Kurt Salmon Associates
Headquarters: Atlanta/New York
Locations: 19
Michelle Bogan always had a strong interest in using consumer insights to develop differentiating, unique strategies for clients. The leadership at Kurt Salmon Associates saw the value in turning this idea into a new service offering and encouraged the 32-year-old senior manager to take a lead role. Today, Bogan regularly meets with C-level clients on this topic and regularly coaches and mentors staff at all levels on the topic.
"KSA empowers every individual to set high personal goals and provides support and opportunities to achieve them," says Bogan, who received additional training to become a resident expert in strategic consumer insights. "How many firms would provide someone at my level this kind of opportunity?"
This is just one example attesting to KSA's entrepreneurial environment. The 70-year-old firm advises consumer products, retail, and healthcare clients on strategy, process, and technology deployment. It has a prestigious client list including Polo, Coca-Cola Company, and Federated Department Stores on the consumer products side. And it touts working with all of the top hospitals and healthcare providers in the country.
The firm's integrated services business model is seen as a plus for career development. A consultant may be in the strategy practice but will work with other consultants in logistics, facilities, IT, and operations to deliver a solution to the client. This means that young consultants get a large amount of experience in a short period of time. In addition, the firm's apprenticeship model ensures that they are learning from and working alongside principals and practice leaders, who are all described as approachable.
The firm has a collaborative, family-like atmosphere. Its members are down to earth and the type to eschew eating foie gras on a fancy boat cruise in favor of a keg of beer and a tray of hot dogs, says one newcomer. People definitely check their egos at the door here and loathe taking credit for another's work in order to get ahead. Instead, people go out of their way to give credit to those who've earned it.
According to a San Francisco–based principal, the hiring process is more protracted here than at other firms because KSA devotes a lot of effort to making sure that there is a cultural fit in the new hires in addition to the aptitude and capabilities for consulting.
B.J. Miller, a project manager with the firm for 10 years, says that there are a number of vehicles for consultants of all levels to contribute to firm and industry thought leadership. One of the most noticeable ways is through the firm's newsletter, KSA Outlook, which is published eight times a year. Authors work with senior leadership to refine the message and editorial content. Then the article is published and sent to several thousand hospital industry leaders, says Miller, 40, who is one of the editors. "I know that over half of the articles are written by — and have bylines that are given to — consultants with less than four years at KSA."
He adds: "KSA is a very self-directed firm, with few hard -and-fast rules about career path. If you don't have a plan for getting to the next level, the path may be slower than you would like. The flip side is that those who are proactive and plan for their advancement can do so quickly."
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