Wanserski & Associates offers operationally experienced and skilled strategy resources. Our experienced people utilize developed and customized tools/processes to address business consulting needs, risk management, as well as market-tested financial/economic oversight for clients — for both public and private companies.
Management needs vary by situation: across industry segments, from company to company, based upon perception, the initial problem-definition…and size.
- Public companies typically select consulting assistance from their
roster of the most well-known and highest-quality-perceived firms. -
Mid-size companies engage consultants via a more economic, “ROI pay-back” or value-priced approach; they are more likely to select resources outside of the classic SAFE “boardroom” names.
- Start-up and smaller-but-growing-firms opt out of the big names due to cost, but have equivalent critical needs, sometimes “next-level-requirements”, or even “survivor” and turnaround issue
Admittedly, countervailing forces exist: the COMFORT of going with the brand names by the large public client population; RELUCTANCE of mid-size company management teams to depart from embedded or internal choices; and, the INCORRECT ASSUMPTION by the “small-but-growing firm” management team who believes “with such credentials, they’ve got to be too expensive for us.”
We understand breadth, depth, complexity, strategy requirements, business-plan design and execution, and once embedded, move swiftly to operational, execution, and management team needs. Most importantly, our resources have likely been “in the chair.”
So, why not just contact us for a conversation and ask? Assisting a start- up to get to the next level; dealing briskly, broadly, and ROI-analytically with cross-functional issues at mid-size customers; or targeted projects for large clients…we’ve been inside all such environments.
Capabilities, Services, and Selected Historical Assignments:
- Advisory, project oversight and execution
- Governance direction, guidance, and oversight
- Risk management, prioritization, and mitigation action for
downside needs or opportunity optimization - Business process and business plan reviews
- Best practices design, implementation, and monitoring
- Business unit optimization, growth initiatives
- Financial and operational improvement and performance
management…developed from large sets of Turnaround Projects
and a “speed” or “velocity” mindset– from experiences and clients
across a variety of industries - Operational targets: developing and linking accounting, finance,
and reporting metrics to actionable management action – to
achieve objectives. - Proactive (or reactive) prioritization of compliance efforts relative to
business objectives, regulator-required action, court orders, and
resolutions. - Management team guidance/Subject Matter Expertise to ferret out
and deal with waste, fraud, corruption, and impacts from regulatory
dictates. Based upon specific needs, applicable resources are
available for such initiatives. Complex incidents and case experience
include:- 15 fraud/corruption, prevention & detection, oversight cases
and incidents aggregating to $350 million of value - Innumerable days of forensic efforts, document and evidence
preparation, testifying - 40+ hours on the stand covering 4 days of depositions (in just
one case), - Civil litigation appearances, criminal grand jury, and
bankruptcy trial experiences,
- 15 fraud/corruption, prevention & detection, oversight cases
Resources are also uniquely geared to service: public companies, private equity firm portfolio companies and management, private company/home office founders, owners, and investors.
Drill-Down
Case Studies – Governance & Operations
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Case Study – Executive Level Advisory
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Case Studies – Mergers & Acquisitions, Due Diligence
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Process Re-Engineering, Business Plan Execution & Risk Management
Re-Engineering of Credit, Collections, and Receivables Management — Global Telecom Company (GA/VA): Significantly improved commercial billing effectiveness, cash-flow, collections results and accounts receivable management. Efforts resulted in $200+ Million bad debt reduction and $1 Billion+ cash-flow savings/acceleration during a period of record revenue increases, acquisitions and major product releases that caused the portfolio to grow from $800 million to $1.8 billion. Directed simultaneous development and implementation of: new systems; inserted de-centralized mid-range computing equipment; and instituted best-in-class business practices while consolidating six centers into four mainstream units (650 personnel); optimizing effectiveness to accelerate revenue and corresponding cash flow; re-configured network connecting all locations’ workstations to the two primary data centers; reduced financial risk; generated bottom-line savings from operations.
Accounts Receivable Fraud – Global Telecommunications Company (GA/VA): As director of all USA commercial domestic credit and collections, took over responsibility of additional (carrier/wholesale) line of business. Over the course of eight months, uncovered three schemes to defraud the company. After exposing the fraud and terminating perpetrators, led internal investigation and coordinated all support for external, white-collar crime resources hired to direct civil and criminal prosecution. Over an extended period, drove coordination of evidence, history, and exhibits, testified in three different civil and criminal proceedings (over 40 hours of direct testimony): series of depositions, Federal criminal grand jury, and criminal jury trial. All pursued perpetrators pled or were found guilty—jail sentences for two internal fraudsters and a $6 million judgment against the primary one; one external culprit pled guilty, and final perpetrator was subsequently found guilty on all counts at jury trial.
