Growing a business is thrilling—hiring employees,scoping out new markets, and introducing products and services.Still,amid the excitement,there are bound to be some operational hiccups.Avo Solutions,because they are motivated to get the task done right the first time and spend that time saved with their families.In 2021,Avo Solutions was recognized as one of the 50 Most Innovative Companies to Watch by the CEO Views Magazine,in part,due to the firm’s Inc.exists to help smooth the way and keep growth on track.When companies face challenges,the team of expert consultants at Avo Solutions is ready to step in and help address the problem head on.
Modest beginnings
When Jenifer Namestka lost her management consulting job in the 2008 economic crash,she had a vision of a different future.She met her first goal of sidestepping unemployment benefits by working just eight hours a week as an independent contractor.Small wins led to bigger wins,and growth quickly followed.Now the CEO of Avo Solutions,Ms.Namestka has established a new vision: create and motivate a network of consultants that delivers quality solutions in eLearning, change management,project management and program metrics. The team at Avo Solutions consistently brings measurable value to client’s initiatives while fostering a cohesive culture of community,work-life balance,and life-long learning.
Avo Solutions has always understood that supporting employees’ work-life balance is essential for a strong company culture full of energized and committed employees.As highly skilled,experienced and efficient professionals,Avo consultants require minimal day-to-day management because they are motivated to get the task done right the first time—and spend that time saved with their families.In 2021,Avo Solutions was recognized as one of the 50 Most Innovative Companies to Watch by the CEO Views Magazine,in part,due to the firm’s unwavering support of work-life balance.
Valuable—albeit unusual—pedigree
Unlike most change management consultants,Ms.Namestka’s undergraduate degree is in education.This unique perspective infuses her approach to business challenges.She explains,”As an educator,I knew that if I wanted to see improvements whether in classroom or project success continuous learning had to be a foundational concept.Our solutions focus on people and their behaviors.As a teacher you’re taught that the environment can influence behavior.So,if we can create an environment that celebrates open dialog,transparency,and continuous learning,we’re more likely to reach our goals.”
The art of change management
Avo Solutions believes that the art of change management lies in the multitude of elements that keep a client moving through the adoption life cycle.Avo knows the key to success often lies in how leadership,behavior and process intersect. Project teams need encouragement to stay engaged; they need reinforcements when setbacks happen.Stakeholders will see the value of work and be more consultants require minimal day-to-day management likely to continue to support the project when project outcomes are clearly defined,measured and communicated. Avo works hard to consistently quantify and communicate incremental improvements as part of a larger formalized change management process.This approach pays off.
Delivering immediate and measurable results
Recently,Avo Solutions was engaged by a multinational tech company.The firm had rolled out a collaboration 2.0 platform that was failing to achieve business value. More distressingly,the platform was becoming a barrier to performance.Avo helped the organization design a bottom-up (grass roots) adoption strategy using highly engaged influencers supported by structured collaboration and change management tools.Avo not only designed the adoption strategy, but also the supporting assessments,metrics,and governance.The results were immediate and impressive:
◼ 100% of 90-day opt-in goal;
◼ 380% of the first-year adoption goal;
◼ 450% of post-training participation and engagement goal;
◼ 20+ case studies generated for the marketing plan, achieving
◼ 105% of the client’s case study goal.
Refining solutions for governmental agencies
After landing a contract with the State of California,the Avo Solutions team realized they needed to adjust some of their approaches to better fit government procedures.Government projects are generally longer in duration and more detailed in specifications,radically shifting how and when project decisions are made.“It took a few months to get acclimated to State contract work.The biggest shift was that all decisions must have a long shelf life.In the private sector,a decision can be scrapped after a month or a quarter and a new direction put in place.In government,decisions can set precedence,so each one involves thoughtful discussion, patience,and trust,”says Ms. Namestka.Now Avo Solutions moves confidently between government and private sector clients,helping each to succeed by delivering measurable results on time and within budget.
Looking ahead
To broaden its reach,Avo Solutions has established strategic partnerships in other sectors,such as water resources and geotech consulting.The team has successfully implemented safety programs,environmental compliance, and financial management systems within State government.
“Avo Solutions believes that the art of change management lies in the multitude of elements that keep a client moving through the adoption lifecycle“
Avo Solutions offers the following specialized implementation services:
- Change management services monitor and address leadership readiness, performance metrics, and organizational messaging setting the stage for individual, program, and organization success. Avo helps provide clients with the clear, comprehensive information necessary for project success.
- Program implementation engages structured methodologies to ensure project success. From virtual collaboration platforms and eLearning technologies to compliance program redesigns,Avo delivers tangible, measurable results for private and public organizations of all sizes.
- Program metrics involves knowing what to measure, and when. Communicating metrics is critical to assessing a program’s success and securing future funding. Avo helps formalize and measure ROI and other important metrics to ensure program adoption and success.
About Avo Solutions
Avo brings more than 20years of experience developing strategies, overseeing large program implementations and managing organizational transformation.The Avo team has worked with more than 250 clients, including governments ,nonprofits,small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) and Fortune 100 companies in the United States,Canada,the United Kingdom and Africa. In 2020,Avo was recognized as a Top 10 Change Management Consulting / Services company from Manage HR Magazine.
