18 | Acquisition International, Issue 12 2023 Based in Schaumburg, Illinois, Proactive Worldwide, Inc. (PWW) is a global leader in specialty market research with a focus on competitive analysis, working to help Fortune 1000 organisations understand their vulnerabilities, predict market shifts, and confidently plan for growth. Here, we explore the company’s history, services, and strengths in light of its recent success in the Global Excellence Awards 2023, as part of which its team was named Leading Innovators in Strategic Intelligence. Proactive Worldwide: Driving Business Success with Competitive Intelligence n 1995, Proactive Worldwide, Inc. was established by Co-Founders David Kalinowski and Gary Maag, who set out to empower businesses by providing them with the insights they need to make informed strategic decisions. Focusing on the principle of evidencebased, primary intelligence, they worked to curate the company’s broad suite of decision-support solutions. These offerings uniquely position the company at the forefront of competitive research and analysis. In its work, PWW draws upon advanced intelligence techniques to provide clients with deep insights into their competitors, suppliers, customers, regulations, and more. In this, it unveils hidden opportunities and threats, allowing them to plan their next steps and achieve growth confidently. Over the last 28 years, David and Gary have poured their endless passion and dedication into PWW, driving it towards excellence and global prominence. Before his retirement in early 2023, Gary worked alongside David to lay a strong foundation for the business. As a result of their hard work, the company has evolved and transformed, blossoming from a humble two-person endeavour into an industry titan with dedicated teams that completed work on six continents. Today, PWW stands as a beacon of excellence in the realm of strategic development, a leading position it has obtained thanks to its long-standing commitment to quality. Overall, many factors have contributed to the company’s success thus far, including its wide-ranging services, high standard of service, and superb leadership. Firstly, PWW boasts a comprehensive suite of offerings, at the heart of which is its holistic strategic intelligence solution. With a foundation in primary research and analysis, this service offers clients an expansive 360-degree perspective of their competitive environment. Its scope not only encompasses competitor, market, and customer intelligence services, but also extends to the unique value proposition of competitive intelligence training. Furthermore, by delivering CI Function Development, CI Training Workshops, and Online CI Courses, PWW offers services that go beyond providing clients with actionable data. With these solutions, it empowers them with the tools and knowledge they need to create an in-house CI capability, enabling them to remain agile and informed in an everevolving marketplace. However, it is important to note that PWW’s services are not only extensive but also high-quality. The company’s unique CI Bill of RightsSM outlines the exceptional standard of service that its partners can expect to receive, underpinned by genuine perspectives, adaptability, confidentiality, and value emphasised through its Return on Competitive Intelligence (ROCI®) Framework. PWW’s services are also deeply rooted in ethics, which it demonstrates by respecting its clients’ codes of conduct, complying with the codes of the Strategic Consortium of Intelligence Professionals (SCIP), and developing its own standards for gathering intelligence. To understand the quality of PWW’s services and its leading position in the industry, one must simply look at its impressive metrics. In the last decade alone, the company has worked on over 2,175 projects and collaborated with over 225 Fortune 1000 companies, conducting research that has spanned 62 countries. Furthermore, PWW boasts an admirable client satisfaction rate that reaches over 90%. Demonstrating its commitment to empowerment and its industry expertise, it has also trained over 3,000 CI professionals and published two bestselling CI books. PWW has become the accomplished business it is today thanks, in part, to its first-class management over the years. The company is currently led by David Kalinowski, who has now gained over three decades of experience in competitive intelligence, research, and consulting. His leadership, deeply rooted in hands-on experience and profound understanding, goes far beyond the simple act of overseeing the company’s operations. Under David’s guidance, PWW has successfully honed its expertise and built a reputation for overcoming business and competitive challenges with unparalleled finesse. As a result of his charisma and knowledge, the company has been able to establish itself as a trusted partner for Fortune 1000 clients across multiple industries, ensuring that they overcome their most arduous challenges to reach their full potential. David greatly appreciates the support of his entire operational delivery team of researchers, analysts, and engagement managers. He also has an excellent leadership team around him, which consists of a number of experienced professionals brought together by shared values, missions, and an incredible sense of company loyalty. This team includes COO Jennifer Zeman, Chief of Staff Kelley Loiacono, Director of Business Development Nando Scola, and Director of IT Ruben Santana. These invaluable leaders have been with PWW for between 10 and 18 years. Their contribution to I
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