.  Reported to Finance Manager and directed 32 staff and $1.1M budget.  

➤ Deployed Lean Six Sigma tools (5S, 5 Why, DMAIC, Fishbone, Value Stream Mapping). 
➤ Developed standardized operating procedures for most departments.
➤ Earned #5 plant out of 18 for GAP, a rise from 11th place.
➤ Saved total of $1.4M through reduction in GAP within 1 year by overseeing cross-functional team.
➤ Increased productivity on aluminum line from .72 units/hour to .90.
➤ Gained $110K additional revenue by negotiating waste removal plan for broken glass and scrap
  aluminum.
➤ Reduced physical inventory write-offs by $203K; applied 5S to each production line and trained staff.
➤ Improved cycle count accuracy from 83% to 97.3%.
➤ 0 safety incidents.

Materials Manager | Mid-level | Operations Excellence | Lean

$100M+ Sales & Operations Leader | Lean Black Belt | Customer Success | Strategic Leadership | ⚔️ Slayer of corporate silos 🐉 | MBA Professor | Career Consultant Coach | Resume Writer | Leadership Futurist | Guitarist

𝗩𝗔𝗟𝗨𝗘 𝗣𝗥𝗢𝗣𝗢𝗦𝗜𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡:
Director/VP Operations wizard, lean disciplined, AI curious, Award-winning MBA professor, once flew on a plane with Ringo Starr of the Beatles.

Companies: $10M - $4B, matrix org.
Industries: Automotive, Action Sports, Lighting, Electrical, CPG, Luxury Furniture
Employees led: 5-65, indirect 300+.  
A Leader of leaders.  

𝗩𝗜𝗦𝗜𝗢𝗡 𝗔𝗟𝗜𝗚𝗡𝗘𝗗 𝗣𝗢𝗦𝗜𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡𝗦:
Director | VP | SVP of Operations roles in LA/Riverside/Orange County, in office or hybrid.  Fractional COO.

𝗜𝗗𝗘𝗔𝗟 𝗖𝗢𝗠𝗣𝗔𝗡𝗜𝗘𝗦:
Fender Guitars, Monster Energy, Niagara Bottling, Disney, etc. but open! 

𝗪𝗛𝗔𝗧 𝗜 𝗗𝗢 / 𝗖𝗢𝗥𝗘 𝗘𝗫𝗣𝗘𝗥𝗧𝗜𝗦𝗘:
Maximize net profits 💰 through 'lean' + 'six sigma' operational execution. 
 ➤  $𝟮𝟱𝗠+ 𝗶𝗻 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗻 𝘀𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀! 𝟭𝟬𝟬+ 𝗞𝗮𝗶𝘇𝗲𝗻𝘀!  𝟭3,12𝟱 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀 𝗹𝗼𝗴𝗴𝗲𝗱.

Boost sales revenues.  
➤  $𝟭𝟬𝟬𝗠+ 𝗶𝗻 𝘀𝗮𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘂𝗲𝘀 for one lighting brand alone!

Develop leaders who are customer obsessed.  
➤  Earned 𝗖𝗦𝗔𝗧 𝟵.𝟴/𝟭𝟬

Transform cultures and remove corporate siloes.
➤  𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗱 𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝘀𝘂𝗿𝘃𝗲𝘆 (𝗪𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝘀 𝗧𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝗪𝗮𝘁𝘀𝗼𝗻) 𝗶𝗻 𝗳𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘀𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀.

𝗖𝗨𝗥𝗥𝗘𝗡𝗧𝗟𝗬 𝗟𝗘𝗔𝗥𝗡𝗜𝗡𝗚:
Studying AI, prompt engineering, future automation

𝗞𝗘𝗬 𝗖𝗔𝗥𝗘𝗘𝗥 𝗔𝗖𝗖𝗢𝗠𝗣𝗟𝗜𝗦𝗛𝗠𝗘𝗡𝗧𝗦
➤  Grew start-up business with 2 business partners 51% year-over-year to $10M+ before exiting.
➤  $25M+ in quantifiable lean savings, over 150 projects executed.
➤  Delivered $100M+ revenue growth for one architectural lighting brand.
➤  Reduced lead times by 23% while increasing on-time performance by 82%.
➤  Improved productivity 50.3% from 28 to 42 lines per hour, earning top 5 plant out of 28 plants.
➤  Earned #1 materials management team, out of 17 plants. 

𝗛𝗢𝗡𝗢𝗥𝗦 & 𝗔𝗪𝗔𝗥𝗗𝗦
➤  Phoenix500 - Top University Professor at UoP (2021, 2022)
➤  Pepperdine University 40over40 Honoree (2018)
➤  Pepperdine University GAN-LA Council Star recipient (2017)
➤  Featured articles in the Huffington Post (2013-2015)
➤  Featured on NBC/ABC/CBS/FOX news television (2009-2014)

𝗪𝗛𝗢 𝗜 𝗔𝗠:
🎸 Guitar player (PRS, Fender, Ovation)
🥾 Hiking (Zion, Bryce, Yosemite, Rocky Mountains)
✈️ Traveling
🧘‍♂️ Meditation (20 years)
🎶 Going to concerts (1000+ bands seen)
📚 Reading (20+ books per year)
❤️ Spending time with my beautiful wife and two kids  

𝗞𝗘𝗘𝗣 𝗜𝗡 𝗧𝗢𝗨𝗖𝗛 
📬 DM on LinkedIn 
📞 Book a discovery call https://calendly.com/gkoboldt/resume-chat
💻 koboldt.com 
#GenerousGeoff

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