Lonnie Sciambi

• Every entrepreneur and small business owner needs growth to build value. And every business, periodically, faces growth challenges that need creative solutions.
  
  
• What got you to one revenue level won't necessarily get you to the next. And, definitely won't ensure profitability. You can't grow today's business with yesterday's strategies. Growth requires change. And that change requires a better understanding of your situation and its roadblocks and problems and developing creative solutions to those roadblocks and problems before you can continue to grow. That requires an executable plan. That's where Yoda comes in.
  
  
• It's not just about growing your business, it's about building value.
  
  
• The foundation of building value is an employee-centric culture and a loyal customer base. Yoda will show you how to create a culture that attracts and keeps great employees and helps facilitate and a loyal customer base. This customer base enables you to feed growth and build value through more profitable delivery of your current and future products and services.
  
  
• Just like you need a plan for growth and building value, you need a plan for realizing maximum value at your "end game," through an exit.
  
  
• How do you best capitalize on the value you've created? How do you exit and monetize the maximum value for the business you've built? How do you ensure your employees are taken care of and the legacy you've created continues with proper succession? You plan ahead of time! Yoda can not only help you put that exit plan together, but will also take the lead in helping you realize and maximize that value by finding and negotiating with the right exit partner and creating the optimum transaction structure for your "end game."
  
  
  

Managing Partner
Technology Directions
Jun 2004 - Jun 2020

Technology Directions Group provides advisory and financial services to small business owners who need focused solutions for major business challenges, key among them: angel investing; strategic partnerships; turnaround/Interim executive management; small business exit/merger and acquisition.

Non Executive Director
OpenDNA, Ltd (OPN:ASX)
Perth, Australia
Aug 2016 - Dec 2017

OpenDNA is the next generation of user profiling and internet personalization. I was a mentor to the founder and helped him get to and through the IPO process on the Australian Stock Exchange (OPN:ASX). Using a proprietary Artificial Intelligence System which leverages bespoke algorithms and Natural Language Processing (NLP) tools, OpenDNA enables real-time analysis of each individual's digital actions to establish a detailed psychographic profile which far exceeds the level of detail that is currently available. This profile enables business to better serve their users with highly personalized offerings and relevant experiences which, in turn, enhances the revenue generating capacity of their websites and apps. The company has since been merged and is now traded as RooLife Group (RLG:ASX).

Managing Partner
Action Advisory Board
Oct 2010 - Dec 2012

The Action Advisory Board is "The Small Business A-Team", an action team of experienced entrepreneurs, helping small businesses maximize results and better manage sales, marketing, finance and operations. The "A-Team" members complement our clients' experience to help solve their biggest problems and capitalize on their best opportunities.

Chief Operating Officer
Armour Group, Inc.
Ft. Lauderdale, FL  USA
Oct 2010 - Jul 2011

Armour Group, Inc. designed and produced transparent and opaque armor, armored vehicles, vehicle armoring kits, interdiction vessels, and mobile hospitals. Through the acquisition of the assets of Advanced Blast Protection, their products were deployed since 2003. AG manufactures and delivers products for military, law enforcement and civilian use. In addition, they served international customers, and governments including virtually all branches of the US Armed Forces, their various key subcontractors, the Department of Homeland Security, the United Nations, and numerous commercial companies. Their RhinoRunner® armored personnel transport vehicle transported and protected thousands of troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. Their products were designed, fabricated and manufactured entirely in the United States.

Chief Operating Officer
Advanced Blast Protection, Inc.
Weston, FL  USA
Apr 2007 - Jun 2009

Initially part of turnaround team. Responsible for all company operations including business development, marketing, manufacturing, engineering, quality assurance and information technology for this small business manufacturer of uparmoring kits, specialized armored vehicles and ballistic glass to US and international military customers. Upgraded engineering, quality, IT and production, reduced costs, introduced new processes. Played a major role in securing more than $15 million in new business; assisted in the re-financing efforts that raised more than $5 million in private equity.

President
Global Secure Safety, Inc.
Bear, DE  USA
May 2005 - Mar 2007

Managed the successful turnaround and consolidation of multiple small business manufacturing companies of products focused on critical incident response, homeland security and the US military, a subsidiary of Global Secure Corp., $50 million revenue critical incident response holding company. Consolidated and integrated two disparate manufacturing businesses that had been acquired, with annualized revenues in excess of $10 million. Achieved operating profits for the combined operations within the first three months of consolidation. Streamlined sales distribution channels, reduced cost of goods sold by more than 15% while upgrading product quality, improving customer service levels and introducing multiple new products.

Managing Director & CEO
Hamilton Capital Group, LLC
Philadelphia, PA  USA
May 1999 - Jun 2004

One of five founding partners of this boutique investment banking firm focused on providing both sell-side and buy-side merger and acquisition and capital placement services primarily for private small business and middle market companies in information technology, healthcare, and security markets. Successfully completed transactions with a value of more than $250 million.

Managing Director
LBC Capital Resources, Inc.
Philadelphia, PA USA
Jan 1997 - May 1999

Responsible for all technology segment transactions for this boutique investment banking firm primarily focused on the private placement of public equity in micro-cap public companies. Also responsible for all merger/acquisition transactions across all industry segments. Successfully completed transactions with a combined value of more than $100 million.

President & CEO
ION Networks (formerly Microframe)
Edison, NJ  USA
May 1994 - Dec 1996

Completed successful turnaround of this publicly-traded provider of telecommunications network management and security products. Grew revenue and earnings more than 50%, doubled the stock price during the first twelve months. Achieved company re-listing on NASDAQ. Completed international acquisition and private placement as part of long-term growth strategy.

President & CEO
Perceptive Solutions, Inc.
Dallas, TX  USA
1993 - 1994

In less than six months, completed successful turnaround of the operations of this, entrepreneur-owned, small business provider of intelligent disk controller products for personal computers, which had lost more than 50% of its revenue over the prior year, had significantly negative cash flow and serious morale problems. Increased revenues, stabilized costs, refined product focus, re-tooled distributor relationships and downsized staff.

President & CEO
Integrated Multimedia Solutions, Inc.
Dallas, TX  USA
1991 - 1993

Completed successful turnaround and combination of two small business operations - a computer-based training (CBT) business and a PC design/development business. Raised $2 million in capital to underpin turnaround. Consolidated the businesses into an aggressive entrepreneurial multimedia hardware/software developer and integrator delivering training and self-service kiosk applications.

Executive Vice President, Division Manager
MTech Corporation
Irving, TX  USA
1986 - 1988

P&L responsibility for four separate business units with more than 250 employees for this publicly-traded bank data processing company. Part of executive management team responsible for initial public, offering, raising more than $75 million in equity and debt. Through a series of small business acquisitions and international expansion, managed and grew a $7 million software division to more than $40 million in sales in less than two years, increasing profits by more than 150% prior to MTech's acquisition by EDS in 1988.

Executive Vice President
Benton International
1984 - 1985