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Happy Bellies Bake Shop Letter

Thank you, Cogent Analytics, and mostly to project director Alan Hoekman, for pulling this business owner out of the weeds of the day to day to focus more on what my team really needed. A few short months ago, I thought I had to keep all the plates in the air when really, I had a team surrounding me, willing and ready to help. It took Alan’s dedication to helping businesses thrive and his drive to add value to help me realize what I need to be focusing on. We set team structure and planned for them to take responsibility and ownership of their areas, releasing the grip on me. I am now able to look at this business, and the potential of it, much differently than before. Thank you for being a courageous leader, Alan!

Rebecca Brown

Owner

Homepage – Happy Bellies® Bake Shop (happybelliesbakeshop.com)

At Happy Bellies® Bake Shop in Appleton, WI they offer fresh, handmade, all-natural and organic baked goods for those who are trying to find a tasty treat in a world full of refined sugar, flour, and dairy!

David Webster Construction Letter

December 1, 2023

We recommend Cogent Analytics, Inc. to any business that is interested in improving their efficiency and performance. Even though we were comfortable with our performance, we also knew there were areas that needed some fine tuning. The problem was, with the daily tasks required to run our business, how long would it take us to address those issues ourselves? We realized there was value in hiring Cogent to jump start the work needed in those areas, which would allow us to focus on our day to day operations.

The analyst assigned to us, Peter, did an excellent job in working to understand our business, as well as our culture, and crafted a plan that will facilitate reaching our goals. I highly recommend Cogent Analytics to any business that needs to improve their financial and operational performance, or is interested in reaching the next level of success.

Sincerely,
Fran Seymour
General Manager
David Webster Construction, Inc

David Webster Construction | Luxury Homes | Traverse City MI

David started his construction business in 1976 with a focus and sensitivity to making productive use of existing natural resources present at a building site.

DanCar Industrial Group Letter

I am writing to highly recommend Bryan Kelso from Cogent for any future consulting opportunities. When we engaged Cogent in mid-March, I initially had reservations about what they could offer our organization. However, after working with Bryan as our on-site consultant for about eight weeks, I can confidently say that it was a decision that greatly benefitted our company.

Under Bryan’s guidance, we were able to identify areas within our organization that could be optimized to increase profitability. He facilitated the establishment of teams that empowered us to make collective decisions and fostered a sense of unity among our staff. The knowledge and insights gained from this experience are invaluable and will undoubtedly shape our organization’s success over the next decade.

Already, we are witnessing a tangible return on our investment, with a noticeable increase in our staff’s productivity. Bryan’s personable nature and his exceptional ability to engage with our team members were instrumental in driving these positive outcomes. While there were a few minor challenges along the way, Bryan’s dedication and expertise ultimately delivered excellent results.

I wholeheartedly endorse Bryan Kelso and would not hesitate to recommend him to other companies seeking a skilled and effective consultant. His impact on our organization has been significant, and I am confident that he would bring the same level of professionalism and expertise to any future projects.

Daniel Wells

CEO

DanCar Industrial Group, Inc.

Providing safe, quality industrial construction services for your company with expediency and at a fair price

DanCar Industrial Group, Inc, Industrial Construction, Plano, TX (dancargroup.com)

Boyd Machine Co. Letter

To Whom it may concern,

It is my pleasure to recommend the business consulting services of Cogent Analytics, with a special emphasis on the amazing work of Ryan Eger. Our small family business had the privilege of working closely with Ryan and Cogent for 6 weeks and the experience was hard but very rewarding. We were able to pinpoint areas where we struggled with the discovery first. Then when Ryan came, we hit the ground running. The whole team at Cogent was great to work with. They provided us with tools and behind the scenes support to help get us back on track and on the way to a great succession transfer.

Ryan’s ability to understand the business from all aspects was the biggest asset. He was able to ask the hard questions and get us on track. Provided us with tools that are going to help us maintain and use the knowledge and skills he was able to provide us with. The all-hands-on deck support from Cogent was very helpful. The business strategies and knowledge that Ryan trained us with will be invaluable in the success of our future business.

In conclusion, I highly recommend the Cogent Analytics to any organization seeking expert business consulting services. Their attention and commitment to detail truly helped us with the vision and drive to succeed in our everyday business strategies and decisions.

