`Operationalizing' eBusiness - This Start-Up Makes It Happen.

Business Editors

SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 17, 2000

With numerous fallen dot.com's and many traditional companies facing enormous difficulties when attempting to transition to a new business model, there has never been a better time to launch a consulting firm that provides a solid strategic and operational foundation for companies grappling with a wide range of eBusiness challenges. Enter - The Genesis Consulting Group, Inc.

Founded in December, 1999 by a breakaway group of consultants from big five and leading consulting firms, this small start-up has already provided consulting services to several leading companies including one of the Fortune 50 entertainment giants. Paramount Digital Entertainment (PDE) was the first client of Genesis, which faced numerous critical challenges as it formulated plans for implementing its online entertainment strategy. Via a strategic partner engaged by PDE to address overall needs, Genesis consultants contributed a proposed organizational structure and governance system, addressed cultural issues, and developed a roadmap for possible organizational growth paths. The client emerged with a blueprint for a scalable eBusiness organization.

"PDE was impressed with the specialized skills Genesis brought to the table," says Leonard Washington, President of Paramount Digital Entertainment. "I also really appreciated Dexter's energy and candor."

Genesis Founder and President, Dexter Hendrix, started Genesis based on his realization that there was a significant gap in the service offerings of all but a few consultancies. A primary focus of the Genesis service offerings is to `operationalize' clients strategies, to make them real, enabling clients to become competitive more quickly. Most eBusiness consulting firms offer a `full service' solution, which in most cases is 90% IT, and 10% strategy, process and people. Even the big five are heavily focused on the systems integration aspects of eBusiness without addressing the operational, organizational or people side of the equation. There is a significant gap between strategies and the IT solutions being offered, and that gap is where the results lie. "Our core strength is creating an operational link between them to ensure the client achieves their strategic objectives," says Hendrix. "The bottom line is that we enable clients to get a hard dollar ROI while ensuring they can defend or extend their markets."

Prior to establishing Genesis, Hendrix was a thought leader in eBusiness strategy for PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, and before that worked for A.T. Kearney helping build their Asian Practice with a specialty in Asian/US operations. "What Genesis delivers is a means for companies to separate the perceived threats and opportunities from the real ones, so clients can strategically leverage their process, people and technology to build shareholder value instead of chalking up losses to lessons learned," says Hendrix.

The Genesis business model is based on a constellation of strategic alliances. Genesis has already established strong relationships with two IT firms, Sierra Systems Group, Inc. and RWD Technologies, in order to provide seamless and complete solutions for their mutual clients and to offer a comprehensive set of eBusiness enablers.

"As an IT firm, we found that partnering the strategic and process strengths of Genesis, coupled with our skills as IT integrators was a highly valuable approach," says Sierra Systems' Seattle Branch Vice President, Kent Meisner. RWD's Vice President of Enterprise Systems Bob Danna agrees with the approach. "Teamed up, we deploy a complete solution encompassing every aspect of a company's value chain, from the board room to the end user's desk top, and from the suppliers to the customers."

The consulting firm is built on a strong foundation of strategic disciplines, operational expertise, best practice processes and emergent thought leadership. The Genesis founders aimed to establish an organization that combines deep strategic and operational skills with a commitment to innovation and quality. "I joined Genesis because we are uniquely positioned to meet the needs of clients today. With our consultants averaging over fifteen years of industry and consulting experience, Genesis provides all the advantages of a large firm, with the agility and responsiveness of a small organization," says Anjali Vichare, Director of eBusiness Strategic Solutions. Genesis consultants have served a number of Fortune 50-500 companies and a wide range of industries including high tech, entertainment, telecom, financial services, manufacturing, government organizations, consumer products and retail.

About The Genesis Consulting Group, Inc.

The Genesis Consulting Group, Inc. (www.thegenesisgroupinc.com) provides strategic guidance and process solutions to empower organizations for growth, change and competitive positioning. In partnership, the firm works with clients to optimize business performance. Genesis' highly experienced consultants excel at defining, prioritizing and implementing strategies that yield measurable results. Headquartered in Seattle with teams in Oregon and California, Genesis consultants offer a comprehensive, integrated approach that helps clients compete successfully and become more agile in today's increasingly complex and dynamic market.

Editor's Note: A photo of Dexter Hendrix is available to members of the press by contacting Heather Nordell, 206/706-2556.