The founder, Michael Hilleary is a 25 year expert in refining operations to drive higher margins for businesses. His secret sauce lies in refining teams and building positive and goal-driven cultures within organizations.
One of the hardest parts of building a startup is finding a good COO and executive team. We know how to recruit and retain talent that will help you create well defined processes and playbooks and can stand in as your core operators until you have the senior leadership you need.
Being a medium sized business is arguably the hardest path in the journey. You are usually too big for fund raising and too small for big bank relationships. We can help you in this space by guiding your business towards optimization which will directly increase margins.
Has your business grown large enough to feel the pain points of operational siloes or politics? Don’t worry, we know how to break barriers across teams and create reporting mechanisms that help your business get on track and incentivizes teams to perform and love what they do.
At scale, margins and EBIDTA are king whether your business is going public, scouting an exit, or building institutional partners. Our strategists are experts at the intersection of banking and operations. This unique blend of expertise helps you get more out of your assets and team.
Our areas of focus and expertise:
– Leadership Development
– Performance Management
– Operations Management
– Strategic Planning
– Cost Analysis
– P&L Ownership
– Continuous Process Improvement
– Business Intelligence
– Risk Management
– Business Controls
Bower’s core competence lies in its ability to streamline processes, enhance performance management, and leverage business intelligence for strategic planning. The company excels in identifying inefficiencies and implementing solutions that not only reduce costs but also improve customer satisfaction. This dual focus on cost reduction and customer experience is key to driving sustainable growth and profitability for its clients. By optimizing operations, Bower can significantly impact a company’s EBITDA, often equating or surpassing the benefits of revenue growth. This is achieved through rigorous cost analysis and continuous process improvement, which can lead to substantial savings and operational excellence.
Furthermore, Bower emphasizes the development and empowerment of its clients’ teams. By building confident teams and enhancing leadership skills, the company ensures that improvements are not only implemented but also sustained. This approach to human capital is crucial in ensuring that the changes made are deeply ingrained within the company’s culture, leading to long-term success.
In summary, Bower provides a comprehensive suite of services that includes leadership development, performance management, operations management, strategic planning, and business intelligence. By focusing on these areas, Bower assists businesses in achieving operational excellence, which in turn drives profitability and growth. The impact on EBITDA through cost savings and operational optimization is a testament to the effectiveness of Bower’s methodologies and strategies, rooted in the extensive experience and proven track record of its founder, Michael S. Hilleary.
Challenge: Upgrading the skillsets of mid-level operations leaders in a rapidly growing originations business, including wholesale and retail channels, and turning around a 300-person Retail channel while leading various units in a streamlined enterprise.
Solutions & Results: Strategies included reducing headcount while increasing revenue, slashing fulfillment cycle times from 90+ days to under 30, and doubling net promoter customer satisfaction scores. This was achieved through process standardization, effective performance management, and clear communication routines. Spearheaded the development of a custom Business Intelligence suite, setting a new standard across all revenue channels. Managed quality outcomes using Root Cause Analysis and Lean Manufacturing, significantly reducing defect rates.
Challenge: Overseeing non-sales operations across multiple departments with about 150 employees, focusing on aligning these departments with strategic operating plans while managing human capital needs.
Solutions & Results: Established standardized operational processes and digitized operational goals within a Business Intelligence suite for enhanced performance tracking. Led operational strategy, including overseeing system conversions and implementing effective budget and timeline management. Results included streamlined operations, improved performance tracking, and better execution of strategic planning.
Challenge: Managing regional production center operations during a period of significant downsizing and strategic transition as Vice-President of Mortgage Fulfillment.
Solutions & Results: Guided the Southeast Region through a transition to a Lean Manufacturing model, effectively managing resource redeployment to support Retail bank fulfillment operations. This strategic shift ensured the maintenance of operational efficiency and customer service standards during a restructuring phase.
Challenge: Advancing through various operational leadership positions in the Wholesale channel, facing new challenges in managing and optimizing operations with each successive promotion.
Solutions & Results: Characterized by consistent advancement and operational success, culminating in a Vice President of Operations role. Key accomplishments included streamlining processes, enhancing team performance, and driving operational excellence throughout the tenure.
Whether you’re just getting started, seeking funding, or transitioning your company, Bower is here to help you. Make us your go-to partner from the start; the sooner we connect, the more impact we can have. Reach out and let’s have a conversation.