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Client Impact Stories

A few examples of how I've partnered with clients, and the impact we've made together over the years.

Healthcare

  • Client Challenge

    The CEO and Chief Transformation Officer of an integrated healthcare provider and insurer aspired to transcend traditional healthcare boundaries by addressing the social determinants of health, aiming to improve patient outcomes and reduce care costs.

    Approach

    We began by organizing an innovation summit that brought together the client's top executives, senior leaders, clinicians, and operators. Prior to this summit, we conducted extensive primary and secondary research involving patients and providers to build a strong foundation of insights.

     

    During the summit, we led empathy exercises to immerse the client’s team in the daily struggles faced by ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) populations.

     

    This included a visit to a local grocery store, where team members experienced the challenge of purchasing enough groceries to feed a family on a budget equivalent to SNAP (food stamp) benefits. These powerful, firsthand experiences underscored the harsh realities of food insecurity and its impact on health.

    Armed with these insights, we facilitated collaborative sessions where we honed in on high-risk, costly chronic conditions exacerbated by food insecurity. We explored innovative ways to address these challenges, focusing on influencing food systems, improving community access to nutritious food, and designing new health plan offerings that could educate and support patients in maintaining a healthy diet.

    Impact

    This comprehensive approach led to the client committing $50 million to pilot and launch multiple initiatives targeting food insecurity. These efforts significantly improved patient health outcomes and reduced overall care costs by addressing a root cause of chronic health issues.

  • Client Challenge

    A prominent health insurance company sought to revolutionize its role by integrating comprehensive health services with its insurance offerings. Their goal was to create new revenue streams and significantly improve patient and community health outcomes.

    Approach

    We began by looking into the future, forecasting socio-economic trends that would reshape healthcare over the next five years. This future-looking analysis provided a robust foundation for our strategy.

     

    Next, we immersed ourselves in the lives of health plan members, conducting deep research and ethnographic studies to uncover their true needs and aspirations.

     

    Through this immersive research, we discovered that many members required informal caregiving, yet there was a significant gap in affordable and accessible caregiving solutions. Additionally, we identified a shortage of clinicians, exacerbated by post-COVID burnout and retirements.

    We facilitated innovation sessions with the client's senior teams to co-design a cohesive vision and strategic plan. Our approach focused on empowering and incentivizing informal caregivers, often family members or friends also enrolled in the health plans, to provide necessary care. Furthermore, we explored community-led solutions to bridge gaps in care, ensuring a sustainable and holistic approach to healthcare delivery.

    Impact

    This comprehensive strategy positioned the client at the forefront of healthcare transformation. By empowering informal caregivers and addressing critical service gaps, we helped the client create new revenue streams and significantly improve patient and community health outcomes.

  • Client Challenge

    A leading healthcare retailer recognized the escalating mental health crisis among adolescents in the United States. Leveraging their extensive network of convenience stores, pharmacies, and community health clinics, they aimed to make a significant impact on this growing epidemic.

    Approach

    We started by examining the current mental health landscape through a combination of ethnographies and secondary research. This deep dive revealed a stark increase in mental health issues among adolescents, with CDC data showing a surge in persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness.

     

    Particularly alarming was the high rate of suicidal contemplation among LGBTQ teens during the pandemic.

    Armed with these insights, we facilitated innovation sessions with the client's cross-functional team, including leaders from retail, healthcare, and insurance. These emotionally charged sessions were driven by the urgent need to address this crisis. Together, we co-created a strategy that focused on developing comprehensive mental health services tailored specifically for adolescents.

     

    Our approach included both in-person and digital solutions, ensuring accessibility and convenience for teens. We also explored ways to integrate these services into the client's existing infrastructure, maximizing their extensive network's reach and impact.

    Impact

    Our collaboration resulted in the development of a robust suite of mental and behavioral health services designed specifically for adolescents. This initiative, underpinned by a strong investment case and business model, not only expanded the client’s service offerings but also demonstrated a deep commitment to improving adolescent mental health outcomes across the country.

