We present the extraordinary journey of OMIDA Group—transforming growth challenges into new business opportunities. An interview with Bartłomiej Glinka, CEO of OMIDA Group, reveals not only strategies but the entire process OMIDA underwent in collaboration with Inventity. Together, they turned difficulties and “growing pains” into new avenues for development. Watch the full interview on our YouTube channel.
What were the main goals and challenges OMIDA Group faced when approaching Inventity Foundation in 2018?
In 2018, OMIDA had already been operating for eight years, and it was a period of dynamic growth. We didn’t want to become stagnant like many so-called “business tigers” of the ’80s that failed to rise above mediocrity and now either no longer exist or operate on a very small scale. That’s why we sought external support—looking for a company that could integrate into our growing cost and sales structure to provide us with the necessary advice and assistance.
Even with annual revenues of 500 million PLN and numerous awards, did you feel there was more to be done beyond rapid business growth?
Our business was growing at an alarming rate, leaving little time to consider a long-term strategy. We were searching for a stimulus to motivate us to work on achieving more stable and sustainable development.
Factors Influencing OMIDA Group’s Growth
What were the first steps in working with Inventity Foundation and adopting the Growing Pains Strategy® methodology?
This marked a significant shift as an external party began meticulously analyzing our processes.
Professor Eric Flamholtz’s methodology revolves around asking employees the same set of questions across different organizations. The Growing Pains theory has been utilized in the U.S. for over 20 years by companies like IBM, Starbucks, Neutrogena, and PIMCO. These questions allowed us to identify key issues: employees were overburdened, demotivated, and lacked a sense of purpose amid constant rush and chaos.
Despite generating 500 million PLN in revenue, we lacked defined strategic goals, a clear vision, mission, or organizational culture. These elements existed organically but were never formalized. We began by defining these basics, creating appropriate documents, and implementing them. While such changes don’t happen overnight, after about a year, we saw significant improvements in all metrics: margins, payment deadlines, cash flow, profits, and employee motivation. This progress earned us the “Great Place to Work” certificate, which in 2018 would have seemed impossible.
You mentioned growth barriers like cash flow, organizational culture, and employee satisfaction. What were the three main growth barriers in 2018?
Our IT system and underfunded back-office departments were significant barriers. At that stage, we prioritized market building and sales. We invested in back-office operations, implemented a new IT system, controlling mechanisms, a balanced scorecard, and other tools that allowed us to view the business more realistically.
As Jack Welch of General Electric, who also embraced the Growing Pains philosophy, said, “Cash flow is the lifeblood of a company.” Sales mean little if cash is unavailable to cover immediate expenses. Additionally, customer satisfaction and employee contentment are equally critical. A company cannot thrive without happy customers and employees.
How Has OMIDA Changed Over the Years?
It’s been incredible to witness OMIDA’s organizational evolution. The Growing Pains methodology helped us identify and overcome growth barriers at different stages. The tools and strategies are adaptable for any organization, regardless of size.
I would like to address specific tools and strategies that anyone can adapt to their needs. For small or medium-sized companies, I believe many of these methods can be implemented independently. In the context of our growth, which last year resulted in revenues of 1.5 billion PLN, our structure had to expand. We appointed a Director of Strategy and expanded the management board. However, this did not happen overnight. The book provided answers to many of our questions. Even investing in a basic package, such as an efficiency audit, can be a good idea. These are not large financial outlays and are entirely based on market realities.
Business awareness emerges when there is a clear need for it. Most companies in the transport and logistics industry lack a strategy and do not realize the necessity of thinking about what the next ten years might hold. They operate from month to month. Owners, focused on business operations and trade, often lack the time to develop strategies, create documentation, or organize board meetings. If they do not overcome this stage, they will not be able to grow. From my 25 years of experience in the TSL industry, I have observed that employees in companies without clearly defined goals eventually leave, losing their motivation to work.
The typical life cycle of a company includes stages of growth, stabilization, and decline. Without identifying the key areas requiring attention, a company cannot move forward. Growth cannot simply be vertical—it must be sustainable, and sometimes it is necessary to slow down. It is worth noting that employee turnover in our company is very low. We take pride in the fact that, over 13 years of our company’s existence, we have employees with tenures of 10 to 12 years. It brings me great satisfaction to take responsibility for their professional lives in this way. We see their contribution to the development of the organization, which gives me immense joy when handing out certificates for long-term service. This is a sign of trust for us, showing that employees are satisfied. When goals are clearly defined and the work environment is supportive, we can achieve more!
