Cooperation
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As an advisor to business owners do you want to help your clients excel at all stages of their business lifecycle? 

Then you should join the Spirit West Ecosystem.

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When you’re working with a firm like ours, it’s important to know what guides our thinking, communication and solutions so you know whether we’ll have chemistry working together. You also want to know if we have the right tools for the job.

So take a quick glance through this list to discover what we pay attention to and how our principles inform our approach to assignments. Read the ones that are important to you.

Growth Means Change
Want more growth? Be ready to stretch your comfort zone. It’s the attitude and willingness of the owner and the team to break habits, processes, systems, communication and behaviour, that break dry spells. Our tools show you how to stretch, not just what to change.

It’s Never Just One Thing
or one person that causes problems. Problems are often systemic and hard to see when people are blaming each other. We use a facilitated series of questions that get at the heart of issues within the system, without naming names, helping everyone breathe a sigh of relief.

Communication vs Comprehension
We all like to talk. Some of us like to listen. Most of us don’t stop long enough to truly comprehend what was said. So we make assumptions to fill in the gaps. These build into expectations that when not met, cause irritation and all kinds of poor results. We show you how to stop this game in its tracks.

Diagnostics vs Evidence
Data is a great way to find evidence of problems and as they say, numbers don’t lie. Data is not superb at uncovering why there are problems. For that we use our experience. We have yet to meet a problem we haven’t seen before. In addition to data, we use our red flag/green light diagnostic system along with deep questions to discover that all important “why”.

Decision making vs Pros & Cons
Weighing pros and cons often leads to confusion as everyone wants to be right about their position. The best decisions are arrived at when you and the team agree on your desired end result. Knowing the end in mind shapes your priorities. When everyone knows why and where you’re going, you can trust them with more decisions. Then your organization is more fluid, agile, and responsive.

Best Practices vs What Works
You may have heard that some method or best practice is the right way to do something. There is no ‘one-size-fits-all’ prescription in business. There is the right solution for the real problem that drives you toward your desired end result. The answers lay within you and your team. We add our expertise to facilitate finding this direction. That’s all we offer.

Confidentiality
Always, to the level that works for you and your people.

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Rosalynn Carter, we go with you

Rob and Lorraine McGregor co-lead Spirit West Management

1990
  
Company foundation in the US
Lorraine founded Spirit West Management in 1990 in Seattle, WA working alongside CEOs to commercialize new technologies, grow their markets through effective partnerships, marketing and sales strategies and coach teams in how to manage all the change that growth brings.
1999
  
Business in Canada
In 1999, Lorraine returned to Canada and continued working with both US and Canadian clients. She joined forces and tool boxes with leadership expert, Rob McGregor increasing our ability to help our clients manage change, and breakthrough long standing habits that prevent growth.
2002
  
Recognition
In 2002, responding to requests from clients about how to buy out a partner, acquire a business or sell the entire business, Lorraine joined the Association for Corporate Growth (ACG) to learn the language and practices of mergers and acquisitions. In 2008 she became the President of the ACG Vancouver chapter and was very involved in the leadership of all chapters.
2008
  
Concentration on making businesses saleable
It became apparent that buyers of companies had a narrow criteria that most businesses would not meet. Knowing that 50% of all companies in North America are owned by someone over 50 and these owners are counting on being able to sell to get a return on their investment, Lorraine and Rob decided to share their inside knowledge on how to become the ideal company buyers look for. Since 2008, they’ve written 3 books and speak on making businesses saleable.
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2010
  
Focus on CEO & Executive Team Coaching

In short, the McGregors recognized that to achieve ROI, an owner must decide if they want to turn their Lifestyle business into the type of Saleable asset external buyers are searching for, long before the year owners feel like exiting.

Today, in addition to providing growth strategies and leadership expertise, they lead business owners and their families and partners through a proven Decision Road Map process to decide what their best course of action is - sell part, sell all, sell to management, sell to family or close. Working with conflict, family dynamics, partnership problems while improving systems, profitability, market focus and organizational effectiveness is all part of their offering.

What’s Next?
Lorraine and Rob are contributors to the technology ecosystem - where owners are supported by key advisors, education and knowledge through all the phases from startup through growth to exit. As a result every startup knows they have to plan for and steer toward the optimum exit.

In contrast, non-tech company owners do not have this same integrated ecosystem and so assume they can sell whenever they want, which is not the case. Advisors work independently, rather than strategically with all disciplines to advice business owners.

