HEFT7 Let’s talk
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Give
change weight.

Performance. Transformation. Execution.

We set the direction of growth for companies by combining strategic advisory with implementation. We work with owners, boards and investors — from business analysis and prioritisation through to strategy execution, performance improvement and operating model transformation.

Experience as a foundation, not a formula. Solutions built to fit.

A woman in a dark suit sits in a leather armchair reading a newspaper with the headline “How experience builds innovative solutions”

A model that built a company’s position can continue to deliver results while limiting its further development. Customer needs, competitive conditions and owners’ objectives change. It is worth assessing whether the company’s strategy and way of operating allow it to make full use of its potential.

Business transformation starts with that assessment. We identify what gives the company its advantage, where growth potential exists and what is holding results back. On that basis we define the direction and scope of action — from improving a specific area to rebuilding the business model.

We preserve what creates value and develop the solutions needed for the next stage. We build the strategy together with owners, management boards and investors, taking into account the organisation’s capabilities and the conditions for delivering it.

We combine strategic advisory with management experience and accountability for implementation. The aim is to improve results and prepare the company for further growth.

Management perspective

We assess decisions by their impact on results and on the value of the company.

Scope matched to the objective

We work across the whole organisation or on a specific area of the business.

Accountability for implementation

We combine developing the strategy with leading its execution.

When we support

HEFT7 at the decisive moments of a business.

When a company needs a new direction, better results or delivery of a specific objective. We tailor the scope of our work to the situation — from a single process to the whole organisation.

  • A brass compass on an old map in warm light

    New direction

    Customer needs, competition or market conditions are changing.

    We review the strategy, customer segments and offer. We define how to strengthen competitive advantage.

  • The curved structure of a modern building in glass and stone; a figure on a staircase in the light of the setting sun

    Growth and expansion

    The company wants to enter new markets, develop a franchise or change its sales model.

    We assess potential and viability. We design the growth model and prepare the organisation to deliver it.

  • A fountain pen on a polished surface and a visualisation of rising financial indicators

    Profitability and efficiency

    Sales are not delivering the expected profit, costs are rising or liquidity problems are emerging.

    We identify the causes and implement actions that improve margin, costs and working capital. Where necessary, we lead restructuring.

  • A boardroom with leather armchairs and a long table in the warm light of the setting sun

    Organisation and management

    Structure, processes or the way decisions are made are constraining the business.

    We rebuild the operating model and clarify accountability and standards. We improve selected functions or the whole organisation.

  • A modern glass office building in the light of the setting sun, with clouds reflected in the façade

    Ownership and company value

    The company faces succession, a change of owner, the entry of an investor or preparation for a sale.

    We prepare the organisation for the next stage, ensure management continuity and carry out actions that increase the value of the business.

  • A document marked HEFT7 and a pen on a desk overlooking the city at sunset

    Strategy execution

    The company has a plan but lacks resources, coordination or effective implementation.

    We set priorities and lead delivery. We provide programme management, expert support or interim management.

Do you have a specific problem or business objective? Let’s define the scope of action.

Book a conversation

HEFT7 Method

Seven disciplines of effective transformation

An approach that turns complex change into measurable, lasting results. Each discipline has its own outcomes, so work can begin where the company needs it most: with a rapid diagnosis, a choice of direction or a redesign of a model that has stopped working. At every stage, practitioners from the HEFT7 network join where their experience makes the difference.

Discipline 01 of 07

Diagnosis

A thorough assessment of the business, its operational efficiency and its development potential.

Outcomes

  • An assessment of business condition and operational efficiency.
  • Identification of the causes of problems, barriers to growth and key risks.
  • An assessment of competitive advantages and of the potential to improve performance.
  • Recommendations that form the basis for strategic decisions.

Discipline 02 of 07

Strategy

Setting the business direction, priorities and expected results.

Outcomes

  • Strategic direction and business priorities.
  • An assessment of options, risks and conditions for delivery.
  • A business case and financial scenarios.
  • Objectives and criteria for assessing the effectiveness of the strategy.

Discipline 03 of 07

Design

Translating the strategy into a target business and operating model.

