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Mike Cronin Gettysburg Flag Works Albany, NY
Member Since: 2010
Cronin was looking for more one-on-one coaching than Vistage offered: “I never got a road map from the group on how to grow my business.” What makes a business grow? That was Mike Cronin’s main concern after his business fell flat three years in a row. As CEO of Gettysburg Flag Works – which provides flags of all flavors, as well as flag poles, banners and a variety of promotional products – Cronin was fortunate to have a 10-year spurt of organic growth. He went from selling flags out of his car to a business with 16 employees and $1.7M in revenue. Along the way he sold flags to the likes of Robert Redford and Brad Pitt, the president of American Airlines, and a general stationed in Afghanistan.
My coach really understands my business. I relish his ability to step into my business and understand what’s wrong and help me work on it...”
However, when the recession hit and growth slowed to a crawl, Cronin was stumped about how to get it going again. As part of his quest for answers, he joined a New York City Vistage group, braving the three-hour train ride each way to “rub elbows” with the CEOs of much bigger companies. “Every other member had C-level executives under them. Being a smaller business, I was all the C’s,” he explains. Although he enjoyed the experience, he says the information he was looking for didn’t materialize. “I never got a road map from the group on how to grow my business.” Cronin was also looking for more one-on-one coaching than Vistage offered. After leaving the group, he heard about a new TAB Board starting in Albany, NY,
www.TheAlternativeBoard.com
which was closer to home. TAB seemed to be a better fit for a business his size. He also appreciated TAB’s methodology of evaluating the business, which gave him and his coach a starting point for improvement. “My coach really understands my business,” Cronin says. “I relish his ability to step into my business and understand what’s wrong and help me work on it. Then we bring the topic to a Board meeting to see what the rest of the group says about it. It all ties together.”
...Then we bring the topic to a Board meeting to see what the rest of the group says about it. It all ties together.”
After only two years in TAB, Cronin has brought a number of issues to the Board, including questions about sick leave, exempt/non-exempt employees, and marketing budgets and testing. He also worked with his coach on a plan to jump-start business growth, which resulted in 15% growth the first year after joining TAB, and a projected 20% increase this year. Cronin’s next challenge is to devise an exit strategy. At 65 he says he’s not ready to sell the company yet, but is working on making the business less about him and more about his team. “I’m still the chief flag pole installer,” he says. Figuring out how to transition that, and many other responsibilities, is something he knows TAB can help him do. “If you hire a consultant, follow their advice,” he recommends. “That’s what I do with TAB. With a small business, you have to be everything to everybody, but you can’t. Without consultants, I wouldn’t be where I am today.”
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About The Alternative Board The Alternative Board® (TAB) helps forward-thinking business owners grow their businesses, increase profitability and improve their lives by leveraging local business advisory boards, private business coaching and proprietary strategic services. TAB works with successful business owners who feel that their current practices are not elevating their businesses to the next level. We bring together owners, CEOs and presidents of non-competing companies to meet in a relaxed, confidential setting to give and gain practical, real-world advice on their specific business issues and opportunities. 11031 Sheridan Blvd. Westminster, CO 80020 | 303.839.1200 | www.TheAlternativeBoard.com
