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How Can I Help?
Corporate Strategy
Non-profit | NGO | Corporate | Government
Small Business Strategy
Solopreneurs | Entrepreneurs | Start Ups
Speaking and Training
Keynotes | Workshops | Custom Training
MY APPROACH TO CORPORATE CONSULTING
You need someone to walk beside you, providing professional support and guidance
I make sure you have what you need to support your board and lead your team
A strategic plan is one of the most powerful tools a leadership team can develop to achieve alignment, performance and results. But not all strategic plans are created equally - and the path to get there is often as important to organizational culture as the actual plan itself.
Through comprehensive support such as: employee engagement and gathering external stakeholder feedback, facilitation of the plan, and integrated change management, I help you go from where you are now (with a million ideas, but no real clarity to support decision-making) to a place where your organization is fully aligned and empowered to deliver results.
Based on my background, I have a particular soft spot when it comes to working with bureaucratic, complex organizations that depend in some way on public funding and/or political support. Some of my recent projects include work with post-secondary institutions, crown corporations, national non-profit organizations, regulators, and for-profit but publicly-funded civic organizations.
SATISFIED CLIENTS
Recent Corporate Projects
YMCA-YWCA of Winnipeg
Strategic Planning
Community Engagement
I worked with the Board of Director, Executive Team and Broad Leadership Team to engage stakeholders and build a strategic plan for the YMCA-YWCA of Winnipeg.
Cordella Friesen
President and CEO
YMCA-YWCA of Winnipeg
"Your ability to support a President and CEO in in effectively supporting a board is your magic. You're organized, so well-written, and you know how governance and decision-making works. I have felt completely supported working with you."
RBC Convention Centre
Strategic Planning
Stakeholder Engagement
With the Board of Directors and Senior Leadership Team, we built a comprehensive strategic plan. I served as Senior Consultant and Project Lead for Blueprint Inc.
Liquor, Gaming & Cannabis Authority
Leadership Alignment Process Improvement
I worked with the Executive to build a blueprint for culture change and implement early work related to leadership behaviour and strategic reporting.
Tech Manitoba
Strategic Planning
Team Development
Working with the entire TechMB team, we renewed the priorities and vision of this member-based industry association within a two-day facilitated session.
Manitoba Possible
Priority Setting
Board and Staff Alignment
Through a one day session, a group of 30 Board members, leaders and staff set interim priorities for 2024. I served as Senior Consultant and Project Lead for Blueprint Inc.
Lindsey Cooke
Chief Executive Officer
Manitoba Possible
"I wanted to share the positive feedback received from both the board and leadership team. Joanne was the best facilitator we have ever had at the organization. It was a valuable and productive day, and we are very happy with what was produced."
Canadian Museum for Human Rights
Project Management
Process Review
This project engaged staff to review the museum's project management methodology and make recommendations to improve efficiency and communications.
Red River College Polytechnic
Strategic Planning
Stakeholder Engagement
Over 18 months, I worked with the Board of Governors, Executive Team and college leadership to build a five year strategic plan for Manitoba's largest college and polytechnic.
Fred Meier
President and CEO
Red River College Polytechnic
"Thank you so much for your effort, leadership and persistence. Everyone loved the plan. The commitments, the words, the boldness, and the swagger of the brand. We wouldn't be here without you."
Province of Manitoba Agriculture
Stakeholder Engagement
Research & Analysis
This research study involved stakeholder interviews and analysis to understand the negotiation-related impacts on women in food production.
Province of Manitoba
Public Engagement
Process Design
This project consolidated processes and standards from across the public service with a team of subject matter experts from 15 departments.
WORKING WITH ME
Each organization is unique and deserves its own unique approach
I take a multi-disciplinary and customized approach with each project
Following an initial discussion about your needs, I'll outline the approach I'd recommend, weaving together a combination of tools and philosophies from:
- Contemporary leadership experts like Adam Grant, Amy Edmondson, Brene Brown, and Simon Sinek
- Innovation methodologies like Lean Management, Human Centred Design, Public Participation Best Practice, and Innovation Engineering
Together, we will refine the plan to meet your organization's specific needs, customizing the plan to meet your leaders and team members exactly where they're at.
Let's TalkLET'S TALK
Book your consultation
Let's talk about your business and see if we are a good fit to work together.
HOW I WORK WITH SMALL BUSINESSES
Owning a small business can feel like being in a rowboat in the ocean in the middle of a dark night
My gift is shining light and helping you to see a path where before, there was only darkness
The future of your business depends on you making strategic decisions that minimize risk, maximize profit, and optimize efficiency. But when you are your business, it's easy to get trapped in the daily challenges of operations while you're trying to keep your head above water.
You probably don't have an executive team you can rely on for advice, which limits your ability to assess your challenges and opportunities objectively. That's where I come in.
I bring my 20+ years of experience in strategy, leadership, culture, Lean, and Human Centred Design and together, we create a customized approach that can take you from an overwhelmed entrepreneur to an empowered business owner with a clear path.
Let's TalkWAYS TO WORK WITH ME
Services for small business owners
Targeted Strategy Session
A private 2.5 hour session to focus 100% on your business. This is an ideal session if you want to build out or streamline a process, map a client experience and create a plan for improvements, or work through a strategic challenge.
Group Strategy Session
In this full-day facilitated small group session, you'll design your five-year vision, three-year strategic plan, and 12-month tactical plan. Throughout the day, you'll work alongside five other entrepreneurs, offering each other feedback, challenging assumptions, and building your network of support.
1:1 VIP Strategy Day
This one-on-one full-day session takes you from overwhelmed and brimming with ideas to a clear strategy and implementation plan to guide your business decisions over the next year. It's ideal for solopreneurs or business partners who have big dreams and want absolute clarity on how to move forward in a strategic way to ensure results.
Not sure which option is right for you? Let's have a conversation about where you need help.
Book your free consultLET'S TALK
Book your consultation
Let's talk about your business and see if we are a good fit to work together.
NICE TO MEET YOU
I'm Joanne Zuk
As a business strategist and consultant, I love working with business owners who want to grow sustainable businesses (that don't burn them out) to have a positive impact in our community.
I find most small business owners are bombarded by ideas and recommendations for cookie-cutter solutions, when what they actually need is for someone to listen to them and provide customized support and advice.
I have an education in psychology, executive leadership, government and business administration. I have taught leadership and strategy at the post-secondary level. I spent 16 years navigating the murky bureaucracy of government, where I learned how to mobilize people and execute projects.
My experience with multiple innovation methodologies means I have an extensive toolkit to draw from as I help you solve the strategic challenges facing your organization today and into the future.
