The People Who Got You Here Won’t Get You There: Why Companies Outgrow Their Teams
June 17, 2025One of the toughest lessons for business leaders is recognizing that the employees and teams who helped build a company to a certain level may not be the same people who can take it to the next stage of growth. This isn’t about disloyalty or underappreciating early contributors—it’s about the natural evolution of businesses and […]
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The Importance of Pricing Strategy and Understanding Value
May 12, 2025Price vs. Value Pricing is one of the most critical aspects of any business, whether you are selling products or services. The price at which you offer your goods or services can determine your profitability, competitiveness, and long-term sustainability. But what often gets overlooked is the importance of understanding the true value of what you […]
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Time Zone Risk: A Hidden Headwind in Global Business
May 12, 2025In an increasingly interconnected world, businesses span continents, customers never sleep, and teams are more global than ever. But behind the glossy narrative of international reach lies a persistent and underappreciated operational friction: time zone risk. When I was working on a Silicon Valley California -based company owned by a European parent organization, the time […]
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Winners and Losers in Luxury: 50 Years of Fashion, Fortune, and Forward Thinking
May 12, 2025In the world of luxury, brands rise, fall, adapt—or fade away. Over the last 50 years, the luxury fashion, accessories, and jewelry industries have undergone seismic shifts—shaped by global economic cycles, technological disruption, and generational changes in consumer behavior. While titans like LVMH and Richemont continue to dominate, others have struggled to maintain relevance in […]
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Nurture Your EQ
May 11, 2025Daniel Goleman’s seminal book On Emotional Intelligence (part of the HBR series) is, simply, required reading in every turnaround and restructuring we engage in. And, in every pre-exit transformation where a company has engaged us to prepare them for sale. In many cases, the latter is a much heavier lift. Why? The egos of the owners, senior […]
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An Interim CEO Can Clean Up Your Mess
May 10, 2025Hiring an interim CEO with experience outside the target company’s industry can provide unique advantages for a manufacturing or service business facing challenges. Here’s how such a move can help save the company: Freshening Perspectives Innovative Ideas: An interim CEO from a different industry can bring new ideas and innovative approaches that may not have […]
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Noteworthy Turnarounds
May 9, 2025Several businesses and brands have successfully turned their fortunes around, showcasing resilience and effective strategies. Here are some of the most notable turnaround stories: Apple Inc.: In the late 1990s, Apple was struggling with declining sales and market share. The return of Steve Jobs led to innovative product launches, including the iMac, iPod, and eventually […]
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Marcus Aurelius – Lectiones in Negotio (Lessons in Business)
May 8, 2025(this post is dedicated to one of the business leaders who inspires me, Mr. Vin Lee of Grand Metropolitan, a modern day Marcus Aurelius.) Marcus Aurelius – Meditations Marcus Aurelius was a Roman emperor from 161 to 180 AD and is best known as a Stoic philosopher. His writings, particularly “Meditations,” provide insight into his […]
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La Famiglia – Generational Continuity Is Hard
May 8, 2025Why Most Family Businesses Don’t Survive—and What the Oldest Ones Get Right Running a successful family business is an incredible achievement. Sustaining one across multiple generations? That’s a rare and complex feat. Statistics paint a sobering picture: 70% of family businesses fail or are sold before reaching the second generation. 90% don’t make it to […]
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Why Turnaround Pros and Interim CEO’s Make Great Buy-Side Deal Room BS Detectors
May 8, 2025The Best BS Detectors in the Deal Room: Why Turnaround & Transformation CEOs Make Exceptional Buy-Side Advisors In today’s M&A environment, it’s not enough to have smart bankers and lawyers in the room. If you’re looking at acquiring a company—especially in the middle market or in distressed or underperforming situations—you need a different kind of […]
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Go With The Flow
May 7, 2025Running A 13-Week Cash Flow Can Keep You Monitor Your Company’s Piggybank Developing a 13-week cash flow forecast is critical for turning around a business for several key reasons: Short-Term Financial Visibility Immediate Insights: A 13-week forecast provides a clear picture of cash inflows and outflows, helping management understand the company’s immediate financial position. This […]
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Most Businesses Have Dragons That Need Slaying
May 6, 2025Sometimes the dragons are guarding the castle, sometimes the dragons are chasing you up the tallest tower of the castle, and sometimes, inside the tower is where the dragon resides. Sometimes you don’t know where the dragon is, but it’s waiting for you when you get to where you think it’s not. There may be […]
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What’s This Art of War Business?