Outcomes

  • A target business or operating model.
  • Designed processes, structure and accountability.
  • Operating standards and requirements for tools.
  • A specification of solutions that forms the basis for implementation.

Discipline 04 of 07

Preparation

Putting in place the organisational conditions and resources for implementation.

Outcomes

  • An implementation plan with a schedule and budget.
  • A team, resources and assigned accountability.
  • Project management and reporting rules.
  • A readiness assessment and a plan for the transition to the new model.

Discipline 05 of 07

Implementation

Executing the strategy and launching the designed solutions.

Outcomes

  • Processes, structures or collaboration models up and running.
  • Pilot solutions verified and decisions taken on scaling them.
  • The implementation scope accounted for and deviations documented.
  • An organisation prepared to work in the new model.

Discipline 06 of 07

Measurement

Verifying business results and the effectiveness of implementation.

Outcomes

  • An assessment of the achievement of objectives and the benefits obtained.
  • An analysis of deviations and of the factors affecting results.
  • An assessment of how the solutions are used and of compliance with standards.
  • Recommendations for corrections and further action.

Discipline 07 of 07

Stabilisation

Sustaining results and enabling the organisation to operate independently.

Outcomes

  • Standards and solutions embedded in day-to-day management.
  • Responsibility, documentation and competencies handed over.
  • Mechanisms for monitoring and sustaining results.
  • A plan for further improvement and for concluding our support.

HEFT7 areas of expertise

HEFT7 supports companies in the key areas of transformation, growth and efficiency improvement. We combine strategic, operational and implementation perspectives, tailoring the scope of work to the real needs of the business.

A hand drawing a chart on a glass board during a strategy meeting

01Strategic advisory and business development

We develop growth strategies and assess the viability of new ventures. We translate the decisions taken into investment priorities, commercial solutions and business plans.

  • Expansion and investment: entering new markets, international growth, network expansion, and assessment of locations and business formats.
  • Offer and positioning: customer segmentation, competitive advantage, product and service portfolio, pricing policy and brand concept renewal.
  • Commercial models: own stores, franchising, wholesale, distribution and omnichannel sales; principles of collaboration with partners and the economics of individual channels.
A spiral staircase in a modern office building with people passing through

02Operational transformation and process optimisation

We rebuild the operating model when the structure and organisation of the business limit the company’s effectiveness. We improve the flow of decisions, cooperation between functions and the use of resources.

  • Structure and governance: management roles, accountability, decision-making authority and the relationships between head office, operating units and partners.
  • Business processes: sales, purchasing, category management, inventory and logistics; identifying bottlenecks and unnecessary costs and activities.
  • Management standards: organisation of work across the network, process standardisation, management reporting and defining requirements for tools and systems.
A pen pointing at the rising bars of a financial results chart

03Business restructuring and profitability improvement

We design and lead recovery programmes for companies that need to rebuild profitability or financial stability. We define which activities to develop, which to rebuild and which to scale back or close.

  • Business profitability: analysis of margins, costs and productivity at the level of companies, stores, sales channels and categories.
  • Liquidity and working capital: inventory levels and turnover, receivables, liabilities, and purchasing and trading terms.
  • Reorganisation and negotiations: optimisation of the network and portfolio, renegotiation of agreements with suppliers, landlords and other partners, and coordination of work with financial and legal advisers.
Binders, documents with a schedule and charts, and a pen on a table in a room overlooking the city

04Transformation programme management · PMO / TMO

We organise and lead the delivery of complex programmes and specific business projects. We provide control over execution, over dependencies between initiatives and over decisions that require the involvement of the board.

  • Programme set-up: establishing or restructuring a PMO/TMO, project scopes, schedules, budgets, milestones and the assignment of responsibility.
  • Delivery oversight: coordination of teams and partners, risk management, removal of obstacles, and reporting of progress and results.
  • Organisational readiness: communication of changes, preparation of managers and employees, capability development, and embedding new solutions in the ongoing management system.
A leader chairing a board meeting in a room overlooking the city

05Interim management and temporary leadership

We take on management functions for a defined period, with a clearly agreed scope of responsibility and decision-making authority. We make decisions, lead teams and are accountable for the area of the business entrusted to us — including in periods that call for rapid stabilisation of the situation.

