Business Plan Consultants in Arizona

Akira Hirai - Managing Director

Phoenix, AZ

With over 15 years of experience in entrepreneurship, management, business planning, financial analysis, software engineering, operations, and decision analysis, Akira has the breadth and depth of experience needed to quickly understand entrepreneurs' businesses and craft the most suitable solutions.

Before founding Cayenne Consulting in early 2001, Akira started two Internet companies in Silicon Valley. Previously, Akira held various management positions in New York at Salomon Brothers (now CitiGroup), most recently as Vice President in Fixed Income Derivatives Trading, focusing on new business development, risk management, and trading desk management. He has also worked as a senior financial risk management consultant to the financial services industry; software engineer; advertising sales manager for the popular Let's Go travel guide series; general manager of an advertising and graphic design agency; and engineering intern at the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center. Akira earned his B.A. in Engineering Sciences from Harvard University.

Akira is a frequent guest lecturer on the topics of business planning, financial forecasting, and capital formation at the Phoenix chapter of the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation's FastTrac entrepreneur training program and at various programs affiliated with Arizona State University (ASU). He also mentors companies preparing to present before the Arizona Angels and the Arizona Venture Capital Conference (AVCC).

Akira has also served on the Board of Directors for ITASA (Information Technology Association of Southern Arizona). He was named Entrepreneur of the Week in October 2000 by vCapital.com.

Ryan Chester - Principal Consultant

Phoenix, AZ

Ryan brings over ten years of experience in strategic implementation planning, financial analysis, and management consulting to businesses. He has worked with Big 5 and start-up companies in multiple industries and has expertise in bringing high performance ideas and teams together. He has hands-on experience in running start up companies and in launching new ventures in highly complex, mature enterprises.

Prior to joining Cayenne Consulting, he spent five years advising start-ups and early stage companies; prepared dozens of business and financial plans; created and implemented new internal business channels; facilitated international negotiations; migrated operations offshore; and formed strategic partnerships. Previously, he led the US West Communications channel for Paladyne Corp, during which he instituted numerous changes in direction and process increasing average monthly profitability by 130%.

Ryan earned his B.S. in Business Marketing at University of Phoenix.

David Daniels - Principal Consultant

Phoenix, AZ

David is a dynamic marketing professional with a track record of successfully delivering products to market. He has a consistent ability to conceptualize and implement effective marketing strategies to achieve business objectives on a global scale. David is skilled at creating winning teams and has a proven ability to lead, motivate, and inspire cross-functional teams. An insightful thinker, David consistently delivers innovative solutions to challenging problems.

David has held management and senior executive positions with companies that include: Level 8 Systems, Viasoft, Softlab GmbH (a BMW company), Kaseworks, Yancey Bros.(a Caterpillar affiliate), and Georgia-Pacific. He earned his BS in Computer Science with a Minor in Mathematics from Columbus State University.

Denisha de Mos - Principal Consultant

Phoenix, AZ

Denisha has a proven track record of analyzing, developing and executing product launches and business opportunities from global Fortune 500 companies to Internet start ups. With more than 13 years of experience in digital media, magazine and newspaper publishing, and retail, she is adept at growing new products and markets, and at bridging the gap between new and traditional media.

While at Hearst Magazines, one of the world’s largest publishers of monthly magazines, Denisha developed and executed multi-tiered marketing communication and development programs for some of the industry’s best-known titles: Cosmopolitan, Esquire, Harper’s Bazaar, Marie Claire, O, The Oprah Magazine, and CosmoGirl!, to name a few. Denisha managed interactive marketing strategy for Hearst Magazines’ titles on the former leading women’s Internet portal, Women.com. She has also served as marketing manager in support of the product re-launch of a multi-million dollar portfolio of private label brands across 400 Federated Department Stores (Macy’s) nationwide.

Most recently, Denisha developed and managed the business planning, market research, financial modeling, and P&L efforts surrounding the launch of several print and online products for Gannett Corporation’s largest metropolitan newspaper and website, The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com.

Denisha holds an MBA from the W. P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University, and a BS from the University of Arizona. She is a member of The Arizona Technology Council, the Economic Club of Phoenix, and the W. P. Carey MBA Alumni Council.

Tom Dykstra, MBA, CFPIM - Principal Consultant

Phoenix, AZ

Tom has over thirty years of business experience in strategy development, software design, engineering management, sales, marketing, channel creation, consulting, business modeling, decision analysis, capital acquisition, and new venture start-ups.

He is the co-founder of two ERP software companies: Effective Management Systems (ERP for discrete manufacturers) and EMS Solutions (ERP for automatic merchandising companies). Effective Management Systems appeared on the Inc 500 twice (28 and 37), acquired venture funding, and was taken public.