May 5, 2025The Art of War is often cited as a military treatise, even a blueprint for competition. But, exactly who was Sun Tzu? And how is any of his doctrine related to running a company, or interacting with people in business? Background: Sun Tzu, also known as Sunzi, is believed to have lived during the Eastern Zhou […]
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The Problem With Recruiting Firms
May 4, 2025Ever wonder who cuts the barber’s hair? There is a proliferation of recruiters, and I found out recently, a growing specialty of recruiters who recruit recruiters, which is a bit of an ouroboros. In our view, the recruiting firm industry has tangled itself up a bit, fighting over what frequently is a thin number of searches, […]
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Are You Dedicated or Committed?
May 3, 2025One morning last year I was meeting a prospective client for breakfast, and he was very vocal about the challenges he was facing – he was lamenting the struggles with his company, his bank, his employees. competition, supply chain, pricing, freight, people, margin pressure. On and on. I asked him to look down at his […]
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Too Many Chiefs…
May 2, 2025Too Many Bosses, Not Enough Leaders: The Hidden Risk of a Broken Span of Control In today’s fast-moving business world, speed matters. Clarity matters. Accountability matters. So why do so many organizations bury their people under layers of supervision, approval bottlenecks, and managerial redundancy? When the span of control (SOC) is too narrow—meaning too many […]
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Porosity.
May 2, 2025Bricks are not sponges. Sponges are not bricks. Don’t believe me? Throw a sponge at your large screen TV, then throw a brick. (please don’t). Then, try washing your car with a brick. Then build your house like a bricklayer, but using sponges held together with concrete mortar. They aren’t the same. Different textures, weights, […]
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Fumble: Why “Execution Risk” Is The Silent Killer of Strategy
May 1, 2025In the business world, it’s not uncommon to hear that “execution eats strategy for breakfast.” Yet too many companies fail to act on this truth. They focus on crafting ambitious plans, commissioning expensive consultants, or talking up transformation in town halls—only to watch their strategic intent collapse under the weight of inaction, dysfunction, or sheer […]
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Apple Inc.: From Garage Startup to Global Icon
May 1, 2025The Founding of Apple Computer Apple Computer (now Apple Inc.) was founded on April 1, 1976, by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Ronald Waynein Cupertino, California. At the heart of Apple’s origin story is the synergy between Jobs’ visionary drive and Wozniak’s technical brilliance. The pair met through mutual friends and the Homebrew Computer Club, […]
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Fire. Ready. Aim…Jump. Does Your Business Need a Parachute or a Fire Hose?
May 1, 2025Chris Stapleton’s “Parachute” is like an anthem for turnaround and transformation professionals. Street lights along the highway Throwing shadows in the dark And the memories keep on turning To the rhythm of a broken heart You only need a roof when it’s raining You only need a fire when it’s cold You only need a […]
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What’s Your Edge? 4S
April 30, 2025Edges. We’ve all heard the cliché’ expressions about edges. What kinds of edges does your organization have? Does your organization have cutting edges, bleeding edges, leading edges, dull edges, invisible edges or moving edges? Does your company have any edges at all? Does your company – and your team, have any real, meaningful competitive edge over the competition? Do […]
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When Tribal Knowledge Stifles Growth
April 29, 2025In many of the hundreds of companies we at Qorval have worked on, a frequent common denominator problem has been the overreliance on good old tribal knowledge. And for all of its institutional firewalling, its promise for always showering false pride on the “keeper of the tribal flame,” or what we call the BigMac, the consistent […]
Read MoreStaple Yourself…
April 28, 2025…to an Order Why We Always Recommend “Staple Yourself to an Order” at QORVAL Partners—Especially in the Age of ERP and CRM Integration At QORVAL Partners, we’re often asked what foundational thinking guides our approach when we help businesses navigate complexity, disruption, or large-scale transformation. One of the first things we recommend—regardless of industry, size, […]
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KAPOW! Hiring Experts To Help You Grow Or To Fix Your Company? Expect to Pay For The Value they Bring.
