Working with SHERPA Institute is NOT for everyone.  Why’s that?  If the term “badass” offends anyone, we are not a fit, right off the bat. We audaciously tell it how we see it, with no adjustments for who is in the room. From corporate board members to the C-suite to the front lines, we stay true to truth. We have seen too many improvement efforts as passing fancies, or “flavor of the month". Badasses don’t start something audacious, then give up partway through. SHERPA Institute is dedicated to “Badass Solutions for Better Business & World”.  What do we mean by “Badass Solutions?

We guide you to innovations without tiptoeing around the truth or play internal politics. Badass Solutions are durable because there are ALL of the required stakeholders involved. This differs from isolated meetings with temporary patch-repairs, conceived in silos. Badass Solutions don’t happen behind closed doors of swanky conference rooms. We establish transparency from the start, and our solution approach is not a spectator sport.

If we aren’t a fit, we will be upfront right away. We limit our engagements to provide the highest level of attention to guiding YOU on YOUR journey. Let’s talk! We can GUIDE you towards your ideal state, but this is YOUR company’s journey.

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WORK WITH US

GUIDING YOU FROM innovative IDEAS to BADASS Breakthroughs

WE AREN'T FOR EVERYONE

When we call ourselves BADASS, we know it might raise an eyebrow, and that's fine. We aren't a fit for everyone. Our diverse, global perspective brings intellectual humility and curiosity together into a worldview that refuses to bend to polite norms. We're a nonprofit headquartered in North Alabama, with staff and collaborators across the globe. Our key leadership is located in Decatur and Huntsville, Alabama, Tampa, Florida, and Santiago, Chile. We have contributors across the United States, in India, Canada, Turkey, Tunisia, and many other locations. For over 10 years, we've helped organizations understand their stakeholders inside and out, build a project pipeline, and prioritize what matters — guiding real breakthroughs in business growth, employee engagement, industry collaboration, community impact, and Culture Change.

We don't hand over slides and templates and walk away. Our team brings 100+ years of combined real-world expertise, and we wear the BADASS Badge with pride.

WHO'S A FIT?

Organizations come to us to receive truth as seen from outside. We say what others in the room are only thinking. That can be disruptive for organizations used to their internal politics and polished messaging. We tear that silence down and rebuild an authentic story around Mission, Vision, Core Values, and then drive action. We do this initially with deep dives into ALL stakeholders, with input from the entire organization, then expertly use proven tools to help move those stakeholders into project support.

We've guided organizations toward real breakthroughs, stronger engagement, cross-industry collaboration, and deeper community ties; not through slides and templates, but by guiding and  walking the process with them.

We also train Project Leaders, but only after candidates have proven themselves inside SHERPA-led projects. The best-fit organizations are willing to trust the process, whether or not they already follow a formal method.

Our methodology, CISR (Continual Improvement for Social Responsibility), evolves Lean Six Sigma to bring ISO 26000 )the International Standard for Social Responsibility) to life throughout an organization. Our method is a 6-phase approach called SOFAIR, resolving the shortcomings of classic 5-phase DMAIC Method, when it comes to improving the social aspects of problems. Adding the bookends that make the difference: Stakeholders at the front, Report and Repeat at the back of the process, are key differentiators, and we never truly leave Stakeholders – they permeate throughout the process and inform tool after tool as we advance through SOFAIR Phases. Lastly, while DMAIC ends with a Control Plan, we end by reporting results while the team is already moving on to the next project; using what we've learned to accelerate the next round. That's how we create an upward spiral of social responsibility performance and real Culture Change.

WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE AND HOW DO WE GET STARTED?

It all starts with a conversation. We meet online, to get an understanding of your needs, timeline, questions, concerns, challenges, and aspirations. Some organizations come to us for crisis response, when something has gone wrong. Other organizations can see that their competitors are gaining an advantage through more socially responsible performance.

Remember, we are not a fit for everyone. We look for organizations with the responsibility, honor, courage, and humility to live out real BADASS values; not just claim them. Our signature engagement model is Strategy Kick-Start 1-2-3. We will walk you through each phase of the engagement and answer your questions — the process is flexible, and timing can flex as well. If the need is a one-off crisis response, report review, in-and-out project, or other type of support, we are open to these types of à la cart engagements.

