Transformational Impact (Testimonials)

In the words of Rhonda Germany, retired CMO and Chief Strategy Officer of Honeywell, Amphora Consulting’s Grassroots Strategy “is nothing less than transformational.”

Amphora Consulting’s clients receive both short-term incremental project returns as well as long-term dramatic business performance improvements. The short-term benefits are achieved with the focus and acceleration of specific product-line strategy projects through coaching and support. The long-term benefits are achieved when the entire organization understands the keys to building a winning strategy.

Testimonials – What Do Our Customers Say?

“This is the most powerful, yet practical, strategic growth framework that I have encountered. Over the last decade, Jeff and the Amphora team have trained more than 1,000 associates from my organization, and we have successfully leveraged the market-back principles to transform existing businesses and enhance the launch of new products and services. Grassroots Strategy is the definitive guide to strategic marketing.”
— Michael Stubblefield, President and CEO, Avantor®

“Jeff and his team from Amphora have delivered for us where no one else could. On short notice, they developed a Strategic Marketing program that exceeded our very high standards. Their unique blend of teaching and consulting skills really make the concepts come alive for our executives. We are seeing the impact in more effective internal discussions, better-focused growth projects and most importantly in our financial results.”
— Rhonda Germany, Corporate Vice President Strategy and Business Development, Honeywell Corporation

“Amphora Consulting and Grassroots Strategy has created shareholder value in every business that I have led.”
— Pete Smith, Former CEO, Voltaix

“Grassroots Strategy masterfully captures a proven and practical framework for delivering tangible, value-added results. I’ve used this framework at three companies, helping to drive tremendous shareholder value.”
— Don Gottwald, Chief Strategy Officer, President of Digital Data, & Mobility Solutions KAR Auction Services, Inc.

“Over the last six years Jeff has worked with us to achieve literally tens of millions of dollars in annual improvements. While these improvements have been vitally important to the survival of our business they are NOT the most important thing Jeff has contributed to our business culture. The most important thing Jeff has contributed is that through working closely with him, he has taught numerous people in our group how to rigorously analyze business processes and how to conceptualize what is possible through improvement. While the financial improvements he made have a multiyear impact, the improvements he created in people’s abilities last a lifetime. When you want process, hire traditional consultants. When you want results, hire Amphora.”
— Robert Buker, President and CEO, United States Sugar Corporation

Case Studies

Spray Foam Insulation

  • Situation: Client makes a proprietary ingredient, offering a slight performance advantage, for spray foam insulation but its ability to capture value is limited by a complex value chain
    • Objective: Find a route to market that does not conflict with existing customers and where the client can capture more of the value created
    • Outcome: Identified a military application – spraying tents in forward bases – where no one was providing the complete solution.
      • Testing showed the payback period via energy savings (reduced air conditioning costs) was less than 3 months.
      • Initial project was funded at $12.5 million in revenue – additional opportunity projected at $30 – $50 million in incremental revenue.

    Tooling Software

    • Situation: Client makes tools and inserts for machining applications but was facing low-cost competition able to demonstrate near-identical performance in an increasing percentage of applications.
    • Objective: Find a way to get paid for breadth of solutions and depth of machining expertise.
    • Outcome: Launched a software-based offering to optimize tool usage that balanced set up time, productivity, and wear.
      • ‘Production’ version launched in early 2014 – revenues undisclosed
      • Winner of Carnegie Science Foundation Award for Advanced Manufacturing

    Filtration Media

    • Situation: Small, unprofitable product line in a large market that was competing based on price discounting (up to 70%).
    • Objective: Determine if the product line should be discontinued or if there are opportunities to improve performance
    • Outcome: Determined that there was a niche (~15%) of the market where they had significant differentiation and could increase their prices by up to 800% and still deliver value to the customer.
      • Raised prices by 400%
      • Targeted specific opportunities, rather than broader market
      • Grew business by 300% in first year
      • Went from unprofitable to over 50% contribution margin