Profitability is possible.  It often takes new leadership to stimulate ideas, action, outlook and possibilities.  My recent project was bleeding significantly.  Partners were not in agreement about a number of things, but they did finally agree they needed outside help.  At risk: personal bankruptcy for two out of three partners, 50 jobs in a small remote town, customer and vendor relationships throughout the north east.

It looks so simple on paper, doesn't it?  I arrived halfway through Month 1.  Action to actively manage the team took place immediately, but most of the first 30 days was getting an understanding of the business and sizing up the profitability formula.  Then before the end of Month 2, significant action occurred to shape the business process, the information flow, the size of the business and the financial results.  Month 3 saw some of the fruits of our action.  In Months 4-6, significant work was done in credit restructuring and getting new management practices in place, while the new financial model stabilized and cured.  Ongoing work is necessary to tweak the profitability formula and management practices.