Job Description:  Build and support a flexible matrix that enables, encourages, and ensures ongoing paradigm shifts through the simple restructuring of elements providing maximum speed to benefit and cross-platform recognition.

As my summer in Williamsville comes to a close, I am not only finalizing our expansion and renovation plans, I am also hard at work on creating a new Advantage business structure [which is patterned after our successful G8 matrix].

As I’ve noted above, my job is to build and support a flexible matrix that enables, encourages, and ensures ongoing paradigm shifts through the simple restructuring of elements providing maximum speed to benefit and cross-platform recognition.  Accordingly, I believe that by building and supporting the following 6 business groups with 30 total business units, I will be able to do my job more effectively [as well as create an environment that will motivate the select few willing to give a 100% effort toward building a successful and rewarding business enterprise].

As I have often said, I still have immigrant values.  I value independence, athleticism, and virility.  To build a business that did not encourage and support those values would not only lack authenticity, but I believe it would be counter-productive, ineffective, and not very rewarding.  Therefore, I am creating an environment where each business unit will allow for the independent adventure that the Advantage promises to everyone who is willing to take the full measure of the challenge.

Each business unit will be its own profit center.  Our new Company Performance Manager will provide each business unit with weekly sales, costs, profit/loss, and inventory data.

Each unit will have leaders who will have the opportunity to create and build their business.  The leaders are the battery attached to the enterprise.  They are the power.  Years ago, Dej suggested that power was the ability to turn intention into reality, and I always thought that was an excellent definition of how power manifested itself.

Although I believe all 30 business units have the potential for remarkable success, I am realistic enough to accept that not all of them will be the success I envision.  Providing the resources only allows for a shot at success – in this environment it remains up to the leaders to make it happen.  And that’s just the way it should be.  At least that’s the way it should be at the Advantage.