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Seasoned Multi-Company Entrepreneur
What makes Walt suited to his coaching Position.
The #1 most important factor is that he ran 3 very cash intensive, high knowledge base businesses that existed in a very seasonal red ocean competitive environment. 2/3rds of the business coming in 4 months, the other 1/3 over the other 8 months.... you do the math
Walt Brown’s “cv/resume” for member prospects: (Note: TAB is not about Walt, it is about the business owner, the owner’s TAB Board and the Strategic Thinking process. Below is put together so prospects may know more about Walt and what Walt brings to the table.)
Walt is a Raleigh native, and a young “boomer”. He has enjoyed permanent residence in Raleigh, however, his business perspective has been focused outside of the Triangle, mostly internationally and into large metropolitan markets.
1983 Business School UNC Chapel Hill – Emphasis in Accounting.
Next: CPA with Ernst and Whiney, Raleigh, audit team 4 years, specialty was manufacturing, finance and SEC Audits. Learned the “universal language of business” which became the foundation for of his national and international business dealings. He says: “It has been amazing, talk logical numbers and communicate plans that tie to the numbers and every smart business guy, no matter what language they speak, Chinese, German, UK English, understands and gets it.”
Next: 1986/87 Founded Layline Inc. A VERY seasonal Nationally focused consumer direct “catalog” business selling gear to guys who race sailboats. Marketing to 110,000 households, capturing 68,567 of them as buying households. Annually, flowed 32,456 of these customers through the sales process. Most products were international brands imported from Europe and the Southern hemisphere. Annual turnover $2,897,986. 18 folk.
Then: 1997 Added/Founded Musto North America. Technical Clothing for Sailing. Marketed and distributed sales to same core market plus 80,000 additional households in tangential segment. Built brand and distribution via direct marketing efforts and new dealer network across the U.S. and Canada. Annual turnover $2,468,453. Another 7 folk.
Then: A year later Added/Founded Tacktick North America. Solar Powered, Wireless Performance Electronics. Built a new dealer network and brand awareness from scratch in the U.S. and Canadian market. Marketing to tangential consumer base but selling via a different dealer base. Grew to sales of $1,875,642. Another 4 folk. Total 29 folk.
Fall 2002. Determined market segment was reaching point of diminishing returns, boomers getting old. Acknowledged Walt wanted more and different challenges. Decided to position company for sale.
August 7th 2006: Walt sold Layline/above operations to a group out of Atlanta.
August 9th, 2006: Walt launches TAB Raleigh and becomes a Coach. Walt has always been a student of Strategic Thinking and Tactical Execution. He has a strong creative streak that had to be harnessed via detailed planning and sound strategic thought. He has always been a team player, a good thinker, a good teacher, a good listener, a good “coach”.
Today: Currently, Walt enjoys working with 27 business owner clients once a month, he is looking to add a few more. He is rolling out an on-line strategic planning software business in the spring of ’08. .
Walter Lawrence Brown III, CPA ’86. Seasoned Multi-Company Entrepreneur Certified Strategic Business Leadership Coach Certified TAB Board Facilitator
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