May 23, 2023
When I launched 4SiGHT almost 14 years ago, my goal was to build a company that was the antithesis of corporate America while at the same time becoming a preeminent Supply Chain Consulting and Systems Integration firm. The goal was to embody qualities, values, and characteristics that are in direct opposition to the typical norms, practices, or culture associated with large corporations. We wanted to signify a departure from the traditional corporate mindset and embrace alternative approaches. We wanted to emphasize collaboration over hierarchy, purpose-driven goals over solely profit-driven objectives, self-discipline over micro-management, and to develop a culture of accountability to yourself, your clients, and your colleagues while pursuing excellence in everything we do. We wanted to represent a different way of doing business that challenges conventional corporate practices and seeks to create a more human-centric, accountable approach.
I am currently in a phase of introspection, pondering whether we have achieved our goal. In fact, I revisited the Mission Statement of our business plan from 2009 and here’s what some of it reads, “Our mission is to become a leading Supply Chain Consulting & Systems Integration firm. We will be a recognized leader in our space integrating commercial Supply Chain Execution (SCE) applications. Our goal is to be the preferred integrator for the majority of vendors in the SCE marketplace and a recognized leader for Supply Chain Implementation Services. Our guiding principle is to avoid the challenges and frustrations facing corporate America today. 4SIGHT will be a fun place to work and will present an opportunity to be part of something new, with fresh ideas and a more contemporary approach to this industry. At 4SiGHT, we will change the traditional culture most of us have worked in. Our culture will be a culture of Accountability, Responsibility, and Opportunity that in return, will be Rewarding, Fulfilling, and a Gratifying sense of Accomplishment. At 4SiGHT, we believe that good people working toward a common goal can accomplish anything they set out to do. Our customers and competitors will view 4SiGHT as a highly successful company with strong ethics and integrity that live its values. High standards are a way of life. We pursue excellence in everything we do. Accountability to yourself, your clients, and your colleagues is a fundamental philosophy at 4SiGHT.”
Have we achieved our goal? To some extent, I believe we have, but there is certainly room for improvement. I firmly believe that we can further enhance our focus on individuality, creativity, innovation, authenticity, social responsibility, non-conformity, and more. I take great pride in the company we have built and the fact that we have lived up to our original mission statement. Moreover, I am exceptionally proud of the people who are here with me today.
If someone were to ask me about the key factors contributing to our success over the past 14 years, I would undoubtedly mention our exceptional team, as well as our commitment to continuous improvement. Every year or two, we proactively make improvements within our company, much like the continuous improvement consulting services we offer to our clients. Internally, we humorously refer to these updates as 4SiGHT 2.0, 4SiGHT 2.1, 4SiGHT 3.0, and so on, but we have always embraced change and never shied away from it. This openness to change is something that has been ingrained in me since my early childhood years. How so?
As a child, I was always fascinated by my mother’s occasional rearrangement of furniture in our home. She would move the dresser to a new spot, relocate the sofa, and even change the placement of the entertainment console and coffee table. Every 8-9 months, she would make more changes, creating a whole new look for our living space. I found joy in these transformations and eagerly anticipated each new change. Sometimes, it would be a delightful surprise when I returned home from school, while other times, I would assist my mom with the heavy lifting. There were also moments when I simply watched in awe and admiration. What made it even more special was that my mom was not buying new things; she was reinventing our space using what we already had.
Not everyone in my family shared the same enthusiasm for these changes. My dad was not a fan, and my brothers seemed indifferent. However, I thoroughly enjoyed the process because each change made things better and better. Some might argue that some of the changes were merely for the sake of change, but I still loved it. Now, looking back, I can recognize and appreciate that those changes my mom made were likely a response to the evolving dynamics of our family life and perhaps an opportunity for some household cleaning as well. I can’t help but think that this experience influenced my mindset on how to effectively run this company.
So, every 1-2 years, my approach has always been to clean up our work environment, make changes to adapt to the marketplace’s dynamics, and do so without heavy investments in new things. I believe in embracing change fearlessly, even if it seems unconventional to others. Early on, I learned that my mother knows best, and I have carried that childhood wisdom with me. This approach has proven successful for me and those around me. If you ask my colleagues, wife, and kids, they will undoubtedly attest to its positive impact, at least I think they would. 😉
I vividly recall listening to Professor Aswath Damodaran, a renowned professor from the Stern School of Business at New York University, as he discussed the life cycle of a company and the concept that growing old is inevitable while growing up is optional. He drew parallels between a company’s life cycle and the stages of personal growth in life. He emphasized the need for our inner child to mature alongside our outer self as we progress in life.
