The 2017 Fastest Growing Firms: Clerestory Consulting

Toops: As experts in Change Management and Operations Improvement, Clerestory has always had a unique and powerful value proposition. We have been at the forefront of Change Management's evolution for 15 years and have seen growing recognition of the value of our services in the marketplace. Executives increasingly appreciate the impact that change management has on critical initiatives—and on the success of the organization.

Consulting:  How is this year shaping up for your firm? 

Toops: 2017 has been another exciting and fast-paced year at Clerestory. We are on track to close out the year with more than 30 percent growth in staff and revenue.We have added new clients as well as new capabilities by expanding our service offerings to include in-house video production capabilities and change management classroom training. Everyone at Clerestory is excited and looking forward to another great year in 2018.

Consulting: How would you describe your firm's outlook for 2018? Where do you see the most opportunities? 

Toops: Clerestory's projections for 2018 are consistent with our past performance. We now have consultants in three states and are expanding the size of our home office location. The new year holds a number of ongoing client projects in addition to new opportunities. Clerestory's deep roots in operations consulting and change management make us a preferred provider for clients in an increasingly active merger and integration space.

Consulting:  What would you say are your firm's biggest challenges in 2018? 

Toops: The challenge to Clerestory's growth is hiring experienced consultants who are strategic thinkers and are also passionate about aiding clients with implementation. Change can be daunting, so our team has to have the interpersonal skills to persuade, encourage, and model the behaviors that will be required in a transformed environment. When you have proven methodologies, you can always find and train new staff members. That part is easy. The hard part is finding people who care. You can't pay people to care; caring about a clients' success doesn't come from a paycheck. That is a special quality that every successful Clerestory consultant has. It's hard to find, but you know it when you see it.

Consulting:  What does being named one of Consulting's Fastest Growing Firms mean to your firm, your employees and your clients? 

Toops: We are honored to receive the recognition of being named one of the Fastest Growing Firms for the third year in a row. Our greatest success is the results that we deliver to our clients every day. This honor validates that we are consistently delivering more results to more clients.