Luke Lazarus

Luke Lazarus is a Sydney-based business consultant with a focus on marketing. CEOs along Australia’s southeastern coast benefit from his 20 years of experience in strategic planning and growth management. Lazarus grew up in Perth and moved to Melbourne to attend university. He earned an executive MBA from Melbourne Business School when he was just 24 years old. By the time he was 33, he had launched and sold four successful companies. Lazarus is known for pinpointing and addressing issues that hold companies back. He teaches business leaders to prioritize urgent decisions while not losing sight of the big picture. He helps startups get off the ground and works with declining businesses to help them regain their momentum. These collaborations take place in short-term intervals. Business Philosophy Lazarus believes in creating a simple story for every product, service or brand. “If your product or brand is synonymous with its story, you’ve set the foundation for success,” he has said. He helps each client develop a story that is understandable and relatable to consumers, investors and employees. Keeping the story flexible allows for growth or restructuring in the future. Professional Strengths Lazarus has introduced both new and revitalized brands in dozens of boardrooms, and CEOs are more than happy to give him the floor. Over his two decades as a consultant, Lazarus’ compelling presentations have raised millions of dollars in seed money and capital. He is good at analyzing diverse segmented markets and sizing up the competition. His insights help executives identify potential customers. Reading into consumers’ needs, desires and motivations is almost second nature to Lazarus. Based on his intuition and analysis, companies develop relevant products and services. He is also adept at identifying points of influence. After the conception of a brand or product, Lazarus guides clients through the launch. Go-to-market planning involves creating budgets, setting timelines and coming up with cost-effective strategies. Managing cash flow and projecting profitability are all in a day’s work. Lazarus carefully weighs performance metrics against the original vision for a brand. He is highly skilled at diagnosing and correcting problems in a project’s infancy. Lazarus believes that consistency, transparency and continual improvement are critical to success in any sustainable business model. That applies to both startups and established brands. Ideas Brought to Life “Success usually comes to those who are too busy to be looking.” Not surprisingly, the quote by Henry David Thoreau is Lazarus’ favorite; Lazarus is an extraordinarily productive individual. Before dawn, he takes 10 or 15 minutes to meditate. He says that it releases stress and clears his head for another day of multitasking. He checks email and makes a to-do list for the day while having his coffee. After walking his dog, he heads to the gym. There is no flexibility in his fitness regimen. He works out seven days a week. That same discipline carries over to his professional life. Given his busy schedule, Lazarus sometimes has only a week or a single day to spend with a client. It is never lost on him that the brief consultation could completely alter the trajectory of a startup or ailing company. To make the most of the time, Lazarus lays out a clear-cut agenda. He is known for being extremely organized, and he puts everything from shopping lists to business plans in writing. Whether he types notes into his phone or jots down ideas in the notebook that he is never without, he keeps a running record of his thoughts and plans. He often sends voice memos to himself and takes pictures of his own notes in case they are lost. Each morning, he reviews and transcribes everything from the previous day. He prioritizes certain items and adds new action points. Lazarus looks to his own needs and problems for inspiration. He then tries to come up with viable solutions that fit the current market. This personal approach to building businesses and brands is his trademark. Again, Lazarus believes that successful companies, brands and products spring from memorable stories. Great stories resonate with consumers and make them feel a certain way. When that emotion intersects with their personal agendas, they become loyal customers. Lazarus insists that quality, affordability and stellar customer service are no longer enough. More and more consumers want to truly engage with brands. They want the companies they do business with to align with their values. They want moving experiences and meaningful relationships. So far, Lazarus has succeeded in translating initial ideas into broader, more memorable stories. He continues to deliver happy endings to his clients and their customers.