Frequently Asked Questions

What kinds of services does Transition By Design Inc. offer Businesses and Organizations?

In general, TBD can help you move through people problems, partnership issues, board and C-Level issues, personality conflicts, power struggles, loyalty binds, conflict avoidance, struggles with being introverted or dealing with introverted staff, dealing with the ramifications of serious health problems, problems with key staff and their marriages (or family situations), and other situations which create relationship dilemmas which are blocking or inhibiting or threatening your organization's productivity and profitability.

Some specific issues that MOST ALL organizations face (which they lose tremendous revenue about) are: following their leaders, leaders leading, shifting organizational focus, balancing marriage and business relationships, retaining their best staff, transitioning retiring staff out &/or accelerating their rising stars forward, and moving teams through the typical conflict stages of group development and into highly productive and enjoyable “working group” stages. 

If you are a business owner, additional strategic issues may involve positioning your business to sell (or transitioning yourself out of your own business to retire or move to a new business venture), creating/updating buy-sell agreements between partners, adding new partners, setting up new partnerships to succeed with agreements re: a number of different scenarios, transitioning a new GM into your business, problem-solving issues due to your business being in several locations, downsizing &/or navigating an acquisition transition, or how to successfully implement an HR department “Staff Transition Plan” that is in line with a new financial plan for your company but may be problematic to actually carry off successfully. 

How does Transition By Design Inc. work with out-of-state clients?

The initial work begins in person, typically (although there are no hard and fast rules).  I come to you or you fly in to see me & we get the first stage of work done in a “marathon” session----usually the better part of a day or two.  It depends on how many other people need to be involved---the more people, the longer Stage One takes.  Regardless, the process is still designed to profoundly accelerate your project.  Phone work and conference calls fill in until a next “in person” rendezvous.  Clients have also reserved an entire week to do intensive expansion planning, re-organization planning &/or “Strategic” dilemma resolution retreats which may or may not involve the entire organization (Usually they include the smaller core group of the organization).  Work may be done individually &/or in diads prior to such group work for the most desired outcomes. 

How does TBD Inc. work with its local/regional clients?

Much the same as with the out-of-state clients above, except the options about in-person work can be slightly more spontaneous (referring to travel arrangements and longer stays, etc. for out of state clients).  There are usually little to no travel expenses with local and regional clients. 

What kinds of Career Strategy Services does Transition By Design Inc. offer? 

Transition By Design Inc. can help you, through a series of “rule-outs,” to determine if your job problems would best be solved by staying in your job or leaving your job (Clients often choose not to leave, when they realize there are other options to try that work for them).  Then TBD can help you with that strategy to stay or to go.  TBD can help you navigate critical conversations to change your experience at work or to be successful with a critical conversation in the form of an interview for a different job.  TBD can help you to rediscover your passion (It is amazingly easy for TBD to do with most all clients) and update a sense of who you are and what your talents are; AND this can almost always be done without expensive and time-consuming testing (Career testing tends to be “interesting” to clients, but doesn’t by itself help clients become unstuck, so TBD rarely recommends career testing.)  TBD can help you navigate within your profession and help you create a longer-term vision for yourself---and a plan to go with that, to position yourself for that next level. 

Highly unique is Lori Keegan’s innovation of her “Talent Resume” that she developed expressly to assist her clients market themselves to specific careers and jobs.  A common comment from employers and friends is, “We’ve never seen a resume like this before!  It is outstanding!---So impressive!”  Although, not in the resume business, per se, TBD recommends it to clients who need to be “internally organized” to know who they are, what they want, how to market themselves, and ESPECIALLY how to conduct one critical conversation after the other to get them to their goal.   Clients end up creating the information for this talent resume…so they might as well put it on paper and use it as one of their “props” to succeed in getting that interview!  For mature clients ready to take the next graduated step into bigger responsibility, Lori calls the “Talent Resume” her $100,000 resume, because of its reputation of taking clients into this salary range and beyond. 

TBD can help you transtion to a very different profession.  For example, many CFO’s want to become CEO’s or own their own company.  Monitoring or even strategizing the finances of a company is not AT ALL the same as running or owning a company.  Understanding this fact that you are making a very significant career change, you’ll want to be thoughtful about exactly HOW you will successfully make this transition.  You will need to be relating to yourself and others very differently as a CEO or business owner than you did as a CFO.  For these profound internal and personal transformations to take place, you’ll want a clear plan for yourself as well as your company and your relationships inside (AND outside) of that company.  Your relationships will drive your success…or drive you to your demise. 

What if I work during the day, and I'm interested in TBD strategy help, do you offer late appointments?

ALL visits are by appointment only since Lori travels a great deal.   Late appointments are available to those clients needing them.  If you are a business client, Lori will offer to come to your office, unless you need additional privacy about your project. 

What’s the main difference between TBD Inc. & other “business consultants” or “career counselors or agencies?”                

This is probably the most important question you can ask.  You are a consumer of these “kinds” of services and deserve to know some of the most important differences and to identify for yourself what you are really shopping for and what kinds of services best fit your needs AND… WHO can best do the most difficult and delicate work on your list. 