  • Client Challenge

    The President of the Behavioral Health Service line and Chief Strategy Officer of a leading regional healthcare provider was grappling with a silent crisis: individuals with untreated moderate to severe mental health issues were turning to hospitals for shelter and meals, straining resources and highlighting a broader societal issue.

     

    Preventative behavioral health services, like wellness assessments and talk therapy, were being overlooked due to low reimbursement rates, exacerbating the crisis in mental health access.

    Approach

    We began by immersing ourselves in the world of patients and their caretakers through detailed ethnographies. These firsthand stories revealed the silent struggles, unspoken needs, and systemic gaps that left many feeling invisible. Conversations with mental health service providers further illuminated the limitations of the current system and the array of challenges they faced in providing adequate care.

    To understand the broader context, we examined societal trends and conducted a competitive analysis of emerging mental health services. These insights informed our strategy, which aimed to anticipate future needs and opportunities in mental health care.

     

    Armed with these insights, we facilitated a series of innovation sessions, bringing together a cross-functional team of clients, patients, and clinicians. These collaborative sessions were not just about developing a strategy but co-creating a vision for the future of behavioral health services.

    Our strategy focused on integrating preventative behavioral and mental health services across all service lines. We envisioned a healthcare journey where mental health assessments became as routine as checking blood pressure, allowing for early detection and timely intervention.

     

    Beyond traditional care, we conceptualized a pioneering facility that served as a nexus of clinical care, social support, and community engagement, destigmatizing and making mental health treatment accessible.

    Impact

    This comprehensive strategy led to the development of an integrated approach to mental health services, including a pioneering facility and new billing models.

     

    These initiatives significantly improved access and affordability, positioning the client as a leader in the future of behavioral and mental health services. By addressing the root causes of the crisis and providing holistic support, the client was able to better serve their community and optimize their resources.

  • Client Challenge

    The Chief Medical Officer and Chief of Staff of a leading regional healthcare provider faced clinical capacity issues and a nursing shortage, compounded by a culture that stifled risk-taking and innovation.

     

    The leadership aimed to redefine what innovation meant within their organization, encouraging everyday problem-solving and aligning it with the health system's strategic objectives.

    Approach

    We began by establishing a cross-functional innovation working group, comprising enthusiastic leaders from the clinical front-lines, administration, finance, technology, and HR.

     

    To deeply understand the staff’s daily experiences, we engaged directly with them through shadowing and conversations. This immersive approach revealed numerous instances of unrecognized small-scale innovations and highlighted a reluctance to embrace even minor changes due to a lack of support and visibility.

     

    To bridge this gap, we developed a playful innovation toolkit designed like a board game. This toolkit demystified the concept of innovation, guiding staff through both everyday problem solving and strategic innovations.

     

    Additionally, we introduced "innovation quests"—simple, actionable challenges that encouraged staff to experiment with creative problem-solving in their daily work. These quests were crafted to be approachable for everyone, emphasizing that innovation can happen at any level and role - ultimately, providing a low-risk environment for trying new ideas.

    Impact

    Our approach transformed the organizational culture by embedding a mindset of continuous innovation.

     

    By empowering staff to contribute to both everyday improvements and strategic initiatives, we aligned small-scale efforts with overarching goals.

     

    This shift not only improved operational efficiency and staff engagement but also positioned the client as a leader in fostering a dynamic and innovative healthcare environment.

  • Client Challenge

    The Chief Human Resources and People Officer of a regional healthcare provider faced nursing workforce burnout, clinical capacity issues, and a regional shortage of nurses post-COVID.

     

    They aimed to create a sustainable and supportive work environment by redefining the nursing career pathways to attract and retain the next generation of nurses.

    Approach

    We began by shadowing nurses across multiple service lines to gain firsthand insights into their daily challenges and aspirations. This revealed critical pain points like overwhelming workloads and a lack of clear career progression. We then extended our research to Gen Z candidates, discovering their desire for flexible, practical learning opportunities and 'squiggly careers' with diverse, non-linear career paths.

