Introduction

One Solution Global is a nonprofit organization based in Chicago with a mission to change people's mindset. It was founded in 2016 by an inspiring couple, and at the time we met them, they had three additional team members.

Challenges: good product, weak operation

One solution was good at delivering the product and service, but had difficulties building the organization.

Leadership / People: There wasn't a strong sense of accountability within the team. The definition of success within the team was not clear and was not properly defined. As a result, the outcomes were mixed.

Strategy: One solution had a grand vision, but lacked a solid plan to execute it. As a result, they simply followed the breadcrumbs and accepted whatever opportunities came their way. Unfortunately, this approach led to them feeling overwhelmed and burnt out because they were trying to do too many things and offer too many services all at once.

Execution: There wasn't a very solid executional rhythm in the business. They didn't utilize scorecards, metrics, or quarterly planning. As a result, they achieved sporadic wins, but they didn't have a sustainable model that was effective.

Systems & Processes: They had overlooked two crucial processes. The first one was for the donation system to ensure secure donations for the organization. The second one was for a revenue-generating offer, which they were lacking. Although they had multiple different types of offers, they were missing a go-to-market offer.

Eirik’s (The Visionary CEO) shared his expectations before we started:

“We wanted to find a strategic system that works for us and our mission, that takes vision to strategy to execution/tactics. Wanted myself and the team to get more focused (do less, say NO to more but increase impact). To find a better way of hiring, onboarding and managing team members. A important goal was also to have less siloed communications and work, and all working/rowing in the same direction with clear measurements and responsibilities that work for the organization and team members.”

Our Unique Approach: become their Fractional Partners

To assist and support One Solution in achieving success and growth, we became their fractional partners.

First and foremost, we established a leadership team where all roles are clearly defined. We guided and supported this team through our program, working together on strategy, execution systems, and team development to ensure sustainable growth in the future.

We had the opportunity to meet with them twice a week, and sometimes even three times a week, for a period of six months, fully immersing ourselves as part of their leadership team. We actively participated in every meeting where decisions were being made, collaborating to enhance the business together.

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We built the team, developed the growth strategy, optimized the systems and executed together

Leadership & People

First, we formed a team and formalized it. As the new leadership team, we created an org chart to clearly define all the rules. Then, we assigned the right individuals to each role. During this process, we identified some gaps that needed to be filled, so we hired new team members in Q2. Once we had a complete team, we worked together to develop the strategy, execute it, and build the necessary systems. This team was responsible for running the business.

Growth Strategy

One Solution had a grand vision, but the plan to achieve it was unclear. To address this, we conducted a series of strategic workshops with the team to align on what exactly we were building and the value proposition. We also discussed how we would go to market with a focus on a single offer (or in our case, two offers). We helped them stay focused and say no to other opportunities that would take them off track.

Execution

While developing the plan, we provided support to the team to ensure its successful execution. We held weekly meetings with the team to develop the strategy and solve problems, while participating in the 90-minute Level 10 leadership team meetings every week. Our goal was to make sure they stayed on track and overcame any obstacles that arose. Everyone was clear on what needed to be done to achieve success.

Systems & Processes

Our main focus was on designing the offer and the process surrounding it. We worked on defining exactly what the offer entailed and how the team would find, convert, and secure leads, as well as deliver the product and turn clients into satisfied customers and advocates. We went through a user mapping and user experience design process, breaking down each step of the process, optimizing it, and systemizing it.

Results: Long term ROI with immediate noticeable changes

It's worth mentioning that our program with a One Solution is going to yield long-term benefits. It's not a quick fix and it's not intended solely to generate immediate revenue. We are transitioning from a small business into an asset. These activities have a high return on investment but require time to materialize. That being said, we achieved some excellent results with One Solution. Here are some highlights:

By June 2023: Best Q2 in company history and a plan forward

1. They had the best Q2 in the history of the company. Despite typically being a slow quarter, it turned out to be their strongest quarter ever.
2. They established an executional rhythm, enabling them to have weekly leadership team meetings, quarterly planning sessions, and work with metrics and scorecards. This enhanced their professionalism and allowed them to execute effectively as a team.
3. They learned how to say "no" to certain things and prioritize based on a well-defined plan. This gave them the focus they needed to move forward and expand the team.

Furthermore, because we recognized a gap in the capabilities, we took the opportunity help them hire someone and implement a hiring process to ensure that any future hires are properly onboarded.

By Dec 2023: Revenue is up 50% and the team has doubled

We reached out to one solution in December 2023 to check on their progress. We were thrilled with the results they achieved during that year. Their revenue grew by an impressive 50%. Additionally, they successfully transformed from being a donation-based organization to a product-based one. In the beginning, 70% of their income came from donations, while only 30% came from services. However, in 2023, they made a shift and now generate 60% of their income from products and services, with only 40% coming from donations. We absolutely love this change because it gives them more control over their future growth, without solely relying on soliciting donations.

Furthermore, the team has doubled in size, with new hires joining the organization. This expansion has allowed them to broaden their capabilities and reach. They are now implementing quarterly planning, utilizing scorecards and metrics to measure their progress. With a clear path forward, they are making great strides towards success.

Eirik summarizes the experience:

“We have increased our focus and productivity substantially, and have generated more revenue/donations than any previous quarter - and have a way to continue to do that every quarter, every year. We have removed unnecessary/unproductive shiny objects that isn't aligned with where we want to go. We have found a new offer and model that we can sell, deliver and expand - and that we can be the best in the world at. While we are not perfect, our general operations and workflow has increased 10X.

Our siloed communication was solved by creating a process with clear quarterly goals, weekly metrics and a weekly leadership meeting. We have a system now that works for us and we can keep improving to fit a growing organization. This was solved by relentless focus from Yarin on not doing what wasn't a priority, and to keep repeating the same process over and over again and not get distracted with "new and exciting things". This way of thinking, through osmosis went into rest of team.

Working with Yarin has been nothing short of transformational. I can't even begin to list the number of things we have stopped doing after this process and how it has revolutionized our processes, strategy, and operations. Yarin went above and beyond for us, overdelivered, and gave extra time, energy, and space to ensure we reached our goals. He possesses a unique combination of holding nothing back, saying what needs to be said, and backing it up with solutions and processes that effectively address what doesn't work. Thanks to his guidance, we have significantly improved our productivity, communication, and focus. Remarkably, during what is usually the slowest quarter of the year for us, we doubled our revenue and secured donations to further our mission.

We now have a well-defined strategy and process to continue thriving long after our work with him. I look forward to watching our progress as we grow. Yarin truly feels like a fractional partner, seamlessly integrated into our team and working with us to ensure we reach our desired destination.

If you seek a no-nonsense, get-it-done partner who delivers results and provides a replicable process, look no further—Yarin is your man."

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Conclusion

One solution is a fantastic example of what happens when a visionary leader seeks help in turning their vision into a reality and building an organization around it. We were able to assist them in four key areas: forming a strong team, developing a growth strategy, implementing an effective execution system, and streamlining their processes. As a result, they have become an amazing organization that is making a real impact on people and changing the world. There progress is why we're doing this.