Cutlery manufacturer Rada sought help from an Authentic Fractional CMO to guide the organization through a pivotal time of change in business strategy.
Rada Manufacturing at a glance
- Company size: 97 employees
- Business type: B2C
- Category: Manufacturing / Distribution, Consumer Goods
- Headquarters: Waverly, Iowa
- Key initiatives: Marketing strategy, ideal customer profile, marketing roadmap, branding
The challenge
Rada Manufacturing, a 76 year old cutlery manufacturer, had worked for a long time to maximize the many channels they sold their product through fundraisers, fairs, festivals, flea markets, e-commerce, and advertising. While the company had been successful since its founding – the world and consumer tastes were changing around them. They needed the leadership of an executive to lead them through this transition and focus the company’s selling channels.
Through running their business on the Entrepreneurial Operating System and attending their annual conference, Rada Manufacturing became familiar with the concept of fractional leadership. After a recommendation to Authentic from a colleague, President Phil Jones reached out to start the conversation and the partnership was a solid fit from the beginning.
“One of the things we wanted from a fractional CMO was honesty. We wanted someone to come in and say ‘Stop the madness. It’s okay to pause, breathe, and come up with a better plan.’”
Phil Jones, President, Rada Manufacturing
The solution
So far in their engagement, Rada Manufacturing and their Authentic Fractional CMO have accomplished:
- Identified the largest growth opportunities for the business, which included a transition to selling products in retail stores.
- Market and customer research to understand the ideal customer profile and dynamics of key business segments.
- Creation of key sales operations initiatives to enhance inventory management, forecasting, sales reporting, and promotional strategy.
- A successful sale of the company to a private equity company.
“[Our Authentic Fractional CMO] has helped us to understand where we are, crafted a plan of where to go, and helped us take the steps to get there.”
Phil Jones, President, Rada Manufacturing
The results
While still early in their engagement, Rada Manufacturing has already seen the benefits of working with an Authentic Fractional CMO. The organization has seen early growth in their new areas of focus and will continue to see results as their marketing strategy comes to fruition.
Rada’s fractional CMO has guided the company through many strategic objectives including:
- A shift in the focus of the organization on the direct to consumer selling model through digital channels and e-commerce.
- The creation of a comprehensive marketing plan and strategy to guide the company into new areas of business.
- The prioritization of marketing projects and initiatives to better support revenue growth and expansion.
“For a lot of small and medium-sized businesses, it can be scary to ask for help. But, I’d recommend people do because the best case scenario is that you’ll have a mountain guide that goes on the entire journey with you, guiding you, giving you support, and helping you reach the next level.”
Phil Jones, President, Rada Manufacturing
