NorthWind Partners
99% successful placement rate on over 600 projects since 2005
Northwind Partners Difference
-
NorthWind Model vs. Industry Success Rates
Industry Standard
80% successful placement rate
-
Northwind P&L Vs. Industry P&L
NorthWind Partners
NorthWind operates as a single, firm-wide P&L (all partners and practices contribute to a singular billing target). This structure is critical to our win rate. It significantly increases speed of execution and minimizes internal resourcing and collaborative obstacles and friction that hampers firms from the ability to bring all resources to bear for a client.
Industry Standard
Two models dominate the industry: 1) Integrated P&L Model – a singular corporation with practices and partners each carrying a billing target thereby diminishing true collaboration or 2) Franchise Model – affiliates leverage “the brand” and tools by paying a franchise fee but remain largely independent leaving consistency and quality at risk. While global reach, broad domain expertise, and large networks are sold to clients, these models disincentivized collaboration and open resourcing regardless of what is conveyed.
-
Northwind Resourcing Vs. Industry Resourcing
NorthWind Partners
Minimum resourcing per project is three team members, with Partners and MDs remaining involved through the entire project, resulting in a shorter time frame to more thorough market diligence and quality deliverables.
Industry Standard
Standard resourcing per project is one consultant with minimal partner involvement. Additional support is “Pay for Play” with each resource costing the Consultant. This typically results in a solo effort until headwinds are experienced causing a loss in time and opportunity cost.
-
Northwind Consultants Vs. Industry Consultants
NorthWind Partners
All Consultants have an advanced degree or a minimum of eight years experience in one or more of our key industries. All team members are trained through formal apprenticeship and in our trademarked delivery process, Absolute Alignment.
Industry Standard
Consultant experience varies widely, from recent college graduates to seasoned partners, with minimal control on who touches the talent first. Formal training may or may not be available as senior consultants are not incented to train junior employees.
-
Northwind Transparency Vs. Industry Transparency
NorthWind Partners
A fully transparent, dynamic client platform delivers project completion rates approximately one-third faster than competitors due to client’s ability to evaluate details & analyses and, if desired, communicate thoughts or mandates real-time. Median time to completion is 40-60 business days.
Industry Standard
Efforts and progress are typically opaque until a scheduled update or call is agreed upon, whereby, clients receive a static document detailing progress beforehand. Client must often wait to calibrate or provide direction until receiving information. Smoothly conducted projects take, on average, 60-90 business days to complete.
-
Northwind Candidate Referencing Vs. Industry Candidate Referencing
NorthWind Partners
Mandatory sponsor/corporate referencing is conducted prior to an executive’s candidacy rather than in finalist phase of project to avoid the potential cognitive bias produced by the investment of emotion and time.
Industry Standard
Candidate referencing is conducted after the finalist has been selected, which may prompt decision makers to ignore any warning signs or red flags because all parties are too invested in the individual to step back and pivot in another direction.
-
Northwind Limited Roster Vs. Industry Hands-off
NorthWind Partners
Limited roster of clientele produces minimal ”Hands-Off” restrictions & provides clients maximum access to the field of qualified talent.
Industry Standard
Hands-Off lists are expansive and often restrict access to a large number of ideal candidates. Even upon request, many firms are unwilling to share these lists .
-
Northwind Fee Structure Vs. Industry Structure
NorthWind Partners
A milestone-based fee structure aligns our performance with specific gates of achievement within a client’s project that normatively yield success.
Industry Standard
Typical fee structure is time-based with the estimated fee often paid in full prior to the critical stages of the search being completed, which offers the firm minimal accountability to complete the project in a timely fashion and the client little recourse.
-
Northwind Delivery Process Vs. Industry Delivery Process
NorthWind Partners
Our trademarked delivery process, Absolute Alignment™, is a defined, repeatable delivery process that utilizes 11 proprietary tools & three behavioral analysis options. This proven delivery process is the foundation of our success.
Industry Standard
A formalized, firm-wide delivery process is not commonly enacted. Any consistent standards or processes are often relegated to an individual or a practice, which leads to disparity in the quality of delivery within and across providers.
-
Northwind Active Engagement Vs. Industry Project Focus
NorthWind Partners
Our formal River Guide Program stays proactively engaged with an active and growing network of deal proven executives that can add value across the spectrum of a client’s investment activities from pre-acquisitive guidance to introduction of potential investments. This program gives clients access to a broad range of solid operating and finance leaders for a low monthly subscription.
Industry Standard
Consultants will have a handful of relationships, but are largely focused on project completion, such that any meaningful relationship development with executives that falls outside the guise of a formal transaction is limited at best and typically not consistent.
