Does my organization need the assistance of a consultant

There are many reasons you may need a consultant.   First, for advice and resolution of some smaller issues you may be fortunate to have a skilled friend who will share their expertise with you.   Then again, even what seems like a small problem may require much research and thought and be beyond the time capabilities of a friend.

One major reason consultants are hired is the business has explored various alternatives for expansion, resolution of problems, downsizing, new products, acquisitions, etc. and needs independent support and validation for decision making. 

Maybe your organization doesn't have someone with the knowledge and skills that are needed.   If you need these skills permanently you may want to hire someone.  If it is a one-time project taking weeks or months, the consultant can do the job and then leave.   Along the same lines your business may just need assistance to supplement existing staff to get caught up on work.

If the organization seems like it is stuck in its ways and needs to generate fresh new ideas and solutions, a consultant can bring new perspectives.  

An organization may need an expert's assistance to help it operate more efficiently. 

Particularly in international business dealings local contacts are instrumental in facilitating a project.  A consultant may have developed such business and government contacts for over the years. 

Consultants can present new perspectives for the staff, provide training and implement new ideas and state-of-the-art procedures.

Consultants can analyze, diagnose, supplement or evaluate planning that the organization is conducting.

A company needs a better insight into market trends or what the competition is doing.

If your organization is unsure about hiring a consultant for a major project, it is recommended that you bring one on for a minor project to see if you can work well together and if you are satisfied with the results.

ZG Worldwide offers a wide variety of business expertise, including media and healthcare solutions, locally, nationally and globally.  ZG Worldwide works with large and small organizations in the private and public sectors.  Small projects are welcome. Go to zgworldwide.com for more information.

ZG Worldwide at Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce Business Development Breakfast

On May 14 Lothar Soliwon of ZG Worldwide attended a business development breakfast sponsored by the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce.  ZG Worldwide is a member of the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce in order to stay in touch with economic developments in commercial center of the country's heartland, the international business activities with which the chamber is engaged and the networking opportunities.  In attendance were representatives of a wide diversity of businesses, from start-ups to mature organizations. 

ZG Worldwide at the Conference on Energy-Efficient Transportation Systems

On May 13 Lothar Soliwon of ZG Worldwide attended a conference on Energy-Efficient Transportation Systems at the University of Chicago sponsored by the German-American Chambers of Commerce.  There were several German manufacturers and consultants who gave presentations that included alternative energy propulsion systems for buses, green cars, photon laser manufacturing, IT solutions to enhance transportation efficiency and fuel cell systems.

Current projections in the U.S. transportation sector are that America's love affair with the car will continue to decline, particularly in major metropolitan areas.  Extensive bike lane networks and demand for walkable neighborhoods are now a major element in city planning projects.

ZG Worldwide and the 6th annual International Trade Night.

Lothar Soliwon of ZG Worldwide attended the 6th annual International Trade Night event On May 7, 2014 at the Busch Student Center at St. Louis University.   This event was sponsored by the St. Louis Regional International Partnership, an alliance of internationally focused organizations in the region that support efforts to increase understanding to improve the socio-economic and cultural well-being of the greater St. Louis region.

This well-attended event included networking and exhibits.   There  were representatives from a wide variety of companies, universities and the public sector.  Presentations on the importance of international trade to their businesses were made by Michael Kelly, Vice President of Metal Exchange Corporation and Mark Baxa, Director, Global Procurement Strategy, Monsanto Company. 

ZG Worldwide at The Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership Conference.

On May 1 Lothar Soliwon of ZG Worldwide attended The Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership conference sponsored by the World Affairs Councils of America and International Trade Center at Bradley University in Peoria.   In attendance were the consul general of Greece, Croatia, Bulgaria, Netherlands, UK, Poland and France.  The TTIP was proposed to lower barriers to trade between the US and EU.  Investments and services are particular areas of interests as well as goods because of the sheer volume of investments.  The TTIP would seek trade harmonization, and trade negotiations must distinguish between activities that will benefit the US economy by supporting US jobs, domestic growth and economic activity and those that only benefit shareholder value for certain corporations.  For example, in the auto industry, standards for safety would be harmonized or recognized on both sides of the Atlantic.  GMOs and hormone treated foods are a point of contention in Europe.