April 28, 2025The “its” of what we do sometimes requires a single superhero, sometimes a full league of people. The “its” – grow it, find it, fund it, fix it, turn it, exit – all require a range of hardened skills and proven people with exceptional networks. Up Up and Away There’s a lot of organizational Kryptonite […]
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The Comparative States of States
April 27, 2025A Little 3:00 A.M. Analysis Project Somewhere along the way in a flurry of graduate school work years ago, before earning an MBA, I received an MPA in Public Administration from The University of Rhode Island and while I do remember some of my professors in particular – Tim Hennessey, Fran Leazes, Victor Profughi – […]
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Climate and Risk
April 26, 2025What Businesses Can Learn from Storms Recently, several states were hammered by Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton. Weather changes quickly – and the overall climate of a business can be equally fickle. Like people and places, businesses are also exposed to threats that come from storms and inclement weather – but they are also threatened […]
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Communication Breakdown
April 25, 2025Clear, Frequent, Unbiased Communication: The Make It-or-Break It Factor in Organizational Performance In our work at Qorval Partners, we’ve helped hundreds of companies through moments of transformation, disruption, turnaround, accelerated growth, and strategic/financial exit. We’ve worked shoulder-to-shoulder with boards, C-suites, business owners, PE funds, family offices, hedge funds, and operations, finance and sales/BD teams navigating […]
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Why Dunning-Kruger Effect Causes CEO Failure
April 25, 2025If you need a king or a queen, don’t hire a pawn. The Dunning-Kruger effect is a cognitive bias where individuals with low ability or knowledge in a particular area overestimate their competence. Conversely, those with higher competence may underestimate their skills. This effect is named after social psychologists David Dunning and Justin Kruger, who first […]
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Road Reality
April 25, 2025At QORVAL Partners, LLC, we don’t just advise—we immerse. We don’t just recommend—we serve, we lead, we transform, we share, we connect. Whether we’re serving as growth and exit advisors, turnaround counsel, or stepping in as interim executives, we enter organizations at moments of inflection – fulcrum points – often when the stakes are high, […]
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Send OFF the Clowns
April 24, 2025Who Are They? Where Did They Come From? Why Are They Here? Every so often, someone shows up in your organization who just doesn’t seem to fit. They make a lot of noise. They jump into projects they weren’t invited to. They seem oddly persuasive with leadership – perhaps they put leaders or owners in […]
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Implementing LEAN in Construction: 10 Ways to Improve Margins and Control Costs
April 24, 2025The construction industry is notorious for razor-thin margins, unpredictable timelines, and pressure from all directions — clients, vendors, subcontractors, and internal teams. In this environment, successfully implementing LEAN principles isn’t just a nice-to-have. It’s essential. The goal? Drive out waste. Streamline processes. Elevate execution. Improve margins. As QORVAL CEO & Managing Partner Paul Fioravanti puts […]
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Rebuilding Years: What Companies Can Learn from Sports Teams About Transformation
April 24, 2025In sports, there’s an unspoken truth fans accept: sometimes, your favorite team is going to have a rebuilding year. Maybe the team has lost key players, changed leadership, or just endured a rough season that left morale in tatters and the scoreboard grim. But no one expects a last-place team to win the championship the […]
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Listen To Your Heart
April 24, 2025Sometimes you wonder if this fight is worthwhile The precious moments are all lost in the tide, yeah They’re swept away, and nothing is what is seems The feeling of belonging to your dreams –“Listen To Your Heart” – Roxette, 1988 Let’s face it, running a business is hard. Especially your own. We’ve counseled […]
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Managing Business Insurance and Risk
April 24, 2025When purchasing a comprehensive commercial insurance program, businesses often make several common mistakes and encounter pitfalls related to various types of coverage, such as general liability, auto, excess liability, property, directors and officers liability, employment practices liability, and environmental protection. Here are some things to keep in mind: Common Mistakes Inadequate Coverage Assessment: Failing to […]
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“I was made for lovin’ you, baby, you were made for lovin’ me…” – the Managerial Archetypes of the Four Faces of KISS
April 23, 2025What kind of leader are you? What kind of leader do you report to? Are you feeling the love? Is the “finance bro” in the Patagonia vest actually a Demon? The Band Profile – More Than Fifty Years Strong KISS, formed in 1973 in New York City, is one of the most iconic rock bands […]
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The Wall
April 22, 2025The Organizational Stakeholder Stack: Building a Wall of Strength, Layer by Layer In business, as in architecture, enduring strength isn’t just about what you build—it’s about how you build it. Imagine your organization as a wall. Each level of this wall represents a vital layer of your stakeholder community. Together, these layers form what I […]
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ISO – What You Need To Know.