  • Management continuity: succession, a change of owner or board, post-acquisition integration, and a vacancy in a key function.
  • Scope of management responsibility: running the company, operations, the commercial area or a transformation; responsibility for the team, budget and P&L in line with the scope of the role.
  • Handover of responsibility: putting management mechanisms in order, preparing a successor and ensuring continuity once the assignment ends.
A leader presenting a schedule and action plan on a glass wall to a team in a room overlooking the city

06Commercial strategy and sales channel development

We help companies build and structure their commercial model — from the offer and pricing policy to developing sales channels and improving their efficiency. We help take the decisions that strengthen growth, margin and the quality of commercial execution.

  • Sales strategy and channel development.
  • Omnichannel / retail / wholesale / e-commerce model.
  • Pricing policy, margin and offer architecture.
  • Development of the sales network and improvement of channel efficiency.
  • Roles, responsibilities and processes that support sales.
  • Implementation priorities and a commercial action plan.

The scope of services and the form of collaboration follow from the company’s needs. Advisory can be a stand-alone service or can also include leading a project and temporarily taking on a management role.

Not every change requires a revolution.

An antique brass lens on a granite plinth; a warm beam of light comes from its lens against a dark navy background

01 / Precision in action

We focus on a specific challenge, process or area of the business where change can deliver a measurable result. We identify the source of the problem, design the solution and support its implementation — without unnecessary intervention in the rest of the organisation.

02 / Systemic transformation

Where challenges span interrelated areas, we design and lead change covering the business, operating and organisational model. We combine strategic direction with the redesign of processes, structures and management mechanisms, ensuring consistency of action and accountability for results.

The scope follows from the diagnosis. The result determines the value.

We match the scope of action to the real needs of the business, taking into account its organisational capacity, economic circumstances and the interests of key stakeholders. We combine the strategic perspective with operational realities and accountability for implementation.

Expert network.
The right expertise for each project.

HEFT7 combines its own management expertise with the experience of collaborating experts. Depending on the scope of a project, we engage senior managers, industry specialists and advisers who are responsible for developing businesses, managing operations or delivering specialised undertakings.

Their experience covers organisations of different scale, ownership structure and complexity — from businesses run directly by their owners to investors’ portfolio companies, extensive networks and international corporate groups. They represent retail, consumer goods, commercial real estate and services, as well as functional specialisms applied across different sectors.

The selection of experts is an integral part of how HEFT7 delivers projects. We combine strategic, financial, operational and industry perspectives to test assumptions, assess the consequences of decisions and prepare solutions that can be implemented. The team’s expertise is matched to the specific requirements of the project, and its work is coordinated by a designated HEFT7 lead.

Strategy and business management

Growth strategy, business models, governance and the management of organisations with complex ownership and operating structures.

Finance and business efficiency

Profitability, liquidity, financing, working capital, investment appraisal and management reporting.

Operations and supply chain

Operating models, network management, purchasing, logistics, inventory, and process standardisation and efficiency.

Commercial strategy and sales

Offer, category management, pricing, margins, sales channels, and franchise and distribution models.

Restructuring and legal services

Restructuring advisers and law firms: restructuring proceedings, creditor relations, documentation, and corporate and contractual matters.

Commercial real estate

Location strategy, lease agreements, tenant mix, repositioning of assets, and collaboration between owners, managers and tenants.

Technology, data and omnichannel sales

E-commerce, CRM, business analytics, systems integration, and tools that support management processes and decisions.

Organisation and management capability

Organisational structures, change management, development of senior managers, and preparing teams for new areas of responsibility.

How we match the team to the project

  1. 01
    Project requirements

    We define the scope of work, the key challenges and the management, industry and specialist expertise required.

  2. 02
    Selecting the experts

    We engage experts whose experience suits the business model, the scale of the organisation and the conditions of the market concerned.

  3. 03
    Coordination and accountability

    A designated HEFT7 lead coordinates the experts’ collaboration, ensures the consistency of recommendations and is accountable for delivering the agreed scope of work.