Kind Regards,
Nicole Stalletti
President

Trust Boyd Machine Co. For Quality Machined Components with Tight Tolerances.

Home | Boyd Machine Company

Centurion Labs LLC Letter

To Whom It May Concern,

I am writing to wholeheartedly recommend the business consulting services of Cogent Analytics, specifically the exceptional work done by their consultant, Billy Hardison.

Our company had the privilege of working with Billy and the Cogent Analytics team on a recent project, and the experience was nothing short of outstanding. From the initial assessment of our needs to the meticulous planning and execution, Billy’s professionalism and expertise were evident throughout every step of the process.

One of the most impressive aspects of Billy’s work was his ability to not only understand our company’s vision but also to translate that vision into a concrete plan of action. He listened attentively to our goals and challenges, and then helped us create an infrastructure that not only met but exceeded our expectations.

Billy’s thoroughness and dedication to our project were remarkable. He took the time to ensure that every aspect of the plan was carefully considered, and his guidance was invaluable in steering us towards success. His deep knowledge of business strategies and best practices was evident in the quality of the recommendations provided.

Furthermore, Billy’s professionalism and approachable demeanor made working with him a true pleasure. He was always available to answer questions, provide updates, and offer insights, making the entire consulting process smooth and efficient.

In conclusion, I highly recommend Billy Hardison and Cogent Analytics to any organization seeking expert business consulting services. Their commitment to excellence, attention to detail, and ability to turn vision into reality are truly commendable. We are incredibly grateful for the impact Billy has had on our company, and we look forward to continued collaboration in the future.

Please feel free to contact me if you have any further questions or require additional information.

Troy Duell

Chief Executive Officer

CL-Logo-Narrow

Safe, Effective & Affordable Healthcare Products Made in the USA to Elevate Your Health & Life

Home – Centurion Labs

Artisan Construction Services Letter

To whom this may concern.
We decided to bring Cogent Analytics into our team to help us leverage the momentum we gained after restructuring our management team in 2023. Our goal was to allow our family ran business to run more efficiently without being dependent upon our personal involvement by deploying a robust skills matrix and cash flow management tools. They also nurtured our existing systems to better retrieve relevant data to empower efficient execution of our workload.

Peter Zurn was our Project Director that embedded with our team for several weeks. He quickly dissected our business processes and accurately accessed the culture of our team. He was very polite, genuine, and professional for the duration of his time with us. Cogent provided him with a team that helped train us on tools and offer other resources that would benefit our growth. He provided us with an objective set of eyes dedicated to help me reach a personal goal to get in the wood more often!

Sincerely,
Michael L. Eddings II
Member, Artisan Construction Services

They boast an elite crew of craftsmen led by innovative approaches to conventional construction.

Artisan Construction Services

Scharf Construction Co. LLC Letter

To whom it may concern:

I am thrilled to extend my highest recommendation for Cogent Analytics, who played a pivotal role in revitalizing our family-owned concrete company’s financial health and operational efficiency. Their comprehensive approach and innovative solutions have significantly contributed to our success.

From the outset, Cogent Analytics demonstrated a deep understanding of our company’s needs and challenges. They made sure to choose the most skilled and dedicated analyst to work hand in hand with our company throughout the entire process. Both Josh and Harrison helped me to efficiently organize our bookkeeping system, bringing clarity to our financial records and facilitating a better decision-making process.

Additionally, their team’s meticulous review of our QuickBooks via Zoom calls ensured data accuracy and integrity. Their willingness to provide ongoing support reinforces their commitment to our company’s success for its future generations.

Moreover, their analyst Bobby was dispatched to work with me in the office and he helped me with the implementation of a state-of-the-art GPS system that has revolutionized our logistical operations. Not only does it optimize fleet management, but it also enables remote employee clock-in/out functionality, ensuring more accurate time tracking and substantial cost savings.

While Bobby was onsite he also provided invaluable support to our estimator by creating customized tools for bidding processes. These tools have enhanced accuracy and efficiency, ultimately bolstering our profitability. He made visits to our jobsites and talked with our employees to see what they thought needed to change for us to meet our long-term goals.

