Van Lanier - Veteran Turnaround Consultant

About Van Lanier

Van Lanier is a turnaround specialist who helps business owners revive their companies when they become unprofitable.

Since 1977, Van has devoted his professional career to small business turnarounds. He is also an accomplished entrepreneur, having owned eight small companies … four of which he started from scratch.

Van has practiced independently for most of his career. He was National Director of Turnaround Consulting for KPMG BayMark, but returned to private practice after several years.

Van is a Certified Management Consultant and a life-long practitioner of turning things around. He earned his M.B.A. with highest honors before personal computers made the math easy.

Van is a long-time member of the Turnaround Management Association, the Institute of Management Consultants, and the Superior Business Firm Roundtable.

Van serves as a director and advisor to corporations, government agencies, and non-profit organizations. He writes and speaks on business turnaround issues for the World Bank and other organizations.

Van lives in Virginia with his wife of 34 years, Peggy.

Here’s the quickest way to solve your business problems, once and for all, without getting deeper in debt.

Turnaround specialist, Van Lanier, will show you how to...

Turn Your Business Around,

Pay the Bills, and Take Home a Good Living.

This unique program has everything you need to fix your business:

A Quick Start Guide to calm you creditors and control your cash flow
A Step-by-Step Turnaround Plan to get your profits back
Templates, letters, and forms to save you time and money
Checklists and financial models you can adapt for your business
Optional On-Line Access to expert know-how for answers to your questions
Weekly Guidance to help you get your business back on track

Plus, you can try Turnarounds Made Easy FREE and decide if it's right for you.

From: Van Lanier, M.B.A., CMC
Turnaround Specialist Since 1977

Dear Small Business Owner,

If you are working yourself to death trying to stay afloat during these turbulent times, you are not alone. Millions of small business owners are spending lots of sleepless nights worrying about their businesses.

There is a systematic way to get your busines back on track and I'll be glad to guide you through it. First, a bit of background...

How Did Things Get This Way?

Yes, the economy is a mess and expenses are rising faster than your blood pressure, but there's more to it than that.

There are more small businesses losing money right now than anytime since the Great Depression. The main reasons are:

1. Sales are down. Competitors may have taken some of your best customers, or overall demand is down for what you are selling. Either way, you are selling less than you need to.

2. Costs are rising. There's no denying that costs are rising. Unless you are able to raise prices to counteract rising costs, your gross profit margins shrink. This creates an immediate cash flow problem, because operating expenses tend to remain the same.

3. Too much debt. If you're like most business owners, when you start losing money, the first thing you do is borrow more money to make up the losses. The more you borrow the deeper the money pit gets. Pretty soon you’re in so deep you can’t climb out.

It's easy to see why the fun of running your own business probably disappeared months ago. The question on your mind today is, "What does the future hold?"

A Polite Dose of Reality

You didn’t plan it this way, but your business is losing money and you are having trouble paying the bills on time. You're probably not paying yourself on time, either ... maybe not all all.

You know you should fix the business while you still have time, but knowing you should and getting it done are two different things. In the 30 years I've been doing turnarounds, I've seen that denial and fear cause more business failures than anything else.

Here's the Reality of Small Business -- when there isn't enough cash to run the business, pay the creditors, and take home a decent living for your efforts, you have two choices:

>> Solve the problems causing the cash shortage and get the business profitable again, or

>> Close the business before it fails and takes you down with it.

In my experience, most small business owners put off this critical decision until they have poured all the money they can borrow into their business without solving the problem. By this time, it's too late to turn the business around.

I've Heard This a Thousand Times

"This is temporary. I'll just work harder and sell my way out of this problem."

Right…

Take it from a veteran turnaround consultant – working harder at a task that's destined to fail will not solve the problem. You simply cannot sell your way out of a cash flow problem, any more than you can borrow yourself out of debt.

Take the Small Business Stress Test

There is not enough money to pay all the bills in full when they are due.
You are borrowing money to keep the business going.
You are not taking home enough (or any) money.
You are constantly worrying about what you’ll do if your business fails.
You can’t seem to get out of the hole, and it gets deeper every day.