    Armed with these insights, we facilitated innovation sessions with cross-functional teams. Together, we co-created a new employee value proposition and talent strategies. Our strategy focused on leveraging technology to automate routine tasks, reducing the burden on nurses, and designing flexible internal training programs with mentorship, practical on-the-job learning, and clear pathways for career advancement that cater to the desire for 'squiggly careers.'

    Impact

    Our approach addressed burnout and staffing shortages, positioning the client as a forward-thinking employer. This transformation improved nurse retention and recruitment, fostering a sustainable, engaged, and diverse nursing workforce that aligned with modern expectations for flexible and varied career paths.

  • Client Challenge

    The Chief Commercial Officer and  VP of Innovation at a global pharmaceutical company sought to embed an innovation mindset within each commercial brand.

     

    The goal was to integrate patient-first innovation into their annual planning process, ensuring that each brand team could identify and address unmet patient needs effectively.

    Approach

    We began by conducting thorough research to understand the unmet needs of patients served by each brand. This involved engaging directly with patients and healthcare providers to gather in-depth insights into the challenges and gaps in current treatment options. Our research highlighted critical areas where patient needs were not being fully met, providing a clear direction for innovation.

    Using these insights as a foundation, we facilitated a series of expansive innovation sessions with each brand team. These sessions encouraged teams to brainstorm and develop potential solutions, fostering a creative and collaborative environment. By drawing inspiration from other industries and successful patient-centered initiatives, we helped the teams generate a wide array of innovative ideas.

    Each idea was then prototyped and subjected to rigorous testing through learning experiments. These experiments were designed to quickly assess the desirability, feasibility, and viability of the proposed solutions. Real-world feedback from patients and cross-functional teams was crucial in refining these concepts.

    The refined ideas were then presented to the leadership as part of the annual brand planning process. Successful pitches received funding and support for execution, ensuring that the most promising innovations could be brought to market.

    Impact

    This comprehensive program transformed into an annual initiative, fundamentally shifting the company’s culture to prioritize patient needs. By embedding patient-first innovation into the DNA of each brand team, the company successfully developed and launched several new products and services that directly addressed unmet patient needs.

  • Client Challenge

    An executive leader in brand, generic, and specialty pharmaceuticals distribution aimed to significantly increase working capital by reducing inventory on-hand. Simultaneously, they wanted to improve service levels for their diverse customer base, which included health systems and pharmacies.

    Approach

    We began by conducting extensive research with the client’s internal teams and customers to identify the biggest pain points during the ordering, fulfillment, and distribution process.

     

     We uncovered that health system customers often struggled with frequent backorders and delays, which could lead to critical shortages of life-saving medications. For instance, during flu season, hospitals found themselves unable to stock up sufficiently on antivirals due to unpredictable demand and inefficient inventory management. This underscored the need for a more precise and responsive system.

     

    Recognizing that branded pharmaceuticals had the highest margin and working capital impact, we devised a solution using AI for predictive and precision demand sensing.


    Predictive and precision demand sensing involves leveraging AI to forecast demand more accurately by considering external factors such as weather, disease outbreaks, supply chain disruptions, and typical customer demand for specific SKUs.

     

    By utilizing these "always-on" and predictive insights, the company could inventory, route, and fulfill orders more precisely at regional distribution centers. This approach allowed for more accurate inventory management, tailored to the needs of major customers, thereby freeing up working capital and enhancing service levels.

    Impact

    The AI-driven predictive demand sensing solution is currently being built as a minimum viable product (MVP) and piloted with several major customers.

     

    This pilot phase allows for iterative improvements to the technology, model, and service before broader scaling. By refining this approach, the company is set to achieve significant increases in working capital efficiency and improved service levels, positioning them as an innovative leader in pharmaceutical distribution.

Financial Services

  • Client Challenge

    The head of a newly established Innovation Studio at a global investment management firm sought to develop and launch a next-generation digital advisory and investment platform.

