Our Team

Michael Walsh

Founder and president of Kaizen Consulting Services Inc

Michael is the author of two published books — Amazon best-selling Thinking Big Is Not Enough and Business Growth by Design.

Michael’s core belief is that businesses must be built to achieve their owners’ personal goals.

With an advanced understanding of business models and structures, he takes the guesswork out of creating a high-functioning company. His expertise stretches across business disciplines including finance, sales and marketing, recruiting and people management, and succession planning.

Michael’s track record of over 20 years, speaks for itself.

• Increasing a Colorado-based computer company from a 6-figure business to a multi-million dollar enterprise in 3 years;
• Doubling the revenue in 2 years — and more than tripling it in four — for an innovative Vancouver-based architecture firm;
• Achieving an 8-fold (and counting) revenue increase for a British e-learning company who grew from a 6-figure company to a multi-million pound business within 4 years; and
• Guiding an Edmonton, Alberta construction company from $10 million to over $40 million in sales in just 2 years.

Michael lives what he teaches.

Applying his methods, he’s built Kaizen into a company that lets him live his personal dreams. Michael spends 18 weeks of personal travel every year, a favorite pastime, second only to hockey.

Michael holds a bachelor’s degree in commerce and economics from the University of Toronto and an MBA from Asia Pacific International University.

George Opsahl

Senior Kaizen Growth Consultant

George joins Kaizen as a Senior Consultant after having spent over 40 years as an accountant, helping and advising business owners in a wide variety of financial matters. Passionate about helping owners understand their financials, George’s firm always met owners where they were at, and tailored their own accounting involvement according to the client’s specific needs.

Having graduated from the University of Washington in 1971 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting, George spent his first 7 years with Price Waterhouse & Company (now Price Waterhouse Coopers) working his way up to Tax Manager, and gaining his CPA designation. From there, he left Price Waterhouse to join some friends at a smaller Seattle accounting firm.

In 1979, George moved his family to Southwest Washington to lead a small accounting office. He brought that firm from a single office employing a staff of 5 people to a two-office firm employing 23 people. He stayed until selling his interest in the business in 2009. During his tenure, the company revenues doubled 7 times; George always personally carried a heavy client load while mentoring team members to help serve their client’s needs.

Clients and friends alike describe George as dependable, courteous, savvy, and honest. These important characteristics are why he has been a business advisor to many of the top local businesses and individuals in the region for over thirty years.

George enjoys cycling, golf, Tai Chi, hiking, Pilates, reading, watching college and Seahawks football and playing with his Doberman, Roman.  George and his wife Carole have been married for over 40 years and live in Seattle, Washington where they enjoy spending time with their sons Chris and David and their friends and families.  They have 2 beautiful granddaughters, Kendall and Hayden.

Allan Newbury

Senior Kaizen Growth Consultant

From the beginnings of his career in 1965 to present, Allan has helped numerous clients integrate their personal and business plans by establishing realistic monetary and non-monetary goals. Allan has lived the Kaizen vision; through educating and advising, he helps his clients gain tremendous success and personal growth by making informed decisions about their money and business strategies.

Graduating from the BC Institute of Technology, Allan majored in finance and accounting and went on to earn both the CA and CFP designations. He has been a senior manager in a national CA firm specializing in owner-managed businesses, and has also been a senior financial advisor to personal and corporate clients in both national and international investment firms.

Allan has built his reputation by being an excellent communicator and teacher. He is devoted to assisting entrepreneurs, and his clients truly value his honesty and openness. The word of mouth references that his long-term clients willingly provide speak volumes to his success. They appreciate his patience and willingness to listen, and his ability to explain concepts in a way that make them easily understood and even more easily implemented.

Allan is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of British Columbia and the Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants. He currently resides in West Vancouver with his wife, Inga, where he spends his spare time playing golf and enjoying fitness work & reading.

Loris Martin

Kaizen Growth Consultant

Loris comes to Kaizen Consulting with a talent for creative thinking along with 27 years of managing small businesses and providing contract and project management.

Her insights into the culture of organizations and understanding of the value of integrity are grounded in her experience.

Following studies in design and architecture, Loris founded, owned, and managed a kitchen design and sales business in Saskatoon. When her family relocated to Vancouver in 1994, she embarked on the management of SieMatic Design Studio in Yaletown.

After purchasing the business, she doubled and then redoubled its annual sales numbers, expanding the product base and focusing on customer service before selling the company at a profit.

For the last 10 years, Loris has been active with Kaizen Consulting. Working both within the company and as a consultant with clients, she has guided and inspired businesses to greater success with an emphasis on the interplay of several key factors: sound financial management, organizational culture and structure, the influence of the built and natural environment, and long-term strategic vision.

Loris loves helping companies to see different possibilities by challenging them to consider how and whether their business strategy is carrying them towards the achievement of their long-term goals. Her approach is to help clients “design their own success” by combining a realistic assessment of their companies’ finances with a clear-eyed awareness and acknowledgement of their own personal values and aspirations.

Chuck Sharenberg

Director of Kaizen Consulting Chicago

With twenty years of experience as an executive coach and business advisor, Chuck has helped hundreds of business owners achieve significant growth. Chuck is known for his systematic approach and his ability to help business owners grow into stronger leaders.

Chuck’s clients say that working with him has given them renewed sense of purpose and clarity, as well as deeper awareness into their leadership challenges and strengths. They say he has a rare ability to help business owners create a culture of collaboration.

Chuck has worked with companies across numerous sectors including technology, financial services, insurance, real estate, telecommunications, manufacturing and distribution, law, and healthcare.

Prior to Kaizen, he held several senior leadership positions including Operations Officer and CEO of a major healthcare corporation.

Chuck holds a Master of Arts Degree in Management from the University of Iowa and a B.A. from Regis University (Denver, CO). He is a Master Practitioner of Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) and a graduate of the B-Coach Systems business coaching certification program.