Sean Conaton

In founding Strategy Compass, I wanted to focus on two attributes that anchor my professional identity:

  1. I am at my best as a leader when I am also "doing". As much as I love a good strategy conversation, I am happiest and most effective when I am working to make that strategy a reality.

  2. I make the people with whom I work stronger and more capable. "Doing" together means that I get to share the great experiences I've had to help my clients do it better on their own. 

These qualities are at the heart of how Strategy Compass supports our clients. We work side-by-side with your teams, we help you do the heavy lifting, and we take time to reflect with you on how to do it even better moving forward. And we usually wind up learning and having a lot of fun in the process.

 

Prior to launching Strategy Compass, I worked with some exceptionally smart, talented, and experienced people at Deloitte Consulting and BearingPoint (formerly KPMG Consulting). I am fortunate to have some of these same folks working with me at Strategy Compass.

As a consulting leader with these firms, I advised my clients on business strategy, operational and organizational improvement, and customer-centric innovation.

Over the past decade at Strategy Compass, I have supported clients ranging in size from $1B+ in annual revenue to venture-backed start-ups. I have had the privilege to serve as a C-Suite Interim Executive for two of our client organizations, and have supported more than a dozen clients in focusing and achieving their growth goals.

I received my BA in English from Georgetown University (you may recognize the blue and gray in our logo), and have completed executive education programs at The University of Virginia.

When I am not sharing these experiences with Strategy Compass clients, I spend as much time as I can with my family, and occasionally get to squeeze a nice long run or swim into the day.

More on Sean’s recent accomplishments

Presentations and Publications:

“What’s Old is New: Product & Service Portfolio Management” Panel discussion with Sean Conaton, Mark Dorsey and Amy Lestition originally presented at the 2020 Digital Now conference. Presentation covers tools to enable product and service portfolio analysis for organizational success; strategies for connecting project, product, and service outcomes directly to strategy; different approaches to Board/staff delegation and examples of keeping on track.

“Why Savvy Organizations See Interim Leaders as More Than Placeholders” Hunt Scanlon Media, March 2020. Featured executive interview to explore practical perspectives on the value of interim executive leadership.

“Diversity and Inclusion: Core Values Among Associations” Vetted Solutions & George Mason University Law School, June 2017. Project team member for primary research into executive perspectives on DEI issues and opportunities within trade associations, professional membership associations and other tax-exempt organizations.

“Customers First: Customer Strategy & Interaction Framework for Postal Organizations” Sean Conaton & George Wright, Postal Technology International Magazine, September 2011. Co-author in industry trade publication highlighting opportunities to integrate customer-centric thinking into backend operations at global postal organizations.

Interim Executive Placements and Highlighted Consulting Engagements:

Served as Interim Chief Executive Officer for an organization providing training, career development and valued-added content to the investment management and financial services communities in New York City. Oversaw revenue generation and cost control measures to guide organization from a projected six-figure deficit to $500K+ net profit during a pivotal transition year.

Served as Interim Chief Operating Officer, overseeing a $50M portfolio of programs and services for an organization with key lines of business in scientific publishing and industry-leading events. Transitioned strategically valuable but tactically challenged operating unit from seven-figure cumulative losses to projected $440K+ net profit in first five years of restructured business model.

Served as Interim Senior Director for Membership & International Affairs for the same scientific organization. Protected $1M+ in annual contributions to the organization’s bottom line by optimizing capacity for global public health programs. Fostered key relationships with US CDC, World Health Organization, and UK Ministry of Health.

Analyzed North American market size and opportunity for UK-based environmental and sustainability organization. Developed quantitative models to assess feasibility of growth, and outlined market-entry strategies based on value drivers for organization’s training services, industry and university partnership programs, and policy advisory initiatives.

Advised CEO of $45M scientific organization on aligning Board, executive leadership and key industry partners around an enterprise ESG strategy.

Facilitated development of two successive multi-year strategic plans for a retirement fund with $2.4B in assets under management for Virginia’s largest public school system.

Led comprehensive analysis of programs, products and services for an institute supporting the built environment (architecture, construction, engineering, manufacturing) industries. Identified $140K+ in potential cost-savings and 10% staff capacity in under-performing portfolio components.