Overview
There are rare situations, in publishing companies, that require a more focused response than simply a consultation or two, or even a month’s worth of consultations. A publishing company currently in “critical condition”, about to declare bankruptcy or close its doors, yet having a wonderful product line and/or great marketing opportunities. Another, a company with unbelievable opportunities, unable to convert these opportunities into reality for any number of reasons. And another, the principal owner dies suddenly and leaves no obvious successor with the broad knowledge of the entire business, yet the family believes and wants to continue operating the company.
What do they do? How do they survive the circumstances, even thrive within them?
NPL Publishing Consultants provides, on an extremely selective basis, CEO/Management Services to help the owners and managers of these companies overcome their current issues, strategize, and re-grow the publishing companies. Our work can last as little as a few months, be contracted for six months, a year, or more, or become a long term “mentor” relationship whereby we remain available to the company indefinitely on an as needed basis.
Through a combination of on-site consults and telephone/email consults as often as daily, NPL will bring stability, leadership, and success to the company finding itself in such an unusual situation. These situations may be common, but ones with a reasonable chance for success are so rare that even we see only a handful a year, and can act on only one or two at any given time.
What We Do
After an exhaustive review of the situation, including discussions with the principals, reviewing financials, examining the issues, assessing potentials for recovery, progress, and success, and taking a hard look at what our role would be, the cost, and the return to the company (in essence, whether we are beneficial to the project), a joint decision is made.
Of course, each situation is different in its approach, but all will require a Strategic Plan, a Recovery Plan if necessary, and the steps required to implement each Plan. Mr. Foner, who handles these Management projects directly, would then be in email and telephone consult with the primary contact, and others in the company as necessary, on a daily basis to direct operations, answer questions, and work with the “owner” to move forward. His role is not to usurp either control or power from the owner, but to act as a mentor and support individual. Daily contacts can range from an email or two to lengthy discussions about implementation, creating sales materials, or instituting a new credit policy.
This program is very much like you have hired a Publishing CEO with over twenty five years’ experience as a CEO, except he is not on your payroll, and you can actually afford his assistance and direction.
The program can be for a fixed time period, or for as long as it takes to achieve the goals as agreed to initially.
Most often, after the intense daily working period is past, the company will continue the mentoring relationship with a consultative service that would include weekly discussions instead of daily, and so on, until such time as the relationship would become on an “as needed” basis downline. That is Mr. Foner’s objective - a successful conclusion to the problem.
What Does It Cost?
That is almost impossible to say, as each situation is unique, and the goals of two companies in similar circumstances may be vastly different, requiring vastly different solutions. Once the analysis process above is completed, Mr. Foner makes an estimation of the amount of time he will be required to contribute to the company’s success. The subsequent proposals and contracts, while having no specific time limits, will be based on these estimates.
While NPL Publishing Consultants is normally paid by the hour or project, in these unusual cases, it is also possible that a portion of the overall compensation may be performance related. An equity structure, while rare, is also a possibility in specific circumstances.
If you believe you are in one of those unusual and difficult situations, contact Mr. Foner, directly, by email or phone.