Illinois Start-up Zukunft Group (ZG) Worldwide LLC Announces New Business Consultants in Israel, Gabon/South Korea and Wisconsin

CHICAGO and SPRINGFIELD, IL – Lothar Ernst Soliwon, formerly a marketing manager and planner with the State of Illinois and an assistant editor at Standard Educational Corporation in Chicago, last year launched Zukunft Group (ZG) Worldwide LLC, a specialized business, media and healthcare consulting group offering a diversity of services locally, nationally and internationally.
Joining the group of 30 associates are Rachael Davis, Robert Finn and Sidney Mangoye. Rachael, from Wisconsin, is an expert in project management, corporate instruction/training, market research and customer outreach. Robert, from Florida and based in Israel, is highly skilled in lifetime income strategies, can solve complex international insurance problems and can assist with business dealings in Israel. Sidney, from Gabon and based in South Korea, has expertise in project management and design, branding, marketing, communications and business development in sub-Saharan Africa.
In addition to Metropolitan Chicago and downstate Illinois, ZG Worldwide associates are located in Washington, D.C., Indiana, Florida, New Hampshire, Europe, Asia, South America and the Middle East. “This diverse group of many foreign nationals fluent in multiple languages provides ZG Worldwide with an invaluable platform for understanding cultural sensitivities, essential for smooth global business dealings,” Soliwon said. 

This broad based group of associates brings many specialized skills to the mix, including logistics, risk management, translating, healthcare and medical writing, strategic planning, media and public relations, public safety management, global sourcing, graphic design, supply chain management, organizational change, call center management, negotiation consulting, architecture, behavioral gerontology and teaching English as a second language.
In addition to serving large corporations, ZG Worldwide works with small companies, can assist the public sector, and has specialists who deal with the needs of individuals. “Combining expertise from many fields and geographic areas enables ZG Worldwide to form interdisciplinary teams to meet the diverse needs of customers across the globe,” Soliwon said.
A German-born US citizen, Soliwon graduated from the University of Illinois in Urbana with a Bachelor of Arts and a Master of Social Sciences. He also received a Master of Business Administration from the University of Illinois in Springfield.
ZG Worldwide is a member of the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce and Greater Springfield Chamber of Commerce. Additional information, including the full list of ZG services and associates, is accessible online at www.zgworldwide.com. Interested parties are encouraged to follow the company on Twitter @ZGWorldwide for continual updates, become a fan of its Facebook page or connect on LinkedIn. 

The mission of Zukunft Group Worldwide is to help its clients position themselves for the future. “Zukunft” is the German and Yiddish word for future.

Lothar Ernst Soliwon: Biography and ZG Worldwide Background

Lothar was born in the British Occupation Zone of Germany. His father was with the Polish army and air force during World War II and met his mother in Germany when he was with the British occupation forces. Lothar's parents emigrated to the U.S., settling in Springfield, home of his mother's aunt. His father worked for Fiat-Allis Heavy Equipment and his mother worked for Franklin Life Insurance and the Illinois Department of Revenue.

Lothar went to Springfield High School and then to the University of Illinois in Urbana, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in geography and a Master of Social Sciences (urban and regional planning - geography). Later he received an MBA from the University of Illinois in Springfield.

His first major job was as an assistant editor in the geography department of Standard Educational Corporation in Chicago, writing articles about countries, cities and geographic features for New Standard Encyclopedia. After that Lothar worked for the Illinois Department of Transportation as a grant administrator, transportation planner, aviation planner and as an internal consultant for the Illinois Aeronautics Board. He became marketing manager for the Bureau of Railroad's Passenger Rail Program, a very interesting job promoting the statewide network of 24 daily trains operated by Amtrak for the department and was involved with the high-speed rail program.

He recently retired from the Illinois Department of Transportation to pursue his own company, Zukunft Group Worldwide LLC, known as ZG Worldwide (www.zgworldwide.com), an international business, media and healthcare consulting firm.

After researching what kinds of consulting services were available in the central Illinois region and Midwest, he realized that outside of Chicago there were no diversified global consulting companies to serve a market of several million people and an prosperous economic base of manufacturing, agribusiness, healthcare, insurance, education, public sector, etc. He decided to form an integrated company with a variety of specialized business, media and healthcare consultants who can work together on interdisciplinary projects. ZG Worldwide is also culturally diverse and highly multilingual. Some of the expertise and the languages offered can be difficult to find in even nation's largest metropolitan areas.

ZG Worldwide has become a company with some 30 associates serving six states plus Japan, Germany, South Korea, Argentina, China, Sweden, Canada, Egypt, Israel, Gabon, the Philippines and other countries. To minimize travel costs the consultants in these other countries can form expert local teams when the client has major projects.

ZG Worldwide is a member of the Greater Springfield Chamber of Commerce, and the Chicago Chamber of Commerce.