Blog

Andrew McKee shares and elaborates upon the key factors that go into building a revenue forecast model. One of our most sought-after commercial strategy services is the creation of revenue forecasts. As such, we’ve spent numerous projects ruminating on the most influential uncertainties in building revenue forecasts, and how to best converge on a reliable estimate. We’ll share our thoughts below, and hope they are helpful, whether in assisting you in building out your forecast or understanding our approach during…

In this concise post, Susan Meier explores the art of building ‘better’. “Art is the generous act of making things better by doing something that might not work.” – Seth Godin “We have to do better.” How many times have you heard that said in the past few years? I’ve lost count. In arenas ranging from global and political to personal and professional, many of us are earnestly (desperately) seeking ways to do and be better. It can feel like…

In this comprehensive post from Neeraj Monga, the insolvency of the First Republic Bank is explored. First Republic Bank (“FRC”, or the “Bank), with a current market capitalization of $4.2B, is still standing with conflicting opinions as to its viability. Although The Federal Reserve (“The Fed”), the U.S. Treasury, and a consortium of the largest U.S. banks agreed to provide deposit support of $30B for 120 days to FRC, the stock closed 32.8% lower for the day at $23.03. It…

Umbrex is pleased to welcome Matthew Sinclair. Matthew has ~7 years of Management Consulting (Bain) and Corporate Strategy and M&A (Microsoft) experience from 2015-2022. He joined Bain’s San Francisco & Silicon Valley office as an Associate Consultant in 2015 after graduating from a Bachelor of Commerce at the University of Melbourne with First Class Honors. At Bain, he worked as a generalist strategy consultant across various industries and capability areas before departing in 2019 and joining Microsoft. At Microsoft, he…

In this article, Evren Ozkaya explores labor tracking technologies and how they can improve production.  Factories around the world are experiencing one of two emergencies during the COVID-19 pandemic. They are either experiencing demand surge (e.g., personal protection equipment – PPE, hand sanitizers, essential pharmaceuticals) or demand loss (e.g., automotive, oil & gas products, non-essential consumer goods). In either case, factories need to respond fast & effectively to the change in demand/supply balance by increasing their capacities to meet the…

Yuri Narciss shares an article on the current, standard education model and a few views on how it can be improved.  I have worked in the education sector for the last three years as a member of the Global Executive Team of Study Group in charge of marketing and sales. Joining from Google, my background and perspective is very different from the majority of professionals in the sector. With all the hype around Online learning and $3.1B investment flowing into…

Umbrex is pleased to welcome Akshata Prabhu.  Akshata is a former Bain & Company Manager, with experience leading teams of 5-10 associates since 2021. She has over five years of experience at Bain in projects across Consumer & Retail (revenue growth strategy, new product / category entry, consumer segmentation, price-pack architecture, route-to-market) and Commercial Due Diligences (for 20+ early-stage US, EMEA and APAC assets as part of Bain’s PE/VC ring-fence). She also has early-stage operator experience as part of the…

Norbert Paddags shares an article on the combination of digital solutions and personal communication in wealth management.  Hybrid solutions in wealth management Hybrid models are the panacea that make driving fun and at the same time allow you to have a clear conscience thanks to the electric drive. But hybrid solutions are not only in fashion in the automotive sector, but also in wealth management. What is meant here is the combination of digital solutions and personal communication, which increases…

This article from Jonathan Paisner explores the integration of  thought leadership articles from employees and brand management of the company. QUESTION: HOW DO COMPANIES WITHOUT A STRONG, CENTRALIZED EDITORIAL FUNCTION ENCOURAGE EMPLOYEES TO BUILD THOUGHT LEADERSHIP PLATFORMS, WHILE ALSO ENSURING QUALITY CONTROL AND BRAND ADHERENCE?*  As thought leadership platforms evolve into audio/video/digital experiences, there is a greater risk that poor production quality or poor execution can undercut the carefully crafted look/feel/voice of the brand.  Here are 6 things you can…

Umbrex is pleased to welcome Jack Howard.  Jack was as an Associate (promoted from Junior Associate) in McKinsey’s London office for 3 years, where he worked across a range of industries and functions, with a particular industry focus on Public Sector, Financial Services and Consumer Goods. In terms of functional experience has worked on Strategy, Transformation and Organisational culture and change. In 2021, he turned freelance, since when he has continued to serve clients across these areas, alongside early stage…

This article from Carlo Palmieri on the future of self-driving cars was written more than a few years ago, but does it forecast the near future? The Internet of Things is a reality and it is going to permeate our daily lives even more in the near future. From Smart Homes to Wearables and Connected Cars, the applications of Internet of Things are rapidly increasing in number. In this context  it is pivotal to understand what customers really think about…

Nathan Pamart shares the latest Climate Tech podcast in his series that interviews people from the companies leading the global race to decarbonisation. In this episode, you are going to learn about a company building a marketplace to help building owners get to net zero by helping them measure their energy footprint, and fund certified energy efficiency projects through a marketplace.  WattCarbon is a San Francisco based company that focuses on building a clean energy platform that connects organization to…