Business Management Review: Speials Magazine

Modern procurement and contract operations have become increasingly sophisticated and fast-paced across industries. As a result, many businesses are navigating cross-functional changes in management, technology and legal requirements—often without a clear roadmap. To guide them forward with efficiency, compliance and agility, specialized expertise is not just helpful: it’s essential. Maxelerate brings that expertise through its skilled workforce and a proven record of excellence in outsourced procurement and contract management services. What began as an informal collaboration between a few independent procurement professionals 27 years ago has now evolved into a highly specialized, boutique consultancy. The firm was initially formed to serve a single client with outsourced services remotely. But since 2018, it transitioned to a structured organization of W-2 employees in response to shifting tax and labor laws. Maxelerate’s primary services include contract negotiations, vendor management, IT due diligence and cost analysis, all grounded in the extensive industry experience of its advisors. The firm leads these strategic operations with heavy experience in banking, insurance, and professional services, ensuring every project is matched with the right resources. This breadth ensures that new client engagements start ahead of the curve, not behind it. “We stand behind our work with a satisfaction guarantee— if a client is not satisfied, the work is on us,” says Sel Bayhack, partner. “This commitment reflects our pride in delivering exceptional service." Unlike big consultancies where juniors do the heavy lifting, Maxelerate leverages senior professionals with decades of experience, often gained in the procurement departments of major corporations like BP Amoco, McDonald’s, Panasonic and Toyota. As contract terms with global giants are often rigid and non-negotiable, the team delivers tactical solutions to help clients navigate challenging agreements. This sometimes entails guiding organizations toward engaging with smaller or more specialized vendors, where negotiation is possible and contracts can be tailored to fit specific business needs.

Commercial capability building is fundamentally a mindset shift—not just a series of training sessions. It’s about embedding the skills and behaviors that drive growth not only in sales but across the entire value chain. Today’s market is flooded with fragmented solutions: sales workshops here, negotiation tools there. While these may address individual gaps, they rarely come together as a cohesive, strategic whole. Like a one-stop shop, The Maker Group offers a complete capability-building framework. By uniting commercial skills, behavioral science, and real-world application into an integrated approach, the company stands tall in a sea of sameness. It doesn't focus solely on sales—it works equally with procurement and supply chain functions, helping both sides become more commercially capable and behaviorally aware. “More than just teaching techniques, our goal is to transform how organizations think, act, and trade,” says Paul Voisard, PMP, MBA, partner. “We understand that the key to commercial success is not just what’s visible in the room, but what’s actually happening beneath the surface. The Maker Group’s clients are large multinational organizations, primarily in the Fortune 500 or 1000. While it also supports mid-market companies, the nature of its work requires a certain scale—typically those with established sales or learning and development functions. In these environments, the company makes a significant impact by helping businesses shift from reactive to proactive. This transition begins with a deep understanding of the client through stakeholder interviews and diagnostics. From there, The Maker Group builds tailored solutions that address commercial challenges, whether in sales, procurement, or both. Training is delivered through blended modalities, including in-person, virtual, self-led, and gamified learning journeys—all reinforced with practical tools to embed the learning. At the core of every program is experiential learning: hands-on, interactive, and engaging. Avoiding “death by PowerPoint,” The Maker Group uses a teach-do-learn model, followed by activities, casework, and real-time feedback. Regardless of the focus—sales, negotiation, or planning—each program is built around the 70-20-10 principle: 70 percent of learning happens on the job, 20 percent through coaching, and only 10 percent in formal sessions.