Lean Finance and Operations

Every professional’s journey has defining moments that shape their career and, more importantly, their mission. For me, that moment was what I now call The Million Dollar Project. It was way more than just saving some costs; it was about transforming how work gets done, empowering people, and blowing past a level of efficiency the company didn’t think was even possible.

Allow me to take you behind the curtain of one of the most consequential projects I’ve ever helmed. Strap in tight—this is one project worth reading about.

The Problem Nobody Wanted to Own

A company employed me at that time whose principal product was nearly completely put together by hand. The assembly was a painstaking process that relied on a small army of people working in shifts. Yet with each shared set of performance numbers, one thing stood out like a sore thumb: labor costs were sky-high.

It wasn’t just the facts and figures that got us down; it was the sight of them getting worse and knowing they were affecting our performance bonuses. Morale was slipping. When the Site Director finally rallied us and addressed the situation, his words echoed in my head for a long time: “We’re doing what we can”. Return on investment is a little low right now. Customer satisfaction is pretty high, however. Phew!”

Yet, at the core of my being, I was certain that we were capable of achieving greater things.

Connecting the Dots (and the Departments)

I didn’t take the status quo for an answer; I rolled up my sleeves and reached out to the engineering team. My communication with them was collaborative, never accusatory. Curiosity and a lot of questions on my part led us to launch a process mapping initiative, where our inefficiencies became our inefficiencies, and we worked together to resolve them.

What we found was astonishing.

It wasn’t really a “line” at all. The production line had evolved organically over time, pieced together without a flow that was obviously strategic. Workers were doubling back, handling steps that seemed necessary but really were not, and repeating tasks that could be simplified—or even eliminated. We found manual processes that could be automated and others that needed smarter sequencing or better tools.

Designing the Future Line

With executive and engineering backing, we overhauled the process completely. We:

• Removed unnecessary jobs.
• Material flow is focused to minimize unnecessary handling and wasted motion.
• Implemented semi-automated workstations where feasible.
• Distributing the workloads evenly on all workstations and workgroups so each has an approximately equal amount of work to do. That way, there are no bottlenecks.
• Lean Six Sigma principles were employed to validate each modification.

What was the outcome? A completely reorganized production system that operated at a higher speed, with a greater degree of smoothness, and with significantly reduced manual labor.

The Impact: $1 Million in Labor Savings

When we had finished the project, the figures were astonishing:

• Annual labor savings of $1 million, which finance has verified.
• A significant increase in production output permits us to meet the ever-growing demand.
• All employees were moved to essential positions that were previously delayed because of staff shortages. None were let go.
• Increased employee morale as a result of decreased manual labor and illuminated operations.
• A more streamlined, nimble operation poised for growth tomorrow

And for me, this project brought my Six Sigma Green Belt certification, a significant marker in my career that I will always remember with pride.

More Than Just a Project

It wasn’t just about lowering expenses. It was about demonstrating that with the proper attitude and teamwork, we can tackle any issue—even those long considered to be “just the way things are.”

It was also about respecting people. We didn’t cut jobs—we made them better. We gave team members the chance to do work that was of a higher value and to contribute to the business in new ways. That’s a win for everyone.

Want Results Like This at Your Company?

This is what I do. I address operational problems, find concealed opportunities, and assist firms in becoming leaner, swifter, and more profitable—without compromising their workforce or the caliber of their products.

If you find yourself in a cycle of ineffectiveness, weary of the refrain, “We’re doing what we can,” or poised to elevate your operations, I’d be happy to engage in dialogue.

Let’s find your Million Dollar Project.

Connect with us today—and let’s start transforming your business.