We’re known for our focus on manufacturing growth, our expertise in exporting, and our strategy work with small to mid-sized manufacturers.
See below for why organizations work with us:
Why Us for Government/Non Profits
- Extensive private sector experience benefits government and non-profit clients
Most consulting firms tend to focus on either public or private sector clientele. We have considerable experience in both worlds. We leverage our deep business experience to assist government and nonprofit organizations to better understand and serve manufacturing companies. - Experts on small-to-mid-sized manufacturers (SMMs)
Our expertise on SMMs is based on direct experience and our unmatched depth of “real world” research on the needs, behavior and competitive position of SMMs. Our project list shows dozens of projects for the Department of Commerce / National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)/ Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP). - Export assistance experts
Our depth of experience on manufacturers extends to manufacturing exporters, particularly SMM exporters. Our work for the Department of Commerce (NIST/MEP and Commercial Service) includes research and analysis that identified exporter needs and strategies of successful exporters. And we have developed and delivered export growth educational material, workshops and planning tools to hundreds of exporters.
Click here to see a list of export assistance related projects
Click here to see our report on Export Assistance Strategies - Developed and continue to deploy ExporTech
Also related to export assistance, we helped develop and continue to deploy ExporTech — a successful national export program with measurable results. ExporTech content and planning tools are based on our real world business experience and systematic data collection of the practices of successful exporters. We also leverage these tools and experience to serve private clients.
Why Us for Manufacturing Firms
- We have decades of experience working with manufacturers
We provide market analysis, competitive strategy, and strategic cost analysis based on research and assessment of a company’s unique situation. We’ve worked with small-to-mid-sized manufacturers (SMM) as well as divisions of multinational corporations. Furthermore, we have interviewed and studied hundreds of SMMs for governments and non-profits. - We help manufacturers to grow exports
We have helped hundreds of SMMs to develop strategic export plans through ExporTech — a highly lauded national export assistance program. ExporTech content and planning tools are based on our real world business experience and systematic data collection of the practices of successful exporters. Our private clients also benefit from these tools and experience.
Our Philosopy and Approach
- Clients always get Mike Stone and a team of seasoned consultants
Larger firms often “sell” clients with senior partners, and then bring in junior consultants to do the work. Not us. Mike Stone leads all engagements. Furthermore, all of our team members have at least 20 years experience and/or have been company executives or business owners. - Customized approach
We do not apply a canned process, fixed approach, or utilize a standardized product. Because our small firm is made up of only highly experienced consultants, we can approach every project as a unique situation framed by client expectations, challenges, timeframe, resources, mindset, goals, etc. We listen to you, we work with you as a team, and deliver what you need and want. - We need to get it right
We believe that superficial work can lead to bad decisions. We approach every project in a systematic, thorough (obsessive?) way, bending over backwards to make sure our conclusions are accurate and that we have left no stone unturned (no pun intended). We build long-term relationships with clients that always begin with credibility, so we need to get it right. - Repeat clients
We must be doing something right because our clients tend to come back for repeat engagements. Our breadth of experience allows us to help organizations in a number of ways and once clients get to know us, we are often invited back.
Read more about Mike Stone and Stone & Associates on the web