High Performance Business Structures

 

Chair | Facilitator | Speaker | Coach

 

        

About

Ant Carter specialises in developing and implementing high performance business structures for owner-operated businesses. The Performance Pyramid contains four elements which provide the overarching framework for the templates and processes for businesses to efficiently implement high performance business structures which drive ownership, accountability and results.
The cultural pyramid is the lifeblood at the heart of the model. Acknowledging that culture is more important than strategy, significant focus is placed on the cultural element ensuring that the business and personnel can sustain the changes implemented on the journey from good to great. Leadership, development and engagement are core to this pyramid.

Supporting the culture is the strategic pyramid which ensures an organisational structure is appropriate to deliver on the agreed strategy and to manage and mitigate risk.

 
Finance
Budget
Report
Reward
 
Operations
Safe
Perform
Customer
 
Culture
Lead
Develop
Engage
 
Strategy
Structure
Strategy
Risk
The operational pyramid contains a comprehensive suite of planning and reporting tools designed to keep people safe, align strategy and monitor performance in delivering on the customer promises.

The financial pyramid contains the operational and capital budgeting tools and delegations to provide sound financial oversight, benchmark performance and recognise and reward people for high performance.

These templates and processes are accessed through a secure client login allowing access from any device, any time, anywhere. Board papers and minutes are also securely stored and accessed from this platform.

Our Services

Using the templates and processes from within the Performance Pyramid, solutions are customised for each business which introduces high performance business structures to achieve extraordinary sustained results.  

Underpinning all solutions are Ant’s core values of Excellence, Professionalism and Integrity.

High Performance Business Structures

Chair Facilitator Speaker Coach

Chair

At the heart of these structures lies the advisory board. These advisory boards are often small boards made up of Ant, the business owner and the senior leadership team. Typically, 11 board meetings are conducted per year with the agenda driven by an agreed annual board plan. Regular alignment meetings scheduled between board meetings ensures alignment as well as providing the opportunity for Ant to assist the business with the implementation of key structures and processes.

Speaker

The Performance Pyramid provides a tangible model for Ant to speak to as a keynote on high performance business structures. Delivered live in person or as a webinar, 12 key structures and associated templates are discussed. Participants can access the templates immediately and implement the structures in their own businesses.

Facilitator

Driven by client demand, the Performance Excellence Forum has become a cornerstone of Ant’s offer whereby four non-competing business owners get together quarterly to share best practice and provide detailed feedback to the host business. Ant facilitates the programme and shares practical best practice initiatives from across a variety of sectors. Ant also regularly facilitates strategic planning workshops and industry study tours.

Coach

Ant is also available to coach business owners through the introduction of these high performance business structures. Monthly coaching provides both the tools and accountability to transform business performance.

Contact Us

Simply email or call us:
ant@antcarter.net
+64 21 378 093

Our People

Ant Carter, Managing Director

Ant spent time as an officer in the Royal New Zealand Navy before hanging up his uniform for good and moving to Foodstuffs North Island to run their leadership and management training. He then went on to establish Cardinal Solutions Ltd, a leadership development business where he and his business partner developed and delivered bespoke experiential leadership and management programmes for medium and large businesses throughout New Zealand. Ant’s interest in strategy and performance excellence saw him sell his share in this business and focus purely on establishing and leading advisory boards with Lateral Leadership Ltd. As a business owner since 2003 with clients from across many different industries in many different regions, Ant has an intimate knowledge of what makes owner operator businesses successful. He is passionate about providing platforms, systems and processes for business owners to develop high-performing businesses which don’t require the owner to be in the business on a daily basis. When not chairing an advisory board meeting or performance excellence forum, you may well find Ant out racing a yacht, riding a mountain bike, walking the beach with his wife Sharon or on the sideline watching his sons Matt & Aston play sport.

Email: ant@antcarter.net

Phone: +64 21 378 093

Connie Bell, Executive Assistant

Email: connie@leadership.net.nz

Sharon Carter, Financial Accountant

Email: sharon@leadership.net.nz

Testimonials for Ant

 

“As the Chair of our Advisory Board, Ant is always extremely well organized and considered in his role, providing a level of professional governance our business had been lacking. Ant continuously challenges business as normal and will often dedicate additional time and energy to provide his oversight to new initiatives in order to achieve our vision and strategy. Ant has quickly become a trusted and appreciated cog within our business.”

Hamish McIntosh, Owner Operator, Gilmours North Shore

 

 

“Ant is an outstanding human, husband, father, friend, businessman, mentor and coach. He leads with his heart and from a place of vulnerability. I have never felt judged only encouraged. He brings out the best in people. He has brought out the best in me. The way he helps you navigate your situation leaves you empowered and setup with the skills to take the helm. I have the upmost respect for Ant and trust him undoubtedly.”

Bruce Pilbrow, Chief Executive Officer, Spirit of Adventure Trust

“Ant ‘practices what he preaches’ always looking to be the best he can be, executing with excellence, by keeping at the frontline of best practise. He is a true trusted advisor with a deep well of experience to draw on. Importantly he genuinely cares about your success individually and collectively and was a great support to us when we transitioned the Starbucks license to new owners after 20 years in NZ.”

