About Us

Company Growth Reimagined: Creating Value Innovation for Long-Term Success and Profitability

Corporate Strategy Institute, Inc.

Corporate Strategy Institute, Inc., is a strategic management-consulting firm based in Orlando, Florida.  Through our corporate strategic planning process, we provide straightforward strategic direction that can result in company growth, increased revenue and reduced costs, value innovation, and new market demand.

Our corporate strategic planning has played a key role in the strategic direction for service industries including financial services, healthcare and real estate, as well as manufacturing/production industries including automotive, food, beverage and machinery.

Dr. Sarah Layton CMC, FIMC

Dr. Sarah Layton CMC, FMICSarah Layton is the founding managing partner and CEO of Corporate Strategy Institute, Inc.  A quick study, Dr. Layton immerses herself in learning about her clients and their needs as the first order of business for each consulting, board or speaking assignment.

Dr. Layton grew up in her family’s manufacturing business where the principles of integrity, ethics, customer and employee relations, sales and marketing, and general management were instilled at a very young age.  She earned her Bachelor of Science degree from Florida Southern College and her Master’s degree from University of Tennessee.

After receiving her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees, she developed and directed a college healthcare program.  Later, a Fortune 500 healthcare company recruited her for marketing and product development. Having a keen eye for business opportunities, she became the founding managing partner and CEO of a successful real estate development and management company in Orlando.  While there, she served as a director of the Greater Orlando Area Board of Realtors serving on the finance, ethics, PR and strategic planning committees.

Upon earning her Doctorate in Business from NovaSouthEastern’s Huizenga School of Business, Dr. Layton stepped down as CEO of the real estate company to manage Corporate Strategy Institute, Inc.  She has since written numerous articles and a book on strategic planning (Competitive Strategies: Planning Your Organization’s Success), and is the former host of Time Warner’s Central Florida Business Review.

Qualifications

Dr. Layton has also earned qualification in Blue Ocean Strategy® tools, concepts and frameworks developed by the Blue Ocean Strategy Initiative Center in London.  Dr. Layton has become known for her valuable, interactive Blue Ocean Strategy and strategic planning workshops around the world including Belize, Brazil, Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, Argentina, Australia, New Zealand and India.

Professional Involvement and Awards

Known and respected for her integrity and a sense for doing what is right, Dr. Layton has served many roles in various organizations including:

  • Trustee for Florida Southern College, including Chair of the Orlando Campus Board, and member of the finance, academic affairs and presidential selection committees
  • Director of The St. John Associates, Inc. (the oldest direct mail marketing company in New York)
  • Director of PulseCard, a credit card processing company serving on the nominating committee
  • Secretary and director of PGM Ornamental Engineering, a metal manufacturing business
  • Corporate Secretary of Junior Achievement of Central Florida
  • Trustee of the Junior Achievement of Central Florida Foundation
  • Charter member of the Free Enterprise Society of Junior Achievement of Central Florida
  • National director for the Institute of Management Consultants USA and chair of the 2004 North American Conference for Management Consultants.
  • Vice chair of the College for Certified Management Consultants of IMC USA
  • National chair of Elections and Strategic Planning committees of the National Speakers Association

 Throughout her career, Dr. Layton has also received numerous awards including:

  • National Award for Distinguished Service from the Institute for Management Consultants – USA
  • President’s Award for Distinguished Service from the National Speakers Association
  • The Distinguished Alumni Award from Florida Southern College
  • Marketer of the Year award from American Hospital Supply Corporation
  • Voted by her peers as a Fellow of the Institute for Management Consultants USA (FIMC)

Dr. Layton is a strong believer in continuous improvement and has attended Director Consortiums given by Yale, Wharton and UC.  She lives in Orlando, Florida with her husband, Al, and enjoys bicycling, scuba, tennis, golf and jogging.

Find out more about how our corporate strategic planning will take your business to a new level of company growth and profitability.