One of the most impactful contributions from Cogent is the implementation of a robust cost management system. Harrison worked diligently with me on weekly zoom calls to ensure that I knew the mechanics of the CMS tool. He was always encouraging me that Cogent had my back if I ever had questions or needed help in the future. This system will empower us to forecast and budget our funds up to eight weeks in advance, providing us with invaluable financial stability and foresight.

In summary, Cogent has exceeded our expectations in every aspect. Their professionalism, expertise, and dedication have been instrumental in our company’s turnaround. I wholeheartedly endorse Cogent and am confident that they will deliver exceptional results to any organization.

Should you require further information or assistance, please do not hesitate to contact me.

With Warm Regards,

Rachel Lympus

Office Manager

Scharf Construction Co LLC

Scharf Construction Co. LLC is a company that specializes in commercial concrete, industrial concrete, and structural concrete services. With their extensive experience in concrete work, they approach each project with precision and a commitment to perfection.

Concrete – Scharf Construction Co. LLC | Scharf Construction Co. LLC (scharfstl.com)

Kalamazoo Excavation Letter

4/2/2024

To Whom It May Concern:

I had the pleasure of working with Mr. Santiago Quinn from January 2024 through March 2024. From the moment we shook hands I could tell that he was all business, and his intentions were pure. He immediately communicated what his goals for Kalamazoo Excavation were and how he intended on meeting or exceeding them. Through full transparency and unfiltered communication, we built a relationship unlike many I have made in that short of a period.

Mr. Quinn was incredibly thorough with his questions so he could better understand the intimate details of the daily operations. This allowed him to tactically design standard operating procedures and key performance indicators which are now part of my day to day. He always said, “Whatever cannot be measured, cannot be changed.” The way that he clearly explained the importance of using these new tools has allowed me to better understand “why” and has allowed me to function much more efficiently throughout my work week.

Santiago delivered on every level. He found ways to motivate and drive the leadership team to step up every day and hold not only us as individuals, but each other accountable for our daily/weekly/monthly duties. Understanding each person’s strengths and clearly outlined job duties has allowed our Kalamazoo Excavation’s leadership to excel. We are already seeing the positive results of Mr. Quinn’s hard work and dedication show on many levels. His time here, although brief, will have an everlasting impression on Kalamazoo Excavation and me as a business leader, person and father.

Sincerely,

Matthew McDaid

Operations Manager

Kalamazoo Excavation is a Veteran-owned and managed excavation company serving southwest Michigan.

Kalamazoo Excavation

Dehumidification Technologies, LP Letter

March 25, 2024

To whom it may concern,

For the past couple months, we have been working with Cogent Analytics to improve operational efficiencies. The initial discovery process, which took around two days, brought exposure to areas that needed to be addressed that we were and were not aware of. From this meeting Cogent Analytics developed an action plan and was brought onboard to assist our team in improving our operation. Running a company day in and day out often leads to tunnel vision; Cogent Analytics was a valued partner in helping our team identify and address blind spots.

Regards,

Blake Armstrong

Owner – Head of Operations

DeHumidification Technologies, LP provides humidity and temperature control solutions to multiple industries in the US, Canada, Australia and Thailand. In addition to the highest quality equipment for every job, DH Tech is proud to have the most experienced and highly trained technical staff in the industry.

Dehumidifier Rental & Sales | Dehumidification Services (rentdh.com)

Daytona Glass Letter

My experience with Cogent Analytics began with the discovery process, it was a huge shock to me. I learned a lot of things that didn’t know, but he also pointed out things I knew were a problem but didn’t know where to start. We had no tools to track our work, no accountability, and distrust among our leaders, we had our highest revenue year ever with little to show for it. Rumors and misinformation were circling though the shop, some believed our main customer was very angry with us and we were on the verge of bankruptcy. The negative aspects of our management weren’t all that discovery revealed but a lot of positive things as well. Our employees like working here, they like the culture that exists, the family environment, they believe that the owners genuinely care about their lives, family and struggles.

When the project started, I was encouraged by the positivity and competence of our project director (Kris McCarty) and the rest of the supporting team. I quickly went from feeling that our problems were insurmountable to confident that we can set the ship right in very short order. After implement just a few KPIs I noticed employees tightening up work almost overnight, and after a few focused meetings our leadership team showed signs of turning a corner as well. One of the things I struggled with when I was presented with the CEO position Is how to have oversight of accounting without poring over spreadsheets and Cogent provided an easy-to-understand dashboard that monitors all the companies KPIs so I can know where we are at all times.

