The Sembler Company: A Profile of WeinPlus’ Operational Strategy Services

The longstanding engagement includes several initiatives aimed at improving management practices to raise revenue and reduce expenses. Rachel Wein, Principal of WeinPlus, works closely with Ron Wheeler, Sembler’s Chief Operating Officer. Wheeler says: “I strongly appreciate consultants like Rachel who have actually worked in our industry. Rachel speaks our language and understands our processes, and that’s been extremely helpful.”

WeinPlus’ Operational Strategy projects for The Sembler Company include:

Management Consulting

WeinPlus brings clients fresh ideas about how to effectively compete in their fields, especially in tight markets. For Sembler, WeinPlus identifies successful business approaches used in and out of the real estate world – to suggest ways Sembler can improve company practices.

“I could read through 30 publications and go to 50 industry meetings to hear only 10% of what’s useful to my business,” Wheeler says. “Rachel is able to see what’s going on out there, cull through the information and help me identify just what’s applicable to our organization.”

Application of Proven Management Theories

The best management approaches for clients are not always found in the real estate and construction industries. Wein is well versed in popular management theories – such as Toyota’s Quality Management System (also known as “Lean”) and the Theory of Constraints – and applies them to Sembler’s business practices.

“This year, we identified roughly 20% of our portfolio that had opportunity to create value, enhance existing value, or protect the value we had in place,” Wheeler says. “Rachel helped us strategize how to measure our goals and capitalize on those opportunities. It’s valuable to have her on board to discuss business lessons from other industries – the more ideas you have, the better you can operate your company.”

Revenue Forecasting

Wein gathers, organizes, and analyzes costs from multiple Sembler sources and meets quarterly with Sembler department managers to estimate future revenues from management and development fees, leasing commissions, investment sales, and more. Wein identifies potential saving initiatives, and compiles revenue and expenses into companywide budgets and metrics reports. These reports allow Sembler executives to clearly see cash flow, measure overall company health, and determine how the business should move forward.

“Rachel has been a very useful resource in helping me figure out where we can best trim our budget and operate efficiently,” Wheeler explains.

Business Planning / Strategy

Wein works closely with Wheeler to create business plans for Sembler and its global partners in order to not just cut costs, but to grow in new directions. The plans outline current company processes and suggest alterations to better align company practices with goals. Wein has streamlined business planning by eliminating measurements which don’t directly contribute to company objectives, helping Sembler focus exclusively on proposals that directly benefit company goals and increase portfolio value.

“In times like these you can get so focused on cutting costs that you lose track of the big picture,” Wheeler says. “Rachel provides services that identify our real goals – now that we’re looking for new opportunities – and develops ways to communicate these revenue-enhancing strategies to our employees.”

Board Presentations

The revenue forecasting and figures Wein collects are rolled up and presented to Sembler’s Board of Directors. For these detailed presentations, Wein helps Wheeler outline metrics which evaluate the overall health of the enterprise.

“In order to be an effective business leader you need to present information to the Board in an understandable and persuasive way,” Wheeler says. “With Rachel’s help, the Board presentations are more effective. The materials are organized and communicated in a clearer way, better showing what the company is trying to achieve.”

WeinPlus’ work with Sembler will continue. “Rachel is a valuable resource to maximize the value of hundreds of millions of dollars in assets, and that’s the whole game,” Wheeler says. “The information Rachel provides me, and the scope of things I hope to improve with her help, far outweigh the cost of retaining her.”