Charles Belcher, Chief Executive Officer, Starbucks New Zealand

“After a number of years toing and froing and thinking about the need to introduce an advisor to our business I decided to work with Ant Carter. After a short period of a couple of months I have realized I should have done this years ago!
Ant has already bought huge value to our business and has been able to integrate himself into our business in a way that has been non threatening and enabled full engagement with our Management Team.
Along with our Management Team, I am excited to be working with Ant and know he will bring real value to our business.”

Carl Arnold, Managing Director, Kitchen Mania

“Ant has been a trusted partner within my businesses for nearly 20 years. His support and advice has been instrumental in helping me achieve.”

Paul Blackwell, Director, Tahua Partners Ltd

“I was fortunate enough to have Ant as a mentor and Chairman of the Board in my role as General Manager of the NZ Breakers. Ant was organised, detailed, helpful, honest, accountable and went over and above to help me succeed in the role”.

Dillon Boucher, General Manager, NZ Breakers

“Ant worked with our business in a coaching and consulting capacity for four months. Through his results-driven and pragmatic approach, he encouraged us to challenge all aspects of our business, helping us to develop a future-proof and strategic mindset.

I would jump at the opportunity to work alongside Ant again and highly recommend his leadership to any organisation looking to achieve maximum success!”

Ben Fraser, Director, OneUp Rehab Solutions

“A quick thank you for the in depth report you created as a result of your field visit with us to review our field operations and organizational reporting metrics in Alaska. I was impressed to see how you used your ‘Performance Pyramid’ as a framework for your review, this allowed us to look for areas of improvement from a culture-first perspective. Well worth the time and effort as it has lead to a number of immediate improvements in what performance drivers we are reporting against.  Thanks.”

Wayne Hall, President, Utility Asset Management Inc

“Ant brings his values centric empathetic leadership and coaching style to all his work clients an partners. A key foundation of his approach is the building of a high degree of trust which allows him to be very effective when operating with boards and senior leaders and at a level above his peers.”

John Martin, Director, Board Member & Leadership Coach

“Ant was engaged by our business during a period of great change. He lead the transformation from board level right down to our employees. During this period, Ant demonstrated a high level of leadership and business acumen. He has helped implement structure and process throughout the business as well as the setting of company values, employment contracts, strategy and monthly board reporting. He has a vast array of templates at his disposal which has helped the business change direction quickly. Ant deserves a lot of credit for the current success our business is experiencing”.

Carl Anderson, CEO, MILK Photo Books

 

 

“Our partnering with Ant and the implementation of his systems and processes has significantly benefited both our business and the development of our team. It has provided a platform that keeps a clear focus on the wider strategic goals of the business while empowering team members to succeed within their respective roles”.

Andrew Graney, Owner Operator, PAKnSAVE Tamatea

 

 

“Ant is able to cut through the noise and identify areas where there are opportunities under development. Clear structures and processes are implemented to ensure success. Ant’s approach is challenging through questioning and setting an example. He has an authentic interest in our personal wellbeing and is quick to celebrate success.”

Reese Drake, Owner Operator, New World Thorndon

 

 

“I have worked with governance boards in the not-for-profit and for-profit sector for more than 20 years.  Recently I engaged Ant to observe one of my governance boards and provide feedback to assist us to “get better”.  After just one meeting with us Ant provided a clear and excellent report that exceeded my expectations.  Simple yet profound insights that we are now embedding with Ant’s help. I can not recommend Ant highly enough.” 

Joe Youssef, Chief Executive, AllHeart New Zealand

 

 

 

 

“We contracted Ant to run the strategy day for our board. It was an incredibly well-run and productive day. Having used others in the past as a board we were impressed with Ant’s work and are happy to recommend him. Will also look to use him again”.

Greg Bold, Chairman, JUTED Holdings

(Mitre 10 Mega Tauranga | Mitre 10 Mega Rotorua | Mitre 10 Waihi | Waihi Frame & Truss)

 

“Ant has helped our business evolve its strategy and improve its operations through his sound knowledge and eye for detail. He is great at challenging the norms and helping future proof businesses in a very professional and convivial manner.”

Mark Elkington, PAKnSAVE Blenheim

“I have known Ant for over 30 years and he is a very valuable and informative person to bounce ideas off and discuss leadership matters with. This has been particularly useful since I took command of HMNZS CANTERBURY. Ant is a great listener who puts a lot of thought into advice. His friendship and guidance are much appreciated.”

Martin Walker, Commanding Officer, HMNZS CANTERBURY

“Having worked with Ant for over 10 years I find him driven and extremely passionate in all he does. This allows those he works with to get the same spectacular results!”

Lyle Irwin, International Contact Partner, RSM New Zealand

“The governance processes and templates that Ant has developed are excellent for any business that aspires to improve in this critical area. The templates are generic, suitable for any industry, and when combined with Ant’s undoubted skill as a Chair will drive accountability and results. I have personally seen these governance systems successfully implemented in the construction industry”.

