2015 Small Business Award Finalist: People Centric Consulting Group

Don Harkey knows firsthand that when people work together they are more successful.

The former chemical engineer’s company, Galt Consulting LLC, began collaborating with Randy Mayes’ The Success Coach Network LLC in 2007 to help their shared client base improve business communication and engagement. In 2012, they joined forces to start People Centric Consulting Group and provide area businesses with intuitive processes to engage employees, solve problems and ensure a clear direction to focus on strategic opportunities.

In three years, the company has generated annual revenues approaching half-a-million dollars. People Centric’s owners attribute the company’s progress to one of their core values: impact.

“We’ve helped clients to grow revenue. It has an impact on the bottom line and they tell other people about that,” said Harkey, the firm’s chief innovation officer, adding word of mouth is the company’s best method of referral. “If we go into the partnership and we’re not adding value, the client can stop. We have to provide value and show that value every single month.”

CEO Mayes said the key to the business’ success in driving results is by providing outside insight to intra-company organization and communication.

“People don’t intentionally get stuck along the way. It’s a matter of perspective,” he said. “We partner with people and help them get results by creating a little different perspective for them so they can draw their own conclusions about what needs to be done.”

Harkey said businesses most in need of guidance generally fall into one of two camps.

“On one end of the spectrum, it’s a business that’s so busy working in the business they aren’t working on the business, they’re just letting things happen to them on a day-to-day basis,” he said. “On the other side, there’s the business that’s choking on opportunities, where there’s so many great ideas out there they’re trying to hit all of them, but not focusing on any of them.”

Within their own company, Mayes and Harkey place an emphasis on an open dialogue that empowers People Centric’s staff to bring their ideas to the table.

“There is a cultural shift nationwide toward this more people-centric concept,” People Centric Business Manager Diana Day said.

One of the biggest challenges People Centric faces in serving a mostly local client base of between 50 and 60 companies is overcoming percetions about traditional business consulting.

“I think (in) typical consulting, they expect a consultant to come in and tell you what to do with your business, like we know your business better, and that’s just not true,” Harkey said. “I can tell a company what to do, but if they don’t own the solution, they’re not going to do it.”[[In-content Ad]]