HighPoint Associates

Every business faces turbulent situations — from macroeconomic shifts and evolving industry landscapes to the emergence of disruptive new technologies. What sets winning firms apart is how they equip themselves to respond these challenges. In our latest blog, HPA Partner and COO Justin Moser explores the hallmarks of firm resilience and how leaders can build resilient, adaptive organizations that recover quickly and emerge stronger from periods of adversity. Read more below. #BusinessResilience #StrategicPlanning #Adaptability #Leadership

We're excited to welcome Erica Jackey to the HighPoint Associates team as our new Vice President of Business Development! Erica brings a strong background in strategy consulting and client development, and will be leading our Business Development team to expand opportunities with new and existing clients. Please join us in welcoming Erica to our team! #newhire #welcome #consulting #businessdevelopment #team

As AI continues to captivate the business world, many companies are investing in AI and analytics tools, eager to gain a competitive edge. However, investing in AI without first building a solid data foundation is like focusing on the décor of a house before laying the foundation. Without the right structure in place, the results will fall short of expectations. In his latest blog, HPA Senior Advisor Bob Kaplan emphasizes the often-overlooked key to success in technology initiatives: data engineering. Without a strong data foundation, even the most advanced tools will deliver limited strategic value. By becoming a data-driven enterprise and aligning data strategy with overall business objectives, organizations can better position themselves to adapt, innovate, and lead in a rapidly evolve market. For more, read Bob's blog below. #DataEngineering #Strategy #AI #Analytics

AI adoption has rapidly shifted from a future aspiration to an urgent priority for businesses across all industries. Early adopters are already positioning themselves for success, while those who hesitate risk being left behind. Many business leaders are now grappling with a critical question: "How should we approach Enterprise AI Strategy to ensure we stay ahead?" In our latest InSights article, HPA Senior Advisors Ed Wiley, PhD and Ujjwal Sinha provide a practical roadmap to crafting an Enterprise AI Strategy. By aligning AI initiatives with your organization's strategic priorities and following a structured implementation approach, you can leverage AI to transform your business and drive results. For more, read Ed and Ujjwal's article below. #AI #DigitalTransformation #AIStrategy #EnterpriseAI #Consulting

A successful organizational transformation isn't just about having the right systems and processes in place - it's also about the people driving the change. In this month's blog, HPA Senior Consultant Charlie Dawson shares key strategies for managing the human side of change. Taking a people-centered approach, empowering leaders as active change sponsors, and ensuring robust communication can help your organization sustain and navigate its transformation. To learn more, read Charlie's blog below. #Transformation #ChangeManagement #Leadership #OrganizationalChange

Earlier this summer, Richard Berger marked 15 years as an HPA Partner. In our latest blog post, Richard reflects on his journey with HPA, shifts in the consulting industry, and the core principles that have made HPA a trusted partner to our clients. As Richard looks ahead, he emphasizes that while the consulting industry has evolved, our commitment to client success and delivering exceptional value remains as crucial as ever. Read more of Richard's reflections below. Here’s to the next 15 years and beyond! #consulting #clientsuccess #strategy

Navigating the M&A landscape can often feel like a reactive cycle, fraught with bidding wars and inflated prices. However, firms can move beyond the limitations of the traditional M&A playbook by complementing it with a more holistic approach. In our latest blog, HPA Project Leader Larry Maher outlines how businesses can adopt a proactive, top-down M&A strategy. By conducting comprehensive portfolio reviews and developing strategic roadmaps, organizations can identify high-value targets and make more informed acquisitions with better ROI. To learn more, read Larry's blog below. #MergersAndAquisitions #Strategy #ROI #Consulting

Thank you to all who have reached out about my 15-year HPA anniversary. I am thrilled to celebrate this milestone and look forward to many more fulfilling years ahead. It’s been a truly rewarding journey.   Reflecting on my 15 years, it’s almost amusing to think where HPA started. There was a time when the idea of the Managing Partner and me sharing a room on business trips wasn’t out of the question. Now, we’re orchestrating everything from multi-billion-dollar M&A efforts with 10-person teams to helping business unit leaders improve top and bottom-line results.   We have delivered tremendous value to Fortune 500 companies, middle-market companies, and everything in between. This evolution from modest beginnings to working on our clients' most important transformation initiatives underscores the enduring relationships and substantial value we create for our clients. While we have grown, we still have the agility and attitude of a small company. Each project needs to be a homerun, or at least a triple in the eyes of our clients, as we recognize loyalty must be earned.   As I reflect on what I’m most proud of over the past 15 years, three things stand out:   Lasting client relationships – Nothing has been more valuable to me than the enduring partnerships we’ve formed and the substantial value we’ve helped our clients create. We have had the opportunity to continue to support former clients as they step into new roles both at their existing firms and when they move on to new professional challenges.    Expanded service model – Navigating the global financial crisis and COVID-19, HPA didn’t just endure - we excelled, experiencing unprecedented growth. All the while, we've maintained our flexible approach, invested in scalability, and expanded our capacity to meet the rapidly evolving needs of our clients. Unique value proposition – As our clients' needs have evolved, we too have changed and adapted, but we have remained true to our core mission of elite quality strategy and execution acceleration support, with a more product partnership model, for better value. Our teams combine Industry and Functional Practice Leadership depth with Senior Advisors, top tier consulting colleagues complemented by hands-on operating experience, and supported further with analytic depth by our Associate Consultants. We roll up our sleeves and get results in the most pragmatic and effective way.     To my colleagues, thank you for your dedication to building something special at HighPoint and for your steadfast support and collaboration. To our clients, thank you for your trust and partnership. To the consultants who have worked with me to deliver measurable impact, your dedication has been invaluable and many of you I now consider friends. I am proud that we continue to make HPA a sought-after place to work for our lean, but highly talented HQ team. I am looking forward to many more years of success, growth, client impact, and memorable moments – thank you!  

Businesses navigating hypergrowth are often presented with unique challenges. Rapid expansion and quick movement have their benefits, but can also reveal gaps in core processes critical to sustaining hypergrowth as the organization's management and planning infrastructure lag behind. Traditional planning methods are not always the best fit in hypergrowth environments, so how can businesses keep up the pace? In our latest blog, HPA Senior Consultant Raaj Chitaley outlines some practical guidelines to help lay the groundwork for sustained hypergrowth, including: 🔍 Conducting a resource census to understand and optimize resource allocation. 🚦 Using stage gates to tie initiatives to outcomes and maintain agility. 🛑 Proactively reviewing and ending underperforming projects. 💬 Promoting open communication to build trust and avoid delays. Hypergrowth isn't just a sprint; it's a marathon of sprints. To learn more about how your organization can set its pace, read Raaj's blog below. #Hypergrowth #ResourceManagement #StrategicPlanning #SustainableGrowth

The past year saw conflicting economic signals, from early fears of a hard recession to year-end optimism about a soft landing. As we move through 2024, the climate remains unpredictable. What is clear, however, is that staying ahead requires more than just reactive measures. So how should businesses navigate an uncertain future? In this month's blog, HPA Senior Project Lead Stephen Ashford recommends that organizations embrace agility and resilience by using thoughtful scenario planning to develop flexible strategies that can adapt as situations evolve. By considering a variety of scenarios, balancing cost productivity and growth readiness, and laying the groundwork for different recovery types, companies can not only navigate the waters ahead but emerge stronger on the other side. Read Stephen's blog below for more insights. #resilience #strategicplanning #strategy