     

    This platform aimed to cater to Americans from all economic backgrounds, providing personalized investing solutions.

    Approach

    We began by diving deep into understanding the needs and desires of everyday investors. This exploratory phase involved engaging directly with a diverse group of investors to uncover their financial aspirations, current reliance on financial services, and the gaps they felt in their financial journeys.

     

    Through this process, we discovered that investors were looking for more than just long-term financial planning. They desired a way to balance their immediate personal goals, such as saving for an annual vacation or purchasing a new gadget, with their long-term financial objectives like retirement or home ownership.

     

    These insights formed the foundation of our strategy. Our vision was to create a platform that allowed investors to strategically organize their goals across different time horizons, maximizing every dollar invested not only for distant futures but also for immediate, personal aspirations.

    We engaged in iterative cycles of co-creation, testing, and refinement, working closely with the client’s technology and product teams. Through continuous feedback from potential users, we fine-tuned the platform’s features, ensuring it resonated with the needs and preferences of everyday investors. 

    Impact

    The digital advisor and investment platform was successfully launched, quickly gaining traction in the market.

     

    It generated significant growth for the company by attracting a broad user base and increasing investor engagement and lifetime value.

  • Client Challenge

    The SVP of Innovation at a prominent insurance company identified a significant challenge in engaging Millennial customers with their traditional personal insurance products. This demographic, characterized by different lifestyles and fewer asset ownership compared to the company's core customers, presented a unique opportunity for innovation.

    Approach

    We began with extensive ethnographic research, delving deep into the lives of different Millennial segments to uncover their aspirations, needs, and barriers to engaging with traditional insurance products. Our breakthrough insight was that Millennials highly valued flexibility and adaptability in their insurance coverage.

     

    They wanted insurance that could easily adapt to their changing lifestyles, covering experiences and personal items as their needs evolved.

     

    Understanding this, we co-created a product with Millennials that was as dynamic as their lives. We designed an insurance product that could seamlessly adjust coverage based on life changes, such as protecting against bad Airbnb experiences, covering delayed flights, or safeguarding expensive personal items like cameras or laptops used in their creative ventures.

     

    This adaptable insurance approach was tested through a series of experimental digital ads on platforms like Instagram and Facebook, directing audiences to different landing pages. Each ad and landing page tested various value propositions, features, and price points, allowing us to gauge interest by tracking Millennial engagement through ad clicks and email sign-ups.

    Impact

    The pilot product launched in New York and Texas, targeting urban Millennials as the first market segment.

  • Client Challenge

    A visionary executive leader in the small business bank and credit card division of a global financial services company sought to launch a new credit card product specifically for small and medium businesses (SMBs).

     

    The challenge was to create a card that balanced broad appeal with personalized features, catering to the diverse yet specific needs of individual small business owners.

    Approach

    We began by immersing ourselves in the world of SMB owners through in-depth ethnographic interviews across various industries. We sat with restaurateurs, logistics company owners, architects, and other entrepreneurs to understand their day-to-day challenges and aspirations. These interviews revealed a common thread: SMB owners needed a credit card that not only provided financial benefits but also supported their operational needs.

    Our research uncovered that SMB owners spent a disproportionate amount of time on mundane tasks like tracking expenses, often overshadowing the joy and purpose of their business endeavors. They expressed a longing for a solution that could streamline these administrative tasks and provide financial flexibility to support their business growth.

    With these insights, we co-created a vision for a credit card that acted as a trusted business partner. We envisioned a card that offered accelerated points on business-specific expenses, such as wholesale food purchases for restaurants or fuel costs for logistics companies. Additionally, the card needed to simplify expense management, integrating seamlessly with accounting software to reduce the administrative burden.

    We then engaged in a dynamic co-creation process with SMB owners, rapidly testing various value propositions, features, and rewards through experimental digital ads on platforms like Instagram and Facebook. Each ad and landing page tested different elements, allowing us to gauge interest and gather real-time feedback from SMB owners.

