Rick Ferrone
Verified Expert in Finance
Management Consulting Expert
Orlando, FL, United States
Toptal member since July 4, 2022
Rick is a business strategy, financial planning, and operations expert with over 20 years of experience as a chief operating and strategy officer and a Big 5 management consultant. He has led three company turnarounds, including one for a $500 million multinational firm, growing revenue by 28% and increasing profitability by 21% within two years. Leveraging his experience with companies of all sizes and across industries, Rick is willing to start delivering value and results in new projects.
Career Highlights
Education Highlights
Case Studies
Expertise
- Business Development
- Business Strategy
- Business Transformation
- Change Management
- Critical Thinking
- Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A)
- Leadership
- Operational Excellence
Work Experience
Market Research Consultant
A440 Management LLC
- Developed an executive compensation model for the CEO of a new venture arm of a large insurance firm seeking to acquire and advance technologies that would benefit the parent company, its agents, and its customers.
- Developed a set of performance criteria for the variable component of the compensation model. This ensured that CEO performance was evaluated not only on the success of the portfolio, but also on how well the portfolio businesses benefited the parent company.
- Researched performance metrics to ensure the targets used were realistic and accurately reflected good vs. average vs. poor performance.
Performance Improvement Enablement Expert (Toptal Internal)
Toptal
- Developed a comprehensive methodology for achieving operational excellence.
- Architected this methodology for Toptal, which will be used by its consultants to assist clients in improving operational performance and goal achievement.
- Ensured the methodology is applicable to all businesses and industries.
CFO Consultant (Professional Services/Legal/Insurance)
Property Litigation Group, PLLC
- Identified substantial, ongoing financial data errors and inconsistencies across systems and reports. Management was previously unaware it was making business decisions based on inaccurate data.
- Improved financial operations and data integrity. Mentored the CFO, mapped current processes, identified issues, redesigned processes, eliminated redundancy, and implemented controls.
- Enhanced system integration and reporting. Mentored the CIO, eliminated data redundancy, automated data capture, implemented a data visualization tool, integrated the main systems, and created new automated reports.
- Provided this law firm with the capability to analyze profitability by individual case and aggregate that information to understand profitability by case type. Also provided the capability to forecast to enable growth planning.
Fractional COO
Primo Management Group Inc.
- Conducted analyses of current operations, identified areas for improvement, and worked with the CEO to develop a revenue growth plan and optimize marketing spend.
- Researched marketing firms and led the interview/selection process to hire a new firm. Worked with the marketing firm to create a new Google campaign and implemented software to block costly, malicious clicks.
- Developed process maps to identify issues and redesigned processes to streamline operations.
- Improved the sales operation, helping with sales training, hiring, performance evaluation, reporting, call monitoring, and developing sales support material.
Interim COO
Alliance Investments Management LLC
- Oversaw the acquisition of a new company adding over $2 million in revenue and $350,000 in net income to the company's portfolio; managed the sourcing team to build a pipeline of over $50 million in additional acquisitions.
- Oversaw the operations of eight of the firm's portfolio companies. Developed business plan templates and worked with GMs to develop annual business plans, budgets, sales forecasts, KPIs, and reports.
- Led internal company operations, overseeing the new business sourcing as well as the accounting and finance departments. Managed relationships with investment partners and led the development of performance dashboards.
- Spearheaded the development of the firm's long-term vision, objectives, and business plan. Worked with the CEO to restructure the company along industry segments and present the vision and plan to the rest of the company.
- Developed new compensation structures with bonus plans that tied to the achievement of the firm's goals.
Change Manager | Collateral Development
Toptal
- Developed an end-to-end supply chain best practices document for an internal Toptal project.
- Performed best practices to cover the technology needed to monitor and optimize manufacturing.
- Developed the document that, in addition to the mechanics and processes of the supply chain, also covered supply chain strategies and optimizations.
COO
YLL
- Transformed the operations at this fast-growing, multi-office company, increasing profitability by 14% in the first year and resulting in the company's acquisition by a larger competitor.
- Led and managed all business functions, except sales, heading the development of the 5-year financial and strategic plans, rebuilding the management team, redesigning processes and systems, installing KPIs, and establishing a new corporate culture.
- Improved company-wide employee performance by 93%, working with each department head to define, monitor, and achieve a set of quantified, time-based financial and operational goals for their area.
- Enhanced workforce quality and stability reducing employee turnover by 110% and achieving an employee satisfaction rating of 77%.
- Restructured and streamlined the organization, reducing corporate overhead by $300,000 (20%) per year.
