Fix What's Slowing Your Business Down
Most businesses don’t stall because of effort.
They stall because something underneath the business structure is misaligned.
Real results require clear leadership.
When a business begins to stall or spiral, guessing doesn’t work. Neither does another tactic, tool, or marketing idea. What works is clarity, focus, and leadership grounded in real experience.
I help business owners identify what’s actually broken, prioritize what must be fixed first, and avoid wasting time and money on the wrong moves.
With more than 30 years of experience, I’ve built four successful companies—three from the ground up—and advised leaders across private industry and more than 20% of the Fortune 1000.
If your business feels harder than it should, the first step is understanding why.
"You’ll wish you met me sooner"
👉 Start with a Phone Call
As Seen In . . .
Does Any Of This Sound Familiar?
✅ Sales have plateaued but no one can clearly explain why
✅ Marketing spending keeps increasing but results are unpredictable
✅ Growth is creating operational stress instead of momentum
✅ Key decisions keep flowing back to the CEO
✅ The business looks successful from the outside but internally feels fragile
Most companies assume these are effort problems.
They’re usually structural.
Structural Risk Assessment
Before pushing harder for growth, verify your business structure can support it.
The Structural Risk Assessment examines the underling architecture of your business — strategy, positioning, operations, and leadership alignment —to identify the issues quietly limiting performance.
What you receive
✔ Structural Risk Heat Map
✔ Executive Findings Report
✔ 90-Day Structural Action Plan
✔ Board-Ready Summary
✔ Private CEO Debrief
Learn More About the Structural Risk Assessment
How Structural Problems Develop
Businesses rarely stall because of one issue.
Growth problems often appear when strategy, operations, leadership decisions, become misaligned.
The Structural Risk Assessment identifies where misalignments exist.
The 1% CEO Circle
The most important decisions in a business shouldn’t be made in isolation.
The 1% CEO Circle is a private strategy group for experienced founders and CEOs navigating complex growth decisions.
Members work through real challenges, strategic opportunities, and leadership decisions with direct guidance from Darlene.
Explore the 1% CEO Circle
Experience Matters When Stakes Are High
Darlene M. Ziebell is a business strategist, author, and former CEO with more than three decades of hands-on experience building and leading companies.
A four-time entrepreneur who has launched and grown multiple seven- and eight-figure businesses, she has also advised leaders across private industry, government, and more than 20% of the Fortune 1000.
Today she works with business owners to diagnose structural barriers to growth and help companies build organizations designed to scale.
Read Darlene's StoryMost Structural Problems Don’t Fix Themselves
When businesses stall, the instinct is often to push harder.
More marketing.
More effort.
More pressure.
But if the structure underneath the company is misaligned, those efforts rarely solve the real problem.
The first step is understanding what’s actually happening.
If your business feels harder to run than it should be, there's usually a reason.
Start with a conversation.
What Clients Are Saying . . .
Meet Tammy Renee, Founder of Level 10 Sales Mastery
Mark Seven
CEO, Get Away With Murder, Inc.
Darlene has a remarkable instinct for business strategy of not only knowing WHAT improvements to make, but WHEN and HOW to implement them. In the 20+ years I’ve known her, she has always provided us with useful management advice including accounting methodology, personnel and legal issues, contemporary marketing foresight, even spot-on location suggestions. Darlene is a true professional, honest and straight forward, whose insights have guided us through nearly 25 years of success as a growing national entertainment company.
Kathy Ameche
VP, Executive Partner, Gartner
CEO, Micci Micci
Why didn't I meet you earlier? Darlene has helped me focus on my value proposition, identifying customers and most importantly how to make money. Regardless of the level of business ownership you are at, her no nonsense approach is of great value. She has a global connection with owners through her site Center for Women Business Owners.
Hayward Harris, Jr.
CEO & Founder, The Rib Doctor
I hired Darlene to help me develop and implement marketing strategies. She has worked tirelessly to help separate me from my competitors in a competitive marketplace and encouraged me to cover every detail. The greatest compliment I can give anyone is trust, Darlene has indeed earned my trust!
Katheryn Weidman, Ph.D.
CEO, CenterPoint Institute
Darlene has MUCH to offer small business owners, regardless of whether they are just starting out or have been around for years. She has owned several types of businesses herself and has both broad experience and a unique approach to offer. Moreover, her style is refreshing. She doesn’t waste your time! She zeroes-in on the issues and talks-turkey to help the business owner confront the barriers to greater success. Darlene was a board member for two nonprofit organizations that I served as a consultant. I’ve seen her work in numerous settings and absolutely trust her judgment.
John Frank
Former Vice President, UnitedHealth Group
Darlene Ziebell is an experienced and thoughtful consulting professional, as well as a business owner and advisor who knows "the right thing to do" for both clients and employees. She also injects fun into work by always having a positive outlook and using humor to create a relaxed and productive work environment. I will always consider Darlene my colleague and friend.
Jonathan Mraunac
General Counsel, GCM Partners
"Our start-up company retained Darlene to provide consulting services related to fund raising, marketing, business-modeling, and web development. She went out of her way to meet at a location most convenient for us and provided several key pieces of useful, professional advice which clearly demonstrated her experience and expertise. I would recommend Darlene to any company in a similar situation."
Newell Anderson
CEO, Newell Anderson Enterprises
Darlene is an exceptional businesswoman who has tremendous foresight, credentials and experience. Her work, commitment to excellence, and character make her one of my most valued professionals to work with and I always look for ways to get my network in front of her. She is a good friend and colleague and I strongly recommend Darlene to anyone who demands the top level professionals.
Rosanna Marquez
Board Chair, AARP Foundation
Board President, Impact for Equity
Ms. Ziebell was the incoming Chair of the Board of the Eleanor Foundation when I joined it as President/CEO in September 2002. The organization was in the midst of a fairly radical restructuring that included a wholesale change in strategic direction and the turnover of the Board of Directors needed to effect the change. Ms. Ziebell's directness, leadership, strategic focus, and practical smarts were instrumental to the success of this transformation, which was realized far more quickly than I'd have though possible. Further, Ms. Ziebell also is one of the most entrepreneurial people I have ever met.
Business Strategy Insights from Darlene Ziebell
Discover real-world strategies from Darlene M. Ziebell, executive coach and business growth strategist, to help you scale beyond 7 figures, fix broken marketing, and build systems that work. Each week, I share no-fluff advice for entrepreneurs, CEOs, and founders who want lasting success. Read my latest business strategy articles below.isque.
