Testimonials
“With Laurie’s guidance, we’re doing everything more effectively. I’m a better leader, we have a clearer vision, and we’ve vastly improved the execution of our plans. We have increased buy-in, engagement, and accountability throughout the organization.”
Glenn Leppo, President and Owner, Leppo Equipment
“The retreat exceeded our expectations. We made important decisions, and we also developed skills and learned tools that we’re continuing to use. Our shareholder meetings are now more focused; we’re discussing more, we really hear each other, and people walk away with clear assignments.”
Shareholders, Kastner Westman & Wilkins, LLC
“Working with Laurie has helped me to develop skills that have given me the ability to more clearly identify what is truly important to me. Those skills have helped me to achieve significant personal and work related goals. The result has been enjoyment and satisfaction at work and personally that I didn’t even know was possible.”
Dale Leppo, Owner, Leppo Equipment
“We were educated to be good at what we’ve chosen to study, but were never taught how to collaborate and work together as a team. Our work with Laurie taught us the importance of establishing a foundation of trust so we can have an unfettered discussion about an issue, deal with our conflicts, commit to an action, and hold ourselves accountable to each other.”
Mark Ohlinger, Hasenstab Architects
"As a result of our working with Zuckerman Consulting, the company has become more focused and better able to prioritize. The management team is aligned and has learned to work together in making strategic decisions. Each member of the team has learned to better understand each other's likenesses and differences. The team has become more consultative in its planning and decision-making.”
Carol Latham, Thermagon
"Laurie Zuckerman translated her genuine concern for the welfare of our agency into a well-structured staff retreat tailored to meet our objectives. The staff agrees that she is a skilled facilitator who helped us narrow in on the specific issues that were presenting challenges. Laurie excelled at keeping the conversation moving and on-target while still giving us the time to explore everyone’s contributions as they unfolded during the retreat. She also gave us the tools to continue this work on our own. We look forward to working with Laurie again as we position ourselves to meet the needs of our community."
Executive Director and Staff, Housing Research & Advocacy Center
“My work with Laurie has increased my capacity to take problem solving, critical thinking, and communication skills to a new level. I’ve developed a healthy work/life balance, drawing on mental and physical energy reserves, yet not breaking the bank. I’ve built a team based on diversity of talents and perspectives, a team that appreciates and utilizes differences in thinking and problem solving skills. And I’ve developed my employee coaching abilities, assisting others with personal development and achieving performance goals.”
CEO, Health Care Company
"I want to truly thank you for all your coaching help over the past several months. You made a difference in my work and my life!"
Eileen Burkhart, President, Eileen M. Burkhart & Co., LLC
“The retreat went better than my biggest hopes, largely because of your terrific preparation and terrific facilitation.”
Debra Rex, Board Chair, Alliance of Summit County Child Caring Organizations
"I thought I was communicating. I knew what I meant. Why didn't the other guy know what I meant? With Laurie's help, my partners and I gained new communication skills that made us more focused and have led to more productive meetings. To use an overworked cliché, we are on the same page now. Consequently, better decisions are made and that has led to better performance for the company.”
Charlie Conner, President, Alcon Tool
“Thanks to Laurie’s work, both Board and Staff have a clear understanding and agreement of where we want our agency to go as an organization and who needs to do what to make that happen.”
Patricia Burgess, Board Chair, Housing Research & Advocacy Center.
“Laurie brings objectivity fueled by genuine caring. This is important because the ‘truth’ is shared in a way which engages people rather than forcing them to defend, and clients receive her very best efforts and energy at all times.”
John Stride, Vice President of Operations, Leppo Equipment
“Occasionally I, as an owner and manager, am confused and uncertain as to what direction or action to take. I have the facts. In fact within me is the answer. Several times Laurie has “done her thing” and helped me crystalize my thinking and put a plan of action together. She has a marvelous ability to ask the kind of questions that stimulate and force people to think.”
President, Business Services Firm
"Laurie guided our senior management team in learning to work together. Once we understood how to work toward a common goal, we were able to develop a shared vision and create our first strategic plan. We are now sharing the numbers with our employees, and people are focusing on the areas where we need to improve. Laurie's work has made a significant difference in our organization."
Ed Small, President, Kapco
“I would recommend Laurie to any business that is looking to get better at what they do, understand themselves and their employees better, and communicate more effectively.”
Kim Haws Falasco, Senior Vice President, Robert W. Baird & Co.
“It was very impressive to me how quickly you were able to pick up on the subtleties of our way of doing business. Your ability to question led to the discovery of many, almost subconscious thoughts and ideas that my employees and I had about the company. This proved valuable in determining the strategies that may benefit our business. I would be happy to recommend your work to any potential client.”
President, Manufacturing Firm
“She’s been there and done that in terms of most facets of business . . . Laurie has an ability to individualize an approach for a specific firm, and is a terrific resource person on issues relating to your problem. Her problem-solving skills are top notch!”
President, Engineering Firm
“. . . A brilliant professional that has tremendous flexibility in her thought process, regardless of what the demand might be.”
Retired President, Retail Firm
“Your expertise in applying business planning principles to real world situations was invaluable. I especially appreciated your ability to facilitate in an energized, credible, and yet practical manner.”
Kelley Dillon, Project Manager, Triad Performance Technologies
“I wanted to take this opportunity to again express to you how absolutely delighted I am in the outcome of our ongoing meetings. I find that at each gathering we are able to accomplish so much, and my vision becomes so much clearer.”
President, Professional Services Firm
“I wholeheartedly recommend your company’s services. We now have comfort and confidence in our direction and the changes that we need to make as we grow.”
President, Professional Firm/Family Business
“I have received very positive feedback from my staff about the retreat. You helped all of us come together as a team – even those who recently joined our department. Best of all, the ideas we gained through this exchange are being implemented!”
Director, Health Care Company
“Our board and employees are now working from the same page. We have immensely improved our understanding of the entire organizational structure. We have established evaluation criteria and evaluated every program area. We are more fiscally sound and we have become a more directed team. Overall, we have a common place to view our organization’s identity, to rally around as a Board, staff, and volunteer group, to refer back to when we lose ground, to create plans for the future, and to wrap our energy around.”
Kathy Strong, Executive Director, J.R. Coleman Senior Outreach Services