With more than thirty years of expertise in printing and marketing under his belt, Lance Hill assumed a leadership position at 8 Group where he anticipated his rich experience would drive consistent company growth. Lance developed expertise in digital printing and AI-driven direct mail campaigns but became preoccupied with routine operational duties including vendor management and staff issue resolution. Upon realizing that his daily tasks did not align with his future goals, Lance chose to work with ActionCOACH to create structured strategies and measurable objectives.
His initial goal was to develop 8 Group into a leading company that delivers printing and marketing services by merging traditional channels with modern data platforms. He understood that ambition by itself was insufficient to meet clients' demands for more comprehensive and automated service solutions. Lance’s understanding evolved significantly through business coaching with Anu Khanna which revealed the critical need for robust leadership structures while emphasizing data-driven measurements and creating unity around company objectives. Lance declares that their goal is to excel in customer service and become the best company even though their prices might not be the lowest. The new clarity enabled 8 Group to increase its revenue significantly while transforming operational workflows and redefining its position in a dynamic industry.
The Industry Landscape
The printing and marketing sector has undergone immense changes, with traditional print runs now merged with digital outreach, AI-driven analytics, and deeper personalization. Many legacy businesses, slow to adapt, have seen market shares slip away, while others embraced new tech without an underpinning of strong leadership or effective processes. 8 Group occupied a middle ground. Though it had diversified beyond simple print orders, offering design work, direct mail, and data-centered marketing, its internal structure was not yet primed to handle a fast-expanding client base.
Lance recognized that succeeding in this fluid environment demanded more than upgraded machinery. It required a cohesive leadership team and workforce aligned with ambitious but attainable goals. “Customer is King, 100%,” Lance explains. “But to keep the customer at the center, you need the right structures and the right mindset. You can’t just give lip service to express quality.” His decision to engage a coach Anu Khanna emerged from the belief that technology alone would not spark lasting change. Instead, 8 Group needed a holistic approach that involved leadership realignment, staff empowerment, and refined project management.
Recognizing The Need For Coaching
Despite steady gains, cracks appeared in 8 Group’s operational foundation. Employees struggled with unclear roles. Sales pipelines fluctuated, causing uneven revenue. Production bottlenecks, sporadically addressed continued to persist. Lance spent too much time reacting to crises, leaving little room for exploring fresh partnerships or expanding core services.
Certain that the firm was not fully realizing its potential, Lance searched for a more structured solution. He had glimpsed the benefits of leadership support earlier in his career but had never pursued a consistent coaching arrangement. “My 35-year career taught me a lot about the difference between a manager and a leader,” he notes, “but sometimes you need another perspective to sharpen your leadership.” Initial talks with ActionCOACH Anu revealed a method grounded in short planning cycles, data-backed progress checks, and recalibrating leadership tasks. Intrigued by these guiding principles, Lance accepted that pure experience could not replace the rigor of external accountability and a more systematic approach.
Partnering With ActionCOACH
After committing to coaching, Lance quickly observed a shift in his leadership mindset. Together with Anu, he clarified both revenue aspirations and cultural values, then mapped the firm’s existing organizational chart. This exercise exposed accountability gaps that were fueling inefficiency. Key performance indicators soon anchored 8 Group’s day-to-day operations, moving the organization away from reactive habits.
Another early insight was Lance’s over-involvement in smaller tasks, from negotiating minor vendor deals to mediating production hiccups. “I learned I was spinning too many plates,” he recalls. “Coaching forced me to focus on the big picture, not every minor detail.” Freed from these duties, Lance cultivated strategic partnerships with data and AI suppliers and bolstered 8 Group’s brand image. Weekly check-ins replaced sporadic meetings, reinforcing continuous KPI evaluation and fostering a sense of collective ownership among team leaders.
Restructuring Teams And Processes
Anu's Coaching also spotlighted key structural flaws. For instance, the outdated quoting system for print and mailing projects slowed sales responses. With Anu’s prompting, Lance formed a cross-functional task force that selected an integrated tool, combining costs for design, printing, mailing, and AI-driven personalization. This improved quote turnaround times and elevated 8 Group’s presentation to prospects.
Performance metrics emerged throughout production as well. By monitoring error rates, inventory usage, and job completion timelines, staff eliminated longstanding inefficiencies. At the coach’s urging, Lance championed small but regular celebrations of these milestones, deepening motivation and clarifying how individual tasks tied into 8 Group’s mission. Although some worried about data overshadowing creativity, they soon recognized that consistency and metrics empowered innovation instead of stifling it.
Boosting Revenue And Customer Engagement
When 8 Group formally tied departmental metrics to broader objectives, the financial results were striking. Within two years of applying ActionCOACH's principles, the company tripled its revenue. Lance attributes this leap to improved sales pipelines, swifter quote processes, and higher client retention. “We want to be above and beyond for the customer, and that means being relentless in how we serve them,” he explains. By mapping each stage of the sales funnel, the firm pinpointed where it lost prospects, and then enhanced follow-up tactics through personalized communication and strategic offers.
