A Pragmatic Progression from Problem to Solution and beyond

Clients come to us with a variety of situations that, at first glance, appear to have little in common, except their unexpected appearance and a pressing need for resolution:

One of the senior partners has just learned he has a debilitating illness; or

The time is running out to respond to a merger offer; or

There has been a precipitous drop in repeat client work.

A closer look reveals that these are make-or-break business issues - that require additional resources in order to deal with them effectively.

Larsen Associates is that resource. We understand the pressures faced by building design firms and the need for pragmatic business solutions. In each instance, we design customized solutions, and in much the same way you work with design clients, define the problem, determine the obstacles, identify potential solutions and suggest the best path. Once we've agreed on a 'design', we work hand-in-hand with you to ensure its successful implementation. Most of our work follows a four step process:

Step 1: Problem Definition

The drama, or crisis, of the presenting problem tends to obscure the underlying issues:

Step 2: Identify the underlying issues

Senior partner:

How do we ensure the firm's continuity and address client and staff concerns?
What skills and capabilities must we replace or strengthen?
Where do we want the firm to be 10 years from now?

Potential Merger:

What is our current financial performance?
Are we feeling the lack of capabilities this firm could provide?
Is there another way we can develop those capabilities in our firm?
Does this merger fit with our strategic plans and firm's culture?

Repeat business drop-off:

What are the trends in our core market?
How do clients see our process and products vis-a-vis those of our competitors?
What is the cause of our perceived weakness; people, process or product?
Where do we want the firm to be 10 years from now?

Step 3: Solutions and action plans

The success of even the most elegant plan must be driven by the firm's ownership of the decisions and the resources it can bring to its execution*. Larsen Associates provides flexible options to ensure success; we will assist, direct and/or bring in additional experts as appropriate to the situation.

Step 4 Monitoring

Monitoring and oversight ensure the successful and timely execution of you plan.