A perspective across industries.

Our experience spans retail, consumer goods, commercial real estate and services. We understand a range of organisational structures, sales models and relationships with business partners. We draw on this perspective when assessing a company’s growth potential, profitability and operational capability.

The interior of a modern shopping centre with fashion store windows and customers carrying bags

Retail and shopping centres

Commercial strategy, management of sales networks, location profitability, and development of own stores, franchising and omnichannel sales.

Delicatessen preserves in jars and product packaging on a dark shelf

FMCG and consumer goods

Offer and category management in grocery and consumer goods, purchasing policy, margin, stocking, and development of distribution and supplier relationships.

The exterior of a shopping centre at dusk: glazed façade, entrance, zone signage and customers outside

Commercial real estate and mixed-use

Repositioning of assets, tenant mix, lease economics, and collaboration models between owners, managers and tenants.

An upholstered armchair in an interior setting

Furniture, interiors and lifestyle

Development of retail concepts, brand positioning, product portfolio, and restructuring and expansion of sales networks.

A perfume bottle, serum with a dropper, cream, lipstick, nail polish and an eyeshadow palette on dark marble

Beauty and personal care

Store and salon efficiency, offer management, service standards, and development of networks and collaboration models.

A close-up of a diamond ring in a six-claw setting

Jewellery, fashion and the premium segment

Management of showrooms and networks, purchasing and sale of gold and jewellery, franchise development and brand expansion.

A strategy table with a building model, an architectural plan, material samples and a tablet showing a world map

Other sectors. The right expertise.

We complement our experience in strategy, restructuring and operational management with the knowledge of industry experts, as appropriate to the specifics of the business.

Globally aware.
Locally effective.

We apply our experience in strategic advisory, business transformation and operational management in projects that take account of the specifics of local markets, international structures and collaboration models.

20+ years of experience

Across different industries, organisational structures and business models — the foundation of HEFT7’s management expertise.

International markets

Experience of working with head offices, local management boards and business partners in Europe and the Caucasus.

Distributed structures

Knowledge of multi-location organisations, sales networks and the relationships between head office, operating units and partners.

Different business models

Own operations, franchising, wholesale and distribution — including their economics and collaboration rules.

KPI-driven management

Objectives and indicators linked to profitability, sales, working capital and process efficiency.

Management and specialist knowledge

We combine experience of running businesses with the industry and functional expertise needed to deliver specific tasks.

Map of Europe with Azerbaijan Berlin — HEFT7's base of operations. The other cities relate to the founder's professional experience: London, Manchester, Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Warsaw, Prague, Vienna, Bratislava and Baku. Copper arcs connect Berlin with these cities.
  1. Berlin — where we operate from
  2. London
  3. Manchester
  4. Amsterdam
  5. Copenhagen
  6. Warsaw
  7. Prague
  8. Vienna
  9. Bratislava
  10. Baku
Berlin — HEFT7’s base of operations. The other cities — selected places associated with the founder’s professional experience.

From Berlin. Wherever the project requires.

We work with owners, boards, investors and partners in different markets. We adapt the form of our presence and the organisation of the team to the needs of delivery — taking into account local conditions, the structure of the business and the nature of the decisions being made.

Joanna Smolarczyk — founder of HEFT7
“Experience lets you recognise mechanisms. But every business needs its own answer. Similar situations do not mean similar solutions.”
Joanna Smolarczyk

Founder of HEFT7Joanna Smolarczyk

Joanna Smolarczyk specialises in business transformation, restructuring and company development. She combines more than twenty years of management experience with strategic advisory for owners, boards and investors and with leading implementation.

Her professional experience includes Zara, Whistles, Douglas, Triumph International, Jack & Jones of the Bestseller group, BoConcept, YES Jewellery, VOX and Krakowski Kredens, among others. It spans the fashion, beauty, jewellery, interiors, FMCG and grocery sectors — in organisations with different ownership structures and scales of operation.

She has built franchise systems, developed own store networks and managed retail, wholesale and B2B collaboration models. She has combined sales channels in an omnichannel approach, developing the offer, retail concepts and the presence of brands in successive markets.