Clients also observed 8 Group’s growing sophistication. Integrating printing expertise with analytics, the team launched advanced direct mail solutions that elevated open rates and conversions. From local startups to established corporations, businesses valued how 8 Group combined tried-and-true reliability with innovative digital strategies. Word-of-mouth referrals increased, driven by a synergy between advanced printing solutions and a reputation for attentive, high-quality service.
Lance devoted more time to industry networking as well. Encouraged by his coach, he attended relevant events, forging alliances that bolstered 8 Group’s capabilities. These partnerships created fresh revenue channels and introduced new tech that streamlined production while enhancing campaign personalization. By constantly evaluating how each innovation fit into long-term goals, Lance personified the coaching mindset—balancing daily execution with strategic planning
Empowering Employees Through Coaching Principles
A key outcome of coaching was a more engaged, empowered workforce. “We doubled in size in terms of headcount, we tripled in turnover, but coaching taught me I couldn’t do it all myself,” Lance remarks. ActionCOACH encourages transparency and ongoing feedback, and these concepts were rolled out across the organization. Managers took ownership of their domains, introducing or refining production workflows, marketing ideas, and data-driven strategies.
Departmental boundaries began to soften. People in design collaborated with sales and data teams to ensure that aesthetic concepts resonated with targeted audiences. This synergy shortened turnaround times, reduced errors, and allowed 8 Group to tackle more complex client needs without sacrificing service quality. The result was an open, adaptable culture that retained staff and allowed new hires to quickly integrate.
Lance found that stepping back from micromanagement unleashed surprising creativity among employees. Instead of every minor supplier glitch landing on Lance’s desk, leaders made swift decisions, seeking final approval only for major commitments. The transformation mirrored a broader ActionCOACH principle: by defining accountability structures, the organization collectively boosts efficiency.
Long-term Strategic Advantages
Although immediate gains included higher revenue and operational efficiency, the benefits of coaching also showed in 8 Group’s adaptability to new market realities. Whenever AI-driven tools or advanced printing techniques emerged, the team, with short planning cycles and consistent performance reviews, evaluated whether they aligned with top priorities. This responsiveness often gave 8 Group a head start in adopting innovations.
The company’s brand reputation continued to flourish. Clients noted that while many printing providers focus on mechanical execution, 8 Group offered genuine collaboration. Favorable reviews and referrals further expanded 8 Group’s digital presence, bringing in qualified leads through robust marketing pipelines. Meanwhile, the refined approach to hiring, guided by forecasts of future needs, prevented last-minute staffing scrambles.
A Coaching-driven Future
Looking ahead, Lance plans to extend 8 Group’s reach geographically while enhancing its data analytics and AI personalization capabilities. Key coaching tenets such as systematic goal-setting, ongoing accountability, and inclusive leadership will remain integral. Lance acknowledges the printing and marketing sector moves quickly; maintaining a coach’s outside perspective helps 8 Group pivot without compromising core values.
He also envisions cultivating emerging leaders from within. “Bringing the right people in and seeing them grow is part of it,” he says. “That’s how we keep the culture strong as we expand.” Guided by the same coaching-driven approach, each department invests in training and leadership development, reinforcing the cycle of innovation and employee engagement. If recent progress is any indication, 8 Group’s future will mix industry experience with cutting-edge ideas, upheld by the discipline instilled through coaching.
Future of 8 Group
8 Group’s evolution underscores how a business in a dynamic market can harness structured thinking, strong accountability measures, and data-informed insights to achieve transformative growth. Lance Hill’s extensive industry background served as a solid foundation, yet the pivotal spark came when he partnered with ActionCOACH professional Anu Khanna, who brought a fresh perspective and the tools to integrate staff, processes, and technology more effectively.
While the financial metrics, like tripled revenue, offer clear evidence of success, Lance also values the intangible improvements in team cohesion. Departments collaborate more frequently, leadership invests time in forward planning, and employees feel a deeper stake in shared objectives. Through targeted performance reviews and consistent short planning cycles, 8 Group has become an agile, innovative force rather than a reactive service provider.
For leaders weighed down by daily operational headaches and seeking a fresh path to growth, 8 Group’s story highlights the powerful change a dedicated business coach can provide. “We want to be above and beyond for the customer,” Lance reiterates, “and that starts with building the right culture and the right processes. Coaching got us there.” By merging legacy expertise with forward-focused leadership, 8 Group stands as a testament to the enduring value of strategic vision, transparent management, and a willingness to adapt are key ingredients for any company aiming to stay relevant and thrive in a challenging industry environment.
If you are thinking of taking the next steps towards new found entrepreneurial success, request a discovery call today with ActionCOACH. Learn what steps you can take to improve your business and how to reach new heights.