Decades of Client Success
Rainmaker has a rich history of extraordinary business successes in numerous business sectors. In 1981, we represented a newly formed real estate development and construction company in its search for government contracts. This client engaged our services to develop and write a proposal in response to a U.S. Housing and Urban Development (HUD) solicitation managed by a County Housing Authority in Southern California. Rainmaker’s first ever proposal resulting a contract win for this client that kicked off a whirlwind five years where the client was awarded nine (9) similar contracts and eventually resulted in the acquisition of our client by a large regional contractor seeking to enter the public sector.
We have been winning contracts for clients since that time – more than 43 years.
The following is a brief look at some of our clients’ successes after formally engaging Rainmaker to be their proposal development, writing/editing partner, and professional business consultant. The list includes the industry of the client, the firm’s primary location, and the number of years of experience prior to engaging Rainmaker:
Established Companies – Rainmaker Successes
- Transportation and Logistics Company – Jacksonville, FL – 57 years in business
- Chemical Manufacturer and Master Franchisee – Waycross, GA – 15 years in business
- Transportation Brokerage/Freight Forwarder Firm – Houston, TX – 13 years in business
- Wholesaler of Goods and Services – Denver, CO – 4 years in business
- Paper Converting Company – Chicago, IL – 2 years in business
- Security Guard Firm – Offices in California, New York, Colorado, Illinois – 5 years in business
- Information Technology Company – Bethesda, MD – 2 years in business
- IT Firms’ Transition into Medical Staffing and COVID-19 – Reston, VA – 12 years in business
Start-Up Firms – Rainmaker Successes
- Apparel Company Expands in a Regional, Themed Café – Houston, TX – Start Up
- Purchase of Banks – San Diego, CA / Oklahoma City, OK – Start Up
- Special Events Promotion and Management – Newport Beach, CA – Start Up
- Sports Marketing and Motorsports Promotion – Great Neck, NY / Aventura, CA – Start Up
- Regional Transportation Firm Entry into Fortune 100 Clients – Knoxville, TN – Start Up Division
- Information Technology Company – Portland, OR – Start Up
ESTABLISHED COMPANIES – RAINMAKER SUCCESSES
Transportation and Logistics Company – Jacksonville, FL – 57 years in business
Rainmaker architected and implemented a highly successful business and strategic marketing plan that resulted in this company’s doubling of annual revenue in less than a one year after engaging Rainmaker. We re-branded the company, performed a six-month industry and competitive analysis, and located two vertical markets in which the company could expand. Rainmaker managed the company’s marketing, communications, and sales programs and oversaw the firm’s expansion into the intermodal/rail and warehousing sectors and international freight forwarding.
SUCCESS:
After Rainmaker assumed control of this firm’s strategic, financial, and marketing efforts, its annual average revenue increased from $5.7 million to an average of greater than $180 million in less than six (6) years. This company was sold to a multinational, $30 billion publicly traded logistics company for more than $45 million in an acquisition that included guaranteed payments, common stock ownership, guaranteed employment for the company’s senior management team, and a five-year earn-out.
Chemical Manufacturer and Master Franchisee – Waycross, GA – 15 years in business
Rainmaker performed an analysis of this company’s multi-state manufacturing facilities and 420-unit aftermarket spray-on truck bedliner franchise operations. Rainmaker determined that the client was not operating within the requirements of the U.S. Federal Trade Commission and various state franchise laws regarding franchises, and further was not administering its advertising budget within the constraints defined in its Franchise Agreement and/or Franchise Disclosure Document.
SUCCESS:
Rainmaker designed and implemented a marketing plan, which earned this company the prestigious Frost and Sullivan Marketing Engineering Award for Competitive Strategy. Rainmaker worked in concert with the company’s legal team to revise all agreements and contracts. Rainmaker developed, designed, and presented to the company’s franchise network a comprehensive business and marketing plan that resulted in the retention of all 420 existing franchises. The company was sold less than two years later to the largest chemical company in the world, and the franchise network has grown 51% since the implementation of the plan designed by Rainmaker.
Transportation Brokerage/Freight Forwarder Firm – Houston, TX – 13 years in business
Rainmaker was tasked with assisting this established company into its entry into Disaster Recovery and Disaster Responses including bottled water delivery and the sourcing and delivery of motor homes and portable housing units. Rainmaker researched and developed contact lists and points-of-contact for various government agencies and offices and assumed the responsibility for contacting, making presentations, and securing trucking and logistics contracts with multiple government agencies/offices.
SUCCESS:
After Rainmaker assumed control of this firm’s strategic, financial, and capture management/marketing efforts, its annual revenues increased from $9 million to greater than $15 million in less than six (6) months and set up this company for continued success in the regions in which they operate.