Strategic Directions for OMIDA Group
Which Potential Strategic Directions Were Considered, and What Influenced the Final Choice of Development Strategy for Omida Group?
In our company, we gave managers the opportunity to establish their own businesses under their own brands. These “offspring” include companies such as Virtus Logistics, Stark Log, Cargonite, and several others. Meanwhile, we engaged in sales, mergers, and consolidations. Today, we view our group as a collection of companies operating in specific niches.
For example:
- Omida Logistics is gaining a growing share in intermodal transport, which is a clear trend.
- Virtus specializes in military logistics while also focusing on its core product—domestic and international transport.
- Cargonite exclusively handles high-value goods.
- Stark Log operates mainly in the Scandinavian region.
- Omida Sea & Air manages customs agency services and sea and air freight, including urgent shipments.
- Omida Solutions provides contract logistics for e-commerce clients.
All these activities complement one another. We knew we wanted to expand internationally, which we have successfully achieved through Omida Iberica. This company has offices in Barcelona, Valencia, Lloret de Mar, and Romania. We are proud that a Polish company can grow in international markets without any inferiority complex.
In implementing our strategy, we somewhat look to Wizz Air from Hungary as an inspiration—a company that has achieved great success despite originating from a small country. I believe that we, as Poland, with a 45% share among transport companies in the European market, are leaders and deserve to compete with such entities. We often manage to win contracts with major clients.
What Was the Main Strategic Goal Discussed with Inventity Foundation?
The current growth challenges are diverse and will always exist—what we started in the past is still relevant today. The problems we faced included organizational structure issues. Specifically, we had a centralized documentation team responsible for issuing invoices, which over time proved to be a mistake. We decided to decentralize this team, allowing it to work closely with operational teams, which has improved communication and enabled faster invoice processing.
Could You Elaborate on the Goals, Such as Cash Flow or Debt Levels, Set in 2018? Can You Compare These Goals with the Actual Achievements After Implementing the Strategy?
At the time, our delays were around two weeks, which posed a significant challenge. As I mentioned earlier, a single day of delay could cost us approximately 2-3 million PLN in cash flow, meaning the two-week period could result in much greater losses.
Through better and more efficient work organization and achieving goals such as increasing the share of electronic invoices, negotiating payment terms with both clients and suppliers, and improving documentation management—along with implementing several other changes, sometimes difficult ones, like switching the TMS operating system to better measure these metrics—we managed, in my opinion, to achieve all of this within six months. Importantly, this was accomplished without additional loans or financial resources—we paid on time.
This was a significant achievement. For this reason, I emphasize the importance of knowledge, tools, and education in business.
Could You Describe in More Detail the Role Inventity Foundation Played in Omida’s Transformation? You Mentioned Wojtek Szapiel and later Dariusz Brzeziński, Who Played Key Roles in Supporting the Organization.
Based on the efficiency audit that was conducted, we focused on key areas that required attention—this was our biggest challenge. It was a continuous process that engaged us as a management team because supporting these initiatives was crucial. We knew that without the support of the board, success would be difficult to achieve.
Making difficult decisions, such as the decentralization of documentation—which involved the necessity of laying off employees in Gdańsk—was essential for progress. These decisions were painful, but I believe that without such actions, change is impossible.
We made a series of adjustments, reducing resources in some areas while increasing them in others. It was important for these changes to be strategically thought out and aligned with our goals.
What Did the Process of These Changes Look Like from the Management’s Perspective, and How Long Did It Take?
In our case, these problems were evident and pressing. However, for a company that might not face such serious issues, it should at least develop its mission, vision, and goals at an early stage. It is also worth investing in an appropriate IT system, as it is difficult to imagine operating in such a dynamic market today without one.
Currently, clients expect access to EDI, interfaces, gateways, and real-time updates, so it’s crucial to address these needs in advance, before problems arise. These challenges are normal, much like in human life—at different stages, we face different problems. The key is to be aware of them and take on the challenge to achieve satisfaction and fulfillment.
What Form of Collaboration Would You Recommend When Implementing an Audit or Making Changes in a Company, Specifically with Inventity Advisors? Should It Be Cooperation with the Management Board or a Selected Team Responsible for Driving the Transformation?
First and foremost, an entrepreneur should establish a business connection and familiarize themselves with Inventity’s offerings—they provide a variety of packages. It is important to remember that challenges in organizational development are an inevitable part of an entrepreneur’s journey. Therefore, humility and treating business more like a marathon than a sprint are essential. Our company also went through a difficult period, which we successfully overcame. In my opinion, a company’s development should progress at a reasonable pace, and educating entrepreneurs, leveraging a broad range of consultants like Inventity Foundation, and investing in personal growth through reading, postgraduate studies, or an MBA, can bring significant benefits.