April 22, 2025The history of ISO certification traces back to the mid-20th century, as the need for standardized processes and quality assurance grew alongside industrialization and global trade. Here’s a brief overview of its evolution: Early Development Post-World War II: After WWII, many countries recognized the importance of standardization in promoting trade and ensuring quality. The need […]
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Business is Better With More Bushido, Less “Bullshido”
April 21, 2025Core Values Drive Results 核となる価値観が結果を生み出す I highly recommend the 2003 movie, The Last Samurai, featuring Tom Cruise and Ken Watanabe, as well as a beautiful soundtrack by movie music legend Hans Zimmer. It’s a film that’s aged well, and it has as many lessons about business, and life, as it does about Samurai and martial arts. If […]
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Manufacturing Challenges that Put the Brakes on Profits
April 20, 2025At QORVAL, we have done deep turnaround and restructuring work in hundreds of situations and much of our work has been in manufacturing businesses across dozens of industries, ranging from aerospace to med tech, from consumer products to pharmaceuticals to firearms and defense and beyond. One industry we have extensive experience in, is automotive. Manufacturing […]
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Understanding Some Business Lending Basics
April 19, 2025Frequently, businesses need capital – in the form of cash liquidity – to operate, grow, and to make capital investments to further fuel growth. Businesses seeking to borrow money have access to various types of lending, each with different terms, conditions, and security requirements. Here’s an overview of common lending options, how these liabilities are […]
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Angel Funds: The Devil’s In The Details
April 18, 2025Looking for investment from an angel fund for your early stage company or billion dollar idea? Knowing the game can give you the best chances of a heavenly experience and avoiding purgatory, or, worse, hell. Genesis: The Beginning of Angel Funds The concept of angel investing has roots that trace back centuries, but it became […]
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Throwing Resources At The Problem
April 17, 2025We’ve been in hundreds of situations and companies, across dozens of industries. Small companies, to middle market, to large publicly held companies. Dealing with founders, growers, movers, shakers and breakers. Yes, the ones who think they are a hammer and that every problem is a nail. Two typical, yet very polarized responses to companies’ financial, […]
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LEAN/5S/6Sigma Transformational Journey Impacts
April 16, 2025Converting a manufacturing organization to embrace LEAN, 5S, and continuous improvement methodologies can lead to numerous positive impacts. Here are some specific examples of how these critical culture changes, rooted in improving quality and production efficiency, can transform operations: Increased Efficiency: Lean practices eliminate waste and streamline processes, leading to improved operational efficiency and reduced […]
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The Cost of Insecure Leadership
April 15, 2025An insecure CEO can negatively impact a company in various ways. Insecure individuals can end up in CEO roles for various reasons, and their tenure can lead to detrimental outcomes for a company. Here’s an exploration of why this happens and guidance on how quickly action should be taken to address the issue. Why Insecure […]
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Unlocking Enterprise Value: Why Strategic Positioning Before a Sale Delivers Maximum Returns
April 14, 2025Selling a business is more than a transaction—it’s a transformation. It’s the moment when years of hard work, market positioning, leadership, and customer trust converge into a single opportunity: to unlock the full value of the company in the eyes of a buyer. Yet many businesses enter the market prematurely, without the right preparation or […]
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Unlocking Enterprise Value: Why Strategic Positioning Before a Sale Delivers Maximum Returns
April 14, 2025Selling a business is more than a transaction—it’s a transformation. It’s the moment when years of hard work, market positioning, leadership, and customer trust converge into a single opportunity: to unlock the full value of the company in the eyes of a buyer. Yet many businesses enter the market prematurely, without the right preparation or […]
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Fundless Sponsor Model Overview
April 14, 2025Fundless Sponsor Model The fundless sponsor model is a strategy in private equity where individuals or small groups of investors seek to acquire companies without having a pre-raised fund or pool of capital. Instead, they pursue external financing sources on a deal-by-deal basis. This model allows them to be more agile and flexible in identifying and negotiating […]
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The Turnaround Tightrope: Why Great Leaders Balance Vision and Brutal Reality
April 13, 2025In business, as in life, it is perilously easy to be either too optimistic or too cynical—especially in times of crisis. But in the high-stakes world of corporate turnarounds, neither extreme will save a struggling enterprise. What’s needed instead is disciplined duality: the ability to lead with bold, visionary conviction and unflinching realism. This paradox […]
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Minding Your Business P’s and Q’s
April 13, 2025Origin of “Mind Your P’s and Q’s” Did a grandparent or a parent ever tell you to “mind your P’s and Q’s?” What the heck does that even mean? The exact origin of the phrase “mind your P’s and Q’s” is uncertain, but there are several theories about its beginnings: Printing Industry: One popular theory […]
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Strategic Quadrants in Motion: Applying the Eisenhower Matrix to Private Equity Portfolio Strategy
