The Six-Month Fix

"If you're the CEO of a struggling business, let's hope we never meet. I'm Gary Sutton, a turnaround guy. When I arrive you leave. Results usually get better and fast."-from the Introduction to The Six-Month Fix
Lessons on how to save a sick company from a top turnaround CEO
One of the business world's most sought-after "trauma specialists," Gary Sutton has salvaged nearly a dozen failing businesses, including everything from printing, garbage hauling, and burglar alarm companies to aerospace, satellite communications, and software firms. In The Six-Month Fix, Sutton takes readers behind the PR curtain to give them an intimate look at the situations he faced coming into several sick companies and how he fixed what ailed them. Writing in his trademark frank, funny, no-holds-barred style, he shares his war stories and the lessons he learned about what it takes to save a faltering business. Not for the faint of heart, The Six-Month Fix offers honest, straight-from-the-hip advice for managers in training for the business fight of their lives.
Gary Sutton (La Jolla, CA) sits on several private boards, is a Director of WebSense (WSBN-Nasdaq), and is the author of several books.Autor Garry Sutton ist einer der begehrtesten "Krisenspezialisten" in der modernen Geschäftswelt. Er hat fast ein Dutzend kränkelnder Unternehmen schon vor dem endgültigen Zusammenbruch gerettet, und zwar querbeet durch alle Branchen - von Sicherheitstechnik- und Druckereiunternehmen, über Entsorgungsfirmen, bis hin zu Raumfahrts-, Satellitenkommunikations- und Softwareunternehmen. In "The Six Month Fix" wirft Sutton einen Blick hinter die PR-Kulissen dieser Unternehmen und zeigt dem Leser, welche Krisensituationen er jeweils in den Griff bekommen musste, damit es mit dem Unternehmen wieder bergauf ging. Offen, humorvoll und kompromisslos beschreibt er hier seine "Kriegsgeschichten" und die Lehren, die er aus der Rettung angeschlagener Unternehmen gezogen hat. Profitieren auch Sie von der Erfahrung eines absoluten Profis. "The Six Month Fix" - das sind aufrichtige, klare und direkte Ratschläge für Manager, die sich der Herausforderung ihres Lebens stellen müssen. Introduction.

First Stop the Bleeding.

Turnaround Scams and Screwups.

Over and Over and Over Again, the Same Mistakes.

Make What Sells.

Raise a Flag, Any Flag.

Specialize Or Die.

Scorn Break-Even.

Slash Costs.

Jump-Start New Products.

Manage More than Lead.

Crawl into Your Customer's Skin.

Cheap Is Such a Pretty Word.

Nudge Value Up.

Human Resources Is Neither.

Hustle the Hustlers.

Interview Smarter.

Cinderellas.

Second Opinions.

Contracts Are Sales Literature.

Downgrade Education.

Reverse Discriminate.

Walk the Floor.

Raise Pay, Cut Benefits.

Incentivize Everyone.

Tighten the Ship.

Publish a Firing Policy.

Beat the Union.

Fight Politics.

Dance with That Debt Devil, Arm's Length.

Duck Computer Traps.

Kill Meetings.

Kick Down the Walls.

What's Your Business?

Turnarounds Yes, Startups No, and Why.

One Bubble Off Plumb.

Eliminate Sex.

Attack Drugs and Alcohol.

Stop Gambling. Oh, Yes You Are.

Send God Back to Church.

Slash Consulting.

Use Lawyers Less.

Romance the Bankers.

Use the CPA as More than an Accountant.

Insurance Stupidity.

Challenge the Do-Gooders.

Break Laws Carefully.

The Turnaround Never Ends.

How It Feels.

Dressing Up the Stiff.

Promote Offbeat Thinking.

Cash Makes You Stupid.

Demand Straight Talk.

Create Real Plans.

Get Advertising Results.

Cut Costs By Raising Quality.

Manage from One Piece of Paper.

Invest Simply.

