TSG Advisors is forging its path, and it begins in education and public safety

TSG Advisors, a spin-off consultancy firm by The Southern Group, has been up and running for about a month now, providing clients with expanded advocacy through services such as market research and analysis; C-suite and executive consulting; go-to-market strategy and market positioning; grant development, resource allocation planning and strategy; RFP response strategy, development and evaluation; and project management and oversight.

Florida Politics sat down with TSG Advisors leaders Sheela VanHoose and Jason Fuqua to discuss the innovative new consulting firm and learn more about the firm’s work so far.

What is TSG Advisors?

Fuqua: When it comes to legislative, public policy, and regulatory work, what most people see are the headlines — major policy changes, bills being passed, new regulations being codified. What people don’t see is how organizations adapt and advance to keep pace with these changes. That’s where we come in. TSG Advisors focuses on consulting and diving under the hood our clients’ organizations. Our team has incredible industry experience and brings unparalleled insights when it comes to strategies that can benefit organizations in the private and public sectors. 

VanHoose: We answer questions such as: How should we navigate new regulatory hurdles? How can we adapt and implement this new policy? How can we do it cost-effectively or, if the client is in the private sector, more profitably? TSG Advisors’ slogan is “insight creates impact.” What that means is that our deep knowledge of a particular industry area puts us in a position to advise clients on a full range of issues, from compliance to corporate strategy and more.

Initially, the firm was focused on education and public safety, is that still the case?

VanHoose: Yes. It’s hard to believe how much our education system has changed in the last 5 years – faster than anybody could have anticipated. More than ever, private and public sector organizations need a steady, smart, experienced hand. From market research to policy analysis to data analysis, we can help K-12 and higher education institutions navigate ever-shifting demands. And let’s not forget about the private education market.  We can help companies align their products and services to the needs of school districts and institutions of higher education. 

Fuqua: Public safety is another rapidly shifting industry, with the focus right now being on technology. From Next Generation 9-1-1, to increased cybercrime, to AI-based surveillance and mass notification innovations, we cover the gamut of issues faced in this complicated, high-stakes space.

Tell us about the teams you have put together.

Fuqua: I’m so honored to bring my experience as VP of Sales for RapidDeploy to this amazing team. I’m joined by Dewitt Zemp, who has 30 years of experience including time working for three U.S. presidents on appointments that spanned the globe. And Andy Patrick brings experience with the military, the Secret Service, police and even some politics. Last but not least, Laurie Anderson brings more than 30 years of 9-1-1 experience, including working to advance Next Generation 9-1-1 technology. 

VanHoose: On the education front, I would argue that we have one of the strongest education teams in the country. Each member has an incredible reputation and proven track record of success. From Henry Mack, who was Senior Chancellor at the Florida Department of Education, to Wendy Dodge, who was the longest standing legislative affairs director for a Florida school district, couple those original hires with our more recent announcement of Barbara Jenkins, the former Superintendent of Orange County Public Schools, and Carrie Henderson who most recently served as Executive Vice Chancellor of the Florida College System and this team is stacked with talent and experience.

What prompted the founding of TSG Advisors?

VanHoose: That’s simple: Demand. We kept hearing from clients that needed consulting services, not traditional advocacy. Creating TSG Advisors enabled us to serve those clients in ways that are much better tailored to their needs. It also opened the door to all sorts of amazing new talent – like Jason – who were better suited for consulting and advising work.

1. This question may be jumping the gun since you just launched, but what can we expect next?

Fuqua: What you can expect is to see us collaborating with clients to transform these fast-paced and exciting industries. With our teams and the expertise we bring to the table, expect to see our fingerprints on some of the biggest issues facing education and public safety today and tomorrow.