The Institute is also a resource to fill the role of an Interim or Parttime CSO – Chief Sustainability Officer. Many organizations find that the effort and expense for filling this high-level FTE is better solved by bringing in a professional to serve as a “hub” for all operational areas. We can also assist in the vetting of a permanent CSO, if your organization decides that this role is vital throughout the business year. Lastly, we can also come in as a “right hand” to an existing CSO or VP of Sustainability, during times of intense workload, crisis or risk management.

Back to our signature engagement model. Each Strategy Kick-Start 1-2-3 Phase runs about six months, depending on your organization's bandwidth, business cycles, and goals. SOFAIR is flexible by design. Maybe you just need to identify and map your stakeholders, assess your risks, or hold a TRIZ innovation session to work through a specific contradiction. We can pull out exactly the tools you need for innovation to solve that problem.

We start by exploring where you stand today; what's working, what needs urgent attention, and where the pressure points are. If we agree to move forward, we'll send a brief Next Steps Outline, followed by a Kick-Start Engagement Agreement.

From there, we get to work driving Social Responsibility Performance Improvement, to build  stronger culture, greater efficiency, more innovation, better risk management, and a real competitive edge for your company or organization.

Our Kick-Start 1-2-3 Strategy is simple in structure, but the impact reaches far beyond your organization - into your community, your supply chain, and your customers.

Here's what emerging Culture Change looks like:

1. 1.Understand your real risks around Stakeholder and Social Responsibility, and get proactive.
2. 2.Develop measurable, innovative solutions through teamwork, aligned with your goals.
3. 3.Identify next steps, future projects, and future Project Leaders.

THREE SIMPLE PHASES OF ORGANIZATIONAL ENGAGEMENT PRIOR TO PROJECT LEADER TRAINING

THREE SIMPLE PHASES OF ORGANIZATIONAL ENGAGEMENT PRIOR TO PROJECT LEADER TRAINING

Social responsibility is no longer optional — it's a competitive advantage. Our methodology helps organizations attract and retain top talent, strengthen stakeholder relationships, and drive operational efficiency through smarter sustainable practices. It builds resilience, deepens customer loyalty, and turns your commitment to responsibility into a catalyst for innovation. The result: organizations that don't just do good — they perform better because they do good.

It All Starts With a Conversation 

We explore your current state, levels of urgency on various topics, what is working and what areas need immediate attention.

If we mutually decide to take the journey together, our Next Steps Outline is sent for your review, followed by a Kick-Start Engagement Agreement. 

We then get started on leading positive Social Responsibility Performance Improvement for elevated culture, higher efficiency, increased innovation, better risk management, and other hallmarks of an unbeatable competitive advantage.

Our Kick-Start 1-2-3 Strategy approach might seem simple, but the results will permeate through and beyond your organization. It will permeate into your community, within your supply chain, and with your customers

Among the powerful benefits of emerging CULTURE CHANGE you will:

1. 1. Understand actual problems and/or risks related to social responsibility;
2. 2. Develop measurable innovative solutions through teamwork that align with organizational objectives;
3. 3. Identify next steps and future projects, planning for who are candidates for future Project Leader Training.

Why Us?

We are seasoned businesspeople, not academics.  As professionals who grew out of Lean Six Sigma, we create measurable Socially Responsible performance improvements (based on ISO 26000); proven to elevate culture, increase innovation and productivity. You’ll find teams, departments, and your entire organization increase their commitment to accountability, transparency, collaboration, proactive risk management, courageous action, discretionary effort, among other attributes of a positive culture.

Working with a team of Sherpa* Experts is not a fit for all organizations. We GUIDE you towards your ideal state, but this is YOUR company’s journey.
*People are Sherpas (Title case), while the Institute is SHERPA (all caps).

Time for action

Contact US

If we mutually decide to begin the journey together and the Engagement Agreement is created, we arrange for the retainer and phase-based payments that work with your operational system. Per-project fees are discussed for Phases 3-4.

Per-project fees are discussed for Kick-Start Strategy 1-2-3

Phases last days, weeks or months, depending on factors including frequency of meetings, availability of key contributors, and size of organization.