Facilitating

Self Empowerment

Services

Morgan is dedicated to building equity in local communities over the long-term. All of Zehner Consulting’s services and activities are designed to give civic leaders and entrepreneurs the tools and insight they need to set their sights on long-term goals that create wealth and sustainability for their communities and enterprises.

CORE SERVICES

Market Analysis, Research, and Feasibility Studies

Every organization – whether nonprofit, small business, local or international – must intimately know its target markets and the customers that it serves. Zehner Consulting has over 5 years of experience analyzing secondary demographic and psycho-graphic sources as well as designing, executing, and analyzing primary research projects like customer surveys and focus groups. The marketing research and feasibility studies that Morgan has completed have resulted in the creation of new organizations, enterprises, and programs.

Fund Development Strategy

Before your organization can accomplish anything for your community, you need to be confident regarding your financial situation. Sales and fund-raising are a vital part of professionalism; your mission and your product are worth money. You need to be able to communicate your value proposition effectively to your constituents and clients. Every member of your team must be an active participant in the pitch. Zehner Consulting can help you establish a balanced, long-term fund-raising program that fits your mission, your community’s assets, and your local economy.

Strategic Planning and Visioning

Strategic planning is underutilized by too many organizations, both for-profit and nonprofit, and it shows. Even the most accomplished organizations can be reactive when it comes to quickly changing market conditions and funding sources. Morgan facilitates strategic planning processes and sessions that appropriately root organizations in the communities that they serve and provides them with detailed work plans for getting returns on their investments of resources.

Small Business Technical Assistance

Most small business entrepreneurs are driven by passion and possess operational excellence. However, running a successful enterprise requires a broad range of professional skills. Accounting and financial management, marketing and promotions management, and human resources and personnel management are vital to the success of all enterprises. Morgan’s diverse business experience gives him the ability coax strongly independent entrepreneurs into integrating best practices into their enterprises.

Streetscape and Infrastructure Construction Management Planning

The start of a long anticipated streetscape or infrastructure improvement project always follows years of very hard political work by community leaders. Unfortunately, the hard work is not finished when the funding is secured, the general contractor is selected, and the project breaks ground. Zehner Consulting can help to prepare businesses, residents and elected leaders for the hardships that come with construction projects. With many years of experience facilitating public space construction projects, Zehner Consulting fully understands all phases of streetscape projects from initial planning to project management to promoting the newly refurbished streets and sidewalks to visitors.

Neighborhood Business District Branding

Your community’s reputation and portrayal in the media is more important now than ever. Cities and regions compete furiously for residents that pay taxes, customers that purchase products and services, and firms that supply jobs, recruit skilled workers, and build business equity. Zehner Consulting can assist with the formulation of a unique brand strategy for your community. This includes a retention and promotion strategy geared toward the preservation of cultural assets that contribute to a strong sense of identity that can be expressed to media professionals and the general public.

Advocacy Strategy

It is incumbent upon community organizations to connect households and small businesses of limited economic resources with the financial largesse of government. In return, elected officials must be directly connected with the constituents that grant them the privilege of holding elected office. Zehner Consulting can assist with designing a long-term system that enables your community to improve its relations with elected representatives and have the solutions to your problems funded by state, local, and federal governments.

The ability of your organization to complete large projects that generate significant buzz and competitive advantage depends upon having mutually beneficial relationships with elected officials. The Government is a partner in your success and all elected officials need well organized constituents to accomplish their goals and make a lasting difference.

Attrition Management and Preparing Your Community’s Next Generation of Leaders

Our society is on the verge of a dramatic shift. The Baby Boomers that led our country and grew our economy in the last quarter of the 20th Century are exiting the professional ranks. Communities that will be successful in the long-term are actively attracting and retaining young people in entrepreneurial and leadership positions. As a proud member of Generation Y and an experienced community economic development professional, Morgan has the right perspective to give your organization for understanding the values that young people possess and the methods by which they form social groups and lasting partnerships. In order to prepare your community for the future you must involve young people today.

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