Innovation & Job News

Innovative Learning Group salvages business, makes it flourish

Thursday, October 23, 2008

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There's turning lemons into lemonade and then there's turning failed businesses into successful businesses. Guess which one is harder?

Lisa Toenniges and five of her co-workers faced this perilous situation nearly five years ago when the business they worked for went under. Rather than accept defeat she and her comrades decided to turn the company into Innovative Learning Group.

"The owners didn't want to start a new version, so we decided to give it a go," says Toenniges, who became the president of Innovative Learning Group.

Today the Royal Oak-based firm employs nine people and as many as 20-30 independent contractors at any given time. It went from six clients to 30 Fortune 500 customers today.

"So far so good, knock on wood," Toenniges says. "We were quite pleased."

Pleased with the progress and looking forward to the near future. The firm has enjoyed double-digit revenue growth every year and expects to settle into an average of low double digits. Toenniges also hopes to add another 1-2 people each year as the firm grows at its home a few blocks from downtown Royal Oak.

"We want to grow steadily," Toenniges says.

Source: Lisa Toenniges, president of Innovative Learning Group
Writer: Jon Zemke