As managing partner at Empirical Consulting Solutions (ECS), Christopher Lee is determined not to fall into the trap of leading from an office and risk losing touch with what’s happening on the ground.
“The field is where all the grassroots ideation is initiated,” he said. “It is the pulse of every organization … At Empirical Consulting Solutions, I am committed to participating in field projects with the team, 30% of my time, to keep my skill sets sharp and understand the pulse of the ECS team.”
ECS is a management consulting firm that works with lower mid-market companies across all areas of a business, including sales, marketing, operations, human resources and recruiting. “We provide not only the assessment and strategy these companies need, but the execution and upskilling in order to get to the next level,” the company said. “We’re on a mission to bring great people together to help businesses run better.”
Lee previously ran a large division at Aramark, and in that role he worked with several mid-sized companies. He recognized the need for experienced leaders who could support these companies, leaders who could execute on process, strategy and tactics. Filling that need was the impetus for launching ECS in 2013.
“People told (Lee) he was crazy to leave a high-level role at a Fortune 50 company, but he knew there was an opportunity in the marketplace that he could become a disruptive force,” Lee’s team said. “Chris’ vision today and leadership continue to drive the Empirical team to new heights. He has led and grown the team by 400% in just over three years, putting it in a position to continue growth and achieve goals.”
Today, ECS is one of the fastest-growing companies in the Greater Philadelphia area, recognized by the Philadelphia 100 and serving clients across the U.S. and in 17 countries. The team consists of 28 executives with an additional support team, all aimed at helping client businesses succeed.
The company intends to grow to 100 business leaders by next year and is launching a new office in Santa Clarita, California. The new office will help connect with West Coast clients, and ECS intends to be a $50 million consulting firm in five years. “We’ve been approached by several potential equity partners, and we’ll look to them to finance our expansion,” the firm said.
Lee has been recognized by his peers as a leader who makes a difference. At Aramark, he was awarded the Circle of Excellence and grew his division with doubledigit growth in 17 of 18 years. Over this same time frame, he was promoted 18 times and promoted 60 people to new roles themselves.
He’s mindful of the next generation of business leaders and has spoken to college students from Temple University, Drexel University, the University of Massachusetts and more on how to position themselves for success as they move from college life to professional life.