In Park Ridge, Illinois is found the headquarters of one of the oldest and most successful management consulting firms in the United States: the George S. May International Company. From its beginning in 1925 to its current well-established roots, the firm has evolved into a successful source of business intelligence where on any day of the week consultants from the George S May International Company can be found working with clients in over 3,000 industries all across the U.S. and in Canada and Mexico.

The primary client or niche of the George S May International Company is the small or medium-sized business market. These companies have largely not had accessibility to consulting services that understand or were interested in addressing the unique challenges of the family-owned business nor have other firms been able to provide expertise in the development of more productive processes, reduction of time-consuming or wasteful systems or the management/business acumen to become consistently profitable. Since it is widely known that small business is the lifeblood of the U.S. economy, the George S May International Company has found the opportunity to directly and positively impact the free enterprise system through the support available for these business owners.

Founder:George S May

The George S May International Company was founded by Mr. George S. May whom, after leaving the farm on which he was born, graduated from college. Eventually he had a sales career and then worked for a farm equipment manufacturer. In the 1920s George S. May had developed enough of a knowledge and skill base to begin marketing himself as a small business consultant. Not only was George S. May a successful business consultant, he also contributed significantly to the promotion and popularity of the game of golf. George S. May was the owner of the Tam O’Shanter Golf Club in Niles, IL. Due to his nature as a promoter, George S. May was able to make the game more attractive to the public at large by looking at the business aspects of golf and adding features to the golf course that would attract more people to the game. Because of his ground-breaking and progressive ideas, George S. May was inducted into the Illinois Professional Golf Association Hall of Fame in 1992; his award plaque attributes George S. May as being called golf’s “King of Promotion.” Over the years, George S. May received many mentions including Golf Magazine’s 100 Heroes of American Golf. Tom Govedarica dedicated an entire chapter in his book “Chicago Golf: The First 100 Years” to The George S. May Decade: 1951-1960.

Consulting Engagements

Management consultants of the George S May International Company are trained in techniques and methods specific to achieving profitability and efficiency in all areas and categories of business. Business owners in Food Service, Construction, Dealerships, Health Care, Hospitality, Retail, Transportation, Manufacturing, Agriculture, and Wholesale seem to be specifically interested in our work, although every business platform has many of the same business challenges and benefit from our work. Mr. George S May developed specific methodology and techniques to increase a business’ bottom line based on directly influencing productivity, efficiency, and eliminating waste. The team approach utilized by the George S May International Company includes a comprehensive review by an analyst of a company’s operations and its ultimate, consummate, achievable financial potential. The purpose of the Survey is to determine how GSM consultants may be of assistance, what benefits can be obtained, and at what cost. The George S May International Company-trained management consultant then further refines the analyst’s findings to develop strategies that correct and repair a business’ negative financial situation or enhance a currently profitable business.

Some of the typical “buzz words” you will hear on a George S May International Company consulting project are: monitor, measure, manage; metrics-management, engineering profits, reducing waste, operating reports, financial management, process flow, and flash reports. These are not only buzz words, but also crucial to the comprehensive development and installation of a George S May International Company consulting project that will provide sustainable results. Without these key factors solidly in place and functioning, a failing business cannot be corrected and a mildly-profitable business cannot experience financial growth. The approach of consultants from the George S May International Company differ from that of other management consulting firms as May’s consultants not only write management procedures but also train the business owner and key personnel in the correct way to use them and carry them out. Because of the way that George S May’s time-tested and proven strategies empower and educate clients, businesses that are already experiencing modest profits can be finely-tuned to run with greater efficiency.

Rather than run rough-shod over a business owner, on George S May International Company management consulting projects, the owner of the business is intimately involved in how the consulting project is installed at the business. In nearly every instance, the consultants serve as executive coaches so that the small/medium-sized business owner begins to think like the executive of a major corporation. Management consultants of the George S May International Company are seasoned business professionals with advanced degrees and years of experience in the business world. They, too, come from every industry GSMIC has historically served.

Communication with the business owner/client occurs at least daily, usually throughout the day as discoveries are made that the business owner should be made aware of and when work has been developed that requires the owner’s review. George S May International’s consultants provide written recommendations to the business owner that both quantify findings and provide the reasoning and logic behind the recommended solutions.

After a consulting engagement is completed, the George S May International Company continues to warranty it’s work through the World Class Client Care department. World Class Client Care provides customer/client assistance, at no charge, after the management consultants have concluded their assignment. The Client For Life Program administered by World Class Client Care arranges for a six-month check-up (at no additional charge) whereby a consultant provides an on-site, free of charge visit to ensure that the work installed is reaping the intended benefits and, where necessary, making improvements.

Consulting to the Medium-sized Business

Although medium-sized businesses can be similar in range and scope as the small business, they also face some of the identical challenges as mega corporations. These challenges can include staying abreast of recent technology, inflated expenses, minimizing risk, inventory control systems, and customer satisfaction issues. George S May International Company medium-sized business owners often confirm that it seems like they own a job with extremely long days and no vacations rather than owning a business that will set them and their families up financially for the future.

Michael Gerber has described this phenomenon in his widely published book; The E Myth , it says; What is the E-Myth?

The “E-Myth,” or Entrepreneurial Myth, is the flawed assumption that people who are expert at a certain technical skill will therefore be successful running a business of that kind.

• “I want to be my own boss”
• “I want to make more money”
• “I want to have have more time to enjoy my life”

Most small business owners assume that owning their own business will deliver on these goals. It’s a common misconception that because someone understands the nuts-and-bolts technical work, they will similarly understand how a business providing that sort of product or service should function. From the E-Myth point of view, small business owners struggle to achieve success because they are working in their business when they need to be working on their business. Eventually the day comes when they realize that just as they invested time and effort learning their technical skills, they now need to acquire business development and management skills.

For more than 80 years, George S May International Company has helped small business owners from every industry around the world gain the strategic perspective and develop the system strategies necessary to be successful.

In addition to what is listed for small businesses, consulting projects to the medium-sized business owner might also include how to strategize growth in key areas and establishing the ideal organizational and functional structure to give a business owner a much-improved quality of life. The Client For Life program with the six-month check-up visit by a management consultant is also a part of the engagement for the medium-sized business owner.

Two proprietary training programs that the George S May International Company utilizes to provide professional development to a client business owner and his key personnel are the Sales Professional Selling System and the Managing Productivity training program. Both of these training programs are practical, interactive, and appropriate within any industry. These seminar modules address the specific situations inside the business owner’s company. Additionally, both training programs are priced so reasonably that each salesperson and/or manager can participate without it being cost-prohibitive.

Do you need a business consultant to help get your business back on track? Contact the George S May International Company today to conduct an indepth business survey.