Before founding Effective Management Systems, he was with the Data Systems Division of AO Smith Corporation, a Fortune 500 diversified manufacturer. He was responsible for all financial and HR systems used by the corporation and the service bureau customers. He also founded the firm's small business computer line of business and the IT consulting practice.

He currently serves on the board of directors of Synergex International, a software firm.

As an adjunct faculty member at Grand Canyon University and Arizona State University, he has taught graduate and undergraduate courses in strategy, supply chain / operations management, project management, information systems, statistics, business modeling, and decision analysis.

Tom has an MBA from the University of Chicago and a BA in Mathematics from Hope College. He is also a Certified Fellow of the American Production and Inventory Control Society.

Harry Phillips, J.D. - Principal Consultant

Phoenix, AZ

Prior to joining Cayenne, Harry developed business plans, financial models and investor presentations as part of a team of leveraged buyout specialists at a $1.2 billion private equity fund. He played a central role in over 20 deals that involved raising equity and debt financing from Wall Street and institutional sources totaling $9.5 billion, and helped create a portfolio of companies whose aggregate annual sales exceeded $10 billion. His experience includes developing revenue and operating models, part profitability analyses and enterprise-wide IT projects that integrated sales, volume, and cost data for strategic planning use. He worked closely with CEOs and CFOs of Fortune 500 companies, and played a significant role in managing a $4 billion a year, publicly traded auto parts manufacturer.

Previously, Harry has been involved with investor relations, business development, marketing, finance, and operations in a broad range of positions and industries for over 20 years. In addition to his work for a top accounting firm and Wall Street investment banks, he held a key operating and financial role at a regional painting and wallcovering contractor with $10 million in annual revenue. He has worked closely with companies spanning the start-up through high middle market stages in sectors including financial services, healthcare, real estate, consumer products, automotive, construction, high tech, industrial products, telecommunications, retail, and energy.

Harry has a J.D. from Pace University School of Law and a B.A. from Harvard University.

Melissa Schaller, MBA - Principal Consultant

Phoenix, AZ

With over 12 years experience in business planning, financial modeling and analysis, entrepreneurship, marketing, strategic planning, and capital formation, Melissa has the breadth and depth of experience to quickly address your business challenges. As a Senior Research Analyst at Salomon Brothers (now CitiGroup), Melissa covered the medical device industry. She actively participated in several successful capital raises for Salomon Brothers’ investment banking clients. Prospectus drafting and the fine tuning of investor presentations were some of her important tasks as a part of raising capital for clients.

Melissa also has faced the professional challenge of founding, managing, and raising private equity capital for an Internet start-up company. Virtually all of Melissa’s professional experience either in operating companies or the financial services industry has been related to med tech or health care. Her MBA is in finance and marketing from University of Southern California, and she earned her BA in liberal arts from the University of Arizona.

Hal Siegel, Ph.D. - Principal Consultant

Phoenix, AZ

Hal is the founder of Siegel Consultancy, providing strategic and tactical expertise to life science companies, helping them meet FDA requirements from pre-clinical studies through the regulatory submission process and into the post-approval marketplace. He has delivered scientific, clinical and regulatory compliance assistance as well as submission preparation and management services to life science client companies developing drugs, therapeutic biologics, combination products, traditional devices, and in vitro diagnostic products.

Hal previously provided strategic and tactical management consulting services to a start up software company making knowledge management and collaboration tools for regulated life science companies, as well as Sun Microsystem’s Global Life Science group, working with sales, marketing, business development, legal, and professional services groups.

His degrees are from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and SUNY Buffalo (Ph.D., Biochemical Pharmacology).

Jan Knight, MA - Market Research Specialist

Tucson, AZ

Jan delivers both marketing and advertising experience to her role as our market research specialist. Her focus is on providing customized business intelligence and secondary market research. Her work has helped to shape business plans, marketing strategies, and new business development for a diverse set of clients. Jan has access to professional subscriber-only databases that provide authoritative data, nationally and internationally.

Previously, Jan spent a number of years working as a client liaison for two successful Advertising/Marketing Agencies. She also worked as a Purchasing/Manufacturing Manager for an international educational publisher. Jan also speaks to business groups and writes occasional columns on advanced online search strategies and market research related topics.

Currently she is an advisor and business plan judge for the University of Arizona's McGuire Entrepreneurship program and acts as advisor and guest speaker for the Microbusiness Advancement Center. She currently serves on the Greater Tucson Chapter of National Association of Women Business Owners, and is an active member of Association of Independent Information Professionals.

Jan earned her M.A. in Information Resources & Library Science from the University of Arizona, and her B.A. from the University of California, Berkeley.