Weil Lifestyle, LLC

When Larry Tree co-founded Weil Lifestyle, LLC, back in 2001, the decision to bring in MAP was an easy one for him. Tree had used MAP for developing other businesses in the past. He knew the veteran consultancy could help produce strong results for this new media and healthy lifestyle company, created specifically for major fund raising around the brand of the internationally renowned physician, Andrew Weil, M.D. Much more difficult, however, was convincing the other team members that Weil Lifestyle needed MAP. According to Tree, his associates recognized the logic and sensibility behind MAP principles. However, they also believed they could easily implement the approach themselves. Healthy business management would just happen naturally, they figured. A few years later and despite these convictions Weil Lifestyle still lacked the goals and controls that would enable the company to achieve its mission to be a $100-million-plus brand company without exceeding the number of employees or overhead that would fill a simple 3,000 square foot office space.

WEIL LIFESTYLE, LLC

Orange, CA

Larry Tree

Owner
Casestudy Weil
Map Casestudies Graphic

THE CHALLENGE

Services Used

The MAP Management System

MAP Workshops

Achievements

$20 Million in Annual Sales

Increased Staffing

THE SOLUTION

Noting this roadblock to success, Tree persisted in his belief that MAP could bring focus to the company’s mission and its people. With Weil Lifestyle perched on the brink of growth in 2005, Tree hired one of MAP’s top consultants to bring in a more structured management approach. In September 2006, the company started implementing the MAP system and holding regular Vital Factor meetings centered on goals and controls – setting objectives, problem solving, team consulting, and implementing measures and methods for accountability. The employees also learned the value behind new beliefs, such as: It’s just as important to decide what not to work on as it is to decide what to work on. And, although not everyone initially embraced accountability when they experienced the benefits, they loved it. In addition, Weil Lifestyle’s founding employees – as well as new team members – attended MAP’s 2.5-day workshop, a regular offering in the Phoenix area. The participation created “buy in” to the MAP program and got people at Weil Lifestyle excited – even hooked – on the importance of a structured business-management system.

THE RESULTS

With the guidance of MAP’s team consultant, Weil Lifestyle has used Vital Factor meetings to set, monitor and manage the company’s crucial goals and controls, plus further cultivate accountability. Weil Lifestyle adopted MAP’s language, resulting in stronger communication and understanding within the team. MAP has taught Weil Lifestyle several valuable and profitable lessons, including the importance of tracking the Vital One, or the one responsibility or task that a team member must absolutely accomplish each month. Weil Lifestyle meets this regular goal over 95 percent of the time. The team has also benefited from focusing on what it can control instead of what it cannot. For example, finding ways to save money is utterly controllable. To date, Weil Lifestyle has saved over $750,000 just by team members bringing $500 cost-cutting ideas to every Vital Factor meeting. The economy has been tough, yet Weil Lifestyle – not yet a decade old – provides a stellar example of extreme profitability. To date, the company averages an impressive $150,000 EBITDA per full-time employee, and, with MAP’s help, plans to continue its track record of achievement to bring millions of dollars to the Weil Foundation (www.WeilFoundation.org).