CONSULTING
Effective action starts with the right advice.
Deep, expert insights and support for anyone looking to select and implement the right technology, gain expertise in petroleum logistics, effectively handle business transition, or hire the right interim leader for their business.
Family Business
The dynamics of a family business are similar to other business structures as they have all of the same pressures of transacting with suppliers, customers, and employees. The family business structure is also completely different bringing with it several positive attributes and also some negative ones. A family business deals with the overlay of personal interactions, emotions, roles, and responsibilities that are different outside of the business.
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Owning and operating a family business can be a positive experience when proper boundaries, operations, and logistics are discussed, documented, and enforced in the business and family.
How Sofus Group can help...
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Establish family business operating guidelines
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Understand, set, and enforce positive boundaries that overlap the business and family
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Define roles for the people who are members of both business and family whether they have ownership and/or working in the business
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Helping you to take a proactive stance on the oversight of both entities
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Set up family and business governance policies
Business
Transition
The evolution of every business includes times when the mantle of leadership passes from one person to another.
The shift of ownership or leadership can create anxiety in an organization, pull the team off focus and cause performance issues in the business.
It is important for any move in leadership to create a very clear and detailed plan that starts at the board or ownership level. The organization needs to see the change as a positive one and that it is not an ending but a beginning for the organization.
If the team sees and feels a lack of continuity or a lack of direction in the transition they will lose focus on what is important and create additional problems at a time that will already be stressful for the entire organization.
How We Can Help
The Sofus Group can show you how to develop a plan to make any transition of ownership, leadership, or overall direction a benefit to your team and provide a smooth transition for everyone involved.
Technology Consulting
Improved business technology allows your customers to gain better access to you, your products, and your services.
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Sofus Technology Coaches take a different approach to improving business technology. Since our goal is to serve your needs, not sell you products, we can look holistically at the logistics of your entire technology setup. This includes networks, internet connection, servers, desktops, handhelds, cell phones, tablets, Wi-Fi, cloud storage, VOIP phones, and software to aid in interfacing all of your technology needs.
Phase 1
Technology Audit
A Sofus Technology Coach will visit your business and discuss with you the scope of operations.
What does your current technology do well for you and what does it not?
The audit will establish an executive summary of the role technology plays in your business, where you want it to improve, and what changes will help accomplish these goals.
Phase 2
Technology Specification Report
Your Sofus Technology Coach will work with you to specify particular technology that will meet your needs and accomplish your goals.
Your consultant will review various options and provide a final report outlining the scope of the project, potential vendors, and establish a realistic budget.
A Request For Proposal (RFP), will be developed to send out to vendors. Your coach can help you select the best proposal and give guidance for coordinating an implementation schedule.
Phase 3
Technology Implementation
Our Sofus Technology Coaches will manage the technology implementation project for you and make sure the implementation occurs on time and within budget.
We will work with the vendors, communicate with your staff, and manage the troubleshooting that is inherent with multi-vendor and multi-platform technology projects.
Sofus implementation allows you to continue to run your business while we manage the technology projects for you.
Petroleum
Pricing,
Supply, and Logistics
The petroleum market is changing minute by minute. The fast-paced supply and commodity-based pricing have created a market where distributors, jobbers, and end-users need to understand and take advantage of every opportunity in the supply chain. Specializing in midstream and downstream operations and logistics, Sofus Group will look at each area of your petroleum and renewable supply for better optimization and lower pricing which will bring more margin to your bottom line.
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All along the supply path, there are opportunities for petroleum distributors, convenience store chains, grocery/gasoline retailers, and large end-users to take advantage of their supply and leverage those existing gallons for better supply and better pricing. Knowing where the opportunities are and how to take advantage of them, will give you the advantage of bringing a more efficient and cost-competitive product to market. A competitive price at the street provides more gallons and customers, and lower cost provides a better margin on those gallons.
Market Segments
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Petroleum Distribution Companies
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Multi-Unit Retail jobbers and Convenience store operators
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Specialty Service; Fuel-on-demand (wet hosing); Fuel-as-a-service companies
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Cardlocks and Fuel-Club locations
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Private fuel locations
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End Users such as on and off-road trucking and logistics companies
Product Segments
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Gasoline
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On-Road and Off-Road Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel Fuel
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Heating Oil
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Ethanol
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BioDiesel
Interim & Fractional
Leadership
There is a difference between keeping a ship afloat and keeping it sailing. During times of leadership vacancy, an interim leader needs to be able to not just keep a business from going down but keep it moving forward.
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The importance of the right person who has the background and experience is half the goal. The other half of the goal is someone who is a match culturally with the ownership and board on where the company is and where it is going.
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The Sofus Group can provide or recommend interim leaders in several leadership roles, ensuring both the operational experience and cultural fit for the position and situation.
The 5 D's
Leadership voids are created for all types of reasons. The most prevalent reason for a void in leadership is outlined as “The D’s”.
Death
A leader dies unexpectantly and leaves a void that is not easily or quickly replaced internally. This may also include a prolonged sickness where the leader’s focus is on his or her immediate health or the health of a spouse or child.
Direction
The void is not a physical one, but a cultural or operational one where the leader does not have the skills, background, temperament, or cultural insight to be able to lead the organization through a project, acquisition, transition, or immediate need.
Drugs (Addiction)
Addictions can take many forms and severity. When the addiction takes the leader out of his or her position or the ownership, family or board is forced to remove that leader temporarily for his or her good and the good of the organization.
Disinterest / Dismissal
A vacancy can also be created by a leader choosing to move to a new position or a company needing to make a switch.
Divorce
In a family business environment, a leader who “married” into a business may be forced and desire to leave the family business.
