It has been a great 17 years and we have a long list of testimonials from our clients. We have divided their remarks into 3 sections: non-profit; government; and for-profit.
You can also find these testimonials listed on our LinkedIn profile.
NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS
“As Executive Director of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program in Baltimore, I hired Will directly and I highly recommend his work. Will joined Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program as Outreach Director (based at Morgan State University) to represent the program throughout the State of Maryland. His responsibilities include researching and marketing to target businesses, hosting outreach events and Open Houses. He developed our Partners Program (which has proven highly effective in targeting business owners who meet GS 10KSB eligibility criteria), marketing strategy and tactical plan. Additionally, he managed the program’s email campaigns and social media channels. His sound advice, high ethical standards, engaging personality, and relationships with key decision makers and “movers” across Maryland have all contributed to set the foundation for the success of our recruitment efforts and his high level of execution and professionalism have made our public events huge successes. We appreciate his guidance and highly recommend him to any large organization that wants to do business in Baltimore.” May 7, 2018 -Joseph Wells, MBA, Executive Director, Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Business Baltimore
"Will is gifted. This year's Community Consulting Lab for the Office of Experiential Learning has exploded in waves of impact that are in major part due to the partnership with Will. The charge was to reimagine a virtual experience that boosted the value for small business owners and students and Will knew exactly what to do. He revised his curriculum for the business owners, added a new consulting component for students, and built accountability measures to ensure success. The students received real-world application on how to lead as a consultant and reach the needs of Baltimore business owners. The owners gained confidence in truly learning the numbers of their business and overcome the pitfalls that lead to business failure. I'm excited to take this to the next level because he just handles everything with confidence, accuracy, and grace." July 12, 2021- Tracy Akinade, Assistant Director of Innovation and Impact at the Johns Hopkins Carey Business School
"Will serves as Mentor in Residence for The Johns Hopkins Carey Business School's Community Consulting Lab. Will did a phenomenal job teaching and guiding our business students as they worked with small business owners in Baltimore. He brought passion, professionalism and tested business expertise to our students every time he met with them. They are fortunate to learn from him and the Carey Business School is proud to partner with him. I would recommend partnering with Will on any project or venture. He will be prepared, excited and eager to help you and your organization improve and get results." June 2, 2020 - Mike Doyle, Director of Experiential Learning at the Johns Hopkins Carey Business School
“If you’re looking for someone that will take your ideas, your business and more to the next level contact him ASAP! We had one conversation on Wednesday afternoon and my website for Love You More Inc. was completed by Thursday evening! He takes his craft very seriously and that’s the kind of person you need in your corner. Thanks again Holmes for all you do and all you have done over the years! You are appreciated!” August 1, 2017 -Crystal Brooks, Executive Director, Love You More, Inc.
“The work Will Holmes and his team did for SoundExchange helped grow the music industry. Behind the scenes he improved the way artists and labels get paid for their digital performance royalties. His strategy and execution led to online registration, electronic payments, faster processing times and ultimately larger distributions. During his time at SoundExchange distributions grew from $10 million to over $100 million per quarter. I was able to witness this because my Outreach Department was bringing in thousands of artist and label registrations per month, and his innovation is what made it possible for thousands of people to get registered and ultimately paid. I would highly recommend Will Holmes to any non-profit or for profit company with a desire to improve services and technology. Like he always says, he is “here to help.” March 31, 2014 -Bryan Calhoun, VP of External Affairs, SoundExchange
“Will Holmes has been an valuable collaborative partner with the Greater Baltimore Leadership Association. As a non-profit, we rely on experts in the community to step up assist us in our mission. William has offered his time and his office space to our Executive team facilitating a series of high quality professional development sessions for our members and community. Attendees walked away with working tools and plans for entrepreneurial success. We can always count on him and his team. And we look forward to continued years of partnership with the WHC organization. I highly recommend his demonstrable expertise to any growing or established non-profit organization.” April 1, 2014 -Eric White, President, Greater Baltimore Leadership Association of the Greater Baltimore Urban League
“WHC provides excellent customer service. They are a professional company that was able to take a time sensitive project and execute in the time we needed, while producing a high quality product.” March 28, 2014 -Dr. Alexandra Jones, CEO, Archaeology in the Community
“Will Holmes helped me create the marketing strategy we needed to grow our membership and develop our fundraising plan. I highly recommend him.” March 2, 2015 Bonnye Deese, Executive Director of the Broward Alliance of Neighborhood Development.
