Michael Cairns, a seasoned media executive, outlines a strategic framework for new CEOs in their first 100 days, focusing on establishing rapport with management, understanding company operations, and setting priorities across various departments. His consulting firm specializes in transforming underperforming businesses and developing effective strategies in the publishing industry. The document details the sequential steps and priorities necessary for a successful leadership transition, concluding with a comprehensive understanding of the business landscape and stakeholder engagement.

1. Michael Cairns
Managing Partner
Information Media Partners
The First 100 Days
A Framework for a new CEO
(Prepared July 2017)

2. Introduction
Michael Cairns is a publishing and media executive with over 25 years experience in
business strategy, operations and technology implementation. As a business
executive, Mr. Cairns has successfully managed several troubled and under-
performing businesses, creating new business opportunities, developing new funding
sources and enhancing shareholder value for investors. His years spent as an
operating executive have largely been with brand-name publishing companies such
as Macmillan, Inc., Berlitz International, Wolters Kluwer Health, Reed Elsevier and
R.R. Bowker. As a consultant, Mr. Cairns has worked with clients as diverse as
AARP, Hewlett Packard, InterPublic Companies and Reed Elsevier with an emphasis
on business strategy, market development and corporate development.
His skills and experience include:
 Business and corporate strategy development and implementation
 Operations management and business transformation
 Traditional and digital publishing and operations
 Print-to-digital transformation and adoption of new business models
 Software development and software services
Mr. Cairns holds an MBA (Finance) from Georgetown University and a BA from
Boston University. He has served on several boards and advisory groups including
the Association of American Publishers, Book Industry Study Group and the
International ISBN organization. Additionally, he has public and private company
board experience.
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Michael Cairns
Information Media Partners
Strategy Consulting
New York, London, Melbourne
Tel: 908 938 4889
Michael.cairns@infomediapartners.com
Find me:
LinkedIn Twitter Blog Flickr InstaGram

3. Information Media Partners
Michael Cairns established Information Media Partners in 2006 as a boutique strategy
consulting firm focused on the information and education publishing segment. The work
conducted by the firm includes product development, corporate development, sales
management and corporate reorganizations. We work with established businesses, private
equity owners and potential acquirers.
Examples of our work include:
 Reorganized and re-focused a $25 million software publishing company by aligning
business operations with client priorities; implementing internal collaboration tools and
project management standards; re-building executive team to focus on effective and
efficient management
 Defined a new business strategy for a large non-profit association and advocacy group,
expanding their business model into global markets to exploit their core knowledge and
expertise across a broader market
 Led an information technology capabilities review at a large international advertising
holding company. Completed over 200 interviews in 15 international offices and multiple
group focus sessions to define the operational ‘gaps’ between existing agency capabilities
and those necessary and important for client delivery by region
 Completed a sales management effectiveness review for a global software company and
defined six key project initiatives to improve sales effectiveness, market development and
account management
We approach our client engagements in a standardized, logical manner which creates the best
environment to identify key business drivers, administrative and logistical road blocks and/or
product or market definition issues. Our investigative approach leads to better insights into
your businesses and supports the development of workable solutions and recommendations
for success.
Visit the Information Media Partners website for more information.
Sample Client List

4. 4
Objectives of the first 100 days
 Establish rapport with management team and employees
 Build cohesive executive team with shared objectives
 Define working relationship with board and clearly
articulate expectations for balance of the year
 Conduct sales review meeting(s)
 Fully understand current operating situation of the
company
 Gain familiarity with products and understand unique
selling points
 Develop an understanding of key drivers impacting the
business
 Understand departmental organization, personnel,
management and priorities4

5. Priorities by discipline
Employees
• Understand organization
• Roles and responsibilities
• Assess morale
• Motivation/compensation
• Benefits program and costs
• Open heads report
Finance and Operations
• Review financial reporting process
• Understand current full-year
forecast and mitigation efforts
• Dynamics of large cost items
• Audit, tax, other issues
• Review and understand staffing
• Policies and procedures
Sales and Revenue
• Review sales projections, issues
and full-year forecast
• Mitigation opportunities
• Sales team effectiveness
• Renewal process & lapsed
renewals
Technology and Editorial
• Understand technology
environment including vendor
relationships
• Establish editorial operations and
current issues
• Define 2-year technology plan
5

6. Priorities (cont’d)
Board of Directors
• Determine reporting structure
• Articulate objectives for current
year
• Establish targets for upcoming plan
period(s)
• Set reporting dates
• Schedule company meetings
Marketing & External
Relationships
• Define marketing role and
objectives
• Evaluate conference schedule,
objectives and budgets
• Review marketing and promotion
programs (direct mail, etc.)
• Assess press release, public
relations, marketing efforts, etc.
• Identify key partnerships and
external relationships
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7. Employees
Sales
Finance
Technology
Editorial
Board of Directors
Marketing
Pre-Boarding Week One
• Meet one-on-one with exec team
• Agree announcement timing
• Executive team meeting agenda
• Performance reviews
• Potential product demo
• Product access: (U/password)
• Management reports, budgets,
strategy docs
• “All-hands” meeting on day one
• First day management team meeting
• Satellite office(s) visit
• Staffing review with HR
• Full sales review with sales team (next page)
• Set pipeline review schedule
• Renewal processes/procedures
• Review financial reporting with controller
• Technology overview & planning
• Review product roadmap(s)
• Understand relationship with prime vendor(s)
• End of week check-in
• Review conference schedule
• Possible appointment press release
• Manage personal set-up
• Attend status meeting
• Review marketing and
promotional materials
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Proposed timeline

