GTS Business Advisors

Each Growth Team Strategies (GTS) Business Advisor is an accomplished business professional who has owned their own business, grown that business and eventually sold that business successfully.

Doug Howard

Doug Howard

GTS President and Senior Business Advisor

Doug Howard is President of Growth Team Strategies, a consulting company specializing in growth planning, succession planning and business improvement. Doug is a graduate of the Wharton School of Business.

For more than 30 years, Doug has worked with owners of growing businesses to help them overcome challenges and develop strategies for successfully navigating growth. He does this through training, webinars, writing, facilitated meetings and one-on-one consulting. His true passion is helping business owners achieve “the success they deserve”.

Doug is known for his entertaining yet informative approach to business ideas and strategies. He likes to bring complex business concepts into clarity with real life stories and recognizable examples. Over his career, Doug has created dozens of easy-to-use, understandable business tools designed to help business owners more effectively grow a profitable business.

He previously owned a small business consulting company for 17 years with offices in Alabama, Arizona, Virginia and Maryland. He served as a Carroll County Commissioner for 8 years, was the Executive Director for the Miller Small Business Center at Carroll Community College and has served in leadership roles and on boards of a wide array of non-profits and business associations.

Doug loves to read, travel and is a self-proclaimed “history nerd”. He is happily married to his wife Crystal and loves their never-ending adventures. He is the proud father of six amazing kids and two fantastic stepdaughters. He is also “Grand-Dad” to three phenomenal grandkids, with more on the way!

Kathi Fleck

Kathi Fleck

GTS Business Advisor

Kathi Fleck was Founder and President of LoneStar Design Build, located in the Dallas/ Ft Worth Texas market.

LoneStar is a residential Design/Build remodeling company, servicing homeowners desiring an upscale turn-key approach to renovating their homes. The company started in 2007, with the intent of providing repairs, maintenance and handyman services. When clients asked for design assistance, Kathi found her niche by implementing design services, thus coordinating selections, color, space planning and layout along with the construction of the projects.

As Kathi grew her design-build expertise, she joined National Association of Remodeling Industry (NARI) and earned certifications in Universal Design and Kitchen and Bath Remodeling. Later, Kathi assisted NARI in teaching and redesigning the certification programs. She wrote a book for homeowners, taking them through the remodeling process: Renovate, Remodel… Relax! Take Your Home Improvement from “How” to “Wow”. Further training and development brought Kathi and LoneStar towards her goal of selling the business, when she joined Remodeler’s Advantage. During this time, she developed processes and stretch goals, positioning LoneStar for the end goal. Kathi was a consulting client of Doug for several years. The business sold in 2022 after growing it for 15 years.

Kathi’s prior experience centered in the corporate environment with Fortune 500 companies. She holds an MBA, and enjoyed her position as sales and management executive over multiple profit centers. However, Kathi felt the pull to “do her own thing” and started her entrepreneurial venture in the construction field, with a love for recreating houses.

Kathi recently retired from remodeling and moved out the Dallas/ Ft Worth area to Bryan, TX where she’s enjoying family, travel and new puppies. Kathi’s love of business and helping entrepreneurs improve their business brought her to Growth Teams Strategies as an Advisor. She’s an integral part of the team, bringing 30+ years of business development to our clientele.

Matt Helminiak

Matt Helminiak

GTS Business Advisor

Matt Helminiak is a relentlessly positive, versatile executive with experience leading high-performance teams and operations.

He began his career by transforming a family insulation business with a single location into a recession-proof company with operations in over 14 states.

Matt also served as the Commissioner of Labor & Industry for the Maryland Department of Labor, where he spearheaded process improvements and executed legislative policy, and is a Certified Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR).

As a business advisor at Growth Teams, Matt helps business owners streamline their sales, marketing, operations and financial systems. He focuses on driving company culture to create a dynamic and fluid team that differentiates a business from its competition.