Adam Smith (Schooley Mitchell): From Enterprise Change Leader to Cost-Cutting Franchise Pro
Adam Smith is a Midwest-raised entrepreneur who spent a decade in commercial banking and two decades in management consulting before buying a Schooley Mitchell franchise. He matters to founders because he blends Fortune-500 change expertise with a simple, results-only promise for SMBs: if he can’t save you money, you don’t pay. Today, Adam helps small to mid-sized companies optimize essential operating costs while strengthening culture and buy-in across teams.
Adam’s career arc runs through high-stakes transformation—helping leaders craft compelling change narratives, segment internal audiences, and drive real adoption. Now he brings that same rigor to cost categories most businesses overlook, freeing cash to reinvest in people, technology, and growth.
Key Takeaways from the Episode:
Lead change like a marketer: Treat employees as internal customers—segment audiences, address macro/micro concerns, and launch a clear change narrative with “what’s in it for me” baked in.
Culture is a performance lever: Post-pandemic, winning leaders talk openly about culture, purpose, and employee experience—not just KPIs.
Ideal client profile: Companies ~$1M+ revenue and/or complexity (multi-location, multiple lines) see the biggest gains across telecom/data, merchant processing, shipping, waste, and e-subscriptions.
Contingency model, low lift: A 30–45 minute discovery plus recent billing statements; Schooley Mitchell analyzes, negotiates with incumbents (80% stay) and competitive vendors, and audits for 36 months.
Why now: Inflation and rising retention costs make cost containment a strategic advantage—shift savings into people and growth.
Memorable Quote:
“If I can’t save you two dollars, I’m not going to earn one dollar.”