Professor Damodaran’s insights made me contemplate the stage of 4SiGHT’s life cycle after leading the company for 14 years. It is fascinating how he articulates that the progression through the life cycle depends on the nature of the business. While I won’t delve into the details in this announcement, it would be an engaging topic for discussion over a dinner table, should we ever have the opportunity to dine together.
Around April/May of 2022, I began contemplating the current stage of 4SiGHT’s life cycle and reflecting on the identity we aspire to embody as a company. Considering the prevailing global market conditions and the state of our industry, I pondered what the next phase of continuous improvement would entail. It was time to acknowledge the knowledge and experience gained during our 14-year journey and allow our inner selves to mature alongside our external growth.
Throughout 2022, I engaged in discussions with key members of my leadership team, keeping these questions at the forefront of our conversations. These dialogues proved invaluable and culminated in our annual company meeting in February 2023, where we unveiled the latest series of continuous improvements implemented within our organization.
This year, we are excited to share the outcomes of these decisions and changes not only with our dedicated team but also with the general public.
As we participate in Momentum, the Manhattan Associates User Group, here in Phoenix, Arizona, it is only fitting to announce the exciting launch of 4ACTiVE and 4SiGHT’s all-in strategy with Manhattan Associates.
4ACTiVE serves as an extensive toolkit of services offered by 4SiGHT, designed to help Manhattan Associates clients derive maximum value from their Active® solutions. This toolkit encompasses a diverse range of services, all aimed at minimizing risk, enhancing business value, and expediting return on investment across every phase of deployment. The services within the 4ACTiVE toolkit cater to the distinct needs of Manhattan Associates clients at various stages of the deployment process. They encompass implementation/upgrade assessments, project planning, implementation support, training, development, and post-implementation support and optimization.
Additionally, we are thrilled to announce the evolution of our unified partnership with Manhattan Associates. Our 14-year journey has provided us with invaluable insights. To address the questions concerning our place in the company’s life cycle and our aspirations, we have wholeheartedly embraced our partnership with Manhattan Associates. This commitment is reflected in the launch of our new website this morning, where you can explore more about our identity, direction, and ambitions: https://4sight.com/
Why commit to Manhattan Associates? The reasons behind our decision are plentiful. Firstly, their latest Active® platform technology stands out as a key factor. Moreover, their team boasts extensive experience and tenure, including their seasoned leadership team. We are impressed by their industry-leading Sales and Services Teams and the diverse customer profiles within the Manhattan Associates client ecosystem. Additionally, their sustained growth, strong financial health, remarkable win rate in the marketplace, and unwavering commitment to leading by example further solidify their position as the market leader in WMS and TMS implementations, the very focus of our specialization.
4SiGHT greatly admires Manhattan Associates’ organic revenue growth, with projections of $820-$833M for 2023 and a notable 44% increase in cloud subscription revenue in 2022, all while maintaining a debt-free status. Just recently we witnessed them celebrate their 25-year anniversary as a publicly traded company. Seeing all the familiar faces ring the closing bell on Wall Street was a truly remarkable and special moment. These achievements affirm the integrity and success of their company. Manhattan Associates undoubtedly leads the way in our field of expertise, reinforcing our unwavering commitment to our all-in strategy with them.
Our unified partnership with Manhattan Associates brings simplicity to various aspects of our company, aligning us in a common direction and allowing us to focus on improving our company’s culture. In contrast to competing firms that offer a wide array of services resulting in conflicting interests and complexities, we are streamlining our approach.
Lastly, Solutions Delivery serves as the foundation of our company. It defines our reputation and expertise, its essentially our brand. In this 21st century, knowledge acquisition occurs at an accelerated pace compared to the previous century. I emphasized to our team the importance of investing time and energy in understanding the future direction of the world. We must consider long-term business stability and growth, which entails partnering with the industry’s leading solution provider in what we do best. This decision is a culmination of 4SiGHT’s journey and aligns with Professor Damodaran’s notion of what he calls the “dividend decision” — reaping the benefits of our past decisions and investments made over the past 14 years. With the building phase of our company behind us, we are thrilled to embark on the growth phase. However, we are fully aware that growth is not without challenges. As we enter the middle-aged phase of our company’s life cycle, we anticipate reducing the intensity of continuous improvements we have focused on for the past 14 years, instead honing in on our core strengths. Our unified partnership with Manhattan Associates serves as the catalyst for our ongoing growth and long-term success. We eagerly embrace the next chapter in our company’s journey and extend an invitation to Manhattan Associates clients seeking a reliable partner for the next decade. Rest assured, we will be here, ready to collaborate with you.
Sincerely,
Frank Camean
President & CEO
