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About Darlene Ziebell 

Executive Business Consultant & Fortune 1000 Advisor

I’m Darlene M. Ziebell, an entrepreneur, management consultant, author, and business advisor who has spent more than 30 years building companies and helping business leaders solve the challenges that come with growth.

I didn’t learn business only from a classroom or from advising other people. I learned it by building companies of my own from the ground up, finding customers, making payroll, managing employees, navigating financial challenges, surviving setbacks, and making the decisions that determine whether a business grows or disappears.

Over the course of my career, I founded four companies, built businesses from zero to seven and eight figures, and successfully exited three through a sale, merger, or ESOP. Measured in today’s dollars, the companies I built from the ground up grew to a combined value of approximately 1/4 of a billion dollars.

I’ve also worked as a management consultant with Fortune 1000 organizations, giving me the opportunity to see business from both sides: inside large, sophisticated organizations and from the desk of the entrepreneur who has to make the final decision.

That combination shapes the way I work with business owners today.

I understand what it takes to start with an idea and turn it into a real company. I also understand what changes as revenue grows, employees are added, operations become more complicated, and the decisions become more expensive.

My work today is focused on helping business owners identify what is holding their companies back, recognize risks before they become serious problems, make better strategic decisions, and build businesses capable of reaching the next level.

I don’t believe there is one formula for building a successful company. Every business has different customers, competitors, financial realities, operational challenges, and opportunities. My role is to help you look at your business clearly, ask the questions that may not be getting asked, and determine what needs to happen next.

Because I’ve been in your shoes.

I’ve built businesses. I’ve grown them. I’ve made mistakes. I’ve survived problems I never saw coming. I’ve exited companies. And I’ve started over.

That experience is what I bring to every business owner I work with today.

“When you hire an architect, you’re paying for the blueprint, not just the hours it took to create it. My expertise is your business blueprint for success—solutions refined over decades to save you time and drive measurable growth." - Darlene M. Ziebell

Read My Journey to 1/4 of a $Billion →

Why Work with Business Consultant Darlene Ziebell.

I’ve been in your shoes. I’ve faced what most business owners fear: 

* Survived a multi-million-dollar lawsuit filed by a state government

* Recovered from bank embezzlement

* Navigated rapid market shifts during the COVID-19 shutdown

* Rescued business owners from the brink of bankruptcy

I don’t just help businesses survive—I help them achieve their next 7-figures. 

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 Let's Talk If . . . 

  • Your sales are stagnant
  • Your marketing spend isn't generating results
  • You're stuck in a saturated market
  • You don't know how to differentiate your business
  • You're preparing for an exit —or a comeback
  • Or . . . you just don't know what to do next.

I’ve been there—and I know how to help.

Meet With Me Today

What I Offer

I work with business owners and CEOs who are trying to grow to the next level, strengthen the structure behind their growth, identify risks that could derail the company, and make better strategic decisions. My work draws on more than 30 years of building companies and advising business leaders.

Through private advisory, strategic assessments, group programs, and specialized business services, I help entrepreneurs apply the lessons I learned building companies from the ground up to a combined value of approximately 1/4 of a billion dollars in today’s dollars.

  • CEO Strategic Advisory — Private, one-on-one strategic guidance for established business owners ready to grow toward eight figures.

  • Business Growth Forum — Ongoing strategy, business insight, and peer discussion for owners working toward their next level of growth.

  • Business Risk Assessment — Identify weaknesses, vulnerabilities, and priorities so you know what needs attention before problems become expensive.

  • Business Book Publishing — Learn how to self-publish a professional business book and use it to build credibility, authority, and market your expertise.

  • Workshops & Webinars — Practical business education based on decades of entrepreneurship, consulting, growth, marketing, and real-world experience.

 

Credentials 

  • MBA, Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University 
  • Founder & CEO of multiple 7 & 8 figure businesses
  • Management consultant to over 20% of the Fortune-1000
  • Creator of the proprietary Business Growth Methodology
  • Founder of Center For Women Business Owners
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Featured Presenter & Advisor for SCORE

As an experienced business coach, business consultant, and executive advisor, I have been honored to present workshops and provide guidance for SCORE — the nation’s largest network of volunteer business mentors, supported by the U.S. Small Business Administration.

Through SCORE chapters across the country, I’ve led high-impact sessions on scaling to 7 and 8 figures, business turnaround strategies, strategic planning for CEOs, and marketing that drives results. My role with SCORE allows me to share proven, real-world strategies with entrepreneurs at every stage of growth — from startups to established companies ready for their next breakthrough.

Experience with Fortune 1000 Companies

As a former management consultant, my consulting firms have an extensive list of clients. 

Trusted by Leaders in Corporate and Small Business.

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.

Kathy Ameche

CEO, Micci Micci

"Why didn't I meet you earlier?Darlene has helped me focus on my value proposition, identifying customers and most importantly howto make money. Regardless of the level of business ownership you are at, her no nonsense approach is of great value.

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!

FAQs

You Know My Story. Now Let’s Talk About Yours.

You’ve learned a little about who I am and the businesses I’ve built. Now I’d like to hear about your business, where you want to take it, and what’s getting in the way.

Schedule a Complimentary Conversation →