The service that Cogent provides is an expensive one but they have worked with our limited cashflow at the time of the project. I firmly believe that we will see a substantial return on our investment into our company from the valuable tools that Cogent implemented. As we head Into the Life Cycle part of the project It is all in our hands now, but Kris will be checking in with us weekly and attending our managers meeting via teleconference. Going forward I’m sure we will rely on her assistance. I am convinced this company made the right decision to have Cogent set us on a path of continued growth.
Kind regards

Tim Mathisen

CEO

DGW Logo.png

Originally founded in 1999, Daytona Glass Works is a technical quartz company based on service and innovation.

Technical Quartz | Daytona Glass Works

Mechanical Contracting Services Letter

To Whom It May Concern –

Here at MCS, we pride ourselves on family, integrity, quality, and promoting good will. We are a commercial mechanical and plumbing company. David Porter started this company in April of 1996 and has reigned at the helm and grown this business to be very successful in longevity, profit, and community. I, Josh Scroggins, joined the MCS team in December of 2021. David hired me to look into growth and work into developing another division of MCS by offering multi-family. With the time provided by David and me, we were able to bring MCS from $2-$3 million dollars a year to $6.7 million in 2023. However, David and I did not feel as though we were making the margins that we felt that we should be. During this period, David had also decided that he was ready to start looking into his exit strategy, which he wanted to be in the next 3-5 years. David presented me with an offer to purchase MCS, at which I took some time and had decided to agree to terms. At this time, David and I both agreed between the succession of ownership and the rapid growth that we felt was time to look for some assistance for us to be better.

This is where Cogent Analytics enters the scene. We had met with Bret, and he had talked with David and I a couple times about what Cogent could offer MCS. David and I, with some reservations, agreed to have a discovery done. Kevin came to our office within a couple of weeks and spent 3 days with us. During this time Kevin dived deep into our financials, our way of business, and all employees’ personalities. Kevin took the time to really talk with several people to understand our culture and what MCS wanted to be about. To our surprise, this discovery was an eye opener to how much more efficient and stronger that MCS could be. After the discovery and long talks with Kevin, David and I decided that we should partner with Cogent to help us build a more efficient company. Enter Peter Zurn and the 6-week process with Cogent.

Peter came to MCS at the beginning of 2024. He was very thorough at the beginning of the process and spent a lot of time with David and I the first week discussing our goals, needs, and wants. Over the next 5 weeks, Peter was able to help us write an operational plan, job descriptions, KPIs, CMS, and incentive program for our employees. Through this process David and I have been very pleased and feel as though MCS, with Cogent’s assistance, will be off to an even better year in 2024 and beyond. Peter helped us to see how we can improve profitability while being able to cut expenditure or be better at managing our expenditure. We feel that through this MCS will continue to be a sought-after company to both work for and to hire for projects. We have been very thankful for the time Cogent has spent with us and will continue to through the Life Cycle process. We are very excited to see what MCS’ future holds and how we can be more impactful within our communities and industry.

We would like to give a huge shout out to Bret, Kevin, Peter, as well as the rest of the Cogent team. With them we know that MCS will be around for another 25 plus years.

Best Regards,

Joshuwin Scroggins

Director of Operations

Mechanical Contracting Services has been servicing commercial and industrial businesses for over 25 years all across Indiana.

They strive to offer premium commercial mechanical services to all industries of all sizes.

SJHP Cultural Change

 

St Johns Housing Partnership

Home – St Johns Housing Partnership (sjhp.org)

The St. Johns Housing Partnership is committed to promoting safe, decent and affordable housing in north Florida. They do this by creating links between the public and private sectors on projects that create low- and moderate-income housing, rebuild neglected homes and neighborhoods, thus benefiting disadvantaged areas and enhancing community economic and social development.

SJHP Discovery Process

 

St Johns Housing Partnership

Home – St Johns Housing Partnership (sjhp.org)

The St. Johns Housing Partnership is committed to promoting safe, decent and affordable housing in north Florida. They do this by creating links between the public and private sectors on projects that create low- and moderate-income housing, rebuild neglected homes and neighborhoods, thus benefiting disadvantaged areas and enhancing community economic and social development.

