--- title: Our Story description: "Hear from our founders on the \"ah ha\" moment that lead to the birth of Breakthrough Partners and the creation of the Breakthrough Business System." image: https://www.breakthrough-partners.com/hubfs/OUR%20STORY.png --- [Skip to content](https://www.breakthrough-partners.com/our-story#main-content) [![breakthrough-partners-logo-white-1](https://www.breakthrough-partners.com/hs-fs/hubfs/breakthrough-partners-logo-white-1.png?width=1281&height=247&name=breakthrough-partners-logo-white-1.png "breakthrough-partners-logo-white-1")](https://breakthrough-partners.com?hsLang=en) ![breakthrough-partners-logo-white-1](https://www.breakthrough-partners.com/hs-fs/hubfs/breakthrough-partners-logo-white-1.png?width=1281&height=247&name=breakthrough-partners-logo-white-1.png) - Our Work - [What We Offer](https://www.breakthrough-partners.com/what-we-offer) - [Who We Work With](https://www.breakthrough-partners.com/who-we-work-with) - [How We Work](https://www.breakthrough-partners.com/how-we-work) - Coaching and Advisory - [Clarify Your Vision of Better](https://www.breakthrough-partners.com/clarify-your-vision-of-better) - [Explore Your Options](https://www.breakthrough-partners.com/explore-your-options) - [Build the Case to Act​](https://www.breakthrough-partners.com/build-the-case-to-act) - [Realise Your Vision of Better Strategy Execution](https://www.breakthrough-partners.com/realize-your-vision-of-better-strategy-execution) - [Realise Your Vision of Better Operational Excellence](https://www.breakthrough-partners.com/realize-your-vision-of-better-operational-excellence) - [Navigate the Change​](https://www.breakthrough-partners.com/navigate-the-change) - [Sustain Your Success](https://www.breakthrough-partners.com/sustain-your-gains) - Training and Certification - [Training and Certification Overview](https://www.breakthrough-partners.com/training-and-certification) - [Experience Hoshin](https://www.breakthrough-partners.com/experience-hoshin-foundation-course) - [Experience Lean](https://www.breakthrough-partners.com/experience-lean-foundation-course) - [Experience Agile](https://www.breakthrough-partners.com/experience-agile-foundation-course) - [Experience Problem Solving](https://www.breakthrough-partners.com/experience-problem-solving-foundation-course) - [How the Best Improve Bootcamp](https://www.breakthrough-partners.com/how-the-best-improve-bootcamp) - [How the Best Execute Bootcamp​](https://www.breakthrough-partners.com/how-the-best-execute-bootcamp) - [Leading in a VUCA World Bootcamp](https://www.breakthrough-partners.com/leading-in-a-vuca-world-bootcamp) - [Certified Hoshin Kanri Facilitator​](https://www.breakthrough-partners.com/certified-hoshin-facilitator-course) - [Certified OKR Facilitator](https://www.breakthrough-partners.com/certified-okr-facilitator-course) - [Certified Value Driven Improvement Facilitator](https://www.breakthrough-partners.com/certified-value-driven-improvement-facilitator-course) - [Certified Daily Management Facilitator](https://www.breakthrough-partners.com/certified-daily-management-facilitator-course) - [Certified Value Stream Management Facilitator](https://www.breakthrough-partners.com/certified-value-stream-management-facilitator-course) - [Agile Project Management and Execution](https://www.breakthrough-partners.com/agile-project-management-execution-course) - [Advanced Problem Solving With DMAIC](https://www.breakthrough-partners.com/advanced-problem-solving-with-dmaic-course) - [From Change Management to Change-ability](https://www.breakthrough-partners.com/from-change-management-to-change-ability) - [Coaching Leadership Kata](https://www.breakthrough-partners.com/coaching-leadership-kata-course) - [Building an Effective Lean Business System Office](https://www.breakthrough-partners.com/building-an-effective-lean-business-system-office-course) - Learn@Scale - [Experiential Games](https://www.breakthrough-partners.com/learn-at-scale) - [Your Feedback Matters](https://www.breakthrough-partners.com/your-feedback-matters) - Our System - [Leverage Our System](https://www.breakthrough-partners.com/how-to-leverage-the-system) - [Explore Our System](https://www.breakthrough-partners.com/explore-our-system) - Insights - [Resources](https://www.breakthrough-partners.com/resources) - [Breakthrough Blog​](https://www.breakthrough-partners.com/blog) - About Us - [Our Story](https://www.breakthrough-partners.com/our-story) - [Meet the Team​](https://www.breakthrough-partners.com/meet-the-team) - [Our