Who We Help

I have been fortunate enough to work with the (Ad Lucem Group / Optimus Partners) team on two different occasions: first on a large-scale transformation effort during my tenure as CTO IKEA and also in a strategy building and on-boarding fast-track initiative while CPTO at StepStone. The experience at IKEA was extremely positive – helping us to quickly assess gaps and opportunities in our operations and execution. That positive experience led me to leverage the team again when I was onboarding with StepStone. I was able to enlist them early to assist me with that executive transition so that I could hit the ground running. The team performed a series of in-depth interviews with key stakeholders and teams – and was able to create a first-90 day plan as I was entering the company. They have been extremely T-shaped in their practice – able to guide and assist with strategic thinking and planning as well as being able to deep dive on technology and operations. Their ability to distill key strategic insights and convert them into actionable steps, while building significant relationships built on a high-degree of trust and competence across the organization have made them indispensable throughout this process.

Chief Product / Technology Officer, StepStone (Past Chief Technology Officer, IKEA)

Ad Lucem Group acts as an extension to your own team, bringing thought leadership, focus and strategic direction to the table. They have an incredible ability to seamlessly complement executive leadership teams whilst developing strategies that realize the full potential of organisations, functions, and people in this omni-channel world.

In 2020 they were challenged (in partnership with Optimus Partners) with helping the Technology Group at IKEA to transform into a digital powerhouse. They quickly established themselves as trusted advisors triaging immediate problems, understanding the challenges of the function through multiple virtual interviews, and establishing plans for transformation. These plans focused not only on the details of a fully functioning technology and engineering team, but also the change in behaviours needed to really launch a successful outcome-driven team.

When you are working with Ad Lucem Group you really benefit from experts who are committed to change that matters. People are at the heart of everything they do. And, it is this ethos plus energy and speed that means I will continue to work through new challenges with them!

Chief of Staff to the Chief Technology/Product Officer, Stepstone (Past Chief of Staff to the Chief Technology Officer, IKEA)

As CEO of a global organization in the industrial manufacturing space, I turned to the consultants of Ad Lucem Group to assist me in driving innovation and strategy development within our product development and engineering team. Experts in the use of Appreciative Inquiry, Patrick, Melissa, and Amber were able to get to the heart of the positive core of our team and leverage that positive core to develop a winning strategy for innovation. They built instant trust with and among the team that allowed the team, and not the consultants, to lean into the process in a truly collaborative and productive manner. We saw immediate results following their work, that for me was a true testament of their value.

CEO

The summit we performed with Patrick, Melissa, and Amber was truly transformational. Our organization was one of hierarchy mindset where our employees didn’t feel like they had a voice. So when it came to brainstorming new ideas and implementing them, we never had employee buy-in. During our summit, we removed titles and solved a number of problems, created new solutions, a timeline for implementation and a budget over a 3 day period with 80+ people in the room. It was nothing I had ever seen before. What I hadn’t realized until the end of the summit was just how important it was for the employees to have a voice. One of the most introverted technologists stood up and gave a speech and gave thanks. It brought tears to my eyes. This summit was over 4 years ago and I still tell the story and leverage the tools we learned that day. It has made a significant impact in my leadership and my life.

(Past) Executive Director, IT Strategy and Business Operations, Midcontinent Independent System Operator, Inc.

Patrick, and everyone at Ad Lucem group, combine the right amount of critical strategic thinking with organizational empathy that is rare among consultants. We felt challenged as well as supported throughout our strategic planning process. We were equipped to have important, and sometimes hard, conversations that have brought us to a place where we have a better understanding of ourselves, our board, our staff and our mission. We were able to break out of our arrested development as an organization and take the next steps toward becoming a sustainable nonprofit with a vision for how to serve our community. We learned that being strategic isn’t static; the tools we received from Patrick will serve us well into the future as we continue to grow.

Executive Director, Center for Healing & Hope

It’s easy to fall into routines and patterns of thinking. Patrick and Amber helped my team think differently about the challenges and opportunities in front of us. With their help, we created a strategic vision that was both inspiring and practical. Most importantly, they got the whole team excited and mobilized for the path ahead. It was transformative.

Caretaker, Company Culture (CCC), edtec central, LLC

Patrick is the rare coach/mentor who will approach his work with you in a deeply knowledgeable yet caring and heart-centered manner. He knew exactly the questions to ask us that prompted a greater depth in the formulation of our initial business strategy and planning. From guiding us through creating our very first financial projections to leading with compassion and heart, Patrick is easily one of the most well-rounded mentors we’ve encountered in our startup journey to date.

Founder and Director, The Mindful Collective

Patrick has been an invaluable mentor to our organization in reviewing and advising us on our business plan, marketing, and strategy. He is professional, respectful of our time, and puts us at ease, especially in areas we didn’t fully understand. He has been very responsive and we are very happy with the outcomes of our work together.

Executive Director, Adaptive Arts

Patrick consistently exceeds my expectations. He is extremely knowledgeable and asks thought provoking questions that lead to valuable and actionable insight. He’s been a trusted advisor to me, and I highly recommend his advisory services.

Founder, Workforce Development Solutions

Collaborating with Ad Lucem Group on developing a two-day leadership development workshop was such a positive and enlightening experience, My team leaned in and we left with new tools and new ideas to improve their leadership skills. It was wonderful seeing the level of engagement of our leadership contributing to the conversations and activities. This high degree of engagement and momentum has continued coming out of the workshop, with the team sharing their goals and continuing support of each other.

Owner, Double V Restaurants