April 12, 2025In the ever-evolving world of private equity (PE), successful portfolio strategy requires more than identifying value—it demands discerning urgency, prioritization, and strategic fit. While traditional frameworks like the BCG Growth-Share Matrix and the Gartner Magic Quadrant are widely used for market mapping and capital allocation, the Eisenhower Matrix—often associated with time and task management—has surprising […]
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Bankruptcy vs. Turnaround
April 12, 2025Under the U.S. Bankruptcy Code, businesses have several options when facing financial distress. Each type of bankruptcy serves different needs and circumstances. Keep in mind when looking at complexity and cost, it’s nearly impossible to apply a “one size fits all” approach and estimate of cost. There are many options, but here’s a general overview: […]
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The Tipping Point of Apathy: Why Mission-Driven Leadership is the Lifeline of Organizational Health and Performance
April 11, 2025In every organization, there comes a moment—a tipping point—where employee engagement either deepens or collapses. This inflection point is rarely explosive. Instead, it is gradual and insidious, born not of resistance, but of resignation. It emerges when leadership falters in its duty to communicate a compelling vision, model competency, and drive execution. Left unchecked, this […]
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When The Smartest Guys In The Room, Aren’t
April 11, 2025When Operating Partners Fail To Operate Frequently, private equity (PE) operating partners play a critical role in driving value creation within portfolio companies, but their success is not always ensured nor guaranteed. There are several common pitfalls they must avoid in order to ensure the business thrives under their guidance. As the saying goes, “the […]
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Situational Awareness: Great Executives Have Their Heads On Swivels
April 10, 2025An owl’s ability to rotate its head nearly 270 degrees helps it maintain situational awareness, ensuring that nothing in its environment goes unnoticed. In business, situational awareness is about understanding not just the internal state of the company but also the broader external environment in which the business operates. Who? Owls, that’s who. Who in […]
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What Maslow’s Needs Means For POMC (planning, organizing, motivating and controlling)
April 9, 2025Maslow. You probably remember Maslow from your “psych” class you took in high school or college. Abraham Maslow (1908–1970) was an American psychologist best known for developing the Hierarchy of Needs, a theory of human motivation that has had a profound influence on psychology, education, business, and personal development. His work is often associated with the humanistic […]
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Another Set of Eyes Can Let You See Business Clearly
April 8, 2025Hire Experience Hiring an interim CEO can bring numerous advantages to a business, especially during periods of transition, crisis, or growth. Bringing in “another set of eyes”—a highly experienced executive who is often impartial and objective—can help a company gain fresh perspectives, improve its operations, and drive growth. Below are ten reasons why businesses benefit from hiring an interim […]
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Jumping Ship: People Quit Their Bosses, Not Their Jobs Or Their Company
April 7, 2025At Qorval for years we’ve said, “great people don’t quit their jobs, nor do they quit their companies; great people quit bad bosses.” Today the Wall Street Journal published an article entitled “Job Satisfaction Low, Gallup Data Shows, as Worker Detachment Grows.” Here’s the link to the article: https://www.wsj.com/lifestyle/careers/job-satisfaction-low-gallup-data-detachment-17bc183c It discusses trends in employee engagement, job […]
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“Big Hat, No Cattle.” Don’t Hire Inexperience; Avoid The F.O.B.
April 6, 2025Avoid Problems By Hiring Experienced Leaders The expression “big hat, no cattle” is a colloquial phrase that originates from the American West, where it was used to describe someone who might look important or seem to have authority (i.e., wearing a big hat), but doesn’t actually have the substance or capability to back it up (i.e., cattle). […]
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Get on The Bus: Jim Collins’ “Good to Great” is Still Great Reading For Employees
April 5, 2025Jim Collins’ Good to Great provides transformative insights on how organizations can achieve long-term success by focusing on building a culture of discipline, finding the right leaders, and aligning their workforce with the organization’s mission. Applying the lessons from the book not only benefits employees but also fosters a company-wide culture of excellence. Following is an overview […]
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Selling: Good Habits Open More Doors
April 4, 2025PLAY TO WIN: Breaking Bad Habits That Hold Sales Teams Back In competitive markets, sales teams must do more than just play the game—they must play to win. Yet, many organizations unknowingly develop bad habits that keep them stuck in a cycle of mediocrity, missed targets, and frustrated leadership. Winning sales teams are disciplined, focused, […]
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A Chief Restructuring Officer (CRO) Can Preserve, and, Create, Value
April 4, 2025Role of a Chief Restructuring Officer (CRO) A Chief Restructuring Officer (CRO) is a senior executive brought into a company during times of financial distress, often when the company is facing bankruptcy, insolvency, or a severe operational crisis. The CRO’s role is to lead the company’s turnaround efforts, focusing on stabilizing the organization, restructuring its operations, managing its debt, and ultimately […]
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McQueened
April 3, 2025If We Don’t Take Care of Our Customers, Someone Else Will: The Business of Being “McQueened” Business is competition. No matter how dominant, successful, or secure a company may feel, the reality is simple: if you don’t take care of your customers, someone else will. The market does not wait for complacency – and history—both […]
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Why, Why, Why, Why, Why. NOT.