To fill the gap, Lorraine and Rob have started their own non-tech ecosystem in partnership with Vela Wealth to help owners get coherent advice, at the right time so they can adequately prepare for all phases of their business life, not just retirement. Optimizing a business so it is saleable at any time to the right ideal buyer vastly increases the probability the owner will earn a return on their investment… and as tech CEOs know, being ready for sale never has anything to do with how old the owner is.

Spirit West and Vela Wealth are actively expanding this ecosystem with key advisors who want to work as an integrated team. To learn how to partner with us call Lorraine at 604-306-7707.

Welcome to Spirit West Management, Ltd

We help companies grow to the next level, find & fix profitability leaks, unravel partner/people disputes & guide owners how to get a saleable asset.

Spirit West Management has been working with owners wanting growth, less frustration and more satisfaction since 1990. We’ve had the privilege of working with clients across the United States, Canada, the UK and Australia. From helping engineering firms become more profitable to selling to strategic buyers to driving growth for a grocery chain, to forging alliances for software companies with some of the top dogs in the industry to restoring family and management harmony inside a booming commercial contracting firm, we work with owners who care about their people and business performance. Our clients want change. They are sick and tired of hitting growth ceilings, working in a ‘pass-the-buck’ culture and having to always do more with less while wondering how to keep the pipeline filled. We haven’t met a complaint we couldn’t fix. By ‘fix’ we mean help management see the root cause, get a team together to resolve it and find a way to make money off the solution. That’s why we tell our clients “give us your complaints and we’ll show you how to find the gold inside.

What Can We Help You With?

  • Ready to sell your company to new investors or employees? (Click Here)
  • Want to start acquiring other companies? (Click Here)
  • Want to grow your company to the next level? (Click Here)
  • Frustrated with Difficult People or Situations hampering company growth? (Click Here)

What Makes Us Different?

We have:

  • A proven methodology for corporate growth;
  • A ‘how to’ change toolbox which helps leaders and managers navigate the stormy seas of change;
  • A team that works alongside each client to help implement strategies;
  • A holistic focus on the whole company, not just ‘problems’.

To Grow, Means to Change:

  • Most companies get stuck at a plateau – revenue is increasing but profit margin is shrinking; markets and customer needs change but the product offering stays the same.
  • The world is changing so your organization has to constantly change to continue to stay relevant.
  • Changing how you lead, manage, operate and act in the market is the beginning of the path to growth.

How we do this is what sets us apart from other consultants. You don’t need to be told what to do, you need help in how to do it. You need to know:

  • How to get your employees to be self-responsible in helping make changes happen and stick.
  • You want to elevate your brand and be recognized for what you do best.
  • You want to know you are creating value for clients, employees, and your future.

We know how to help you effectively achieve all this.

In the mergers and acquisitions world, we also serve as part of the advisory team to help get a company ‘investor ready’, or an acquiring company plan and execute the acquisition integration. Our network of advisors includes investment bankers, accounting firms, lenders, tax and law firms all skilled at dealing with private equity investors and strategic buyers.

Our Management Team

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Our Partners

Canadian Western Bank

Canadian Western Bank caters to small business and wants to ensure your business is in a saleable transferrable state. They lend money for growth, for acquisitions of land and other businesses.

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Can Trust

Many business owners will be in a for a rude awakening if you don't understand the tax system and how your business wealth, estate and family may become burdened by excess and unnecessary taxes. You need to know how to take care of yourself and prepare long before. The team at CanTrust Financial Services know tax and you need to know them.

MDA Partners is now Learning Strategies Group

When you need deep dive financial analysis, financial literacy training and financial leadership training, you need MDA Training.

RBC

RBC provides extraordinary services, support and priceless advice for business owners to safeguard and grow their wealth. Working with their team helps you protect your estate, as well as provide growth funds. We will connect you to the right RBC advisors so you start preparing your financial picture so it meets your needs.

VELA Inc

The team at Vela Wealth knows how to help you explore what's important to you about managing your wealth, either from what you've saved from paying yourself salary and dividends, or when you get a return on your investment from selling your business. You may want to include philanthropy in your next act; start a new company; join an investment fund or tour the world. Vela makes sure you know where you want to go and how to get you there, safely, securely with the right tools.

Big Bold Brand

Your brand is a powerful competitive strategy that should be actively considered in all your decision making if you want to stand out in the marketplace and grow.

Ashdown Capital

Provides access to growth capital carefully positioning your business to get the best financing at the right price