Work We Are Proud Of: Case Studies of SME & Non-Profit Success Stories

Empowering a Private Training Agency with Scalable Systems

An education agency in the natural resources sector (private client)

In an industry where niche expertise can drive significant competitive advantage, our client—a private training agency specializing in the natural resources sector-was struggling to scale effectively. While their tailored programs attracted widespread industry recognition, their internal systems and decision-making structures were not equipped to support growth. Without a clear strategic framework, their ability to sustain expansion was at risk.

Despite strong market demand, the firm lacked a structured approach to strategic planning and execution, which left them reactive rather than proactive. Their governance model required refinement to establish clear accountability and streamlined decision-making. Furthermore, their reliance on manual processes and fragmented workflows exposed inefficiencies that hampered their agility. Without an integrated approach to digital transformation, the agency risked falling behind in an increasingly technology-driven landscape.

The leadership team faced a critical challenge: How could they maintain their reputation for excellence while ensuring their operations were structured to scale and sustain long-term growth?

Our Approach

We began by conducting a comprehensive assessment of their existing processes, organizational structure, and strategic objectives. Our goal was to align their corporate vision with an actionable strategy and tactical approach that would drive measurable impact while preserving the core values that set them apart.

Strategic Planning & Execution:
  • Developed a structured strategic roadmap that aligned business objectives with operational capabilities, ensuring sustainable growth.
  • Designed a value-stream mapping exercise to identify bottlenecks and prioritize initiatives that would enhance efficiency and scalability leveraging the highly specialized DAVSC methodology.
Organizational Governance & Change Leadership:
  • Established a decision-making framework that improved leadership alignment and accountability, reducing operational ambiguity (supported by a future state map

    with strategic projects including organzational charts, value delivery role alignment, and business unit specific policies and procedures that provided clarity while eliminating waste).

  • · Implemented change management strategies to ensure smooth adoption of new processes and technologies across all levels of the organization.
Digital & AI Transformation:
  • Conducted a technology audit and identified gaps where automation could replace time-intensive manual workflows.
  • Recommended and integrated a suite of digital tools, including a customer relationship management (CRM) system, automated reporting and workflow solutions, and scheduling tools to improve responsiveness and agility.
Enterprise Project Management Frameworks:
  • Developed scalable methodologies for managing complex training programs and operational projects, ensuring standardization and efficiency.
  • Introduced communication frameworks and client feedback loops to drive continuous improvement while supporting leadership with real-time visibility into program delivery.

Outcomes

The transformation was both immediate and sustainable. Within 11 months:

  • Sales portfolio doubled, demonstrating the agency’s ability to scale operations without compromising service quality.
  • Process efficiencies led to a 31% reduction in administrative overhead, allowing staff to focus on high-value activities rather than repetitive manual tasks.
  • Decision-making cycles shortened, enabling leadership to make faster, more informed strategic choices based on real-time data.
  • Cultural shift toward accountability and clarity, with employees empowered to take ownership of their roles and leadership equipped with the tools to drive performance.
  • Future-readiness enhanced, with integrated digital solutions providing the agility to adapt to industry shifts and new market opportunities.

By implementing structured governance, strategic execution, and a digitally enabled infrastructure, this private training agency is now positioned for sustained growth, operational resilience, and industry leadership.

Merging Cultures & Optimizing Revenue Operations for a Marketing Agency

ZGM Modern Marketing Partners

ZGM Modern Marketing Partners had all the right ingredients for success: a dynamic leadership team, a strong client portfolio, and a talented workforce. However, as demand grew, their internal systems struggled to keep up—leading to inconsistent project management, communication breakdowns, and declining staff morale. Additionally, revenue unpredictability, client attrition, and increasing staff turnover were straining the firm’s ability to scale sustainably.

Complicating matters further, ZGM was in the midst of a complex merger, bringing together two distinct corporate cultures: one technical and process-driven, the other highly creative and spontaneous. The leadership team recognized that to move forward effectively, they needed to align these cultures, establish structured governance, and optimize revenue operations for long-term success.

Our Approach

Strategic Planning & Execution:

We began with a comprehensive assessment of ZGM’s operations, identifying gaps in their project delivery framework and revenue management. By aligning their corporate vision with an actionable growth strategy, we ensured that both creativity and operational discipline could coexist seamlessly.

Organizational Governance & Change Leadership:

We introduced structured decision-making frameworks and change leadership strategies to guide the post-merger integration. This helped align teams under a unified operational model, improving collaboration and accountability.

