Master of Business Administration Program at Columbia University

John Haag serves as a partner at Callister Haag Consulting, a California-based firm that guides businesses in securing financing and making smart investments. Prior to his involvement with the company, John Haag earned a master of business administration from Columbia University. 

The business program at Columbia offers an ever-evolving core curriculum that adapts to changing business demands. It gives students the opportunity to build essential career skills in the business hub of New York City, which grants them access to leaders across a variety of industries. Over the course of their studies, students gain experience with recognizing opportunities and approaching challenges with a multidisciplinary perspective. 

Students will learn strategies for success in competitive environments and how to respond to challenges using dynamic solutions. Instructors provide students with the necessary guidance to become effective business leaders and develop entrepreneurial proficiencies. While Columbia does not offer concentrated areas of study, students may customize their education by taking courses in 14 academic field divisions.

When to Call a Turnaround Consultant

A veteran business executive, John Haag is currently a managing partner with California-based CallisterHaag Consulting. In his leadership capacity with the firm, he provides clients with a wide range of services, including risk management, venture capital consulting, and systems and process analysis. John Haag has also served as a turnaround consultant for multiple companies.

One of the most important traits for an entrepreneur or business executive is self-confidence, a can-do attitude that can help them lead companies through rough patches. Paradoxically, these very same traits can cause problems when business owners’ self-confidence and sense of independence blinds them to deeper problems within their organizations.

Deep-rooted company problems often require the perspective of an outside observer such as a turnaround consultant, who will observe and analyze a company’s structure and operations and make suggestions for improvement. Here are three signs that it might be time to call a turnaround consultant.

1. Feeble financials. Overextended credit, poor inventory management, and overloaded debt are a few signs that a company is in financial distress. A qualified turnaround consultant can conduct a rigorous analysis of the financials and create a plan of action.

2. Ineffective or overly concentrated management. A strong management structure allows mid- and upper-level managers the freedom to make decisions and take accountability. When all decision-making rests with one person, such as the CEO, this can create a leadership void at other levels of a company. Additionally, an ineffective or non-participatory board of directors is one sign of management inefficiencies.

3. Falling behind competitors. Sometimes market lag is the result of larger economic forces or seasonal business cycles, but there could be more fundamental reasons endemic to the company. For example, perhaps the company has not kept up with the latest technological trends in its industry. A turnaround specialist can analyze and identify areas of weakness and provide strategies for rectifying them.

Positioning a Startup to Achieve Funding

John Haag most recently guided CallisterHaag, where he provided informed solutions to issues confronted by growth companies in need of operational support. John Haag’s experience extends to enabling companies to achieve funding goals that enable go-to-market strategies to reach fruition. 

A recent Forbes article points to the hard realities facing startup businesses, with some 80 percent of entrepreneurs failing at their venture within 16-18 months of launch. With lack of cash a major issue, half of small businesses fail within the first year and only three percent of growth companies make it past their fifth year. 

With funding increasingly difficult to obtain, a significant challenge involves the sheer number of startups competing for limited venture capital. This results in higher benchmarks and less room for error among funded companies. In turn, many entrepreneurs are driven toward creative ways of bootstrapping their venture with minimal amounts of capital. 

For those entrepreneurs seeking to avoid a complete reliance on sweat equity, the business plan is essential. In as concise a way as possible, it must provide measurable steps toward meeting goals, as well as realistic assessments of target audiences and the competitive landscape. One key attractor is for a venture to make the extra effort in defining exactly when it expects to launch a product or service, and how it will achieve a disruptive niche within a specific market or sector.

Are You Interested in Real Estate?

John Haag has been working in finance for more than two decades. He has held a number of positions and is a turnaround management consultant. He works in finance, operations, and business management. He has worked with Presidio Partners and with CallisterHaag Consulting, LLC. He has a background in investment banking as well as accounting. Real estate can be a great investment opportunity.

If you are interested in becoming a property owner and an investor, you may consider purchasing single family homes. There are many families who are interested in renting a home rather than purchasing a home. If you want to become an investor, there are several steps you can take to break into the real estate business.

The first step is to purchase a property. If you want to make a good return on your investment, it may be beneficial to find a property that needs some work. You may be able to purchase a home in a good neighborhood at a lower price. Doing light renovations to the home could help you get a higher rent, which in turn would increase your return.

After you have your property, you can contact a property management company. The company you choose could help you find a tenant by performing background and credit checks. The property management company will have direct contact with the tenants and take care of the home as well. Real estate can be a great long term investment. John Haag has a strong interest in investment opportunities and finance.
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