Perhaps some examples are best to help you discern the difference between TBD and other business and career providers.  TBD is not a placement service.  If you need a job---any job---and you need it now, go to a temp staffing agency.  If you are a professional and you don’t want to make another job move without having the utmost confidence about your next career move being the best match for you and the current market, call TBD.   If your business is failing and time is of the essence, contact an agency that specializes only in “turn-around” work.  If you are wanting to sell your business, contact a legitimate business broker (not the same as a commercial broker!  Be careful!)---BUT FIRST, contact TBD about how to position your business to sell (financially and with regard to staffing) & how to improve the eventual valuation of your business.  TBD can also hook you up at no charge with reputable business brokers.  You’ll be glad you have access to TBD as you are negotiating with potential buyers.  TBD also works with new buyers of businesses to help them transition themselves successfully into new and existing staff.  The first year can make or break the new owner. 

Look at how much money you have on the line, how you are making decisions, and whether your staffs are functioning at the level to really support you (& vice-versa).  If it is more money than you can afford to lose by “winging it,” if it feels like the success of the company ONLY depends on you, if it feels like you are dragging most all your staff uphill, call TBD for some strategic help.  Other “business consultants” will tell you HOW to run your business.  TBD doesn’t tell you how to run your business.  TBD helps you to remove barriers or fill in gaps so that you CAN run your own business!---and you can have the REAL support you need to run your business FROM YOUR STAFF.  That’s a key difference.  YOU’RE THE BOSS.  Consultants have made a bad name for themselves because they tell business owners what to do, then leave, and leave them with a mess.  Transition By Design Inc. is much different.  It is a strategy and intervention service. We don’t do “hit and run” work.   We’ll be there to see the change through that you are needing.  You are still making all the decisions.  You decide the work to be done.  TBD helps you to remove barriers with the people you most need to work productively with. We don’t just talk---or train--- about what should be done; we roll up our sleeves together, do the “here & now” work together---and you are MORE in control of your company, not less, when TBD walks out the door!  Self-examination is a job requirement of executives nowadays.  If you don’t believe that, don’t call TBD.  To accomplish the deep and lasting change that is at the heart of Transition By Design’s reputation, you’ll want to access your own courage, trust, & goodwill--- and take yourself to the next level of risk that will bring you the growth you really want for your company.  You’ll be expecting your staff to do the same.  You’ll know how to lead better when you’ve done the same work yourself.   

Large career service agencies generally bill one large fee per person and do a lot of group work with their clients.  TBD doesn’t believe that the job really gets done---or gets done well for the individual---via herding people into a room and doing group work.  These agencies almost always do offer one-on-one work as well, but the consistency of talented counselor/helpers is far and few between.  These agencies can’t attract enough talented staff to help their clients.  Your counselor with them will be the luck of the draw.  With TBD, quality is assured.  There is no luck involved.  And the fee matches the work actually needed for your situation.  If it’s not much, you’re not going to be paying very much either.  TBD has plenty of work and plenty of clients wanting to work with TBD, so it is not in TBD’s interest to drag out any client’s project.  On the contrary, TBD will do its best to accelerate your work at the fastest pace you can tolerate (and you are only paying for strategy hours used, not the total amount of time in months that you decide to use the services), but if you request more time and a slower pace, TBD will support you there too. 

TBD operates with the utmost of ethic and integrity.  Greed is not a driving force behind this company; quality and healing results for your prosperity and well-being are.  TBD cares about what your life is like after you are long gone, so stay in touch & send an update now and then!  It’s not unusual for former clients to call or e-mail and take a “coffee break” to talk about great news or a disappointing event.  That’s the kind of special relationship we have with our clients.  We may not do life-long work with you as a client, but we want to have a life-long relationship with you.  Life & Job Satisfaction:  It’s Not Just for the Lucky Few!

What do you charge and how do you charge?

By the project, via an annual retainer, or by an hourly or daily rate.  These will all differ depending on the level and extent of services needed.  Initial 2 hour exploratory sessions for Organizational &/or Business clients are at no charge.  Travel time is at a reduced fee and travel expenses are expected to be paid at the time of purchase &/or reservations.   Private individual clients (for example needing career strategy services) are offered a lower rate.   Fees are due at the time of service or in advance for longer-term work via a discounted retainer (Discounted retainers are by check only). Payment can be made with cash, check, VISA, or MasterCard.  Ask for estimates of what you should plan for financially for your project at large.  Transition By Design Inc. prides itself in giving clients no surprises about expenses they need to plan on minimally (and usually in the form of a range).  Transition By Design does NOT charge for brief telephone consults once you are a client in good standing. 

FEEL FREE TO TAILOR A QUESTION TO MATCH YOUR OWN SITUATION AND TBD WILL GIVE YOU A PROMPT AND CONFIDENTIAL REPLY.  PLEASE REMEMBER TO SEND YOUR E-MAIL FROM A CONFIDENTIAL E-MAIL ADDRESS ALONG WITH A CONFIDENTIAL VOICEMAIL PHONE NUMBER.  (CELL PHONE NUMBERS TYPICALLY ARE GOOD CONFIDENTIAL PLACES FOR TBD Inc. TO LEAVE PRIVATE VOICEMAIL.)

                                Thank you for thinking of Transition By Design! We'll be right back with you.