Tom is a Strategic Advisor – Helping business leaders think though how they can fix their urgent issues.

What is unique about Tom?

• Worked with leaders who are accountable for: achieving results, making decisions and/or getting approvals, doing or getting the analysis done, gaining the commitment and support of the ecosystem. These are leaders who are able to learn and transform themselves.  Does not work with leaders who merely want to approve recommendations made by consultants who did all the work.
• Worked with numerous company leaders, ranging from pre-revenue founders to the C-suite of an 800,000 person organization; in many countries; in many industries; public, private, and government; from succeeding well to the verge of collapse.
• Turned around major organization-wide changes that were failing, often when previous attempts using historical approaches, or the approach of traditional industry and functional experts failed.
• Focused on what he believed leaders needed to know, which sometime was different from what they wanted to know.
• Helped leaders understand how and what they needed to personally change in order for their organization to succeed.
• Helped leaders think beyond incremental changes to the status quo.

How do you recognize that you can benefit from Tom?

• You have a critical decision or problem that significantly impacts your company’s long-term value growth or survival.
• You may be unclear as to the underlying problem and what the solution could be.
• You are accountable for the results and require deep understanding, because you are the one who must present and explain your proposed actions.
• The decisions or issues may be new to you and your company or you have unsuccessfully addressed these decisions or issues in the past.
• You recognize that your past experience, skills, and ways of thinking and making decisions may be of less value in today’s turbulent and rapidly changing world. You are willing to learn and try new things.
• You need someone to help you and your team think through what to do.
• You have either hired or met with traditional experts, who have not been able to help you make your decision or solve your problem.
• You may need help selecting traditional experts and in co-ordinating their actions. Tom is not a replacement for the skills and knowledge of traditional experts. You’ll still need them.

How do you work with Tom?

• You may have an hourly meeting once a week. Sometimes meetings are every 2-4 weeks or for 2 hours.
• The agenda is jointly set.
• Tom reviews material you prepare, prior to meetings.
• You work with Tom on a retainer basis.

Some of the critical company decisions and issues he has advised and assisted with include:

• Assessing the risk of investing in early stage companies. Focusing on: market risk, technology/solution risk, and talent risk.
• How to maximize the odds of company success and minimize the odds of failure.
• Hiring and exiting C-Suite executives.
• Merging companies;
• Acquisition analysis and due diligence;
• Divesting lines of business;
• Turning around a business losing customers, losing money, and with poor customer service;
• Determining decision-making among: the Board of Directors, the CEO and executives;
• Defining joint-venture objectives and shareholders agreements.
• Establishing the governance required for an IPO; and
• Establishing a new organization structure and long-term evolution path.

How is Tom different from a Consultant?

• Strategic Advisor: The focus in helping you think about your company’s future and potential futures. There may be little clarity regarding: your company’s direction; what the major problems actually are, rather than just the observable symptoms; how to make a strategic decision; or your goals are unclear. You may also want your directions, goals, and decisions challenged, etc.
• Coach: The focus is on what you need to do in the short term to move towards your company’s future or futures. You need help in thinking through how to reach your goal(s).
• Consultant: you need external expertise and external resources to collect data, analyze it, make recommendations, or implement a solution. Your company’s direction is clear and you know what problems are.

Consultants prepare reports and recommendations, based on data collection and analysis, for your review.   Consultants will often provide you with the answer or some options.

Tom is not a consultant.  He may suggest what you need to do, the information to collect, how analyze it, how to engage others, and how to present your plans and decisions.  He’ll review the reports and presentations that you prepare. He’ll discuss with you, your issues, problems and questions.

Further information regarding Strategic Advisors and Coaches is available at:

https://koorandassociates.org/creating-business-value/strategic-advisor-vs-coach-vs-consultant/

Tom’s  professional and volunteer affiliations include:

• Computer Aid Inc. (Private Company): Board director
• Institute of Corporate Directors: Member
• Odette Cancer Centre: Patient Family Advisory Council, member
• Rotman Business School: MBA student mentor
• University of Toronto, Entrepreneurship Hatchery: Mentor
• Helping to raise money for Lupus research. Over $251,000 in 16 years. Currently focused on the Geoff Carr Fellowship at Lupus Ontario, Canada

Tom has two purposes for his professional life:

• Helping business leaders have a positive impact on society; and
• Helping business leaders (current and emerging) succeed.

Tom’s LinkedIn profile:  LinkedIn Profile:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/tomkoor/

Click here to contact Tom.