April 3, 2025The “Five Whys” methodology, popularized by Taiichi Ohno in the context of Lean Manufacturing, is a problem-solving technique that involves asking “Why?” repeatedly (typically five times) to get to the root cause of an issue. While it has been successful in certain contexts, particularly in manufacturing environments where problems are often mechanical or procedural, it […]
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Be Specific.
April 2, 2025Specificity: The Key to Operational and Sales Excellence In business, and in life, clarity and precision can mean the difference between success and failure. Whether in operations, sales, or customer service, being specific enhances efficiency, reduces errors, and improves outcomes. Vague requests, directions, or objectives lead to confusion, wasted time, and subpar results. If you […]
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LEAN Methodologies in Field Services vs. Manufacturing: Commonalities and Differences
April 2, 2025LEAN methodologies can be applied across a wide swath of industries and verticals, but in two main sectors where time and efficiency translate into improving typically thin margins – field services (such as construction) and manufacturing, application of LEAN can drive stellar results. Let’s take a peek at how LEAN methodologies compare in Field Services […]
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The 10 R’s: Why Companies Choose to Do Business With You
April 1, 2025Value isn’t Price. In today’s competitive business landscape, companies aren’t just looking for the lowest price—they’re looking for the best value. While price can be a factor in decision-making, the most successful organizations understand that cutting corners in search of the cheapest option can often lead to costly mistakes. Instead, they focus on ten critical […]
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Moral Hazard in Corporate Governance
April 1, 2025What is Moral Hazard? Moral hazard refers to a situation in which one party is able to take risks because they don’t bear the full consequences of those risks. This typically arises when individuals or organizations are insulated from the negative outcomes of their decisions, often because they have external protections (such as insurance or guarantees) […]
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Applying Goleman’s EI to Get EQ: How Understanding Emotional Intelligence Can Drive Culture and Build Leaders
March 31, 2025Daniel Goleman’s On Emotional Intelligence is a foundational book that explores how understanding and managing emotions can lead to greater success, both personally and professionally. The principles of emotional intelligence (EQ) can profoundly impact individual employees, organizational culture, and leadership effectiveness. Here’s a breakdown of how employees and the culture of an organization can benefit from reading and […]
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April Fool’s Day in the U.S. vs. Pesce d’Aprile in Italy: A Tale of Two Traditions
March 30, 2025April 1st is known worldwide as a day for pranks and playful deception, but the way it’s celebrated varies from country to country. In the United States, April Fool’s Day is a time for practical jokes and hoaxes, with media outlets, corporations, and individuals getting in on the fun. In Italy, the day is called […]
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The Blind Squirrel and the Sales Sustainability Challenge
March 30, 2025In the wild, even a blind squirrel finds an acorn now and then. In business, the same principle applies—companies occasionally stumble into large sales wins by luck or through a one-off opportunity. Maybe it’s an unexpected contract, a surprise bulk order, or a customer referral that lands a deal far beyond the normal sales cycle. […]
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The Fulcrum of Failure: How Strategic Misalignment Creates Market Misses
March 30, 2025In business, success hinges on alignment—between strategy, tactics, and execution. Yet, many companies operate with a fundamental misalignment between these three elements, leading to a distorted view of their position in the marketplace. This misalignment is akin to a parallax error, where the perspective of ownership, management, and even the board of directors is askew, […]
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SEARS: What Happened?
March 30, 2025Sears, Roebuck and Company, once the largest retailer in the U.S. and an iconic American brand, underwent a dramatic and tragic decline over several decades, culminating in bankruptcy and the sale of its key brands. The involvement of Eddie Lampert, a hedge fund manager, played a crucial role in the company’s downfall, and the fate […]
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What is Critical Thinking and How Does it Apply in Restructuring and Turnaround?