    Based on this feedback, we refined the product to ensure it met the specific needs of SMBs. The final product offered tailored financial rewards, expense management tools, and operational support features that resonated deeply with small business owners.

    Impact

    The SMB credit card was successfully launched, quickly gaining traction in the market. It generated significant growth for the company by attracting a broad user base of small business owners and increasing customer engagement.

Consumer Packaged Goods

  • Client Challenge

    A leading global food and beverage, focused on water and hydration, faced a dual challenge. The first was the massive environmental problem posed by single-use plastics, which culminates in phenomena like the Great Pacific Garbage Patch—a floating island of plastic litter, including countless water bottles, formed by ocean currents.

     

    The second challenge was recognizing the whitespace opportunity in the hydration space, as consumers increasingly moved away from sugary carbonated beverages toward healthier options, an area with few existing choices at that time.

    Approach

    To address these challenges, we strategically selected three key markets—the US, Germany, and India—each representing distinct consumer behaviors and expectations in the hydration space. These markets were chosen to provide a comprehensive understanding of global hydration needs, ensuring that our innovations would be platformable and scalable across diverse regions.


    In the US, we immersed ourselves in the culture of convenience and functionality. Consumers sought hydration solutions that fit seamlessly into their busy lifestyles, valuing products that offered additional health benefits, such as added vitamins or electrolytes. This market highlighted the importance of easy-to-access, multifunctional hydration options.


    In Germany, we explored a market where water and sparkling water consumption was deeply ingrained in the culture. German consumers placed high importance on the quality and mineral content of their water, influenced by cultural norms and a preference for natural, high-quality products. This market emphasized the need for products that aligned with traditional values while offering superior quality.


    In India, we focused on the critical issues of access, safety, and trust. Many consumers faced challenges related to the availability of clean and safe drinking water. Trust in the source and purity of water was paramount, as these factors directly impacted health and wellbeing. This market underscored the necessity for reliable and trusted hydration solutions.


    Using these unique insights, we facilitated innovation sessions aimed at developing new products and services that aligned with the company's core business while exploring new service and business models. The ideas needed to be adaptable and scalable across all three markets, ensuring a cohesive global strategy.

    Impact

    Our collaboration resulted in the development and launch of a new product and service portfolio that redefined the company's approach to hydration.

     

    This included the $3.2B acquisition of SodaStream, enabling consumers to make sparkling water at home and reducing reliance on single-use plastics. 

  • Client Challenge

    A leading gum brand aimed to expand its innovation pipeline to meet the evolving needs of young working professionals. The challenge was to create a product that could fit seamlessly into their busy lives while offering functional benefits aligned with their daily routines.

    Approach

    We immersed ourselves in the daily routines of young professionals, conducting detailed ethnographic research to understand their various need states throughout the day. This research revealed that young professionals often sought quick and convenient solutions to help them stay energized, focused, and relaxed as they navigated their busy schedules.

     

    With these insights, we facilitated a two-day innovation ideation session with the client's cross-functional teams, including R&D, insights, ingredients, and branding. During these sessions, we explored the idea of enhancing gum with specific ingredients that could cater to the distinct needs of young professionals at different times of the day.

     

    We identified opportunities to incorporate ingredients that could provide an energy boost in the morning, help with relaxation in the afternoon, and support focus during work hours.

     

    Our strategy involved developing a series of gum products, each tailored to a particular need state. We designed prototypes and conducted rapid testing with target consumers to refine the product concepts. This iterative process allowed us to ensure that the enhanced gum not only met functional needs but also aligned with the flavor preferences and lifestyle habits of young professionals.

    Impact

    The innovative gum products were successfully developed and launched, resonating strongly with the target demographic. By offering functional benefits that seamlessly fit into the daily routines of young professionals, the new product line quickly gained market traction and boosted brand loyalty.

Nonprofit & Public Service

  • Client Challenge

    The CEO, COO, and CFO of a federated nonprofit faced a significant decline in their traditional source of unrestricted revenue from donations, a business model that had sustained them for a century. They recognized the urgent need to develop innovative revenue strategies to secure the sustainability of their operations and continue their impact on the community.