Stephen Nelson, General Manager, Maycroft Construction

“We have been impressed with the quality, effectiveness and integrity of this process and unreservedly recommend Ant Carter to any business looking for strong leadership and governance. The structures, processes and disciplines, led by Ant, have significantly contributed to the development of our high performance culture”.

Glen Taylor, PAKnSAVE Kapiti

 

“Ant brings great passion and energy to any organisation that he is associated with and is able to provide great structure with knowledgable insights and practices to enable organisations to become stronger and more resilient”. 

Cliff Lockyer, Chief Executive Officer, Mitre 10 Mega Petone, Upper Hut & Porirua

“Ant Carter has been involved with the New Zealand Breakers professional basketball club for over 10 years, firstly as a leadership consultant and then as Executive Chair and then Director on our board. Ant brings a strong strategic and governance focus to our board. We have an internal philosophy of “challenge everything” within the organisation and Ant brings this perspective and mindset to our board discussions, challenging our processes and decisions against strategy and ensuring we are remaining consistent with that vision. From a personal perspective, Ant has assisted me in the delivery of the CEO role through his strong process and accountability focus and his willingness to share his own learnings and experiences relevant to our challenges”.

Richard Clarke, Chief Executive Officer, New Zealand Breakers Basketball

 

“The introduction of the Performance Excellence Forum was the start of our journey towards seeking to be excellent in everything we do as a retailer. It provided an environment where honest conversations could be had via the fresh eyes of experience of other store owners and a facilitator who is not blinded by their every day store offer.  By sharing the best ideas and thinking from different retailers, Ant helped us significantly improve the quality of our systems and customer offer. The result has been significant year on year growth over the past two years thanks to a more customer-centric store offer”.

Gareth Jones, Owner Operator, PAKnSAVE Wanganui

 

 

“Ant has been a great encouragement to my management team.  The resources he has developed are very helpful to my business and add a much needed structure we did not have before.  Ant challenges our thinking and pushes us to go further.”

Steve McClean, Owner Operator, New World Orewa

“Ant has a highly thoughtful manner, and seeks to challenge you and your business to do better in lots of ways. His insight in to how people work is deep, and the lessons leant from Ant have stuck with me for many years. One of the best!”

Tony Franc, General Manager, Mitre 10 Mega Ferrymead

“I have had a working relationship with Ant for nearly 10 years in my previous role as a Store Manager and now as an Owner Operator. The learnings and structures I learned from Ant were invaluable in turning me into the leader I am today. I wish I’d had his mentorship at a younger age.  When the time is right, I will use him again with my team.”

Jason Davy, Owner Operator, New World Foxton

“I have partnered with Ant on several issues within our business and found his ability to identify the key areas for change and provide strategic solutions to be exceptional.  His input has been invaluable.”

Mark Holliday, Branch Manager, Barfoot & Thompson Whangaparaoa

I have dealt with Ant Carter in my business for over 12 years. He has repeatedly demonstrated an amazing intuition into operations and Business to Business (B2B) trading. His help and assistance has been immense.”

Patrick Girvan, Managing Director, BOWE NZ

 

 

“Ant Carter has quite simply helped us get our business strategic position on track. We now have a great platform of structures and processes to drive our business and people to peak performance”.

Damian Langley, Owner Operator, Four Square Coromandel

 

 

“Ant is a true professional that always exceeds expectation. I have served on four Advisory Boards with Ant and am always impressed with his pragmatic advice, encouraging way of getting the best out of people and the business with a thorough knowledge of how to maximise opportunities.”

Dave Freeman, Senior Business Partner, Foodstuffs North Island

“Ant is a thoughtful and knowledgeable leader. His insights into business and ability to deep dive into any company, within any industry, is a true asset. His recommendations and direction on implementing strategic steps to transform your business are incredibly valuable – I can highly recommend!”

Christine Hopkins, Director, Binge on Travel

“Ant provides a very professional service.
His depth of knowledge across multiple industries offers opportunities to challenge how things are currently done. Ant offers a clear focus on strategy and delivery of excellence.”

James Flanagan, Owner Operator, PAKnSAVE Rangiora

“I have worked with Ant and known him for well over 20 years. He has a passion for improving people and systems and is highly capable.”

Diane Meikle, Training Manager, Foodstuffs Auckland

“I have been using Ant for various coaching and training facilitation roles since 2003. The fact he has been with us since 2003 is testament to a great communicator, accepted member of our teams and someone who offers huge value.”

Colin Wilson, Real Estate Developer, Wellington

 

“Ant is an amazing person to help get an organisation heading in the right direction. He is a passionate leader and an inspiration to work with. Ant has helped give my organisation a pinpointed vision, set some big yet achievable goals and devised a great strategy to get us reaching the milestones we are aiming for. If you’ve got Ant on your side, you’re winning”!

Robbie Ritchie, Chief Executive Officer, $1 Warriors Charity

 

Lateral Leadership Ltd trading as Ant Carter