As the business’s primary leader and decision maker, the buck ultimately stops with you. You are the one who gets to make the final decision once you have collected input from the various sources that can or should contribute insights before a decision or action is made. You get applause when the decision goes well and sneers when it does not go as planned. You have made big decisions, and if you have been around a while, then you can definitely relate to the good times and the not so great times.
Over the years of building your organization, you have enlisted several resources to provide insights or guidance on topics outside your direct expertise. Some advisors were key during the startup, while others were brought into the advisory team when a particular situation presented itself. These trusted team members may have been internal to your organization, while some are external, but remain very close and in touch with the pulse of the business.
Internal advisors are your leadership or executive team members. They have been personally selected to bring some added expertise to the business, primarily in the industry, products, or service area your company focuses on. They typically support customer-facing roles such as sales, marketing, and customer delivery/service and back-office roles such as finance, operations, and human resources.
External advisors tend to be experts who are not specific to the details of your selected industry but are often very familiar with them because of their client base. They bring support-level expertise in legal and financial matters, as well as training, mentoring, coaching, etc.
Unfortunately, these advisory team members are sometimes put together a little haphazardly. Internal leadership roles are given to friends, family, and other close contacts with minor review or contemplation of future demands or need for insights. As the business grows, the original value they brought to the table may not be what it takes to build the company to the next level. Changing out internal advisors is a very sensitive matter as it can rock relationships at the leadership level and potentially down the ranks of the business. External advisors’ change-out is less of an internal issue, but key legacy knowledge can be lost when moving to different resources in the marketplace.
One critical growth element for most leaders as they grow is to open up to understanding and appreciating the need for key internal advisors and building an external council of additional specialty trusted advisors. Business is far more complex and detail-driven, with many legal, financial, human resources, and other dynamics needed to operate a business.
For 35+ years, JKL Associates has been honored to be associated with many great organizations as part of their “Trusted Advisors Council.” Our key unique element is our focus on business and asset building. The other council members bring task or compartment expertise, whereas JKL Associates brings the overarching strategy to effect long-term asset development.
This week, you are encouraged to call us and have a no-obligation conversation about your business future and how a Promise Guide can be a key facilitator in enabling you to achieve your dreams and objectives. Contact us at MI (313) 527-7945 or FL (407) 984-7246. We look forward to your call and conversation.
Journey On!
COPYRIGHT – JKL ASSOCIATES 2025
QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS – EMAIL US AT PARTNERS@JKLASSOCIATES.COM OR CALL OUR OFFICES – MI AT (313) 527-7945 FL AT (407) 984-7246
Celebrating 30 years of Delivering on “Promises”