Believing in what you do is crucial. When implementing the strategy described in the book “Growing Pains. Building Sustainably Successful Organizations” (now titled “Wyzwania Wzrostu. Jak zbudować trwale wygrywającą organizację”), we recognized that business fundamentals and advanced methods must be integrated to foster growth. It seems this was the right path, as today we are leaders in the Polish market and aim for continued growth. Having tools like a strategic scorecard, which we have long used to analyze KPIs, or mastering the selection of vendors in tender processes (a critical factor in choosing an IT system), is invaluable.
Understanding the business and conducting in-depth analysis are crucial for moving beyond mere sales. In the early stages, sales are a priority; however, over time, companies must deliver financial results such as net profit, gross profit, and other metrics at various levels. As the saying goes, “results—this is the name of the game.” We must achieve results, deliver them, and maintain financial liquidity to operate. Everything else is just theory, and the downfall of many companies often stems from failing to deliver these results.
What Advice Would You Give Companies Facing Growth Challenges?
What Impact Does Knowledge of the Growing Pains Strategy® Methodology and Growth Challenges Have on Organizational Development and Board Decisions?
First and foremost, taking proactive steps in business aspects is crucial. Before signing significant contracts, one must be prepared to generate various documents and understand the financial needs associated with them. When dealing with a large contract that generates negative cash flow, you must be prepared for that scenario. This means you cannot be caught off guard when payment deadlines arrive, and a particular business venture causes a negative balance, leaving no funds to cover subcontractor costs. Taking actions to anticipate such scenarios and appreciating the departments that support the business—not just the business itself—is essential.
Does This Mean That Awareness of Potential Challenges at the Next Stage of Organizational Growth Is a Key Element That Stays With You, and You Prepare for It in Advance?
Yes, it is an ongoing process. We have individuals responsible for developing specific business-supporting areas—managers, directors—and all of this must be deeply rooted in our values and organizational culture. Everyone in the company understands the importance of family values, which are of great significance to us.
For example, I am pleased when an employee decides to start a family. In some companies, this might be an issue, but not for us. This is why we aim to strengthen our operational teams. What happens if the absence of one person causes something to break down? A team of four or five people can handle the workload.
We strive to reinforce our operational strength across all areas, minimizing the risk of being unprepared for potential challenges. This also applies to our subcontractors. We now verify them differently than before. We examine their ownership structure and insurance policies, as unfortunately, fraud is becoming more frequent—companies buying others and stealing goods.
Our approach to legal and insurance consulting firms has also evolved. All these elements must work together seamlessly. As a large company, we have entirely different expectations than we did in the past when we lacked this awareness and the ability to collaborate with higher-tier firms.
At What Stage of Organizational Development Should Actions Be Taken to Verify the Readiness of the Board or Management to Address Challenges Arising from Dynamic Growth? When Is the Key Moment for an Entrepreneur to Focus on Preparing the Company Instead of Focusing Solely on Revenue Growth, Which May Be Escaping in Other Areas? Where Is the Critical Boundary Where a Step Back Is Necessary to Understand the Situation?
I believe that building appropriate IT systems and developing a strategy philosophy that defines direction and indicators should be done from the very beginning of operations. Expectations for how the company will function, operational norms—these should all be established at an early stage.
Otherwise, attempting to fix certain aspects later may be too late. Establishing the standards on which a company operates should be completed from the start because making corrections later is significantly more difficult and costly, such as changing an operational system. Initially, someone might choose the cheapest solution, but a slightly more expensive partner could provide long-term solutions. Later changes and data integration become very complex.
What Kind of Organization Does Omida Aspire to Be?
The sooner an entrepreneur understands the challenges of growth, the better their company will develop?
If an entrepreneur has a long-term perspective and aims to build a winning organization, they cannot focus solely on what is happening right now. There are organizations that disappear after a year, declaring bankruptcy because they were established without a real strategy for the future.
I believe one of the problems is that Polish entrepreneurs often do not set ambitious goals. If they operate with a long-term objective in mind, even if they only achieve half of their aspirations, they will still be significantly further ahead than those who act without a plan.
For example, Polish freight forwarding companies from the 1990s often had grand plans but now either no longer exist or have changed ownership and face challenges. There is a belief that customers choose winners. Similarly, employees want to work for an organization that is healthy, growing, and successful. Omida is that kind of organization!
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