March 29, 2025Critical thinking is the process of actively and skillfully analyzing, evaluating, and synthesizing information to form a well-reasoned judgment. It involves questioning assumptions, recognizing biases, and considering multiple perspectives to arrive at conclusions that are logical, evidence-based, and free from errors in reasoning. Critical thinking is not about being critical for the sake of it but […]
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Throwing the Board Overboard
March 28, 2025Sometimes the board has to go in order for the company to move forward and flourish. There are several notable examples of companies where the board of directors was at the core of the problem, and once the board members were changed or replaced, the companies were able to turn around and thrive. Here are […]
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Mastering the Construction Project Bidding Cycle and Financial Management
March 27, 2025In the construction industry, success is built not just on winning bids but on managing projects profitably. Contractors must navigate the complexities of estimating, backlog management, and financial reporting to maintain sustainable margins. This article outlines the construction project bidding cycle, explains key financial concepts such as backlog and pipeline, discusses the importance of estimating […]
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Fire, Ready, Aim: Why Managerial Maturity Matters
March 27, 2025The Perils of “Fire, Ready, Aim” in Company Growth, Scaling, and Turnaround: The Importance of Managerial Training and Maturity When companies are in the midst of growth, scaling, or undergoing a turnaround and restructuring, leadership decisions are more crucial than ever. However, in many cases, especially when managers are newly promoted, there is a tendency […]
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Getting HR Right: The Difference Between Organizational Success and Failure
March 26, 2025In the intricate machinery of a business, Human Resources (HR) often serves as the engine that powers culture, leadership alignment, and organizational performance. While some leaders may view HR as a compliance-driven function, the truth is that getting HR right can be the defining factor in whether a company thrives or collapses. As QORVAL founder […]
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Why Holistic, Customer-Centric Salespeople Succeed
March 26, 2025In the competitive world of sales, hiring the right people is one of the most crucial determinants of success. It is not enough to find individuals who can originate and close deals; the best sales professionals have a holistic understanding of the entire sales ecosystem. They do more than just sell—they build relationships, take responsibility […]
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Applying The Eisenhower Matrix to Sales
March 26, 2025In the fast-paced world of sales, time is one of the most valuable resources. Sales professionals juggle multiple priorities — prospecting, client meetings, follow-ups, internal collaboration, and administrative tasks — all while working under constant pressure to close deals and hit targets. Without a clear strategy for managing time effectively, even the most talented salespeople […]
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Giddy Up: Life Cycles Stages Of A Business
March 26, 2025The Business Life Cycle: Saddling Up, Riding, Racing, and Breeding Your Organization Every business, much like a horse, goes through different phases in its life cycle. These phases are unique, each presenting opportunities and challenges that require specific approaches to ensure the company thrives. By understanding these phases and relating them to the stages in […]
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Dynamic Executives In Award-Winning Movies
March 25, 2025n the world of cinema, executives—whether real or fictional—are often depicted as individuals with immense power, visionary leadership, and sometimes a dark side. These characters provide a lens through which we can examine the complexities of leadership, ambition, and the consequences of power. Below, we explore the 25 most dynamic executives portrayed in award-winning films, […]
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The Power of Benchmarking: Learning from Competitors to Drive Operational Excellence
March 25, 2025In today’s hypercompetitive business landscape, companies that fail to evolve risk falling behind. One of the most effective ways to stay ahead is through benchmarking—not just against direct competitors but also against businesses in other industries. By systematically gathering objective data on best practices, companies can refine their Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), enhance efficiency, and […]
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We’re Not Running The Space Program, Here, Bro
March 24, 2025Why Simplicity Matters in Business Systems In business, especially in industries that rely on complex operations like construction, telecommunications, or field services, the temptation to implement high-tech, high-efficiency systems can be overwhelming. The idea of automating everything, tracking every detail, and running a company with the precision of NASA mission control sounds great—until it isn’t. […]
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The Sycophant’s Grip: How Yes-Men Can Destroy a Company from the Inside Out
March 24, 2025In many organizations, particularly those led by visionary founders or strong-willed executives, there exists a hidden but deadly force that can slowly erode the company’s foundation from within—sycophants. These individuals monopolize a board of directors, or an executive’s attention – usually disrupting and distorting the flow of honest information, and push their own agendas at […]
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Time Isn’t Your Friend: Navigating a Corporate Turnaround
March 23, 2025Can’t Flip The Hourglass In the world of corporate turnarounds, few lessons are as sobering and essential as the one taught by the late James R. “Jim” Malone, a six-time Fortune 500 CEO and trusted advisor to two presidential administrations. Malone often said, “Time isn’t your friend.” When a company is teetering on the edge—whether […]
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The Final Bell
March 23, 2025The Life and Legacy of George Foreman, 1949-2025 I have always been a huge George Foreman fan. George Foreman’s life is a testament to resilience, reinvention, and the enduring power of the human spirit. From the hardscrabble streets of Marshall, Texas, to the pinnacle of boxing glory and entrepreneurial success, Foreman’s story is a reminder […]