Enterprise Project Management Frameworks:

To stabilize client satisfaction and streamline project execution, we implemented agile methodologies and value-stream mapping. By clarifying roles and responsibilities, we ensured that projects were completed efficiently, met client expectations, and contributed to revenue predictability.

Digital & AI Transformation:

We customized project management software to provide better visibility into resource allocation, financial forecasting, and project tracking. This enabled leadership to make data-driven decisions, optimize workflows, and scale revenue operations with confidence.

Outcomes

  • 15% reduction in client attrition and a 30% decrease in staff turnover, improving both customer retention and employee engagement.
  • Project velocity increased by 49%, allowing ZGM to take on more clients and deliver work more efficiently.
  • Reliable revenue and ROI tracking, equipping leadership with actionable insights to forecast growth and manage financial sustainability.
  • Stronger organizational culture, balancing creative flexibility with operational efficiency to drive long-term success.

Strategic Organizational Alignment & Marketing Operations Framework for a Non-Profit

Green Calgary

As a non-profit organization committed to sustainability and environmental advocacy, Green Calgary had a strong mission but faced challenges in aligning its operations, marketing, and community engagement efforts. Their marketing and fundraising efforts required strategic alignment, tracking, and integration as an operations function. Effectively aligning team members, organizational goals, measuring campaign impact, and optimizing outreach were pertinent. Without a clear framework connecting strategic goals to marketing execution, their ability to scale their reach and donor engagement was constrained.

Our Approach

Strategic Planning & Execution:

We conducted a deep analysis of Green Calgary’s organizational objectives, focusing on aligning marketing strategies with their overarching mission. By identifying gaps between their outreach efforts and desired impact, we created a structured approach to ensure marketing activities drove measurable engagement and fundraising success.

Organizational Governance & Change Leadership:

To improve accountability and efficiency, we introduced a governance framework that clarified roles across marketing, operations, and community engagement team members. This framework ensured that strategic marketing initiatives were executed with consistency, improving collaboration between departments.

Marketing Operations Framework:

We developed a marketing operations framework that standardized campaign planning, audience segmentation, and performance tracking. By implementing a structured approach to content creation, donor engagement, and program awareness, Green Calgary was able to execute campaigns more effectively and measure their success.

Outcomes

  • Improved strategic alignment between marketing, operations, and community engagement, ensuring a unified approach to outreach efforts.
  • Increased donor engagement through a structured marketing operations framework that enhanced communication effectiveness.
  • Enhanced campaign performance, continuous optimization of marketing efforts.
  • Greater efficiency in marketing execution, reducing wasted effort and increasing the impact of outreach initiatives.

By integrating strategic alignment, governance structures, and a marketing operations framework, Green Calgary is now positioned to expand its outreach, strengthen donor relationships, and drive greater community impact. YOY, social engagement rose by 30%.

Scaling an International Business Development Firm with Smarter Systems

Canadian-Based International Business Development Firm (private client)

For this international business development firm, growth had come at a cost. As the company expanded across borders, it encountered communication silos, inefficiencies, and misaligned processes that stifled collaboration and productivity. Employees were frustrated with “work-about-work”—non-value-adding tasks that consumed valuable time and resources. Leadership recognized the urgent need to realign operations with their growth strategy while modernizing their systems to support sustainable expansion.

Our Approach

Strategic Planning & Execution:

We conducted a strategic assessment to align business objectives with operational execution. By identifying inefficiencies and mapping out communication flows, we designed a plan that ensured people, processes, and technology worked in unison to support scalable growth.

Organizational Governance & Change Leadership:

We introduced governance structures that clarified roles and responsibilities, reduced operational ambiguity, and improved accountability across international teams. Leadership alignment strategies ensured that decision-making was streamlined and effective.

Enterprise Project Management Frameworks:

We developed standardized workflows and best-practice methodologies to optimize project execution and cross-border collaboration. By eliminating redundancies and centralizing key functions, we created a more agile and responsive operational model.

Digital & AI Transformation:

We implemented secure, scalable digital solutions to automate routine processes and reduce manual work. Collaboration tools and file management best practices improved communication and knowledge sharing, eliminating inefficiencies that had previously hindered productivity.

Outcomes

  • Increased operational efficiency, with employees able to focus on high-value work rather than repetitive administrative tasks.
  • Eliminated communication silos, fostering better collaboration across international teams.
  • Improved project execution, allowing for seamless expansion without compromising service quality.
  • Greater employee satisfaction, as frustration from outdated systems and inefficiencies was significantly reduced.

By integrating strategic planning, governance structures, and digital transformation initiatives, this firm is now positioned for sustainable global growth and operational excellence.