My Story

TL;DR

Family is complicated. Family businesses are even more so.

I entered the “dark night of the soul.” God showed me a new direction that enabled me to use my gifts and become the person I was meant to be.

Each day, as leaders, we have an opportunity to impact others through our work. We can choose either to see people as a means to an end (i.e. profit and personal ambition) or to see them as a relationship that allows us to work mutually to achieve God’s vision for each of us.

Prudence guides which path we choose.

From Auto Parts to the White-shoe World of Consulting

Family is complicated. Family businesses are even more complicated. 

While I loved the idea of following in my grandfather’s footsteps and continuing the family tradition, I joined the family business because it was what everyone expected of me, not because I was excited about selling spark plugs. Although I learned a lot about business, the work grew monotonous, my father was not a good boss, and I was an even worse employee. 

A new direction from the middle of the road

Every personality test pointed me in the direction of becoming a psychologist, teacher, or priest. None of which I had any interest in given the constituencies. ;-)

During my MBA studies at Saint Louis University, a Jesuit institution, I realized how the listening, teaching, healing, and transformational aspects of these roles are intertwined in family businesses. As clichéd as it sounds, I secured my dream position as a family business consultant at Arthur Andersen, assisting families in resolving issues I couldn’t tackle personally. (I quickly navigated that dysfunctional phenomenon!)

Although distinct from the parts industry, I flourished in the consulting sector. Had it not been for the Enron scandal that triggered Andersen’s downfall, I might still be there. After departing from the firm I cherished, I dedicated 17 years to leadership positions at some of the world’s premier consulting firms, including Towers Perrin, Hewitt Associates, and Genworth. Each position offered me exposure to different business models, capabilities, market dynamics, cultures, and leadership styles.

I have led marketing initiatives across various levels, including practice, geography, industry, and corporate sectors. Collaborating closely with top thought leaders globally in finance, human capital, risk, accounting, and technology has enhanced my experience. My marketing efforts have targeted CEOs, CFOs, CHROs, CROs, CTOs, COOs, and board buyers. I have crafted marketing strategies for startups, middle-market companies, and large global players in technology, healthcare, financial services, industrial, and retail sectors. My responsibilities have included integrating acquisitions, divesting businesses, and helping to establish practices from the ground up. I have successfully navigated the quarterly demands faced by public companies alongside the strict requirements of private firm partnerships.  

I have built teams during prosperous times and downsized them in challenging periods. I observed significant cultural and leadership changes resulting from liquidity events. I have witnessed the unfortunate decline of once-prominent firms that were dismantled for profit or to benefit partners financially. I saw strong, humble leaders nurture both businesses and individuals through compassion and service. I have seen petty actions by lesser partners sabotage others simply to make a point. These experiences have shown me both the highs and lows of the professional services industry. 

A New Vision for Professional Services

I repeatedly question why many firms do not reach their full potential. My experience has shown me that the underlying problem is that, despite offering an excellent model for contemporary organizations, professional firms suffer from organizational dysfunction that leadership teams frequently ignore. I refer to this flaw as the “BS of PS.” It results in suboptimal growth and can jeopardize a firm’s very identity.

In 2012, after many months of reflection, I found the purpose and the courage to start my own company.  Prudent Pedal was born, not from the trunk of a car, but in my basement bike shop. I committed to creating a firm that would deal with “the BS of PS” while bringing meaning to my life and the lives of my clients. My business would be built on practical wisdom—not the typical marketing hype. I would care for clients the way I’d been taught as a boy to do.  I would take the best and leave the BS from the many firms I had been a part of or competed against.

The ironic demise of Andersen, a firm founded on client service, learning, and stewardship, reinforced my belief in the significance of a culture that I had observed at my family’s company. I learned from the best at Towers Perrin and Hewitt how to manage world-class human capital. I discovered “the GE way” at Genworth Financial Investments. Like Andersen, Genworth illustrated the importance of leadership and the daily management of people and culture.

My life as a marketer has made me a brand cynic. I really don’t want to be, but more often than not “brand” and its associated values, mission statements, and personalities are just punchlines to squeeze more value out of clients, not to understand what clients and employees truly value.  I believe in brands with meaning—not metaphorically. I mean firms and people making a real difference in people’s lives. We cannot compartmentalize our lives. Work is not “just business.” As my good friend, Ted Harro, says, “Work is the laboratory of the soul.”

Most importantly, I would work with firms and leaders who have chosen growth with a purpose—not just mindlessly selling more.  Each day, as leaders, we have an opportunity to impact others through our work. We can choose either to see people as a means to an end (i.e., profit and personal ambition) or to see them as a relationship that allows us to work mutually to achieve God’s vision for each of us.

Prudence guides which path we choose.