8. Agenda for sales review
Customers
• Review sales data by customer
• Define buyer profiles
• Messaging/key selling propositions
• Underserved markets
• Lapsed customers
• Migration strategy
• Key account management
Sales Personnel
• Compensation packages
• Targets: calls, meetings, sales, etc.
• Territory planning & time
management
• Tele-sales versus field sales
approaches
• Sales competition and team work
Pipeline Management
• How ‘robust’ is pipeline? Are pipelines
managed effectively?
• Team meetings, calls and training
• Close opportunities: 30 days, 60 days,
90 days
• Close rates: sales effectiveness
• Rates of pipeline revision or churn
• Does funnel match sales target?
Product and Competitors
• Sales feedback on product
development
• Competitor profiles and selling
propositions
• “Must-have” new products and/or
enhancements
• What is the size of target market?
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9. 9
Proposed timeline
Employees
Sales
Finance
Technology
Editorial
Board of Directors
Marketing
Week Two Week Three
• Set up small group staff meetings
• Satellite office visit
• Review/approve hiring plans
• Agenda for Operations Meeting
• Attend sales pitch
• Review selling material
• Evaluate licensing agreements
• Month close and revised forecast
• Business operations review all day
meeting
• Continue small staff meetings
• Determine senior management team
• Review weekly sales call report
• Customer visits with sales rep
• Management review of YTD results
• Exec team meeting
• Establish priorities
• Understand web trends and web
product user data
• End of week check-in
• Review marketing materials
• Website development
• Branding activity
• Technology review (next slide)
• Third-party agreements
• Support & ticketing, bug fixes,
etc.
• Editorial process review
• Third-party data sources
• Off-shore potential
• Data growth & expectations
• Exec team meeting
• Establish priorities
• End of week check-in

10. Technology review discussion items
IT Planning & Strategy
• Review IT architecture
• Staffing plan
• Desktop and application planning
• New technology awareness
• “Quick win” opportunities
Product Development
• Project management role
• Business analyst/technical support
for product development
• Road map for new development
and/or features
Third Party
• Contract review for primary
relationship(s)
• Other third-party agreements
• Outstanding issues and mitigation
plans
Technical Support
• Technical support organization
• Outstanding bug list(s) and
ticketing processes
• Clearance rate
• Relationship with sales function
• Training activities
• Website stats
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11. 11
Proposed timeline
Employees
Sales
Finance
Technology
Editorial
Board of Directors
Marketing
Week Four Week Five
• Set up small group staff meetings
• Satellite office visit
• Define/discuss exec team objectives
• Company-wide status communication
• Client visit(s)
• Determine new product
opportunities
• Competitor analysis
• Print, warehouse, distribution, cost
analysis & recommendations
• Continue small staff meetings
• Satellite office visit
• Assemble senior management team
• Monthly all-sales team call
• Overhead cost review: Rent, insurance, etc.
• End of week check-in
• Website development plan
• Discuss preparation of 2-year
technology strategy plan
• Set timetable and objectives
• Discuss preparation of 2-year
editorial plan
• Efficiency improvement
opportunities
• New product opportunities
• Board meeting update and end-of-
month financial review
• New product opportunities
• Monthly department meeting
• Monthly department meeting

12. 12
Proposed timeline
Employees
Sales
Finance
Technology
Editorial
Board of Directors
Marketing
Weeks Six - Eight Weeks Nine - Ten
• Satellite office visit
• Establish exec team objectives
• Company-wide status communication
• Possible HR policy changes
• Client visit(s)
• Monthly close
• Satellite office visit
• Monthly exec team meeting
• Review benefits program and
costings for 2018
• Monthly all-sales team call
• Implementation plans for cost improvement
• End of week check-in
• Website development plan
• Review technology action plans
• Status of 2-year technology plan
• Product road maps
• Identification of “quick wins”
• Review implementation of
improvement opportunities
• New product opportunities status
• Identification of “quick wins”
• Board meeting update and end-of-
month financial review
• New product opportunities
• Exec team meeting
• Exec team meeting

13. 13
Proposed timeline
Employees
Sales
Finance
Technology
Editorial
Board of Directors
Marketing
Weeks Ten - Twelve Weeks Twelve - Fifteen
• Satellite office visit
• Monthly exec team meeting
• Company-wide status communication
• Client visit(s)
• Final quarter sales
competition?
• Review pricing for 2018
• Monthly close
• Satellite office visit
• HR and hiring plan for 2018
• Annual performance review process
kick-off
• Monthly all-sales team call
• Sales rep and sales force review
• Implement recommended improvements
• Planning schedule for 2018 planning
• End of week check-in
• Implementation program for redesign
and (re)branding
• Presentation of technology
strategy plan
• Exec team meeting
• Planning for “quick wins”
• Presentation of editorial strategic
plan document
• Exec team meeting
• Planning for “quick wins”
• Board meeting update and end-of-month
financial review
• Outline of 3-year strategic plan
• Website revision presentation
• Initiate budgeting and planning for 2018
• Initiate budgeting and planning for 2018

14. 14
Summary of completed first 100 days
• Achieve clear baseline understanding of business,
especially opportunities and challenges
• Conduct multiple ‘points of contact’ with staff: meetings,
presentations, customer visits
• Complete sales review and implement action plans
• Commence financial and strategic planning for 2018
• Departmental operating reviews completed
• Conclude staffing evaluation and management team
reviews
• Complete technology profile and define options
• Agree timing with board for three year strategic plan
presentation
• Gain the confidence of board in full year action plan

15. Please review my blog post associated
with this presentation:
http://personanondata.blogspot.com/2017
/08/the-ceos-first-100-days-plan-to-
be.html
Michael Cairns
Managing Partner
Michael.Cairns@InfoMediaPartners.com
908 938 4889
LinkedIn Twitter Blog Flickr InstaGram
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