Partners](https://www.breakthrough-partners.com/our-partners) - [Contact Us](https://www.breakthrough-partners.com/contact-us) Search - There are no suggestions because the search field is empty. - Our Work - [What We Offer](https://www.breakthrough-partners.com/what-we-offer) - [Who We Work With](https://www.breakthrough-partners.com/who-we-work-with) - [How We Work](https://www.breakthrough-partners.com/how-we-work) - Coaching and Advisory - [Clarify Your Vision of Better](https://www.breakthrough-partners.com/clarify-your-vision-of-better) - [Explore Your Options](https://www.breakthrough-partners.com/explore-your-options) - [Build the Case to Act​](https://www.breakthrough-partners.com/build-the-case-to-act) - [Realise Your Vision of Better Strategy Execution](https://www.breakthrough-partners.com/realize-your-vision-of-better-strategy-execution) - [Realise Your Vision of Better Operational Excellence](https://www.breakthrough-partners.com/realize-your-vision-of-better-operational-excellence) - [Navigate the Change​](https://www.breakthrough-partners.com/navigate-the-change) - [Sustain Your Success](https://www.breakthrough-partners.com/sustain-your-gains) - Training and Certification - [Training and Certification Overview](https://www.breakthrough-partners.com/training-and-certification) - [Experience Hoshin](https://www.breakthrough-partners.com/experience-hoshin-foundation-course) - [Experience Lean](https://www.breakthrough-partners.com/experience-lean-foundation-course) - [Experience Agile](https://www.breakthrough-partners.com/experience-agile-foundation-course) - [Experience Problem Solving](https://www.breakthrough-partners.com/experience-problem-solving-foundation-course) - [How the Best Improve Bootcamp](https://www.breakthrough-partners.com/how-the-best-improve-bootcamp) - [How the Best Execute Bootcamp​](https://www.breakthrough-partners.com/how-the-best-execute-bootcamp) - [Leading in a VUCA World Bootcamp](https://www.breakthrough-partners.com/leading-in-a-vuca-world-bootcamp) - [Certified Hoshin Kanri Facilitator​](https://www.breakthrough-partners.com/certified-hoshin-facilitator-course) - [Certified OKR Facilitator](https://www.breakthrough-partners.com/certified-okr-facilitator-course) - [Certified Value Driven Improvement Facilitator](https://www.breakthrough-partners.com/certified-value-driven-improvement-facilitator-course) - [Certified Daily Management Facilitator](https://www.breakthrough-partners.com/certified-daily-management-facilitator-course) - [Certified Value Stream Management Facilitator](https://www.breakthrough-partners.com/certified-value-stream-management-facilitator-course) - [Agile Project Management and Execution](https://www.breakthrough-partners.com/agile-project-management-execution-course) - [Advanced Problem Solving With DMAIC](https://www.breakthrough-partners.com/advanced-problem-solving-with-dmaic-course) - [From Change Management to Change-ability](https://www.breakthrough-partners.com/from-change-management-to-change-ability) - [Coaching Leadership Kata](https://www.breakthrough-partners.com/coaching-leadership-kata-course) - [Building an Effective Lean Business System Office](https://www.breakthrough-partners.com/building-an-effective-lean-business-system-office-course) - Learn@Scale - [Experiential Games](https://www.breakthrough-partners.com/learn-at-scale) - [Your Feedback Matters](https://www.breakthrough-partners.com/your-feedback-matters) - Our System - [Leverage Our System](https://www.breakthrough-partners.com/how-to-leverage-the-system) - [Explore Our System](https://www.breakthrough-partners.com/explore-our-system) - Insights - [Resources](https://www.breakthrough-partners.com/resources) - [Breakthrough Blog​](https://www.breakthrough-partners.com/blog) - About Us - [Our Story](https://www.breakthrough-partners.com/our-story) - [Meet the Team​](https://www.breakthrough-partners.com/meet-the-team) - [Our Partners](https://www.breakthrough-partners.com/our-partners) - [Contact Us](https://www.breakthrough-partners.com/contact-us) ## OUR STORY A business built on decades of learning that enabled a moment of clarity.​ [Get in Touch](https://www.breakthrough-partners.com/contact-us?hsLang=en) [Meet the Team](https://www.breakthrough-partners.com/meet-the-team?hsLang=en) # Meet Breakthrough Partners – Your Partner for Long-term Value Creation Breakthrough Partners was founded in 2018 on the belief that any organisation with courageous leaders, access to the right “know how” and a small cadre of expert facilitators can build, deploy - and critically quickly see growth in value from – a sustainable world-class lean business system in less than 36 months (even if that organisation is a large global enterprise).