From Local to Global
People. Strategy. Stronger Communities.
ISM is an international strategic consulting firm that designs and delivers practical programs that help entrepreneurs, leaders, organizations and communities grow, adapt and expand across borders.
Practical programs built around people, markets and measurable action.
We meet participants and organizations where they are, then build the next step with them through strategy, training, coaching, connections and implementation support.
Global experience with a practical, relationship-driven approach.
Faris Alami
Leads ISM programs in entrepreneurship, leadership, economic development, global expansion and soft landing across 100+ countries. Brings decades of experience connecting entrepreneurs, institutions, governments and business ecosystems from local to global.
Ken Roy
Leads ISM work across the Americas, supporting cross-border partnerships, regional engagement and market-entry initiatives. A career U.S. diplomat, his experience includes assignments in Latin America, Europe and Washington.
Trusted by Global Institutions
Our team brings experience working with governments, international organizations, universities, nonprofits and entrepreneurial ecosystems, connecting local priorities with global opportunity.
Logos reflect past or present professional experience and do not imply endorsement or a current partnership.
Choose the outcome. We can build the format around it.
Each program can be accelerated, extended, combined with another program, or customized around a partner's goals.
01Yallah GlobalCross-Border Market Expansion & Soft Landing+
Prepare growth-stage companies to enter a new market with the strategy, relationships, cultural understanding and local ecosystem support needed to move from interest to action.
Turns international relationships into measurable business partnerships, market access, trade, investment and long-term cross-border collaboration.
Duration Options
Process
Program Focus
- Global and market-readiness assessment
- Target-market strategy and positioning
- Cross-cultural business preparation
- Curated B2B, B2I and ecosystem introductions
- Optional market immersion and local ecosystem visits
- Soft-landing support and 30-60-90 day action plan
Participant Deliverables
- Market-readiness assessment
- Target-market entry roadmap
- Curated connection plan
- 30-60-90 day action plan
02Resilient Entrepreneur Program (REP)Resilience, Leadership & Decision-Making for Entrepreneurs+
Help entrepreneurs and business leaders strengthen the mindset, systems and decision-making practices needed to navigate disruption, uncertainty and growth.
Builds practical resilience so entrepreneurs can respond to change, make stronger decisions and continue moving the business forward.
Duration Options
Process
Program Focus
- Baseline business and resilience assessment
- Resilient Entrepreneur Canvas and mindset
- Operational and financial resilience
- Scenario planning and risk response
- Leadership under pressure and decision-making
- Individual resilience action plan
Participant Deliverables
- Resilience baseline
- Completed REP Canvas
- Risk and scenario map
- 90-day resilience action plan
03Leadership TrainingMiddle & Upper Management Development+
Develop practical leaders who can manage people, communicate across differences, lead through change and translate strategy into accountable execution.
Strengthens the people who turn strategy into action, especially across diverse teams, changing environments and cross-cultural settings.
Duration Options
Process
Program Focus
- Leadership style and self-awareness
- Communication, feedback and accountability
- Leading diverse and cross-cultural teams
- Conflict management and difficult conversations
- Change leadership and strategic execution
- Individual leadership action plan
Participant Deliverables
- Leadership self-assessment
- Team communication plan
- Change leadership priorities
- 90-day leadership action plan
04Growth Planning LabFrom Current State to a 12-Month Growth Roadmap+
Help existing businesses identify their most realistic growth opportunities and convert them into a focused, measurable operating plan.
Turns opportunity into priorities, numbers, accountability and a practical roadmap that a business can actually execute.
Duration Options
Process
Program Focus
- Business assessment and growth-stage diagnosis
- Business model, customer and market review
- Sales, pricing and revenue-growth priorities
- Operations, team and capacity planning
- Financial targets and KPI dashboard
- 12-month roadmap with 90-day priorities
Participant Deliverables
- Business growth assessment
- Priority growth model
- KPI scorecard
- 12-month roadmap + 90-day priorities
05Culture & Workforce IntegrationPreparing Companies and Leaders to Enter a New Country+
Prepare companies entering a new country to understand workplace culture, talent systems, leadership expectations and local workforce resources so expansion works for both the business and its people.
Addresses the human side of expansion so companies can build local trust, recruit effectively and integrate into a new market more successfully.
Duration Options
Process
Program Focus
- Country and workplace culture orientation
- Cross-cultural communication and management norms
- Talent sourcing, hiring and workforce-development pathways
- Onboarding, retention and team integration
- Local universities, workforce agencies and ecosystem partners
- HR/compliance resource navigation with vetted local experts
Participant Deliverables
- Culture and workforce readiness assessment
- Country-specific workforce resource map
- Talent and integration priorities
- 30-60-90 day workforce integration plan
Start with the outcome.
Tell us who you are trying to serve, what needs to change and where you want participants to be at the end. ISM can design the format, facilitation, coaching, market connections and follow-up around that goal.