    Approach

    We initiated our approach by connecting with the nonprofit’s donors and partners to understand the reasons behind the decline in donations. Concurrently, we analyzed the competitive landscape to discern how rival organizations were attracting donors and shifting the philanthropic market. This dual approach helped us gain a comprehensive understanding of the current challenges.

    Next, we turned our focus to the future by delving into macro trends shaping the future of philanthropy. We engaged with nonprofit experts and corporate CSR leaders to glean insights into emerging philanthropic practices. Additionally, we conducted ethnographies with a younger generation of donors and social entrepreneurs, seeking to understand their values, donation preferences, and desired impacts.

    Armed with these insights, we led a series of innovation sessions with the client’s C-Suite and cross-functional teams. During these collaborative sessions, we co-designed a new value proposition, revenue strategy, and operating model tailored to modern philanthropic trends.

    Impact

    The nonprofit is now actively engaged in executing this growth transformation, reshaping their culture from within. By embracing a growth mindset and adopting innovative revenue strategies, they are not only securing their financial sustainability but also redefining their role in the philanthropic landscape.

  • Client Challenge

    The Chief Learning and Leadership Development Officer of a federated nonprofit, which partners with over 10,000 local chapters across the US, recognized that their existing learning and knowledge systems were outdated. These systems were failing to meet the evolving needs of local chapters and a new generation of workforce. They aimed to revolutionize learning and knowledge sharing to ensure future growth and effectiveness.

    Approach

    We began by conducting ethnographic studies across various staff segments in the national chapters, including local chapter CEOs, front and back office personnel. This deep dive into the everyday experiences of these individuals provided a comprehensive understanding of their learning and knowledge needs and pinpointed the gaps in the current systems.

    Expanding our lens to include external perspectives, we explored how younger generations prefer to learn, analyzed evidence-based methods around learning and skill development, and examined how leading companies address similar challenges. This research provided a robust foundation for understanding the modern learning landscape.

    Armed with these insights, we facilitated an innovation session with a cross-functional team from the client’s organization. We used personas, user journey mapping, and research findings to collaboratively design a future-forward learning and knowledge experience. This session was pivotal in aligning the diverse needs of the staff with the strategic goals of the nonprofit.

     

    The solution we co-created was a comprehensive learning and knowledge platform tailored to the diverse needs of the nonprofit’s staff and chapters. It included modern, user-friendly features such as personalized learning paths, interactive content, and social learning capabilities, ensuring that learning was engaging, accessible, and relevant.

    Impact

    The client is now in the process of transforming this vision into reality. They are converting the future experience into concrete business and technology requirements and preparing to issue a Request for Proposal to technology vendors.

     

    This new learning and knowledge platform is set to revolutionize how the nonprofit shares knowledge and develops skills, ensuring that they can meet the evolving needs of their workforce and continue to thrive in the future.

Client: Name

Explain what makes the business unique. Identify the qualities that set it apart from its competitors and describe them, staying true to the brand's authentic voice. Add engaging details to catch readers' interest and hold their attention.

Year: 2035

Explain what makes the business unique. Identify the qualities that set it apart from its competitors and describe them, staying true to the brand's authentic voice. Add engaging details to catch readers' interest and hold their attention.

Industry: Finance

Explain what makes the business unique. Identify the qualities that set it apart from its competitors and describe them, staying true to the brand's authentic voice. Add engaging details to catch readers' interest and hold their attention.

Client: Name

Explain what makes the business unique. Identify the qualities that set it apart from its competitors and describe them, staying true to the brand's authentic voice. Add engaging details to catch readers' interest and hold their attention.

Year: 2035

Explain what makes the business unique. Identify the qualities that set it apart from its competitors and describe them, staying true to the brand's authentic voice. Add engaging details to catch readers' interest and hold their attention.

Industry: Finance

Explain what makes the business unique. Identify the qualities that set it apart from its competitors and describe them, staying true to the brand's authentic voice. Add engaging details to catch readers' interest and hold their attention.

