Nexus Business Solutions

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Who We Are

Jim Coyle, Chief Advisor

Jim has a different background than many business advisors. In fact, the majority of advisors that work in the small and mid-sized business (SMB) market have never owned or run an SMB. Most come from big business and believe that a big business solution is what every SMB needs. Jim, on the other hand, has owned and operated nine of his own SMB operations and realizes that small businesses need their own set of solutions. He 'cut his teeth' in the corporate consulting culture for awhile, working with fortune 500 clients such as Ocean Spray, Allstate, Accenture, Bombardier and the like. However, Jim gained SMB expertise mainly by learning from the mistakes that all small business owners make.

The numerous companies that Jim has owned and operated include: a jewelry design and distribution company, a paint contracting company, a promotion company, a bar and restaurant, a property management company and a number of property investment companies. Jim currently owns Empire Property Solutions, CB Villas, and CB Brandon, all of which are real estate companies that hold and manage property in several states.

Jim began his advisory work by helping multiple clients to organize and plan their large system installations. The size of these projects, led Jim to use project management methodology in training the leaders and staff to be more efficient. He went on to start a company working with clients in Chicago, designing and executing promotional campaigns for their businesses. Through his work, these clients were able to attract audiences of nearly 1,000 and help establish customer bases of thousands.

To make sure that Jim is always keeping in touch with the next new developments he is also teaching multiple classes in small business management and business plan development. He has designed all of these classes for current and future business owners (for-profit and non-profit) to help them to find the best approaches to start, plan, and manage small to mid-sized companies. Specifically, he works with the Small Business Technology Development Center at Western Michigan University, the Northside Economic Potential Group, and Kalamazoo Valley Community College.

In addition to teaching non-profit managers, Jim has also worked with nonprofit organizations in various capacities. He is currently the President of the board for Building Blocks of Kalamazoo and is serving on multiple sub-committees for Downtown Kalamazoo Inc.

Jim has addressed a multitude of client issues to determine the best strategies that resolve client issues and concerns, most recently Jim has worked with clients in the following areas:

• Construct and Implement Exit Strategies
• Execute and Evaluate Company Growth
• Maximize Sales Potential
• Eliminate Day to Day Operational Road Blocks
• Drive and Develop Marketing Strategies
• Obtain Financing
• Strengthen Partnership Relationships
• Develop and Strengthen Restaurant Operations

Due to Jim's abilities as a business advisor he has become affiliated with the Institute for Independent Business. The IIB is an international network of business advisors from every type of business imaginable. By working with Nexus Business Solutions, you will have our expertise on your side plus the support of over 3000 other talented business minds around the world. For more information on the IIB please see their website at www.iib.ws/us

J. Lincoln Crocker, Advisor

Lincoln has considerable experience in positions of increased responsibility beginning as a Production Analyst and ascending to Manufacturing Manager, General Manager and ultimately ending up as Company Co-Owner. His experiences have put him in full charge of three manufacturing plants, a machine and tool division, and administrative office operations. He was proficient in developing, training and leading core management staff and task based work teams for a custom plastic parts manufacturer with a diverse customer base and sales in excess of $20 million. He has a proven record in defining the vision, developing the strategies, and executing the tactical actions that bring success.

Lincoln has experience with the processes for purchasing and selling of companies, including legal, financial and due diligence arrangements. After the sale of his company he served as Division Director where he served on the Thermoplastic Group Board of Directors providing expertise in the area of custom blow molding. He led the Integration Team, pairing department heads from two different firms to merge the company’s values, processes and resources. He also led the Transfer Team, downsizing and eventually closing a Canadian facility and transferring the work and much of the equipment into his operations.

Lincoln enjoys the examination of operations and processes, producing key indicators, the establishment of goals and finding solutions. Much of his career has been focused on improving efficiencies and profitability. He has served in highly visible roles with areas of concentration including customer service, quality practices, cost containment, reporting and documentation, individual performance tracking and inter-company communication.

Lincoln spent many years serving on the Three Rivers Area Chamber of Commerce Board of directors, two years as Vice President and one as President. He owns and operates several residential rental properties.

Lincoln is well liked among managers and employees. He is motivated, straight forward, honest and articulate. He has well rounded general business experience with a reputation as a fair, dependable and supportive person with a commitment to excellence and a sense of urgency.

Lincoln can help move your company forward in various ways including;

• Construct and Implement Exit Strategy
• Execute and Evaluate Company Growth
• Drive and Develop Business Action Plans
• Develop Cost Reduction Strategies
• Eliminate Day-to-Day Operational Roadblocks
• Maximize Operational Efficiencies

Bruce Johnson, Advisor

It could be said that Bruce entered the business world at the age of eight, selling the most Little League tickets of any young ball player. In high school, to ensure continuance of sports, athletes had to sell sports ticket packages. Bruce sold the most (other than the boy whose father took the tickets to the local GM plant). In college, Bruce sold hundreds of ‘Frisbee” discs to allow students to play the disc course he and friends set up.

Having worked with JC Penney in their management-training program, he entered the athletic specialty retail market, combining past successes in sales with his love of running. He co-founded gazelle sports, a specialty running/soccer retailer providing customer care excellence and generous community support.

Leading gazelle for almost 25 years, gazelle has grown to multiple locations, multiple business units and over 125 employees with continued sales growth. Bruce has dealt with virtually every major issue that a business owner faces in dealing with a start up that has continued growth in sales, people and locations. His many experiences have encompassed everyday selling, hiring, training, evaluating and developing staff, product purchasing and mentoring mangers.

