The Stout Effect

Consulting isn’t about parachuting in, running a few meetings with leadership, and disappearing. It’s about helping people actually move faster, adapt to change, and stay engaged in the work. Industries are shifting as fast as the workplace itself, and if your people aren’t supported, they’ll leave.
 

That’s where I come in. After decades leading brands across retail, outdoors, and hospitality, I built Stout Consulting Group to bring big-brand execution discipline to local and regional businesses in the Midwest. I believe healthy competition and thriving small businesses make communities stronger, and I want to see more of that here in Indiana and beyond.

Projects often stall because employees burn out, priorities get muddled, and accountability fades. Most consultants give you a slide deck and hope you figure it out. I’d rather be in the trenches with your team.
 

I help businesses:
- Clarify goals so projects stay focused and on schedule.
- Put accountability in place without creating unnecessary tasks.
- Keep employees energized instead of overwhelmed.
 

Momentum matters. When projects finish strong, your people don’t just check a box, they believe the company can do hard things well. And that belief compounds.

 The workplace changes as fast as the industries around it. Technology, customer demands, regulations—change is the only constant. But here’s the problem: most people hate change, and when it’s handled poorly, your best employees walk out the door.
 

I don’t just meet with executives and vanish. I work alongside the managers and employees who have to live through the transition. By taking a bottom-up approach, coaching leaders at every level, listening to employee concerns, and communicating clearly, we turn change from a threat into a reason people stay.
 

Handled right, change strengthens loyalty, reduces turnover, and makes your culture more resilient.

 Employees don’t quit companies, they quit managers. And here’s the truth: not everyone wants to be a leader, but organizations are full of people who end up leading teams anyway. I first learned this during my time at Indiana University, where the research was clear, many managers are promoted because the org chart demands it, not because they’re naturally wired to lead.
 

Without support, those managers face decision fatigue and burnout. Their teams feel the ripple effects, and retention suffers. That’s why leadership coaching can’t stop at the executive suite. Just like the best companies forecast from the bottom up, I believe leadership support should build from the ground up.
 

I help:
- Executives sharpen decisions and align on direction.
- Managers who never asked to lead learn how to do it with confidence.
- Front-line leaders keep teams motivated and engaged.
 

Strong leadership at every level creates stability, even when the market isn’t stable.