​ ​Having spent decades as trusted advisors working with some of the most progressive, and successful, organisations in the world, Paul Docherty and Mike Howarth - the founders of Breakthrough Partners came to three key inescapable conclusions:​ --- ##### *01. * ##### Implementing an Effective Lean Business System is a Game-changer​ A cohort analysis comparing 20 S&P 500 members known to have mature enterprise-wide lean business systems with 20 S&P members known to have a lower level of lean maturity, suggests those with established lean business systems have seen a ~45% premium in terms of total shareholder returns over the last decade. ​ --- ##### *02. * ##### With Effort the “Secret Sauce” Can Be Codified (and Replicated)​ In the end, it’s no surprise that a system that is designed to codify how an organisation is run, improved and transformed can itself be copied and replicated. The challenge, of course, is that these systems, once built, are understandably closely guarded by the organisations that created them and that in reality the systems (which are built on beliefs and behaviours) are more than just the sum of the materials they contain. ​ --- ##### *03. * ##### We Could, With Enough Thought, Build a Template System Any Organisation Could Adopt​ Having worked with, and closely studied, over 40 industry leaders whilst leading i-nexus – the market leading cloud-based strategy execution solution - Paul and Mike recognised that they had, over multiple decades, accumulated the know-how needed to build a template Lean Business System. Recognising that any template system they designed needed to be easy to customise and brand, they started a decade long journey to create what we now call the Breakthrough Business System.​ ### A Moment of Clarity​ Hear from our co-founder Paul Docherty on the “Ah Ha!” moment that led to the development of the Breakthrough Business System​ ### Our Mission... ...is to help organisations get systemically better at improving what they do today… whilst simultaneously transforming what they do so they remain relevant in an ever more disruptive and hyper-connected future… [Speak to an Expert](//javascript:postMessage({type:'HS_DISPLAY_CALL_TO_ACTION',id:237919558890});) ### We are *not only* Strategy/Lean/Hoshin/OKR/Agile specialists​... ❝Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.❞ — Anne Isabella Thackeray Ritchie The truth is, we can, and sometimes do, help organisations make discrete focused improvements and implement specific transformations, but it’s not what we are fundamentally about.​ We believe that our job is to help organisations learn how to fish better, not just to provide the skilled labour needed to land today’s catch. We can of course do that, if that’s what you need today – but they is so much more to gain from partnering with us.​ ### How We Help Our Clients Create *Enduring Value* Explore how Breakthrough Partners focused advisory services and proven lean business system can help create enduring value for your organisation. ##### Our Services [Learn More](https://www.breakthrough-partners.com/how-we-work?hsLang=en) ##### Our System [Learn More](https://www.breakthrough-partners.com/how-to-leverage-the-system?hsLang=en) ![A visual formula for achieving "Enduring Value," combining icons and text: Aligned Leaders + Expert Coaches + An Effective Operating System + Relentless Focus on a Few Guiding Principles = Enduring Value, represented by an upward-trending bar chart.](https://www.breakthrough-partners.com/hs-fs/hubfs/how-we-create-enduring-value-1.png?width=2000&height=504&name=how-we-create-enduring-value-1.png "A visual formula for achieving \"Enduring Value,\" combining icons and text: Aligned Leaders + Expert Coaches + An Effective Operating System + Relentless Focus on a Few Guiding Principles = Enduring Value, represented by an upward-trending bar chart.") Our expert coaches help clients build enduring value through implementing an effective operating system and by creating a high-performance culture based on relentless focus on a few guiding principles​ ### Hear from our customers... - "In the end", as Scott Nelson, the executive who led the deployment of the Molex Operating System put it, “the decision was easy – adopting the Breakthrough Business System cut years off our time to value and allowed us to develop