I founded the Mercer Island group in 1990 with a simple notion in mind: that in today’s fast paced, advanced technology world there no longer was such a thing as a long term technical competitive advantage. The signs were everywhere, from upstart companies like Microsoft dominating major new industries to old established companies literally disappearing from existence. I had the belief that whatever your technical competitive advantage, someone could out-invent you from their garage or family room – or in the case of Linus Torvald, from a campus.

This realization did not mean that technology wasn’t important, but rather that to be successful a series of other capabilities were critical in addition to technology – things like great branding, sound business strategy, excellent operations, astute marketing and strategic sales. I founded the Mercer Island Group to provide companies with help at all of these other critical skills. Your technology and our strategic management and marketing skills surely would yield success!

With my decade of experience in consumer marketing and brand management at Procter & Gamble, and general management experience at a Fortune 100, I founded Mercer Island Group. From the start I knew that to avoid being on an airplane 7 days a week I needed to secure Microsoft, McCaw or Boeing as a client. Luckily, within a few months Microsoft and McCaw were both clients, and that was just the beginning. Toshiba, Sun, NEC, Quantum and others followed, and soon we were known as much for technology clientele as for consumer products clients.

Our work with McCaw led to AT&T Wireless, and eventually we were signed on to help Sprint launch the Sprint PCS business in 1995. 9 years later, Sprint is still a wonderful client and we’ve established a fine telecommunications practice.

Despite the strength we've developed in technology and telecommunications, our consumer practice has also remained strong over the years, with blue chip clients like Starbucks, Dial, Dole, Kraft and many others.

Today, Mercer Island Group is a unique management consulting consortium providing clients a team of hands-on, line-experienced, senior professionals tailored specifically to client needs. With an experience base ranging from strategy to marketing, new product introduction efforts, branding, positioning, competitive intelligence and organization strategies on behalf of blue chip clients like Microsoft, Toshiba, Time Warner, Sprint, Starbucks and numerous others, MIG has the people and experience that you can count on.

Our success rate is extraordinary; virtually all clients repeat. In fact, many relationships have covered extended periods of time like Microsoft (14 years), Sprint (9 years), and Starbucks (4 years). Our success is driven by the amazing talent we can bring to bear upon a client's problems and challenges: our group consists of successful consultants from around the world representing every conceivable business planning, marketing, sales, and operations need.  We put together a team from this talent pool depending upon a client’s specific needs, using only those people whose skill set and experience is necessary. We are not overhead driven; no junior staff are cutting their teeth on your business. We are not “career-consultants”; our associates typically have worked 15+ years in line management in industry and represent their specialties with distinction.

Our spirit is simple: we'd like to help your team succeed!

-Steve Boehler, Founder

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