This spring marks my fourth year running Navigate Forward. As I reflect on my tenure to date, I’m excited at the positive momentum we’ve achieved and the opportunities going forward.
As we embark on 2023, I want to thank everyone who’s contributed to our growth and success—from our leadership team and talented executive consultants, to our new and longstanding clients, to our invaluable community of senior leaders, executive search firms, employment attorneys, board members and alumni. Your willingness to share your ideas, time, expertise and referrals makes our business possible.
Celebrating Our Strongest Year Ever
2022 was Navigate Forward’s strongest year ever. Our Executive Transition Services practice continues to support clients around the world and provide unparalleled support for senior executives in transition.
Our newest services, Board Readiness and Legacy Planning, are quickly becoming some of our most popular offerings. HR teams value these engagements to retain high potential executives, reward tenured leaders and facilitate succession planning; they’re also popular with executives considering retirement or a “second act” at the culmination of a corporate career.
Our Executive Transition Services practice continues to support clients around the world.
Our newest services, Board Readiness and Legacy Planning, are quickly becoming some of our most popular offerings.
New Faces on Our Coaching Roster
Continued demand for our career services meant welcoming new faces to our roster of Executive Consultants.
Mike Meyer is a sought-after executive coach, experienced board director and former C-suite executive with Ecolab and Abbot Labs; at Navigate Forward, he supports our Legacy Planning clients.
Andrew Craven excels at change management and brings extensive experience in business transformation, project leadership, management consulting and sales; he’s helping senior leaders navigate the job market in our Executive Transition Services engagements. Mike and Andrew bring our team of consultants to 20.
Helping Executive Jobseekers Around the World
Like many companies, our pivot from in-person to virtual during the pandemic was unexpected. However, the success of this model—and the new opportunities that hybrid work introduces for executives—are resoundingly clear.
Last year we worked with clients from Dubai to Switzerland and Portland, Oregon, to Atlanta, Georgia.
Our entire range of resources are now available virtually, including executive career coaching, networking sessions, LinkedIn training and weekly Executive Forums. Our Net Promoter Scores (NPS) in the low 90s clearly demonstrate high client satisfaction with our virtual approach.
Leadership Opportunities Without Borders
Senior leaders are also reaping the benefits of virtual and hybrid work. In 2022, we saw more executive roles than ever filled nationally—without the need for candidates to relocate. The Midwest, in particular, has become a viable source of executive talent for companies on both coasts.
Boards of directors are also taking notice. Several Board Readiness alumni landed on international corporate boards in England, India and France; others successfully targeted opportunities with Fortune 500 companies around the country.
In 2022, we saw more executive roles than ever filled nationally—without the need for candidates to relocate. Several Board Readiness alumni landed on international corporate boards.
Is ‘Un-Retirement’ In Your Future?
Baby Boomers are reframing retirement and thinking more holistically about the future. We now provide a collaborative process and one-on-one support to help senior leaders explore this next chapter and plan for life beyond the corporate office.
After a short pilot, we officially launched Legacy Planning last fall and we’re thrilled at the fast traction it’s gaining. This service is ideal for the months leading up to retirement or a planned departure. Together, we help leaders envision the future, celebrate career milestones, then launch the next adventure with confidence and intention. Legacy Planning includes our popular Board Readiness service.
Legacy Planning is ideal for the months leading up to retirement or a planned departure. Executives can envision the future and launch their next chapter with intention.
Supporting More Diversity on Boards
Our Board Readiness practice continues to thrive; we’re now providing guidance both to individuals and in group workshops for corporations. We’re especially proud to support diversity on public and private corporate boards.
We’re working pro bono with our third “Women of Color” BIPOC cohort through Women Corporate Directors—Twin Cities. We also congratulate two more Board Readiness alumni, Jodi Hubler and Amy Langer, for winning Outstanding Directors Awards in 2022.
Nationally Certified as a Women-Owned Business
While many of you know that Navigate Forward has been female-owned and led since our inception in 2008, it wasn’t until last year that we achieved official certification with the Women’s Enterprise Business National Council (WBENC).
WBENC certification recognizes a commitment to female empowerment and helps foster supplier diversity. Nationwide, more than 17,000 businesses have achieved this milestone. Many thanks to our advocates at General Mills for their support and guidance during this process.
Putting Profits Into Practice
Giving back to our community is a cornerstone of our values. For 2022, we donated more than $40,000 to over 100 organizations, with most of our contributions in honor of our valued clients, alumni and supporters.
We joined the Minnesota Keystone Program, which unites local companies that make corporate philanthropy a priority. For 2023, once again we’ve pledged to donate at least 5 percent of our pre-tax earnings to non-profit causes.
Bringing Our Community Together Again
Another long-overdue milestone was the return of in-person events, or as one HR professional explained, our “return to each other.”
We welcomed clients and alumni for small group networking sessions, shared trends and best practices with HR leaders, and forged new connections at a variety of community events.
For 2023, we’re bringing back Boomerang! Watch for future communications with a date/time for our celebration of the Navigate Forward community.
For 2023, we’re bringing back Boomerang! Watch for future communications with a date/time for our celebration.
Stay in Touch
As always, our doors (virtual and brick-and-mortar) are open. We’d love to hear your thoughts and help your organization thrive. Please visit us at our International Market Square headquarters, follow us on LinkedIn, or drop us a line via email.