“Under his supervision our department’s productivity grew spectacularly to the highest levels seen in the organization (and still increasing), primarily due to various projects Will initiated to standardize our internal workflow and QA processes and implementation of merit-based rewards.” November 12, 2010 -David Marx, SoundExchange
“As a colleague and mentor, Will is nearly without rival. In the ever-changing and often tumultuous milieu that is digital media and content, Will inspires and directs with ease. He manages to be forthright without being overbearing, allowing individuals to flourish and hone their skills while injecting sage advice when necessary. Will utilizes his business savvy and consultative skills to confront challenging issues outside of his immediate expertise and does so with considerable verve and grace.” June 7, 2011 -Jesse Bean, SoundExchange
“Will brings some great skills to the workplace. His “can do” attitude and positive outlook is absolutely contagious! Will leads by example and has a great way of motivating and inspiring others. He is always cool under pressure in the face of unpredictable and complex challenges that frequently come up in Operations. Bottom line, Will is a solid guy that you can depend on!” May 21, 2009 -Paul L. Davis, PMP, MCTS, MCP, , Director, Distribution Services, SoundExchange
“Will Holmes is a conscientious, hard-working and detail-oriented coworker, someone who you can count on to produce results. In addition, his positive attitude makes all the difference when things get crazy at work. I give Will my highest recommendation as a colleague and coworker.” May 28, 2009 -Chris Dean, Director, Information Systems and Technology, SoundExchange
“Will Holmes is an exceptionally bright and talented manager who, in a very short amount of time, was able to command the respect and admiration of both his direct reports and his peers at SoundExchange. I wholeheartedly recommend Will as a consultant, not only is he a driven and bright individual, he is also a joy to work with.” May 21, 2009 -Shane Sleighter, President, Orion Technology Solutions, LLC
GOVERNMENT
"Will Holmes Consulting has been instrumental in delivering the Business Growth Advantage Program, providing practical knowledge and tools that have significantly contributed to business growth in Charles County, Maryland. The program effectively addressed various aspects, from financial insights to marketing strategies, enabling small business owners to make informed decisions. WHC's expertise and support have played a pivotal role in driving positive outcomes for Charles County businesses." -August 1, 2023 - Lucretia Freeman-Buster, Charles County Economic Development
“WHC developed the Inclusive Ventures Program curriculum for Anne Arundel County and has facilitated all 8 cohorts. This is the top program in Anne Arundel County. With nearly 100 graduates, and over 85% adding jobs and increasing revenue within 6 months of graduation, the program is having a profound economic impact on the county. We are proud to partner with WHC and we plan to continue to the IVP program into the future.” –August 1, 2023- Barbara Quaye, IVP Project Manager, Anne Arundel Economic Development Corporation
“I participated in the Department of Defense Velociter program in June 2017 and Will Holmes was my business mentor. He provided a great deal of useful information regarding how to approach customers, contract processes, and preparation of materials for business development. Will conducted the classes with much grace, tolerance and understanding. He was very knowledgeable in his subject areas.” August 2017, – Annie Saylor, President and CEO, Simulation Technologies, Inc.
“I participated in the DoD Velociter program in March 2017 and Will Holmes was my Business Mentor. His unique perspective and enthusiasm help me drive my company marketing research strategy. Will introduced to my company new insights that SciX3 will leverage for years to come.” August 2017 -Joseph Elder, Director of Business Development, SciX3, LLC
“I participated in the Department of Defense Velociter program in the Summer of 2017 and Will Holmes was my Business Mentor. He was extremely helpful and willing to keep an open mind and get up to speed on our particular commercialization needs. He made himself available to communication outside of the normal Velociter class hours, and we feel ready to take on the feat of commercialization thanks to Will.” August 2017 -K. Weiskircher, Cintel Incorporated
“As a participant in the Summer of 2017 DoD Velociter program, I would like to express my thanks and my strong recommendation of this excellent program. I also have the highest respect and admiration of the excellent job performed by Will Holmes my Business Mentor. He presented to and coached my cohort with great enthusiasm and an engaging approach. It takes someone with unique talent to teach commercialization to such a varied group of research professionals.” August 2017 – H. Pluenneke, PI & Cofounder, Fairmount Technology LLC
“I participated in the Department of Defense Velociter program in the summer of 2017 and Will Holmes was my Business Mentor. He was a good instructor and was very eager and willing to offer advice and assistance throughout the program. He was quick to understand our company’s need and provided helpful guidance and mentoring.” August 2017 -A. DeLuca, nanoGriptech Inc.
“I participated in the DoD Velociter program in July 2017 and Will Homes was my Business Mentor. He’s very knowledgeable in the space and extremely patient when it comes to business strategy.” August 2017 -Ed Yu, CEO, Overnest
“I attended the Small Business Administration’s workshop for 8As on Marketing to the Government. It was really great! Will led the presentation and gave fantastic information. His team of experts provided great detail and helped illustrate the points.” April 28th, 2017 -Z. Henry, PM
“We’ve really already benefited as participants in the Department of Defense Velociter Program… We really appreciate our coach (Will Holmes) so far and his ability to help move us closer to our business goals. Some of that effort is reflected in the sales of the newly released product.” August 25, 2016 – J. Jackson, President of Global Neighbor
“We’re just a few months into the Department of Defense Velociter Program and our coach (Will Holmes) is a good resource for us. The DoD Velociter Program has made us feel part of a team of a variety of subject matter experts.” August 9th, 2016 – D. Parker, Praeses
“WHC’s work is impeccable! They lead the development and management of our Marketing Analysis Tool (MAT). As a Government contractor we must mine and analyze incredible amounts of data for decision making, business development and competitive intelligence. WHC is a valued business partner that performs with expedience and precision.” January 26, 2014 -T. Richmond, VP of A-Tek
FOR-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS
"Will Holmes is a coach's coach. Not only has he guided numerous businesses in the Baltimore area and abroad, but I know from working in the same circles that his best practices have groomed and guided many of us who are not coaches but find ourselves in situations and jobs that require us to teach, motivate and inspire others.
