I repeatedly hear the phrase “Strategy is Dead” on various social media channels. I can only estimate that the individuals writing those articles don’t understand what the process of strategy entails. There are four steps to the Strategic Process:...
Part One – Corporate Culture One of the subjects I am asking to address most frequently has to do with the characteristics. In this series, I take a deeper dive into the question, evaluating how expectations of leaders change as their business move...
Business fail primarily for two reasons (1) negative culture, and (2) an inability to control costs. This quick episode focuses on the latter. The definition of scaling is “achieving increases in revenues without corresponding increases in costs”. I...
Escalating leaders are engaged in strategic conversations everyday. Difference makers know that asking the right questions is often more valuable than walking into the room with all the answers. As CEO of Escalate Solutions, I also fill roles as facilitator,...
We were all schooled in the traditional drivers of marketing – the pillars we all know as the “Four P’s”: “Product, Price, Place and Promotion” Consumer expectations and advancements in technology are pushing the limits and demanding a...
This is admittedly WELL BEYOND the Three Minute parameters that I set for my base discussion content, but many of my colleagues and friends that reviewed my “beta” suggested that I add a “background” episode (even if lengthy) that viewers and...
This YouTube channel features Escalate Solutions’ “Three Minutes to Escalate” series, the best online resource for concise, value-added content to help organizations escalate, grow, scale and sustain. My name is Kimberly Arnold, and I am the founder and CEO of...
If you have read my published content or heard my lectures, you already know that I view every business opportunity and challenge through the lens of Escalate Solutions’ Four Pillars of Strategy (Planning, Alignment of Stakeholders, Execution and Optimization)....
Last week, I had the honor of guest lecturing at the Center for Entrepreneurship for the College of Business within one of our regional universities. The course/content was dedicated to Management and Operational Consulting, and I was asked to address the students...
As a strategic advisor, I am often asked to guide clients and audiences along the path to define, clarify and/or redefine mission, vision and value proposition. The why. The reason they exist. It is an understatement to say that the conversations are inherently...
One of the topics that I am asked to advise or lecture on the most frequently relates to distinctive facets of “Entrepreneurial Growth and Marketing”. Throughout the past few years, there has been a dynamic and noteworthy uptick in the demand from my...
I saw a statistic recently that my home state of Colorado registered 117,648 new businesses in 2017 – a 7% YOY increase. And that is in a state with just over 5 million residents. Those numbers reinforced our mission and vision at Escalate Solutions, as we...
We are living in an age of rapid disruption, being defined increasingly by machines that can learn to act and predict solutions without being explicitly programmed to do so. Entrepreneurs and c-suite leaders hoping to remain relevant in the digital age need to...
I would assert that every entity in today’s dynamic marketplace can be categorized in one of two ways: Those that are proactively developing disruptive products and solutions, and those that will be forced to react to them. Technology is evolving at such a rapid pace...
Approximately 1/3 of the US can be described as freelance workers or independent contractors. These individuals, who have derived their nickname from the IRS form used to track their compensation, are typically engaged on a temporary assignment or contracting...
There is, perhaps, no greater test for an organization and its leadership than to engage in the process of strategic growth, and be forced to choose between “staying the course” and “changing direction”. The complexities are evident whether...
A refined Value Proposition is a crucial element of an organization’s Belief System and Manifesto – a component perhaps as integral to an entity’s long-term success and sustainability as its Mission, Vision, Values and Culture. I have reviewed...
I received some news this week that reminded me of the critical importance of organizational culture, and what can happen to even the most diversified and experienced entities if leadership allows its growth goals to take priority over the people that make such aims...
Effective leadership demands an appreciation for the strategic realities of the competitive global business environment. As you and your team embark on the new year, remember to consider, embrace and apply these important themes: #1 – STRATEGIC PLANNING IS MORE...
Kimberly Arnold, CEO of Escalate Solutions, will be a featured participant in three upcoming Advisory Council sessions hosted by ExecRank.com. The Executive Management Advisory Council 3 (Jan 19, 2017) The Executive Management Advisory Council focuses on the...
