“Stephen Holmes represents the rare consultant that understands both the financial and managerial data, as well as the perennial driving goals of the client organization. His research uncovers hard to find trends that encompass market capture, pricing determinations, essential family values that are at the core of what independent schools need to deliver, and a host of other factors vital to consulting intelligence.”
“Thank you for a great presentation at the EARCOS Annual Conference this year.”
“Dr. Holmes’ presentation on reputation management provided extremely valuable insights that led to strategic changes at our school. His emphasis on benchmarking and building authentic evidence enabled our Board to make more informed decisions to shape our school’s future.”
“At the beginning of this strategic plan, I was not sure what to expect having never participated in one before, but Stephen and his team set out a road map which was essential. Then, he set to work really getting to know the school, its stakeholders, views, goals and dreams, as well as its blind spots. In the end, Stephen offered a detailed plan based on what he heard and saw, combined with insights from his wealth of knowledge of other local and schools from around the world. For any school, new or old, I see now how important it is to do a strategic plan especially under the direction of Stephen who is a genuine expert, hard-working and good person making the whole process thoroughly enjoyable.”
“Ashley Hall has been privileged to work with Stephen Holmes of 5Rs Partnership in our strategic planning and positioning process. What attracted us to Stephen’s work is his focus on building reputation, a concept that is easily understood by every member of a school community. Through his desktop analysis of all of the materials that we use to represent Ashley Hall both externally and internally to his time on campus with large numbers of our constituents to a well-crafted survey digging deeper on salient issues, Stephen has developed quickly a deep understanding of our school and presented with clarity those areas on which to continue to build and those where we need focus and discernment. Our team is excited about the emerging direction and the possibilities he is helping us discern and articulate.”
“Stephen, I thought your facilitation of our session was outstanding. I was most impressed at how thoughtful and balanced you were. I thought the way you managed the team for 6 hours was brilliant. I thought everyone was highly engaged and we must be mindful that it’s the end of the year and everyone is exhausted – so that is even more amazing that you could generate such energy and participation. I have had several messages from Board members saying they thoroughly enjoyed the experience. You did an awesome job.”
“Congratulations on a well-conducted session, especially considering it was just days away from Christmas. With everyone’s minds on the upcoming holiday, your ability to keep us all engaged is commendable. Your skilful management of the discussions and how you kept everyone engaged were noteworthy. The session felt remarkably brief despite spanning six hours! Your well-directed questions prompted thoughtful discussions, leading to interesting initiatives by the end of the day. Thank you for your time, and well done on a highly successful session.”
“My deepest thanks go to Dr. Stephen Holmes for his exceptional commitment and contributions in his role as our strategic and marketing consultant. His efforts to personally engage with each individual in our community, his insightful grasp of our specific requirements, and the invaluable advice he has provided have been crucial. Dr. Holmes’ knowledge and forward-thinking attitude have been key in boosting our confidence and setting the stage for our continued achievements. A heartfelt thank you to Dr. Holmes for being an essential figure in our progress.”
“Stephen, thanks so much for the ICGS session this morning at Melbourne Girls Grammar School. I got so much from it to take back to MLC. I was so engaged despite it being 2 hours on a Saturday morning!”
“CCIS had the pleasure and honor of hosting Dr. Stephen Holmes for a well-attended and compelling workshop on Reputation today. His depth of knowledge and engaging delivery style made complex concepts accessible and thought-provoking. It’s clear he is an expert on the subject matter! Dr. Holmes adeptly navigated the intricacies of reputation management, blending theoretical insights with practical advice. There is much interest in collaborating for additional work within our regional consortium. I look forward to working with Dr. Holmes again!”