Client: Name

Explain what makes the business unique. Identify the qualities that set it apart from its competitors and describe them, staying true to the brand's authentic voice. Add engaging details to catch readers' interest and hold their attention.

Year: 2035

Explain what makes the business unique. Identify the qualities that set it apart from its competitors and describe them, staying true to the brand's authentic voice. Add engaging details to catch readers' interest and hold their attention.

Industry: Finance

Explain what makes the business unique. Identify the qualities that set it apart from its competitors and describe them, staying true to the brand's authentic voice. Add engaging details to catch readers' interest and hold their attention.

HEALTHCARE

What if we improved health by addressing social determinants and food insecurity?

Client Challenge

An integrated healthcare provider and insurer aspired to transcend traditional healthcare boundaries by addressing the social determinants of health, aiming to improve patient outcomes and reduce care costs.

Approach

We began by organizing an innovation summit that brought together the client's top executives, senior leaders, clinicians, and operators. Prior to this summit, we conducted extensive primary and secondary research involving patients and providers to build a strong foundation of insights. During the summit, we led empathy exercises to immerse the client’s team in the daily struggles faced by ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) populations.

 

This included a visit to a local grocery store, where team members experienced the challenge of purchasing enough groceries to feed a family on a budget equivalent to SNAP (food stamp) benefits. These powerful, firsthand experiences underscored the harsh realities of food insecurity and its impact on health.

Armed with these insights, we facilitated collaborative sessions where we honed in on high-risk, costly chronic conditions exacerbated by food insecurity. We explored innovative ways to address these challenges, focusing on influencing food systems, improving community access to nutritious food, and designing new health plan offerings that could educate and support patients in maintaining a healthy diet.

Impact

This comprehensive approach led to the client committing $50 million to pilot and launch multiple initiatives targeting food insecurity. These efforts significantly improved patient health outcomes and reduced overall care costs by addressing a root cause of chronic health issues.

Other Industries

  • Client Challenge

    In the aftermath of COVID-19, the Chief Strategy Officer of a leading live events, trade shows, and exhibitions company faced a pivotal moment. With Millennials and Gen Z becoming their primary customer and attendee demographics, technological advancements and new behaviors forged by the pandemic were reshaping expectations around live events.

     

    The challenge was to anticipate the future trajectory of the industry and craft a strategy that would accelerate growth through innovative, adaptable, and data-driven experiences.

    Approach

    We started by diving into extensive ethnographies with representatives from various industries, from tech giants and healthcare associations.

     

    These conversations revealed that clients desired more than traditional event formats; they longed for adaptable spaces that could morph to their changing needs, whether for hosting exclusive executive retreats or sprawling industry conferences.

    Additionally, there was a growing demand for data-driven solutions to enhance attendee engagement and deliver tangible ROI on event investments.

    Expanding our research, we explored socio-cultural, economic, and technological shifts through interviews with industry experts. We examined how digital integration, sustainability concerns, and a craving for authentic experiences were influencing the event landscape.

    Armed with these insights, we convened the client’s C-Suite and senior leaders for an intensive multi-day innovation session. Together, we envisioned a future where live events were more than just gatherings; they were dynamic ecosystems of engagement and growth. We conceptualized event spaces as chameleons—adaptable, fluid, and responsive to diverse needs. These spaces could seamlessly transition from a tech expo with interactive displays to an intimate leadership summit with curated experiences, all within the same footprint.

    We also recognized the untapped potential of data in crafting these experiences. By harnessing consumer and customer data, we could empower exhibitors to create hyper-personalized experiences for attendees, enhancing engagement and satisfaction.

     

    Our strategy extended beyond transforming physical spaces. We envisioned the company evolving from an event organizer to a growth catalyst, particularly for high-potential smaller brands. By nurturing early-stage businesses, the company could build lifelong partnerships, growing alongside these emerging stars.

    Impact

    The future vision is currently being implemented, with the company actively experimenting with new solutions in collaboration with clients.

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