Cheryl Doll, EdD

I guide Compass Point clients through the collaborative process of building a strategic plan, creating a governance structure, as well as developing the operational processes a family business needs to scale its growth and plan for ownership transition in the future.

I grew up in family business. Multiple ones. To say my parents were hard workers and driven is an understatement. Hard workers they were. Business-minded they were not. I left for college vowing to avoid the struggles, the conflict, and the stress of the family business. I pursued degrees and experience in higher education – something I felt was furthest away from resembling a family business.

Spending over 20 years in higher education, I wore many different hats, including strategic planning, teaching, and organizational development. During my last seven years in higher education, I developed my passion for helping community colleges create strategic goals, develop structured organizational development programs, and build future leaders within the academy. I then saw a need for this type of work outside of higher education, specifically in family businesses, the businesses that support much of the economy in and around the Lehigh Valley. I was ready to go back to family business.

The business owners I seek to help are lifelong learners and believe that in order for the business to grow, they and their team must grow as individuals and collectively as an organization. To quote Simon Sinek, “leadership is an education. And the best leaders think of themselves as the student, not the teachers.”

I, and the Compass Point team, accomplish this through monthly meeting rhythms that hold the owners and their key direct reports accountable for re-evaluating strategy, organizational structure, and improving communications. By aligning the owners’ vision and the business goals, the whole team will be positioned to drive business value and add to the bottom line.

I enjoy participating in a number of community activities, including:

• Board Member, Small Business Council, GLV Chamber of Commerce
• Volunteer and Foster Dog Parent, Linda Ann’s Greyhound Rescue
• Member, Nitschmann Middle School Instrumental Music Association