- Developed a high-performing, cohesive management team by providing clear direction and support, cultivating a sense of team and collaboration, and implementing performance-based bonus plans.
COO
RJ Henderson
- Served as a founding partner of this innovative consumer products startup, building from an idea to a $7 million business and creating the highest quality product on the market.
- Led all strategic planning, financial planning, product ideation and development, and business development efforts.
- Identified an untapped market opportunity and quickly established the brand as a market leader, delivering indisputable quality advantages and earning the most prestigious industry awards.
- Grew the annual revenue by over 100% for four consecutive years, opening new markets, hiring and managing sales teams, partnering with complementary brands, and expanding marketing campaigns.
- Reduced operating costs by 42%, simplifying product design, renegotiating vendor contracts, and gaining efficiencies in manufacturing, warehousing, and supply chain.
- Managed the complex and time-sensitive supply chain process, coordinating the on-time delivery of perishable ingredients from over 20 suppliers and shippers.
- Led the development and management of the operating budget and cash flow. Created financial models, reports, and KPIs to better inform and improve company processes, planning, and decision making.
Chief Strategy Officer
Attorneys' Title Fund Services
- Guided the turnaround of this $100 million company, facing bankruptcy due to dramatic market changes. I also drove improvements throughout the company.
- Increased profitability by 52% over three years by redesigning the business model, the pricing model, and the product offerings.
- Spearheaded operational changes that led to a 45% growth in revenue. Partnered with sales leaders and staff to establish new metrics, improve tracking, and increase focus on the higher revenue customers.
- Increased the ROI of corporate initiatives by 37% by leading a project portfolio analysis and prioritization leadership team and implementing improvements identified by the team.
- Led the redesign of the customer support model, increasing profitability by 30% and increasing customer satisfaction by 45% within the first six months.
- Developed high-performing teams, providing coaching, setting clear goals, and removing barriers that enabled people to take on greater responsibilities and deliver better results.
- Led the design and implementation of executive dashboards with roll-up and drill-down capabilities, significantly improving leadership's ability to identify performance issues, successes, and trends.
- Improved IT operations by 18%, eliminating costs, reengineering processes, and renegotiating vendor contracts.
Director of Strategic Planning
Holland & Knight
- Developed and implemented the plan to transform this $500 million, 1200-person business that was increasingly losing market share. Increased profitability by 21% in two years through more rigorous strategic planning and operational improvements.
- Spearheaded the implementation of financial and operational plans, partnering with business unit (BU) leaders to develop budgets and tactics to achieve their BU goals and further the firm's goals.
- Led the role in growing company revenue by 28%, partnering with Marketing to identify new services, target clients with the highest revenue potential, enhance client relationships, and implement metrics to track the success of marketing programs.
- Headed the strategic planning process, working with senior leadership to define and communicate the firm's direction and performance goals.
- Led a fourteen-team cost-reduction task force, uncovering $16.5 million in savings.
- Developed reports and metrics, enabling executives and business unit leaders to track progress.
- Facilitated a redesign of the marketing organization, helping the team assess and improve its service model, organizational structure, composite skill set, and return on investment (ROI).
Principal
The Northhighland Company
- Served as a management consultant leading several large, complex, and strategic initiatives.
- Developed a $600 million restructuring plan for a $160 billion telecommunications company, defining a new operational model for ten departments and 34,000 employees that delivered a $700 million return in three years.
- Led the development of a $6 million business case for a large telecommunications client, defining an approach for expanding services to an untapped $3 billion market and capturing tens of millions of dollars in new revenue.
- Defined and implemented a process for managing the $100 million IT project portfolio of a Fortune 50 client. The process included assessing market demand and need for each project, solution options, development plans, and budgetary needs.
- Developed a business case for the governor of Florida that defined a $30 million program to spur economic development by luring new businesses to the state. This business case became law and known as the Florida Opportunity Fund.
- Created business plans enabling four high-tech startups to acquire their next round of funding. Each plan included the product value proposition, market and competitor analysis, pricing, market penetration strategies, and financial forecasts.
Manager
Arthur Andersen Consulting
- Led efforts on several complex, multi-million dollar engagements, successfully delivering solutions for mid-size to Fortune 100 business clients.
- Served as the program manager on a $60 million, 200-person reengineering initiative for a Fortune 100 client, identifying and driving resolution of critical project issues.
- Led a $2 million business financial system and process reengineering initiative, finishing on time and achieving all objectives. Handled the whole product design, customization, release schedule, and rollout.
- Spearheaded the product redesign strategy for a $50 million business unit facing a down market, identifying changing needs, assessing competitive strengths, and defining viable new product offerings.
