Corporate Challenge: Gaining the clients trust in the financial services industry.

Ironbound Strategy: To communicate trust, a financial services provider needs a risk culture that will ensure strong cash flow and prudent risk management. A strong cohesion exists between risk culture and brands. Building trust through risk culture involves building a powerful brand that is continuously creating more value for customers, employees, and society.

Ironbound Action: For nearly 170 years, New York Life has been creating customer value by keeping their promises. They are proud of the value they create in society with the highest financial strength rating awarded to any life insurer. Their brand is so powerful that they invite us to explore the depth of their commitments with both current and past employees.

Corporate Challenge: Expanding into international markets.

Ironbound Strategy: Creating a powerful brand in international markets requires patience and a long-term investment strategy.  Consumer behavior differs across regions and markets. To create the best customer value these differences need to be thoroughly understood before entering. After entering, the company should maintain focus on creating customer value specific to the new market. Be prepared to adapt to new challenges.

Ironbound Action: Starbucks is a great example of a successful international growth strategy. When first entering a new market, Starbucks selectively partners with locations to ensure their service is best positioned to reach the target market. Customer value and service differs depending on the region. In Asia menu items reflect local tastes with an emphasis on a trendy American experience. In the Middle East the dessert options are greater and more couches are available for a relaxed experience.

Corporate Challenge: In a fiercely competitive market space, management needs the best innovation and collaboration from their teams.

Ironbound Strategy: Create employee value through workplace design that makes going to work enjoyable. Powerful brands differentiate from competitors with holistic value creation for customers, employees,
and society.

Ironbound Action: Google believes creative things are most likely to happen with the right company culture. They are pushing the boundaries of the workplace by designing environments that are both fun and innovative. For example, most software engineers at Google are given the freedom to design their own unconventional work spaces; giving them options such as standing desks or even attached treadmills for those that chose to walk
and work.