Besides his direct business experience, Bruce has served on non-profit and for-profit boards, raised funds for community causes and continues to mentor young people while coaching middle school athletes.

Bruce has spoke at National Retail conferences, written for National Retail publications and help lead gazelle sports being recognized to 4 consecutive Top Running Stores in America Designations.

With his continued passion for offering better solution to businesses he frequents, he has joined Nexus Business Solutions.

Allow Bruce to use his passion, experience and wisdom to markedly improve your people and your business with his particular focus upon:

• Mentoring & Coaching Leadership
• Enlightening Your Big Picture Vision
• Maximizing and Maintaining Customer retention
• Executing and Evaluating Company Growth
• Developing and Driving Marketing Strategies
• Evaluating & Improving Company Processes

Matt Larson, Analyst

Matt’s experience in small business and entrepreneurship began when he started two small businesses of his own. The first business was a marketing consulting company that assisted local businesses on connecting with the large number of college students living in the Kalamazoo area. The company conducted focus groups and market research to help businesses establish a direct and specific approach on how they should be marketing to college students.

Matt then started an advertising company. He worked with local entertainment venues as well as bars and restaurants by utilizing his unique approach to help draw larger crowds. The company went on from here to help high schools and local businesses by using his techniques to advertise during high school athletic events.

Matt then transitioned into the banking industry in Madison, WI. He started as a banker and quickly became the top producer for US Bank out of 30+ branches. Matt later went to another financial institution as an assistant branch manager. As a part of this job Matt helped individuals and businesses discover what financial services they really needed. Although Matt found this to be rewarding he really wanted to shift gears so he decided to move back to Michigan to attend graduate school.

Matt holds degrees in finance, economics, and general business. He recently completed a Masters in Career and Technical Education and is currently pursuing his Masters in Business Administration. Matt works on various projects with Nexus and has really become it’s behind the scenes brains for many of it’s clients. Matt’s focus as of late has been on:

• Business Plan Development
• Market Research
• Market Approach Analysis
• Financial Analysis
• Marketing Implementation
• Brand Development

Tom Earll, Advisor

Tom is a seasoned business professional with domestic and international experience in business and Information Technology. Much of his experience has been with rapid growth and acquisition-oriented firms which helped him develop an effective leadership and management style. While patient and flexible, Tom works in a proactive manner and can be successful in highly centralized and standardized environments, as well as decentralized and entrepreneurial environments. Tom also provides a strong focus on internal and external customer service, as well as partnerships with vendors and outside service providers.

Tom has focused much of his career on the implementation and management of hardware, networks, and application software for financial, HRIS, manufacturing, and engineering organizations. Prior to that, he spent 10 years in public accounting and management advisory services. He applied his CPA and MBA in business environments by performing financial and operational audits, financial analysis, management consulting, project management for comprehensive systems implementation, and day-to-day management of IT operations.

Recently, Tom moved outside of the corporate world and gained experience as an entrepreneur in a management consulting firm, as a real estate sales agent, through a software development partnership and as a rehabilitation specialist. These experiences have encouraged, helped, and allowed him to develop a true sense of what brings value and growth to the many operations of business.

Tom can help your company move forward in various ways, including:

• Identify and Optimize Company's Value Contribution
• Create Commercial Real Estate Strategy
• Streamline and Focus Limited Resources
• Centralize and Standardize Operations
• Select and Implement Systems and Solutions
• Management Development and Coaching

Duane Feldman, Advisor

Duane's diverse business background makes him valuable to clients in nearly every advisory situation. A technical background, financial underpinnings and marketing savvy all contribute to the skill set that Duane brings to his clients.

Duane started as a scientist and engineer, earning his undergraduate degrees in Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics. He used this background as a stepping stone in obtaining positions in process engineering, production planning, and quality engineering with chemical, manufacturing and electronics companies.

Duane then redirected his career through graduate degrees in Finance and Marketing, which took him into various positions involving Finance, Marketing, Strategic Planning, and Business Development in manufacturing, medical devices and biotechnology. During this time, Duane managed strategic planning, new products, financial analysis, technology assessment, and marketing functions.

His successes in these positions were impressive. During Duane's five years as Director of Strategic Planning, Stryker Corporation tripled in size - the only five years in the company's long history where sales exceeded the 20% standard growth rate. That same timeframe saw Stryker's profits increase five-fold. Duane was instrumental in the Stryker's OP-1 product line that ignited a billion dollar industry for bone growth factors.

After three years as Zimmer's Manager of New Products, 60% of the company's sales were products that he introduced. Under Duane's guidance, XL TechGroup started two technology driven companies: one that uses algae to generate a fuel oil alternative and another biotechnology company with technology to suppress the virulent activities of dangerous bacteria.

Discontent with Corporate America, Duane established a marketing research company specializing in the medical device industry. For twelve years, Duane managed this enterprise and then decided to join Nexus as a means to assist other companies in becoming more successful.

Somewhere in the midst of this whirlpool of business activities, Duane has found time to write three books, serve as contributing editor for Biomedical Business International and write monthly columns for several computer publications.

Duane can help your company with a wide range of problems as he understands business operations from almost every angle. He has personally encountered many of the same problems that you are probably facing right now and, simply put, knows how to cure those headaches.

Duane can help YOUR business with:

• Unique Technology Opportunities
• Drive and Develop Business Strategy
• Launch New Products and Services
• Determine Company Evaluation
• Maximize Sales and Marketing Performance
• Implement Acquisition, Licensing, and Exit Strategies