IT Firm’s Transition into Medical Staffing and COVID-19 Response – Las Vegas, NV – 12 Years in Business
Rainmaker was tasked with developing the methodologies and processes for locating and dissecting government (federal, state, and local) contract opportunities for medical staffing, testing, and vaccinations during the COVID-19 pandemic.
SUCCESS:
Rainmaker implemented and managed the capture efforts and created and managed a strategic marketing plan that resulted in the company more than doubling its $120 million annual revenue in less than a year after employing Rainmaker’s marketing and organizational efforts and expertise. Over the three years of COVID-19, this firm generated more than $450 million in COVID-19 contracts.
Security Guard Firm – California, New York, Colorado, Illinois – 5 Years in business
Rainmaker re-branded this company and performed a nine-month industry and competitive analysis in search of new market and service offering opportunities. We identified two vertical markets the company had not explored. Rainmaker managed the company’s marketing, communications, and sales programs and oversaw the firm’s expansion into federal government contracting which resulted in a 180% annual increase in revenues. This company secured a significant percentage of all federal, state and local contracts in their target market area including several firms that are ranked in the Fortune 500 and federal firms including the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, U.S. Department of State, and the U.S. Navy.
SUCCESS:
After Rainmaker assumed control of this firm’s strategic, financial, and marketing efforts, its annual revenues increased from $2.1 million to greater than $12 million in less than six (6) years. This company was sold to a multinational venture capital firm in an acquisition that included guaranteed payments, common stock ownership, guaranteed employment for our client’s senior management team, and a five-year earn-out.
Wholesaler of Goods and Services – Denver, CO – 4 years in business
Rainmaker performed a detailed financial and business analysis of this firm and created a strategic marketing plan. Rainmaker authored/developed a detailed operations plan and provided sales expertise and personnel that resulted in first-year sales to the government of greater than $6 million.
SUCCESS:
In its first seven (7) months as a client of Rainmaker, this firm was awarded entry into the U.S. Small Business Administration’s 8(a) program and entered into more than $6 million in contracts with the U.S. federal government. Rainmaker structured, negotiated, and closed a $3.492 million 8(a) sole-source contract for this client in less than five (5) days. The company has expanded its products, equipment, supplies, services, and solutions offerings and has become an established disaster recovery contractor.
Information Technology Company – Bethesda, MD – 2 years in business
Rainmaker was initially engaged by this client to write and manage its proposal to the U.S. Navy in response to the Navy’ SeaPort-e (now SeaPort-NxG) IDIQ contract vehicle. Shortly after the completion of this proposal, this small business of six people with minimal company experience hired Rainmaker to write and manage each of the following proposals over the next 18 months:
- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
- Transformation Twenty-One Total Technology (T4), IDIQ
- VA – Accelerating VA Innovation and Learning (AVAIL), IDIQ
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
- Chief Information Officer-Solutions and Partners 3 (CIO-SP3), GWAC
- U.S. Department of Transportation – Federal Aviation Administration
- Accelerated and Simplified Tasks (eFAST), IDIQ
- Department of the Air Force
- Air Force Medical Services – Consultant, Advisory, and Technical Services (CATS), IDIQ
SUCCESS:
In less than 18 months, this Rainmaker client won each of above-noted IDIQs/GWACs and grew from a staff of six people to more than 300 employees in less than two years. Revenues increased from $6 million annually to more than $120 million in less 30 months due to this firm’s 75% win-rate on task order contract awards. Four years after engaging Rainmaker, this firm sold to a larger competitor that continues to use the marketing and capture materials and processes developed by Rainmaker.
Paper Converting Company – Chicago, IL – 2 years in business
Rainmaker architected and implemented a highly successful business and strategic marketing plan that resulted in the doubling of annual revenue in less than a one year after engaging Rainmaker.
SUCCESS:
The company grew from $100,000 in annual revenue to greater than $3.6 million in annual sales in its first year of operation after engaging the services of Rainmaker and has since grown to more than $12 million in annual business. With Rainmaker’s support and expertise, this firm secured supplier contracts with the largest commercial printers in the nation as part of the firms efforts to assemble and sell cardboard inserts to the apparel business.
START UPS – RAINMAKER SUCCESSES
Apparel Company Becomes a Regional Restaurant Chain – Southeastern U.S. – Start Up
Rainmaker authored the business and marketing plans for this Jacksonville Beach, Florida-based apparel company and its expansion into the themed café concept and business. Rainmaker architected and implemented a highly successful business and strategic marketing plan that resulted in the doubling of annual revenue in less than a one year after engaging Rainmaker. We re-branded the company, performed a six-month industry and competitive analysis, and located two vertical markets in which the company could expand.