a new foundational daily management system for a fraction of the cost it would have taken us to do it in-house.” ###### Scott Nelson Director Global Operational Excellence | Molex - "Breakthrough Partners helped APM Terminals build and deploy Policy Deployment (Hoshin Kanri) into their APM Way of Working Lean business system, which was deployed to 31 Ports and Terminals around the World, resulting in a step change of our Breakthrough Objectives identification, planning and strategy execution.The engagement developed through a model and replicate approach, supported by onsite and remote services and I would certainly recommend the team to anyone looking to fast track internal strategy systems or skills." ###### Paul Nestor (Former) Global Head of Lean Transformation | APM Terminals - “Breakthrough Partners have a talent for clear explanations and strong facilitation skills. They have the capability to convince strong-minded leaders and executives and bring them along the journey towards better strategy design and execution. If you can convince them to help you - do it “ ###### Leo Akim Senior Director Lean |WESCO Distribution - “Getting Breakthrough Partners in to help our colleagues better understand the way the best organisations leverage Hoshin Kanri to improve strategy execution was a smart move. Many clear and actionable insights". ###### Jukka Lindstrom Vice President, Strategy & Business Transformation | Cargotec - "Breakthrough Partners Probability of Successful Execution assessment helped us not just build consensus on the need to improve our "strategy execution” system, but critically also revealed what was needed to improve the system. Amazing value for the small amount of time invested”. ###### Jason Andrews Head of Transformation and CI (UKE)|Orsted ![015-n](https://www.breakthrough-partners.com/hs-fs/hubfs/015-n.jpg?height=1700&name=015-n.jpg) #### Whether You Want to Improve Your Game or Change the Game Breakthrough Partners Can Help​ [Request call-back](//javascript:postMessage({type:'HS_DISPLAY_CALL_TO_ACTION',id:241960746207});) ##### What We Offer Leverage our proven lean business system and advisory support to increase the probability of successful execution. ##### Who We Work With Hear from the organisations who we've helped create breakthrough results - and learn why they chose to work with us. ##### How We Work Learn how we can help you accelerate time to value and how we provide the support you need (and only the support you need). Get Unfair Advantage with Breakthrough Partners Breakthrough Partners Limited and Breakthrough Business System Limited Registered Office 3 Furze Road, Maidenhead, SL6 7RY, England Breakthrough Lean and Strategy Limited Registered Office Unit 2, 2 Bridge Street, Athlone, Co. Westmeath, N37 F1W4, Eire Get in Touch [UK: +44 (0)333 987 5288](tel:+4403339875288) [info@breakthrough-partners.com](mailto:info@breakthrough-partners.com) [Get Started](//javascript:postMessage({type:'HS_DISPLAY_CALL_TO_ACTION',id:237919558890});) [Our Story](https://www.breakthrough-partners.com/our-story) Breakthrough Partners Limited is registered in England & Wales, registration number 11959961 Breakthrough Business System Limited is registered in England & Wales, registration number 12267286 Breakthrough Lean and Strategy Limited is registered in Eire, registration number 764291 Various trademarks held by their respective owners. All rights reserved [Follow us on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com) [Follow us on Twitter](https://www.twitter.com) [Follow us on Instagram](https://www.instagram.com) ![ssl-secure-encryption-e1635333180816](https://www.breakthrough-partners.com/hs-fs/hubfs/ssl-secure-encryption-e1635333180816.png?width=180&height=77&name=ssl-secure-encryption-e1635333180816.png "ssl-secure-encryption-e1635333180816") ![668db685bccceede6e91acfa_GDPR Compliant](https://www.breakthrough-partners.com/hs-fs/hubfs/668db685bccceede6e91acfa_GDPR%20Compliant.png?width=200&height=59&name=668db685bccceede6e91acfa_GDPR%20Compliant.png "668db685bccceede6e91acfa_GDPR Compliant") --- [Privacy](https://www.breakthrough-partners.com/trust-centre?hsLang=en)    |    [Terms of Use  ](https://www.breakthrough-partners.com/trust-centre?hsLang=en)  |    [Data Protection](https://www.breakthrough-partners.com/trust-centre?hsLang=en)    |    [Cookies](https://www.breakthrough-partners.com/trust-centre?hsLang=en)   |   [Training  Agreement](https://www.breakthrough-partners.com/training-agreement?hsLang=en) © Breakthrough-Partners 2025