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“Eat What You Kill” Is Hard
March 21, 2025Traditional Employment vs. “Eat What You Kill” Roles: Understanding the Difference In the modern job market, individuals often face the decision between traditional employment and pursuing “eat what you kill” roles. Understanding the distinction between these paths can help individuals make informed career decisions based on their skills, mindset, and financial goals. Traditional Employment Definition: […]
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Why “White Sheeting” Works
March 21, 2025The Power of White Sheeting: Driving Stellar Results with a Clean Sheet of Paper Approach In today’s fast-paced business environment, companies often fall into patterns of thinking and problem-solving that can hinder innovation and limit growth. Enter the concept of white sheeting — approaching challenges with a “clean sheet of paper” mindset. This method encourages […]
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Know The Three 7’s To Drive Better Results
March 21, 2025Seven Major Actions to Propel Business Growth Achieving sustainable growth is the ultimate goal for any business. While growth can manifest in different ways, from increasing revenue to expanding market share, there are seven major actions companies commonly take to accelerate progress and fuel long-term success. Market Expansion Expanding into new geographic markets or targeting […]
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Saintly Celebrations
March 19, 2025The History and Traditions of St. Patrick’s Day and St. Joseph’s Day in the United States St. Patrick’s Day and St. Joseph’s Day are two beloved religious and cultural holidays in the United States, both honoring saints with rich legacies. Although they are celebrated on different dates—March 17th for St. Patrick and March 19th for […]
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The Samurai Sword: A Symbol of Strategy
March 18, 2025The samurai sword, or katana, is a symbol of Japanese history, culture, and warfare, encapsulating centuries of tradition, craftsmanship, and philosophy. Among the different types of swords used by the samurai, the katana and the wakizashi stand out as the most iconic. These blades were not merely weapons; they were integral to the samurai way […]
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Boccaccio’s Decameron: A Parable of The Turnaround
March 18, 2025The Decameron and the Phases of Business Turnaround: Triumph Over Challenges and Embracing New Realities Introduction My family traces its roots to the 11th century in Florence, and when you visit there, walk the streets, look at the structures, and comb through this ancient land – you are inevitably reminded of what society endured. You […]
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The Road to Bad Culture is Paved with Undermined Good Intentions
March 13, 2025In the world of business, the phrase “Culture eats strategy for breakfast,” coined by management guru Peter Drucker, has become a rallying cry for those who understand the importance of a healthy organizational culture. It reminds us that no matter how brilliant the strategy, without a strong culture to support it, the vision for the […]
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Extremes of Managerial Dysfunction
March 13, 2025The Extremes of Managerial Personality Types: The “Fake It Till You Make It” Sociopathic Narcissist vs. The “Imposter Syndrome” Apathetic Victim In the world of management, the variety of leadership styles can be as broad as the personalities that shape them. While some managers are visionary and deeply empathetic, others embody extreme and often toxic […]
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Are The PI, DISC and MBTI All Just B.S.?
March 13, 2025Lots of debate has ensued about the validity, accuracy, and subjectivity of commonly used standardized testing/profiling tools like the Predictive Index (PI), DISC, and Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), and their relevance and validity as personality tests in organizational settings. Let’s explore a comprehensive overview of these tests, their potential pitfalls, and their real-world application. Validity […]
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“I am not a mind reader, David.” – Michael Scott
March 12, 2025The Importance of Anticipating Information Needs in Organizations: Why “Sitting on Information” Causes Serious Problems In today’s fast-paced business environment, one of the key drivers of success is the ability of organizations to respond quickly and effectively to changing circumstances, customer needs, and market opportunities. However, a major obstacle to achieving this responsiveness is the […]
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Respect The Referral: Don’t Ghost Your Contact’s Contact
March 12, 2025The Importance of Respecting Professional Relationships: Why Ghosting Contacts is a Breach of Courtesy In the world of business and professional networking, relationships are often the most valuable asset anyone can have. Building a strong network requires time, effort, and trust. A significant part of nurturing professional relationships involves the art of introductions, referrals, and […]
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When Outside-In Causes Inside-Out
March 12, 2025The Psychology Behind the Resistance When an Outsider Takes Over Leadership When an outsider is hired into a leadership role—whether it’s a CEO, COO, CFO, or other senior executive—within a publicly held company, a privately held company, or even a family-owned or private equity-backed business, the situation can sometimes bring about unexpected and even complex […]
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Spring Ahead
March 9, 2025Spring Ahead: 10 High Impact Changes You Need To Make To Propel Your Business Forward As the seasons change, so too should your approach to business. The start of spring is the perfect time to shake off the winter blues and propel your company forward. Whether you’re aiming to increase sales, improve operational efficiency, or […]
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Prepare For Storms During Calm
March 9, 2025Navigating Organizational Storms: Lessons from the Edmund Fitzgerald and How to Avoid Business Failure Edmund Fitzgerald The tragic sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald is a story that has captivated the imaginations of many, especially through Gordon Lightfoot’s iconic song, The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald. The ballad recounts the ill-fated voyage of the freighter on […]
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