SUCCESS:
The business and marketing plans developed by Rainmaker were used by this firm to secure three-levels of funding for its expansion of its apparel business and for its creation of an innovative, surf-themed restaurant/café concept that after 16 years of business as of 2024 remains a successful restaurant and apparel retailer
Purchase of Banks – San Diego, CA / Oklahoma City, OK – Start Up
Rainmaker was contacted by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) to work with local bank regulators to develop an acquisition, marketing, and transfer package that would result in the sale of two banks to one or more private banks/enterprises.
SUCCESS:
Rainmaker efforts resulted in the sale of the banks to a regional financial institution in less than five days from commencement of Rainmaker to the close of the purchase. This purchase was prior to the federal government’s creation of the Resolution Trust Corporation (RTC) and its assuming control of failing banks and financial institutions during the 1980’s banking crisis.
Special Events Promotion, Production, and Management – Newport Beach, CA – Start Up
Rainmaker’s entry into special events promotion and management was expedited through the acquisition of two event marketing/promotional firms – one in Orange County, California and one in New Orleans, Louisiana. Our motivation to transition into this industry was the result of our inability to locate an experience marketing and management company with verifiable past performance that catered to small to mid-size growing businesses seeking a national footprint and market plan that incorporated trade show attendance and participation. Not finding a firm to meet our needs, we purchased and consolidated the two firms and formed a new division of Rainmaker.
SUCCESS:
Over a period of nine years, Rainmaker successfully produced and promoted special and other events at more than 30 U.S. and international convention centers. Our efforts took us to more than a dozen countries in North and South America, Asia, Europe, and Africa. We suspended efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic and have resumed and expanded our operations and client base since the lockdowns and travel limitation were cancelled.
Sports Marketing/Professional Motorsports – Great Neck, NY / Aventura, FL – Start Up
Rainmaker was the co-founder of a limited partnership known as Hawk-Shearson Sports Marketing (HSSM) that was formed in Great Neck, NY and quickly expanded into the North Miami Beach area in Aventura, Florida. Rainmaker and HSSM focused on professional marine motorsports throughout North America including offshore powerboat racing, jet and drag boat racing, Formula 1 racing, and Unlimited Hydroplane racing. Rainmaker developed a unique marketing plan that leveraged the international star power of its numerous famous racers and focused on extensive local media and national television broadcasts to meet the needs of sponsors and advertisers. We re-branded two of the racing organizations, performed a three-year and six-month industry and competitive analysis, and located dozens of potential sponsorship opportunities markets into which the sanctioning bodies could expand. Rainmaker managed the organization’s marketing and promotions, international and internal communications, sales and sponsorship programs, and oversaw the racing’s expansion into International racing events and U.S. national racing in 18 U.S. states that included races on the Hudson River in New York City, Long Beach (CA) harbor, Key West Harbor (FL), San Diego harbor, Havana (Cuba) harbor, Miami’s South Beach and Government Cut, San Francisco Bay (under the Golden Gate Bridge and around Alcatraz Island), New Orleans’ Lake Pontchartrain, and Chicago’s Lake Michigan waterfront.
SUCCESS:
After Rainmaker assumed control of this organization’s strategic and marketing efforts, its sponsorship and national television net revenue increased from $750,000 annually to greater than $3.75 million in less than six (6) months. Rainmaker’s actions and successes resulted in the continued expansion of the racing circuits and the success they enjoy today.
Transportation Brokerage/Freight Forwarder Firm – Knoxville, TN – New Division Start Up
Rainmaker was engaged by a regional transportation broker client that for almost two decades had big-company aspirations but a very small, regional presence in the national trucking marketplace. We were hired to develop a marketing program and marketing materials that would allow this firm to overcome the small business look that had limited its growth for so long. Rainmaker developed a marketing package that included unique graphics, color scheme, and layout / design concepts that resulted in a final package that presented as a very qualified, experienced, and successful business.
SUCCESS:
While the finished brochure was intended for use by a single client (a multi-national conglomerate with 126,000 employees in 190 countries), this single marketing-support document was used to generate more than $200,000,000 in business in its first three years of use. A direct result of our writing acumen and abilities and our graphic designer’s unique layout and presentation work with this client resulted in the sale of this company to a multinational logistics firm three years later for more than $24 million.
Information Technology Company – Portland, OR – Start Up
Rainmaker developed and designed this company’s business/marketing strategies and implemented and managed its strategic plan. Rainmaker provided sales and marketing expertise and staffed the sales division of the company with Rainmaker personnel.
SUCCESS:
The company closed greater than $5 million in annual contracts and secured three (3) multi-year government contracts in the first six (6) months of operations after engaging the services of Rainmaker.