Will and his team at WHC have the experience and connections to help you grow your business. Talent alone does not make winners. There is a reason why professional sports teams have coaches. It’s not because they don’t know how to play the game, it’s because we all need someone to help us craft a plan and remind us when we stray from it. If you and your team could use some help crafting your plan and sticking to it, I would suggest you give Will a call." June 21, 2020 - Jim Peterson, VP M&T Bank
“Mr. Holmes built our marketing department, managed the training of those employees, and extracted peak performance. I would gladly utilize his services again in the future.” May 21, 2009 -Biffrey Braxton, Amstar Mortgage
“I’ve had the pleasure of working with the Will Holmes organization on numerous projects over the years. He has an innate ability to identify obscure and abstract process inefficiencies, quantify their impacts and recommend actionable solutions that bring results. Moreover, he has a keen understanding of opportunity costs and moves with a sense of urgency to aid in providing solutions. I highly recommend Will Holmes consulting.” December 15, 2010 -John Gourdin, President of Debt Shield
“Will’s ability to condense work flows into concise yet thorough specifications made him an enormous asset to me as the Director of Software Development. I would eagerly recommend Will Holmes and hope that I have an opportunity to work with him again.” May 21, 2009 -Jesse Whyte, Director of Software Development, FSI Holding Corp
“Will is an extremely hard and dedicated worker. He is detailed oriented and feels comfortable utilizing his innovative ideas to enhance and advance the organization he works with. Will takes time to motivate his staff to go above and beyond. Thus producing at high levels within the organization. Will was not only a manager but a leader and teacher which assisted in his success within the Amerix Corporation. Definitely a true asset to the organization as a whole.” May 26, 2009 -Tamika Ellis Gourdin, PMP, Client Services Manager, Amerix
“Will has an extensive management and technical resume that spans several different areas of business from finance to marketing. It was a pleasure working with Will over the years and I recommend his services to those looking for a higher level of expertise and professionalism.” September 23, 2008 -Haener Elie, M&T Bank
“Will is professional, attentive, and a genuine pleasure with work with. He is a people person with an excellent understanding of business systems. He has strong analytical skills as well as intuitive and insightful decision-making abilities. He engenders the respect of both his staff and his peers. I highly recommend him.” August 7, 2008 -Maggie Beetz, Writer, NFAN
“I have had the pleasure of working with Will during an implementation of our call center automation system. I found Will to be a very hard worker who takes time to ensure that the details of the project are properly and professionally addressed. I am happy to endorse Will and would recommend him for any mission critical projects where a professional approach and attention to detail are required.” August 11, 2008 -Guy Williams, VP – Regional Accounts, Noble Systems
“I’ve known Will for years and he has always impressed me as a leader in his community, in business, and in his personal affairs. I trust Will and I have complete confidence in his abilities. Will has a great sense of personal achievement, professionalism, and astute business acumen.” August 8, 2008 -Roland P Taylor, MBA, Branch Manager, Mariner Finance
“Will has a very engaging and motivational personality. He is able to convey difficult messages in a positive manner hence allowing the recipients to absorb such and benefit from the same. He also has a very strong work ethic and goes above and beyond the standard requirements of any position he inhabits.” August 7, 2008 -Nazir Tyrewala, Director – Client Advocacy, Debt Shield
“I have worked extensively with Will and found him both a quick study and diligent contributor. I highly recommend him based on concrete and lasting business improvement that he has implemented. As owner of his own concern, I commend him highly to anyone seeking bottom-line solutions in personnel or process improvement.” September 15, 2008 -Rennard Brown, PMP, Process Improvement Manager, Ascend One
“Mr. Holmes is very knowledgeable and effective when it comes to strategizing, marketing and taking your organization on the next level. For the step by step i.e. the fundamentals of marketing I personally recommend Mr. Holmes and his team.” April 3, 2013 Robin R. Haynes, , Founder/CEO, Understanding Finances
“Will Holmes is a Businessman Par Excellent. His attention to detail and passion for what he does is very infectious. He is a 21st century leader on the move and making a difference in the community. His skills, knowledge and experience are evident in everything that he does. His empowering spirit is only matched for his desire to enlighten others and help them to make their businesses better.” February 13, 2013 -Leroy McKenzie Jr., President, JNF Enterprises