Who We Are
Prow & Beacon Advisors are a team of practitioners with deep expertise in how businesses develop and bring products to market. With decades of experience working for market leading brands and start ups, across a broad spectrum of categories, our team have developed the expertise to help you grow faster than your competition.
Our Approach
We are there with you, every step of the way.
Our intention is to be your partner in change, whether that change is growth, recovery, or starting from scratch. Whatever it is, we are here to listen, to learn, to leverage our well-earned knowledge in building a strategy for change. To help bring business change to life, step-by-step.
Our Team
With an immense amount of experience across a breadth of market-leading companies and innovative small businesses, our team have developed the know-how to help you excel more quickly.
Managing Director
Craig Gillan
With 25+ years in consumer goods, Craig has built a reputation for growth and operational excellence. With a career spanning digital, retail, marketing, sales, and operations he brings a forward looking lens and an eye for change to his clients, as well as a general manager's strength for understanding how all the pieces come together strategically to achieve maximum potential. Having worked in leadership at large global organizations like YETI and ASICS, as well as PE funded start ups like iROCKER, he has developed trusted knowledge to help you achieve the most with your business.
Experience: YETI, ASICS, Aeropostale, Kate Spade, St John, Liz Claiborne, iROCKER, Charlotte Russe
Managing Director
Yul Vanek
Seasoned by 30+ years of providing strategic guidance and delivering meaningful outcomes related to operational excellence, digital transformation, and organizational change, Yul provides COO / CTO / CIO advisory services including M&A operations & technology diligence, M&A business Integration, turnarounds & transformations, and delivers high-impact / strategic initiatives (BHAGs).
Experience: MIT Chief Operating Officer Program, Deckers Brands, Beats by Dre, Oakley, Magic Leap, Advantage Solutions, Accenture
Partner
Mike Hessong
For over 35 years Mike has been focused on the financial stability of companies large and small. Starting out in big 4 accounting Mike built a foundation for deep analysis, process integrity, and strong control of the financial impacts to an organization and the people and processes who manage them each day. Mike has spent his career growing a variety of businesses, and has established the capability to understand unique differences in categories, businesses, and markets. This experience allows him to understand and build tailored, executable strategies, that gives founders and owners the confidence their business is set up to thrive.
Experience: Big 5 Accounting, Heelys, Bioworld Merchandising, Nexbelt, iROCKER, Lanvera
Partner
Mike Blumberg
Mike brings close to three decades of cross-functional expertise to every engagement, offering insights that span marketing, business growth, and operational excellence. With time spent working for and with innovative startups, large corporate brands, and solutions providers, he has ability to construct adaptable strategies unique to the each partner and project focused on solving complex business challenges. Mike combines his deep industry knowledge with a collaborative, results-driven approach to help enhance and excel account growth, go to market, e-commerce user experience, and supply chain technology.
Experience: eBay, CommerceHub, Dicks's Sporting Goods, QVC, CVS, Nordstrom, Goodr, American Giant, Tula, Fly by Jing
Partner
Andrew Richard
A market-tested executive with 30+ years of senior leadership experience in all functional areas of brand management from concept to consumer, ensuring a sustainable and strategic approach to building and guiding brands in the global marketplace. Collaborating directly operating boards and C-suite management, his skills have been honed leading commercial, product, merchandising, and marketing teams developing and executing global go-to-market strategies.
Experience: Nike, The Timberland Company, Reebok, Puma and ASICS
