Subject-matter expert

I am an associated coach (certified by International Coach Federation – ICF UAE Chapter, Dec 2019) and I continuously upgrade my skills (i.e Designing Talent Certification Program Autoris 2022, Crypto Founders Klub Toa 2022, Leadership and Ethics: Moral Leadership in Personal Practice Harvard 2020).

I work on project assignments, as well as individual consultations. I provide expertise in the following business and technical areas:

Operations in a Start-up.

• Role of operations: daily operations and process routines, timely delivery, customer support.
• Operations mindset: operations decisions only numbers driven.
• Value chain canvas: end-to-end processes mapping and operations excellence.
• Operational risk and challenges: growing fast, expansion, team retention.
• Operations metrics: main KPIs and how to measure.
• Team capacity planning: prioritize bigger wins.

Operational Excellence.

• Lean Six Sigma (DMAIC): Define/ Measure/ Analyse/ Improve/ Control.
• Kaizen: Act/ Plan/ Do/ Check.
• Design for Six Sigma (DMADV): Define/ Measure/ Analyse/ Design/ Verify.
• Value stream management (VSM): current process/ eliminate waste/ improve/ implement.
• Lean principles: define value/ map value stream/ create flow/ establish pull/ pursuit perfection.
• Elimination of variations & maximising capacity: supply chain controls.
• Operationalising the voice of the customer (VOC): customer touch points.
• Desired outcome: error proof processes.

Supply Chain Management & Logistics.

• Understand the stages, associated advantages and risks.
• Technology systems: how to guarantee the fulfilment on time and in full.
• Multimodal transportation: sourcing and procurement in logistics.
• Omni-channel retailing.
• Usage of Blockchain in logistics and supply chain.

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Creating a Business Plan.

• Understanding audience.
• Understanding investors (i.e emotional, strategic, financial contributors).
• The 9 building blocks of the company.
• Agenda overview of business plan.
• Evaluating opportunities of entrepreneurs (personal goals, economic viability, teams ability to execute).
• Building a product: attractive, viable, feasible, investable.

Establishing Data-driven Decision Making.

• Identifying business objectives and ways to collect the data.
• Developing insights from data received.
• Establishing culture of action taking based on data insights.
• Investor reporting & seed raising (i.e business case vs P&L, unit economics, weekly investor reporting).
• Costs optimisation and stuff incentives.

Scaling Tech Start-up.

• Strategy on tasks automation, streamlining and outsourcing.
• Focusing on customer retention (i.e conversion rates for new vs exciting customers).
• Optimising product to reach key KPIs: home page, blog, products selection and pricing, check out.
• Building playbook fir international markets expansion.

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Leadship.

• What is Leadership about: intrinsic & extrinsic motivation, management vs leadership.
• Formulas vs. reality – theories and adaptation: leaders are made, not born.
• Risk and pressure – decision management for leaders: balance between self & ego, organisation/ culture/ community/ employees balance, techniques for persuasion.
• Identifying high potentials: actual measured performance vs loyalty.
• Stakeholder management and ethics.
• Competition and reward as leadership tools.
• Power & influence: balance or focus.
• Kotters 8 steps: from urgency to incorporating change into culture.

Leadership Survival Training.

• Authentic and persuasive leadership.
• Dependencies and networks.
• Friends and family.
• Providing effective feedback.
• Managing your boss (or your investor).
• Mentoring.
• Life story: how best to position yourself.

Cultural Competences.

• Arriving in new culture.
• Developing cultural competence.
• Respecting and understanding cultural diversity.
• Examples of indirect communications.
• How to build inclusive environment in the company.

Very truly yours, 
ILona B. Schukina