Focus or diversify

It is true that Lighthouse balances two seemingly different business foci. This balance is intended and strategically important. Both depend on back-office business services such as administrative support, event management, accounting, communications, logistics and the like. We call this the business spine. By building a consistent and high quality business spine, we are able to service both our trade association partners and our environmental consulting clients using shared capacity. Shared capacity means we can do a lot more for our clients at better rates then most.

It also means we place a high value on learning and efficiency. Knowledge management is a key feature in Lighthouse's network. We realize that only through continuous sharing and learning will our knowledge and skills grow to meet tomorrow’s challenges. Learning also promotes operational efficiencies – creating systems that can be easily replicated across our clients bring faster, bigger and more impactful results.

For example, today we spent another important hour talking about the International Marina and Boatyard Conference, learning from our excellent event in Ft. Lauderdale to evolve how the program will be delivered in Tampa next January. Our team drew from the IMBC experience as well as lessons we've learned by delivering other events; events for other clients spanning many different topical areas. It may not have felt like we were improving our business spine, but we were and we did.

-Mark