- Led the design and implementation of the financial management and program management business units for a $1 billion organization, directing work planning, staffing, task management, communication, time and budget management, and solution delivery.
- Served as the financial lead on two different enterprise resource planning (ERP) selection efforts, assisting clients in defining financial processing needs, evaluating ERP alternatives, and selecting the best system.
Education
Master's Degree in Business Administration (MBA)
The University of Texas - Arlington, Texas, USA
Bachelor of Science Degree in Industrial and Systems Engineering
The Ohio State University - Columbus, Ohio, USA
Skills
Finance
Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A), Cost Reduction & Optimization (Cost-down), Financial Modeling, Pricing, Market Opportunity Analysis, Forecasting, Revenue & Expense Projections, Market Research, Data Analysis, Cash Flow, Business Advisory, Fundraising, Profit & Loss (P&L), Budgeting, CFO, Venture Funding, Customer Lifetime Value (CLV), Accounting, Private Equity, Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Financial Systems
Output Software
Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft PowerPoint, Google Docs
Industry Expertise
Early-stage Startups, Food & Beverage, Logistics, Consumer Products, Technology, Mobile User Acquisition, Venture Capital, Software, Insurance, Building Materials
Geographic Expertise
United States
Other
Business Process Re-engineering, Creative Problem Solving, Analysis, Critical Thinking, Operational Excellence, Business Strategy, Project Management, Leadership, Market Research & Analysis, Business Transformation, Change Management, Business Plan Consulting, Organizational Design, Business Cases, Business Development, Collaboration, Business Planning, Operations, Content Strategy, Product Branding, Brand Identity, Branding, Business Processes, Business Process Modeling, Business Process Analysis, Operating Models, Brand Building, Startups, Corporate, People Management, Organizational Change Management (OCM), Marketing Strategy, B2B, Go-to-market Strategy, Brand Strategy, Growth Strategy, Value Proposition, Product Marketing, Chief Marketing Officer (CMO), B2C, Business to Consumer (B2C), Business to Business (B2B), Logistics & Supply Chain, Management Consulting, Board Presentations, Business Models, Product Growth, Go-to-market Plans, COO, Strategy, Growth, Sales Growth, Sales Strategy, Product Strategy, Operational Efficiency Improvement, Process Mapping, Marketing Leadership, Competitive Analysis, Competition Research, Growth Strategy Consultants, Revenue Strategy, Implementation, Process Design, Business Operations, Manufacturing, Performance Improvement, Organizational Strategy & Design, Strategic Planning, Consulting, Production Support, Process Flows, Product Design, New Products, TOM, Trend Analysis, Cash Flow Analysis, Financial Analysis, Performance Management, Data Analytics, Company Strategy, Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG), FMCG, Pitch Decks, Business Proposals, CPG, Direct to Consumer (D2C), Logistics & Warehousing, Chief of Staff, Compensation, Compensation Programs, Pricing Models, CEO, Supply Chain Operations, Contract Management, SOP Development, Fractional COO, Marketing Plans, Pitch Deck Consultant, Customer Acquisition, Change Leadership, Finance Transformation, Innovation, Innovation Strategy, Quality Management, Management, Communication, Risk Management, Portfolio Analytics, Organization Building, Team Building, Culture Development, New Product Business Cases, Vendor Management, Marketing, Customer Service, Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), Reporting, Board Reporting, Portfolio Management, Program Management, Financial Controls & Processes, Revenue Growth, Product Management, Storytelling, Design Thinking, Public Relations (PR), Content Writing, Digital Marketing Strategy, B2B Partnerships, Product-market Fit, Business Partnerships, Partnerships, Strategic Partnerships, Market Sizing, Market Segmentation, Customer Segmentation, Mobile, Supply Chain, Pricing Consulting, Enterprise Software, Market Fit, Product Launch, Sales, Launch Strategy, Idea Validation, eCommerce, Sales Operations, Staffing, Lean Product Manager, Purchasing, Procurement, Sourcing & Procurement, Marketing Mix, SaaS, Software as a Service (SaaS), Telemetry, Luxury Industry, Legal, Human Resources (HR), Contract Drafting, Publicity, PeopleSoft ERP Application, Margin Optimization, Root Cause Analysis, Scenario Analysis, Solar, Renewables, Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), Fintech, Fintech Consultant, Investment Funds, Underwriting, Tech Sales, Chief Operations Officer (COO), Staff Management & Development, Hiring, Sales Training, Zoho CRM, Equity Compensation, Stock-based Compensation, Fractional Chief Strategy Officer, Data Management, System Integration
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