During her tenure as president of Facilisgroup, Ashley McCune’s phone and inbox were peppered with solicitations, offering consulting or business coaching. Any responsible leader should be open to outside perspectives, McCune thought. The problem was that anything more than a cursory glance at these “experts” would reveal a complete lack of experience leading groups of people or demonstrating legitimate business growth.

She always knew the type of people she would trust coaching business, and she always knew the sort of advice she would convey in given circumstances.

Now, she has those people on the roster of coaches she put together – including two former PPAI Board members – for her newly launched consulting firm, Exec to Coach, which focuses on growth, strategy, execution and financial management.

 The roster includes:

  • McCune: Former president of Facilisgroup, a business service firm that that provides a software-as-a-service-based (SaaS) platform for promotional products distributors.
  • Chuck Fandos: A former CEO of Facilisgroup, former CEO of Brand Addition and former member of the PPAI Board of Directors.
  • Chris Sinclair: Co-founder of Brand Blvd.
  • David Nicholson: Former president of PCNA and two-time member of the PPAI Board of Directors.
  • Sheila Johnshoy: Former COO of Stran & Company, former VP of sourcing and merchandising at SwagUpLLC and former chief revenue officer at ePromos Promotional Products.

McCune took some time with PPAI Media to discuss how Exec to Coach came to be and why it’s about so much more than sales advice.

PPAI Media: How did the idea of Exec to Coach come about?

McCune: I spent 16 years working at Facilisgroup, and throughout that time, the most fulfilling part of my job was coaching and supporting our clients’ business leaders. Additionally, as a leader at the company, I received calls frequently from “business consultants and coaches” who had zero experience leading people, building strategy or successfully accomplishing growth. It was rather off-putting. The combination of these two dynamics was the reason for founding Exec to Coach. 

First, it’s a passion, and all the coaches that work with us have that passion to better business leaders and organizations in our industry. Second – Exec to Coach, means just that: We’re all former executives/c-suite, accomplished leaders who have lived these challenges in the past. We want to help others navigate these same challenges, or to mentor and coach those who are looking to take their business to greater heights. Or in other cases, help with exit planning.

PPAI Media: Did you know all the people you wanted to join the company from the beginning?

McCune: My goal was to build a team of strong executives who know what it means to take risks, how to win and how to rise from a loss. I was truly quite honored when so many strong leaders were interested in joining.  Each member of the Exec to Coach team is strong in a variety of complementary areas, which allows our clients the ability to bring in a team of coaches who really know how to conquer the most difficult of challenges, support the team and ultimately deliver even stronger results.

PPAI Media: So many business coaching/consulting firms focus solely on sales tips. It sounds like this takes a more all-around approach. Is that accurate?

McCune: We offer a 100% holistic approach. Further, Exec to Coach will work with businesses of any and all sizes by building a custom offering. One size does not fit all – we recognize that and strive to build relationships based on very specific, customized coaching. The key step is understanding what the goals are of the organization, as well as the challenges. We then work closely with the leadership team to set a strategy with an execution path and regular cadence of measurement, to achieve and exceed those goals. 

So, like you said, this is way beyond standard sales coaching. We are working with companies in all areas imaginable including: acquisitions/valuation/sale; restructure and reorganization; board creation and/or private equity investment; 10x growth strategy and planning; foundational evolvement; leadership coaching; family businesses and succession planning; annual business planning and budgeting; culture evolution with accountability; leadership collabs and so much more.

PPAI Media: There is so much promotional products experience among the coaches. Will you put an extra emphasis on working with promo companies? Do you expect to branch out into other industries?

McCune: We are currently in discussions and/or working with distributors, suppliers, service providers, organizational groups and private equity firms that are all affiliated within the promo industry. Exec to Coach has over 150 years of industry experience and more importantly, industry love. We are committed to this industry, and it is absolutely our core focus. That said, this group of coaches is also working with businesses in multiple industries and with multiple offerings. 

PPAI Media: What else should readers know about Exec to Coach?

McCune: I’d just like to add that we’re incredibly excited about what makes Exec to Coach truly unique. Our team isn’t just knowledgeable; we’re passionate about the promo industry and dedicated to building fantastic relationships with our clients. We’re not just offering coaching. We bring our extensive executive experience and deep love for the industry to every engagement. We stay ahead of the curve with the latest trends and strategies, ensuring that our personalized plans are tailored to meet each client’s specific goals and challenges. In an industry where we have seen more and more coaching offerings recently, we truly stand out; our enthusiasm for helping businesses succeed, combined with our commitment to fostering great relationships, sets us apart and drives us to deliver truly impactful experiences.