Meet David Phillips

Thank you for visiting SayWhat Consulting.  I founded SayWhat Consulting to address the needs I have seen in numerous businesses with whom I have consulted throughout my career.  The most common challenges businesses face are generating new clients, keeping new clients, preventing employee turnover and cash flow issues.  SayWhat Consulting focuses on all of those plus many more.  A frequent dilemma I see with business owners is the inability to sustain the entrepreneurial spirit.  They forget why they started the company in the first place. Having the startup mentality from day one through year 20 is vital to growth, success, profitability and gratification.  

Our services help you succeed more than you already are by improving your marketing efforts and improving your day-to-day business operations by lowering employee turnover and making your office more efficient with our staff training program.  We will improve your online and offline marketing and more importantly, your conversion rate with new clients.  

We are not seeking your digital marketing business.  We are consultants and have no financial stake in what company you use – our loyalty is to you.  This allows us to be extremely upfront with you when evaluating your current marketing, your budget and the company with which you are currently working.  We will assist you with finding a new digital marketing firm that is a better fit for your needs if the current company is not following through with what they promised.

My Experience:

I have been involved with digital marketing since my first internship at eDataFinder.com in 2000 during the Internet boom.  The 13 months I worked there taught me all about the Internet, its vast size and endless opportunities.  It was clear that the future of marketing was online.

My work at two Global 500 companies also broadened my view on business.  At Toyota Motor Corporation, I worked at the US National Headquarters in the department that handled the creation and evaluation of all the surveys that are sent after you purchase a new car or after a dealership services your vehicle.  The extensive research that goes into every single question was incredible and taught me about the importance of customer satisfaction.  The value of a long term client is well known.  The intricacies put into learning their behaviors, likes and dislikes was vital to my understanding of how the smallest of details can be major conversion tools for acquiring new clients.

At Nissan North America I was hired for the Executive Training Program, which trains you in all aspects of business and prepares candidates to be future executives within the company.  I was promoted quickly throughout the program working within the Client Relations Department, then Nissan Motor Acceptance Corporation (the financial division) and then marketing for the Infiniti Brand West Region.  The vast knowledge gained in reference to customer satisfaction, marketing, developing a brand and leadership was invaluable to my entrepreneurial success. 

I started NKP Medical Marketing in 2005 (incorporated in 2006) and was CEO through 2017.  NKP is a digital marketing firm focused on all aspects of online marketing.  NKP quickly expanded and within the first year of business had more than 100 clients and experienced doubling digit growth year after year.  We provided a service that clients needed at a reasonable price that produced verifiable results.  Our focus from the start was on client retention through extraordinary customer service and producing verifiable results.  That was the simple formula that made NKP Medical into one of the largest digital marketing firms in the industry.  

I consulted with numerous clients on digital marketing and offline marketing.  This led to coaching them on how to convert incoming leads, how to train their staff and budgeting for new products or services they planned on offering.  I enjoyed this part of my job immensely because you could see measurable results directly from the advice provided.  I recognized the gigantic need for small businesses (not just start ups) to have reliable advice and opinions from an independent party.  The companies I consulted were successful but capable of so much more.  I realized that many business owners lacked knowledge about marketing their business, both online and offline.  They did not nor did they realize the value of a well trained staff focused on conversion or the importance of a well-trained receptionist amongst numerous other matters.  Often a quick business audit revealed numerous issues the business owner was not even aware of.  All business owners have strengths and weaknesses – the great leaders realize what those are and act on it by delegating tasks they are weak at to increase success and productivity.   

I am honored to lecture at dozens of trade shows teaching thousands of business owners about marketing, lead conversion, day-to-day business operations and other subjects.  I am constantly shocked by how many people that approached me after a lecture, having no idea about certain topics I discussed. I often wondered how much more successful their business would be if they had an experienced consultant guiding them.  I decided to assist a few and was pleasantly surprised to see their quick growth and significant increases in business.  SayWhat Consulting was created to do the same for you and I hope you will give us that opportunity.    

We are an honest company loyal to our clients – we will work hard for you to help you meet and exceed all of your goals.  It is important for you to know the following prior to deciding to use SayWhat Consulting.

In 2017 I was convicted by jury for a crime I did not commit.  There are two sides to every story.  I learned how flawed the judicial system is and that you are Guilty until proven innocent.  Many parts of the case were misrepresented and a complete fabrication of the truth.  

For example, the government’s star “witness” (a career criminal and arrested on separate serious charges) initially told prosecutors the truth (that I did not do what they were claiming).  After making a deal and having his sentence reduced from a mandatory 20 years to less than 10 years he changed his story - tailoring the details of the case to fit what the prosecution needed.  The prosecution withheld evidence until almost half way through trial.  The list goes on and on.  

It is the past and I have moved on.  “We are products of our past, but we don’t have to be prisoners of it.” Rick Warren 

Honesty and loyalty to our clients is of the utmost importance.  I always believed that good can come from all things and it has from this experience as well.  

While incarcerated I assisted numerous inmates with learning how to read and write, how to start and operate legitimate businesses upon release so they would not recidivate and mentoring some who had no family support system at all.  I was fortunate to have a very supportive wife who visited me every Friday, Saturday and Sunday.  

I never realized how flawed the judicial system is but it motivated me to help others that were much worse off than I was.  I spent my time studying the law and helped 5 inmates gain their freedom by assisting them with their cases.  These were all men who were given harsh sentences but who were also physically sick.  

With that said I have always been known to be compassionate, caring, honest and straightforward. I care about others.  I received dozens of letters of support from past employees, clients, friends and family.  I am thankful to have had then and now such an expansive network of supportive and loyal people.

My past is my past.  Despite my innocence I was convicted and that is a fact but it made me a better person and a better business owner – more focused and determined than ever before.  Along with running my businesses, I still mentor individuals pro bono who are struggling to succeed -  showing them they do not have to be discouraged nor bound by their past and that a positive future is possible. 

An incident like this can either make you a better, stronger person or a bitter person – I chose from day one to be a better person and not focus on the past. As Johnny Cash once said “You use it as a stepping stone. Close the door on the past.”  

We are an honest company loyal to our clients – we will work hard for you to help you meet all of your goals and focus on your future.