Content Management/Manufacturing Company (FL): Developed business plan for $50 million diversified manufacturer of CD/DVD’s, high-end and digital printing, mailing/packaging/fulfillment, and eBusiness provider. Family-owned company required business plan revamp and review of major initiatives to move to next-generation firm. Completed 7-week restructuring plan that included management, sales growth needs, pricing and manufacturing action items. Prepared/issued: comprehensive SWOT analysis including business issues, options and recommendations; path-forward for use by the board of directors, company management, and secured lender.
Operational Improvement, Working Capital Management
Inventory “risk” analysis for National Distributor of Engines, Motors, and Parts: Requested by new client to take a full enterprise view of risks surrounding inventory — from accounting, consistency, and operational views. Estimated as a three-month project, due to major experiences in working capital management, M&A, and procure-to-pay knowledge, was able to complete team prioritization of risks, resolution sequence, so remediation work could begin immediately. Client examined the working document and evaluated how quickly action plans, entity initiatives, and new metrics were to be incorporated. Program management for this follow-up work and two other significant work-streams around deal due diligence and likely claw-back efforts under consideration.
Revenue “Leakage” Analytics Project — IoT/M2M Provider (GA): This leading and fast-growing “internet of things” company became suspicious of potential revenue loss after a number of management changes. After series of interviews, system/documentation reviews, and analytics on billing system output, developed a three work-stream project approach to execute an end-to-end revenue confirmation project, including:
- Validate 95% of existing billed revenue back to documented customer contracts;
- Perform full reconciliation of customer account data: SIM cards, devices, network configuration, and equipment inventory;
- Develop automation tool and validate output to ensure recurring/ad hoc reports confirm all revenue elements vs. billing data.
Phase completed under-budget/on-time. Overall approach was so comprehensive that client was then able to execute all remaining work “in-house.”
Purchase Agreement Review – Compliance/Litigation Assessment (NW GA): Contacted by the law firm representing the purchaser of a high-end furnishings retail and commercial/residential design company to complete a two-phase project: A.) evaluate the original agreement and the corresponding contract compliance by the two principal partners in the business, and, B.) investigate and prove non-compliance (if not outright fraudulent activities) to dissolve one partner’s involvement, while also maintaining the viability of the business. Phase I was completed expeditiously, while providing clear guidance. Phase II appears highly successful pending efforts motivating both the purchaser’s legal appetite and business actions required to extricate the perpetrators.
Due Diligence, Viability Assessments, Research Validation
Post-Sale Review of Escrow — Healthcare Client (GA): Conducted study of post-sale collections to determine if release of $ multi-million escrow account held as condition of final purchase agreement was warranted. Review resulted in no funds released, but also confirmed likely fraud. Acquiring company filed lawsuit against former owner to recover purchase price due to inflated/non-GAAP financial statements. Applying the results of the findings vs. the original purchase price reduced value by 60%. Project documents and work product were utilized by litigators. Action persisted due to subsequent acquisition by internationally-known conglomerate and pursuit of final resolution via lawsuit and mediation/settlement.
Market Research Project for Sales Consulting Entity: As part of a software client’s strategic planning processes, specifically-underwritten and proprietary market research was performed by a core sales consulting team. These initiatives required significant review of the software firm’s research, engineering, sales, and implementation functions at one of its domestic USA locations. Thereafter, the core team led in-depth customer-facing and investigative on-site visits at five different (global company) client locations in the UK. The research process and client visits required, among other things, experienced and highly-developed knowledge of financial/control activities, management reporting surrounding information technology assets, and a working understanding of utilized applications and security processes of global companies. The project required dedicated, periodic time intervals (strict deadlines) over the course of four months, culminating in final, editorial-quality reports addressing the total operational and economic impacts of the clients’ use of the software, provided to the software firm’s management team and private equity group.
Funding Viability Assessment–Wireless Broadband Provider (FL): Publicly-owned wireless broadband company had recently undergone a “roll-up” of a group of operating entities. Developed cash-flow and analytics to assess new business plan viability and funding opportunities. Assisted turnaround partner to develop series of “go-forward” options, then worked with management team to synchronize funding options with cash-flow requirements. Subsequent project was initiated to re-finance the company.