What are recent examples of a business turnaround?

Here’s a true tale that will resonate with entrepreneurs and small business owners:

Bob S, a friend of a friend, approached me with a familiar tale of woe: A seller-doer for a small management consulting firm in New York City, he was spending more time selling than doing. Ergo, he charged more hours to sales expenses than to clients. He was going broke. His bosses were unhappy.

I listened to his pitch, and here I want to interject a disclaimer. I cannot turn a cat into a lion. I could not help to turn around Bob’s business unless he wanted to and offered value to clients. To continue the cliché, it takes two to tango.

I edited his pitch. Made it more focused on benefits to the prospect, shorter, cohesive, active and so on. Standard stuff for writers of business gargle like me; new enlightenments for consultants like Bob.

Bob practiced, left for six months or so, and then returned to tell me that his hit rate had more than doubled. He was swimming in assignments and cash. His bosses were happy. We celebrated at a local pub and became life-long friends. We continued to suggest ways that we could help each other’s businesses until he died only a few years ago.

I miss him, the wisest man in the room.