Ignite has worked closely with a high-performance automotive dealership group for several years, whose disciplined embrace of strategic planning has propelled them to market leadership. In 2020—despite the challenges of a global pandemic—they achieved their best year on record. By mid-2021, they were on track to surpass those results yet again.
While maintaining leadership of the auto group, three senior leaders, in addition to their tech-savvy colleagues from outside the organization, decided to enter into a new stream of business. Rooted in the automotive industry but branching into uncharted territory, this new venture was born to fill a market gap.
Without a formal plan, it quickly gained traction: $60K in year one, $200K in year two, and $400K in year three. What they built was powerful—but it lacked intention or structure. They built a rocket, lit the fuse, and watched as the rocket took off faster than expected. But the rocket had no flight plan, no destination, and no organized crew.
Recognizing the need to make critical decisions about growth and an eventual exit, the team turned to Ignite to facilitate a strategic process designed to create short, medium, and long-term clarity for their business.
Our Approach
Each team member was clear on what they thought needed to happen—but their views diverged significantly. One advocated for rapid franchising. Another pushed for refining and licensing the software. A third focused on scaling core operations. Each saw a path forward—but only from their vantage point.
The conditions were set for a debate over who was right. However, we knew this wouldn’t yield a sustainable or effective strategy. A different approach was required.
Recognizing that this wasn’t a matter of choosing one idea over another, but of integrating multiple perspectives into one cohesive strategy, we introduced our Inform, Align, Act framework to guide the process.
Implementation
Inform
We conducted one-on-one interviews with each leader, exploring not only their own area but also the broader business. This encouraged them to adopt a wider perspective, appreciating the organization’s overall resource constraints.
After gathering these insights, we presented them to the CEO, who gained a clear view of how each component fit into the bigger picture. It became evident that the team’s views were more aligned than they initially realized—fundamentally consistent but framed from different perspectives. What remained was creating the space for the leaders to share these perspectives openly and discover their common ground.
Align
Next, we set out to align the full team by bringing them together to review and discuss our findings.Some of the themes led to a lively conversation. Others were met with grins and head nods. Slowly, a corporate identity for the company began to emerge.
This new identity set the stage for a shared vision. The team gained aligned clarity on their 5-year future state and agreed on pursuing the sale of the company.
Act
With the flight plan’s destination set, the team began to seamlessly construct a strategy in pursuit of their vision. They clearly identified short-, medium-, and long-term goals for each business component, clarifying resource requirements and interdependencies.
With a flight plan in place, the team was ready to act.
The Results
Through this engagement, the venture transitioned from an exciting, fast-growing startup into a strategically focused business with a clear identity and path forward. Key outcomes included:
- An aligned five-year vision, culminating in a shared goal to sell the business by an aligned team
- A formalized strategic plan, with integrated goals and resource clarity across all revenue streams
- Renewed team alignment, with each leader understanding and supporting the role of the others
- A scalable foundation, ready to support sustainable growth and operational focus
This case demonstrates the power of slowing down to get aligned—even when growth is accelerating. With the right framework and facilitation, a strong team doesn’t just build a rocket. They build a flight plan, crew the mission, and chart a course to a successful landing.