If any of these conditions apply to you, it's time to either fix your business or close it. There is no “secret formula,” but there is a proven method.

The Quickest Way to Fix Your Business
Is Through a Guided Turnaround

Definition: Small Business Turnaround

A small business turnaround is a step-by-step process that (with the agreement of creditors) leads to a reorganized and profitable business that can pay its bills as they come due, whose assets exceed its liabilities, and whose owners can pay themselves what they are worth.

The turnaround process is not complicated, but it is very different from what you are doing now.

In a turnaround, you:

Control the cash so you can stay in business
Reorganize your business so it will produce positive cash flow
Restructure your debts to the level your cash flow can support

Moving through this process is not difficult, but it helps to have a guide.

Introducing "Turnarounds Made Easy™":
A Step-By-Step Program to
Turn Your Business Around.

I developed Turnarounds Made Easy™ to assist the hundreds of small business owners who contact me each month looking for affordable turnaround guidance. The program is based on my proprietary Turnaround Roadmap™ method which I use every day in my consulting practice (www.LanierTurnaround.com).

Every week you’ll receive a turnaround lesson from me that explains "how to do it." The lessons will arrive in 7 day intervals and will be specially marked so you can recognize them easily in your email inbox.

In addition to these weekly skill modules, each lesson includes a brief assignment to complete, which takes you to the next step. Everything is laid out in logical order; there is nothing left to chance. Just complete the lessons and you'll see progress each week.

I'll show you how to:

Control your cash so you never run out of money
Use simple financial information to diagnose what is causing your business problems so you can fix them
Determine your real core business so you can rebuild around it
Evaluate your employees so you keep only the best ones
Work out reasonable repayment plans with your lenders so you can stay in business and move forward with your turnaround.
Keep your important suppliers happy and get rid of those that are driving you crazy
Increase sales so you can grow the business
Raise prices so you can have larger gross profit margins
Live within your means so you can build a stronger business
Leave the business at the work so you can enjoy time with your family and get a good night’s sleep

Every lesson is created to help you achieve immediate results.

1.	Short and Easy to Digest. Each lesson is only 3-5 pages in length and contains nothing but "meat." To avoid information overload, each lesson is purposefully brief (but very thorough) so you can read it quickly and put it into practice.
2.	Includes An Assignment to Complete. Every weekly lesson will give you an assignment to complete. The assignment is specific and contains the "this is what you do" stuff. Each week you’ll have an action step that moves you forward.
3.	Builds Know-How As You Go. Each week you will gain more skill and confidence. The steps you take are logical, orderly, and lead from one task to the next. It’s like following a checklist. This "building block" instruction method is universally accepted as the fastest way to transfer information. That's why I use it.
4.	Almost Forces You to Succeed. While most books and seminars dish out a ton of information, then leave you to put it all together for yourself, this program doesn't do that. I give you a continuous stream of bite-sized information so you can digest it and put it into action quickly. You’ll see results every week.
5.	Helps You Make Real Progress. When you look back as the weeks roll by, you’ll be able to see your progress as you put the weekly steps together. Your cash flow will stabilize, the creditor calls will taper off, and you’ll be able to relax a bit. You’ll see the turnaround plan take hold because you’ll be following a proven, step-by-step action plan.

The Course Format is Easy to Follow

The lessons are arranged in 3 phases:

Phase I - Control the cash and calm the creditors

Phase II - Find and fix the problems

Phase III - Restructure the debt and work the turnaround plan

The Quick Start lessons in Phase I show you how to control your cash so you can stay in business and calm your creditors down. You'll also build a cash forecast so you never run out of money while your turnaround gains traction.

In Phase II we’ll perform some basic tests to find out what is causing your business to lose money. I’ll teach you how to be your own business doctor and diagnose your problems. You'll find your real core business and re-organize your company around it.

In Pase III there are important lessons on how to restructure the debt you owe suppliers and bankers, how to keep good employees and get rid of the others, and how to find new ways to be profitable.