SJHP Why Cogent?

 

St Johns Housing Partnership

Home – St Johns Housing Partnership (sjhp.org)

The St. Johns Housing Partnership is committed to promoting safe, decent and affordable housing in north Florida. They do this by creating links between the public and private sectors on projects that create low- and moderate-income housing, rebuild neglected homes and neighborhoods, thus benefiting disadvantaged areas and enhancing community economic and social development.

SJHP Prior to Cogent

 

St Johns Housing Partnership

Home – St Johns Housing Partnership (sjhp.org)

The St. Johns Housing Partnership is committed to promoting safe, decent and affordable housing in north Florida. They do this by creating links between the public and private sectors on projects that create low- and moderate-income housing, rebuild neglected homes and neighborhoods, thus benefiting disadvantaged areas and enhancing community economic and social development.

About St Johns Housing Partnership

 

St Johns Housing Partnership

Home – St Johns Housing Partnership (sjhp.org)

The St. Johns Housing Partnership is committed to promoting safe, decent and affordable housing in north Florida. They do this by creating links between the public and private sectors on projects that create low- and moderate-income housing, rebuild neglected homes and neighborhoods, thus benefiting disadvantaged areas and enhancing community economic and social development.

St Johns Housing Partnership

 

St Johns Housing Partnership

Home – St Johns Housing Partnership (sjhp.org)

The St. Johns Housing Partnership is committed to promoting safe, decent and affordable housing in north Florida. They do this by creating links between the public and private sectors on projects that create low- and moderate-income housing, rebuild neglected homes and neighborhoods, thus benefiting disadvantaged areas and enhancing community economic and social development.

River Bend Hose Specialty Changes

 

river bend hose specialty logo

River Bend Hose

River Bend Hose Specialty is a distributor & manufacturer of Industrial & Hydraulic Hose Assemblies as well as Power Transmission Components, such as bearings, cylinders, motors, belting, gear drives and sheaves.

River Bend Hose Specialty Discovery

 

river bend hose specialty logo

River Bend Hose

River Bend Hose Specialty is a distributor & manufacturer of Industrial & Hydraulic Hose Assemblies as well as Power Transmission Components, such as bearings, cylinders, motors, belting, gear drives and sheaves.

About River Bend Hose Specialty

 

river bend hose specialty logo

River Bend Hose

River Bend Hose Specialty is a distributor & manufacturer of Industrial & Hydraulic Hose Assemblies as well as Power Transmission Components, such as bearings, cylinders, motors, belting, gear drives and sheaves.

River Bend Hose Specialty

 

river bend hose specialty logo

River Bend Hose

River Bend Hose Specialty is a distributor & manufacturer of Industrial & Hydraulic Hose Assemblies as well as Power Transmission Components, such as bearings, cylinders, motors, belting, gear drives and sheaves.

Anderson Ashton Letter

October 27, 2023

To whom it may concern:

I have been a partner at a Milwaukee area design-build commercial construction firm for sixteen years now. Having strictly a construction background and no business training whatsoever, I was overwhelmed at times with business management. Over time, you learn some things and do them well and others you don’t even realize that you should be doing.

Everything we were doing wrong came to light at the initial discovery session with Merlin. His passion for his job to help business owners is evident in how diligently and tirelessly he works to help you head down the right path.

Once the initial discovery was completed, we committed to proceeding with the Cogent Plan. We were assigned Roger Hutson and could not be happier. He feels like he is one of our employees and he truly desires to make us a much stronger company and generate profits for Ownership and staff. We can see a developing change in employee attitudes now that we are beginning to form a clear path to success. Having employees help create that path makes them committed to company success.

We look forward to continued growth as we adjust to and utilize our new direction with team buy-in, Key Performance Indicators, leadership groups and incentives.

Sincerely,

James Filer

Vice President of Anderson Ashton

Home

Confidence & Trust in Every Project | Anderson Ashton Design/Build

Anderson Ashton is one of Wisconsin’s longest standing and most trusted fully integrated design/build firms offering commercial, industrial, faith based, state-of-the-art self-storage and institutional clients, offering everything under one roof for renovation, expansion and new construction projects.

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