Scaling Through Strategic Clarity: How GCE Helped Front Desk Supply Accelerate Growth

Client Background

Front Desk Supply is a leading provider of custom-branded hospitality products, serving hotels, resorts, and vacation rentals across North America. From branded key cards and key holders to signage and guest amenity kits, the company has built its reputation on customer service, quality, and quick turnaround. In 2025, Front Desk Supply entered a new growth phase when it was acquired by new ownership.

The Challenge

Before acquisition, Front Desk Supply faced mounting challenges common to high-growth companies. Commercial operations were stretched thin, accountability was unclear, and the leadership team lacked the infrastructure to scale sustainably.

Mark Zisek, Senior Manager at Front Desk Supply, described the situation bluntly:

“I was working long hours, sometimes only taking two days off a year. We had so many moving pieces and not enough process. I knew I couldn’t keep up with the pace.”

While the goal of acquisition was on the horizon, the company needed immediate operational clarity and stronger systems to both attract buyers and ensure the business could function effectively in the meantime.

The Objectives

  • Establish clear priorities for scaling

  • Align leadership and the broader team around accountability

  • Build processes to support growth and free the leadership team from constant firefighting

  • Strengthen the company’s position ahead of acquisition

The GCE Solution

Front Desk Supply partnered with GCE Strategic Consulting, engaging a Fractional Integrator to bring discipline, process, and structure to the business.

Through GCE’s embedded model, Joshua Shale joined the leadership team as Fractional Integrator and helped to: 

  • Introduce EOS® operating rhythms and scorecard tools

  • Build accountability into leadership cadence, along with scorecards

  • Implement process improvements in sales and operations

  • Coach the leadership team on aligning priorities and executing consistently

Mark shared:

“Joshua was transformational. You could see his impact week by week. He knew EOS® like the back of his hand and lived it. By the end of our engagement, we were running like a machine.”

The Results

Faster traction
Within 90 days, the team began to see clearer accountability and measurable progress.

Operational confidence
Leadership alignment improved, enabling Mark to step back and reclaim weekends for the first time in years.

Acquisition readiness
With stronger processes and accountability in place, Front Desk Supply entered negotiations with confidence, knowing the business could run independently of its founder’s constant involvement.

Cultural shift
The company built a sustainable rhythm of accountability, one that Mark still values today:

“Because of Joshua, I felt confident we could succeed with or without an acquisition. I miss his skill set every single week.”

Client Testimonial

“Joshua was transformational for our company. His skillset was exactly what we needed, and you could see the impact week by week. I went from chaos and exhaustion to finally having confidence in our systems and enjoying weekends again. Because of GCE, we were in a great place when the acquisition came.”

— Mark Zisek, Senior Manager at Front Desk Supply, Front Desk Supply

From Chaos to Clarity: Your Next Step

Mark’s story is not unique. Many growth-minded CEOs and leadership teams find themselves overwhelmed by competing priorities, stretched too thin, and uncertain how to scale without burning out. GCE’s embedded model changes that trajectory. Here’s why growth-minded companies choose GCE:

Proven leadership
Founder Ken Paskins was the very first Fractional Integrator, shaping a role that others in the market now follow.

Elite team
Today, GCE fields a bench of seasoned operators—Fractional Integrators, CFOs, CROs, CHROs, recruiters, and coaches—who embed directly into companies to create clarity and drive execution.

Global impact
We’ve partnered with CEOs and Visionaries in 10+ countries, aligning people, processes, and priorities.

Credibility at the top
GCE is the only firm in our space endorsed by both Gino Wickman and Mark O’Donnell.

Real results
For Front Desk Supply, that meant moving from chaos and exhaustion to confidence, reclaimed weekends, and a stronger position heading into acquisition.

How GCE Engages

Every client story is unique, but the way GCE engages is consistent and intentional. Through a structured three-call intake process, we clarify goals, map leadership needs, and align the right operator to the right seat. This ensures clients don’t just get support—they get the right support.

As a strategic consulting firm, GCE has partnered with hundreds of growth-minded businesses across industries and geographies. Our team brings experience in EOS®, M&A, private equity, and turnaround situations, with proven results from pre-revenue startups to Fortune 50 enterprises.

Whether you need a Fractional Integrator, COO, CFO, CRO, CHRO, recruiter, or executive coach, GCE provides fractional leadership resources that embed directly into your company to deliver clarity, accountability, and execution.

Ready to experience the same transformation?

Contact GCE Strategic Consulting to learn how we help CEOs and leadership teams scale with confidence and clarity—no matter what stage of growth you’re in.

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