We will end the program with a series of guidelines to make sure your business stays profitable as you begin to grow again...this time with profits and positive cash flow!

Turnarounds Made Easy is a practical learning and doing experience. It consists of 26 lessons, plus bonus reports, templates, financial models, and checklists you can adapt for your own use. Plus, I’ll be there with you every week providing bite-sized information to guide you along.

The Content is From the Real World

Experience Matters: I’ve been a turnaround specialist since 1977 and I know how to fix unprofitable companies. I have a thriving consulting practice in Herndon, Virginia(www.LanierTurnaround.com) and you can learn more about me there. I've also owned eight small businesses; four of which I started from scratch. It's safe to say I know the drill.

But, before I reached this stage in my life, I went through some tough times – just like you are experiencing now. I know the pressure of sweating payroll on Friday … then paying everyone but me. I have been in bank meetings where my home was threatened, and I've spent a lot of sleepless nights worrying about my business.

Quite frankly, there is nothing you are going through that I haven’t experienced myself. I’ve been there, conquered it, and lived to tell about it. So can you.

I've Made This Knowledge Affordable...

From the calls and emails I receive, I know there are thousands of small business owners who want help from a turnaround consultant, but are frustrated because they can't afford it. I think it’s time to change that.

That's why I am offering you this turnaround help for a lot less than I could.

I believe that making turnaround know-how affordable is important, because small businesses are the backbone of the American economy and they are under siege. If ever there was a time when turnaround know-how is needed - it's right now.

The price to enroll in Turnarounds Made Easy™ is just $97 per month. That's a far cry from the $500 clients pay me for an hour of turnaround advice. Frankly, if you can find a better small business turnaround program, you should buy it.

The program runs for 6 months, but you can cancel anytime. If you’re not seeing results, then you shouldn’t be paying. I’d be surprised if that happens, but it's up to you: stick with the program if it is working for you, or cancel if it’s not.

...For Those Who Qualify

This program is not for everyone. To join, you must…

Be the owner or manager of a small business with fewer than 100 employees.
Be coach-able. If you believe that more money is all you need to revive your business, this course is not for you.

Also, I do not accept public companies, companies in bankruptcy, or companies with complex capital structures (bonds, multiple rounds of venture capital, subordinated debt, warrants, etc.). In these cases, please see www.lanierturnaround.com for assistance, or call me directly at (703) 437-1211.

Try Turnarounds Made Easy -- FREE!

The best way to determine if this program is right for you is to try it out. That's why I offer a Free 10-day trial so you can see for yourself. If you don't think Turnarounds Made Easy is right for you, just cancel within 10 days and you won't be charged.

If you're like most owners who try this program, you'll find it not only relieves your current business pain, but it provides a solution to keep the business healthy.

Enroll Now While Space is Still Available

OK, enroll me today. Send my weekly lessons so I can revive my business, pay the bills on time and take home a good living. I have read and agreed to the terms below.

I understand I will not be charged until I have enjoyed a FREE 10-day trial. After that, you will charge me $97 on the 11th day after I enroll, and $97 each month for 5 months following my enrollment.

Receive Your First Lesson Instantly
and Enjoy Long-Term Benefits

One of the most important benefits you receive from Turnarounds Made Easy™ is the confidence and know-how you develop.

You become a better manager – your antenna is always up and you will now have systems and procedures to control your business. It's not likely you'll allow yourself to ever fall back into the hole, once you've climbed out of it. Quite the opposite: your business will be more profitable that it's ever been.

So, here's the "pitch" – if you are tired of struggling with an unprofitable business and want a turnaround veteran to show you exactly how to revive it, enroll in Turnarounds Made Easy, today.

Kind regards,

Van Lanier

P.S. If you are still undecided about enrolling, Click Here.

Every effort has been made to provide structured information to help you turn your small business around. Due to the vast number of variables surrounding your business (and its finances), I cannot guarantee your success. The information in this course in not intended for companies with complex capital structures or that are operating under bankruptcy protection. This information is not a substitute for legal advice. If you need legal advice, you should contact a competent business attorney in your area that specializes in small business matters.