Mark Hess is not reinventing the wheel, yet his approach to Mid-Market consulting is undoubtedly innovative. After studying economics and mechanical engineering, earning an MBA from the Tuck School at Dartmouth, and working for Bain & Company, he began his own entrepreneurial venture, which "hatched over beer and pool," as many great ideas do.

Hess recognized the need for Bain-level consulting in the Mid-Market. So, he founded Maven Associates in 2010 to provide tier-one consulting for the space. "We're able to bring a talent level, a perspective, and the tools that are normally found in a Fortune 500 company to the Mid-Market at a price point that fits," Hess said.

Why the Mid-Market? Hess and his team are energized by problem-solving and the opportunity to shape strategies and build solutions that impact the entire business. They adapt robust, tried-and-true frameworks from big consultancies to meet the needs of Mid-Market clients to overcome challenging issues and get leaders to a decision point.

"Executives have a day job, and it's really difficult to get the time, focus, and bandwidth to move a project forward," Hess noted. "We're 100 percent dedicated and involve multiple people to get a project done."

To realize his mission and ensure exceptional quality and real-world results, Hess only enlists consultants who are alumni of Bain, BCG or McKinsey. Maven's innovative model gives the firm's clients access to a wide pool of consultants — with specific industry or functional expertise — across three core services: growth strategy, operational improvement, and due diligence.

The first is growth strategy. Hess and his team research the competitive landscape to guide clients looking to improve their value proposition, lift their margins, and balance various growth opportunities and risks.

The second is operational improvement. It could be pricing, cost structure, both overhead and variable. 

The third core service is due diligence for private equity, which involves assessing the size, growth rate, profitability, and markets of the target. 

The firm also offers annual planning and facilitation for select clients.

Recently, Maven's commitment was recognized by Texas-based multi-strategy investment firm and client Satori Capital. Maven was honored with the peer-selected Guiding Principle Award "Be a Great Partner," which is awarded annually to a Satori partner that creates value for others first, lives authentically, positions stakeholders for growth and success, and communicates transparently.

"Mark has a talent for assembling great teams with the right experience who do the deep research and ask the right questions to generate industry insights," said Rugger Burke, Principal of Private Equity at Satori.

Looking forward into 2023 and beyond, Hess sees the ongoing effects of COVID on growth areas for the Mid-Market. "There are new winners, new losers, and companies need to get out in front of the changes that are driving that," said Hess.

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