Negotiate Faster.

Flatten That Pyramid.

Watch for Trouble Signs.

Sell Harder.

Raise Ethics, Boost Profits.

Ride the Big Wave.

Seed You Culture with the Employee Manual.

Elephant Hunting.

Boards Suck: Here's How to Cope.

Shareholders Only.

Author's Track Record.

The 31 Steps That Convert Bleeders into Winners.

Index. "...it is full of firecrackers that make some valuable points.." (Financial Times, 13 February 2002)

"...but this book is not typical and is well worth reading." (Eurobusiness, April 2002)

"...better than almost any fiction novel I have read...could keep even non-management glued to it for hours..." (M2 Best Books, 30 July 2002)

GARY SUTTON has been a "turnaround CEO" for various firms, including printing, software, retail advertising, aerospace manufacturing, satellite communications, and online data storage. Currently, Sutton sits on two public and several private boards. Sutton also writes a column for a local business magazine, the T-Sector, and has authored several books. "If you're the CEO of a struggling business, let's hope we never meet. I'm a turnaround guy. When I arrive, you leave, and profits return. This book shows how we can avoid that unpleasantness."
--Gary Sutton, The Six-Month Fix

Direct, funny, and brutally honest, Gary Sutton addresses executives of faltering businesses and provides proven tactics for stopping negative cash flow, turning a company around, and rebuilding profits in this practical book. His role as "CEO du jour" in eight different industries resulted in remarkable transformations--and now he shares his hard-hitting wisdom and unique perspective so that your company can experience a similar resurrection.

The Six-Month Fix gives you complete access to real-life, no-holds-barred examples, situations, and methods of fixing any company the right way, the first time. Whether your business is paralyzed by steep losses, or just breaking even but still losing ground to competitors, Sutton shows you how to reverse direction immediately and see results in six months!

Mind you, this book is not for the faint of heart--Sutton is frank in outlining the gut-wrenching process of a turnaround, deliberately meant to frighten you into action and help your business avoid bankruptcy. This involves embracing change, defining realistic goals, and becoming smarter about risks you'll need to take once your business is back on its feet. Depending on your situation, Sutton directs you to the sections in the book you need to focus on right away, be it stopping the bleeding and stabilizing your cash, or shifting into the next gear to enhance profits and lift your company to new heights.

Business war stories in The Six-Month Fix guide management. You'll learn:
* The difference between turnaround professionals who negotiate for creditors and those who work for shareholders
* How to identify frauds (the "unemployed CEOs" and those finance firms) and avoid their maneuverings
* How to know your customers better than they know themselves
* Why top turnaround managers always fail to lead a business after it's been fixed
* How to quit gambling with your company (Think you're not? You are.)
* Ways to raise ethics and simultaneously boost profits

This isn't just a battle for survival-- it's the fight of your life. And nowhere will you receive more straightforward, essential advice on winning than in The Six-Month Fix. Acclaim for The Six-Month Fix

"Finally: a turnaround guide that explains the nontrivial difference between those who work for debtors and those who work for shareholders, and gives readers a peek at why most turnaround guys should not stay for long."
-- John Carrington, Chairman and CEO, WebSense

"Too many celebrate financial victory; too few dig into business tragedy. Ultimate success comes from saving the disasters, and this book tells exactly how."
-- Craig McCaw, Chairman, Nextel

"A solid turnaround guide from one who's been there."
-- Peter Ueberroth, Chairman, Contrarian Fund

"Hard-hitting, practical thrusts."
-- Philip Thurston, Professor Emeritus, Harvard Business School

"Winning basics for sports, war, or business."
-- Don Drobny, Partner, Perot Systems

"Uncommon, in-your-face thinking that resurrects business."
-- Carole Rhoades, Vice President, Seaport Ventures

"Powerful. I reread it on trips."
-- Allan Shaw, Executive Director, MS Society

"Executives must read this."
-- Martha Demski, VP and CFO, Vical