Her scope of responsibility has also included purchasing policy, category and margin management, optimisation of stocking and inventory, and improvement of supply chain processes. As a result, she assesses commercial decisions in terms of their impact on profitability, working capital and the organisation’s operational capability.

In restructuring and growth projects she combines the financial perspective with rebuilding the business model and the organisation of the business. Her experience also includes managing ERP-class systems and their implementation, taking into account process requirements, data flows and management reporting. She assesses technology solutions by their impact on operational efficiency, the quality of information and the effectiveness of decision-making.

She takes into account changes in customer behaviour and the direction of market and technology development, assessing their significance for commercial strategy and sales models.

At HEFT7 she is responsible for strategic direction and for leading projects. She works with senior management, investors and business partners, engaging experts as appropriate to the scope of each assignment.

She lives in Berlin. She works in Polish and English, directly within the client’s organisation when delivery of a project requires it.

Case studies

Transformation in practice.

Selected projects: from the starting situation and key decisions through to delivery. Client names remain confidential.

Let’s talk about your project.
Cost analysis — an invoice, a calculator and euro banknotes
01

Retail · Restructuring · Business model

Transforming a network towards lasting profitability

Rebuilding the model of a premium network in formal restructuring: store economics, rent, offer, inventory and e-commerce as interconnected areas of change.

Explore the case study
A commercial lease agreement and a floor plan
02

Commercial real estate · Strategic innovation

A new value model for a shopping centre

A concept for a shopping centre as an ecosystem: leasing, online sales, logistics, technology and energy — from the perspective of customers, tenants and the banks financing the asset. The project is at the strategic stage.

Explore the project
A franchise model — a map of locations and operating standards
03

Retail · Franchise · People and leadership

From a franchise model to the capabilities that build results

Combining network standards, store diagnostics and partner capability development with management tools and accountability for implementing change.

Explore the case study
Designing a business concept — a model and a floor plan
04

Strategy · Business concept

New strategy. New business concept.

Diagnosing potential, choosing a strategic direction and developing a new business concept, together with preparing the organisation to deliver it.

Explore the case study

Management briefings

Short papers supporting specific business decisions.

Each briefing structures a single topic: it sets out the questions worth asking, the data to analyse, the possible courses of action and the risks of the decision. We prepare the materials for owners, boards and investors.

Choose the topic you are currently working on. Each briefing is a self-contained paper for use in a management discussion or when preparing a decision.

A “Business Model” document with a showroom model and growth scenarios

01 · PDF · 8 pages

Does the current business model still have potential?

How to distinguish an execution problem from a problem with the model itself, and assess whether the company needs optimisation, redesign or a change of direction.

Receive the briefing
A “Retail Profitability Review” document with an analysis of margin, inventory and location productivity

02 · PDF · 8 pages

Retail profitability:
where does the problem really arise?

How to analyse location economics, margin, inventory, format, rent and productivity together before a cost-reduction programme begins.

Receive the briefing
An “Implementation Roadmap” document with a governance matrix, workstream status and risk register

03 · PDF · 9 pages

Why do strategies fail to reach implementation?

On accountability, governance, priorities, decision rights and the role of the PMO/TMO in translating strategy into execution.

Receive the briefing
A “Franchise, Wholesale or Own Stores?” document comparing expansion models, with a potential map

04 · PDF · 9 pages

Franchise, wholesale or own network?

How to compare the economics, scalability, brand control, capital required and allocation of responsibility across growth models.

Receive the briefing

Insights

Perspectives on transformation, decisions, value and the people behind change.

VALUE

Time is the primary currency.

It is not only about return on capital. In transformation, return on time matters just as much — which decisions deliver the greatest effect as quickly as possible.

Read more

PEOPLE

Mercenary or visionary?

Mercenaries can be titans of work. Visionaries more often build value. The difference does not always lie in competence. More often it lies in the answer to a question: why are we actually doing this?

Read more

Get in touch with

Describe your business situation, objective or the area where you need support. On that basis we will agree the subject of the first conversation and the possible scope of collaboration.

Prefer email? Write to [email protected].

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HEFT7 Executive Briefing

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