Henk Nel
Consultant, IT Professional and
Coach.
About Henk
He built the Microsoft Services platform of OBS-consulting, a historically Oracle-based consulting firm. The MS Services BU became the leading financial contributor to the company, driving a new strategy and direction he assisted the directors in adopting. He successfully negotiated multi-year contracts with several large corporate institutions for the Managed Service Components and continues to manage and optimize the organization. His leadership has resulted in business team cohesion, with service teams retaining clients for 10+ years under his guidance.
He successfully launched ShadowSQL, a specialized database-managed service company with SME clients, often having underperforming databases, and delivering needed support in a market sector without much specialized skills.
Henk is the founder of Lizzardking Inc., dedicated to combining coaching, consulting, and professional IT services, driving positive change for their clients. His blog provides practical advice for the business development cycle and utilizes coaching strategies to give a motivational impact. He has been actively involved with business leaders’ strategies, personal development of clients for a successfully self-driven individual, and creating forward-thinking businesses. He developed the Better-than-yesterday coaching program, which is utilized in business as well as personal life coaching delivering a goal-targeted approach with proven results.
Better than yesterday – Coaching for a stronger future
Better-than-yesterday (BTY) Coaching, a program designed by Henk, generates Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Timely (SMART) goals. BTY drives a culture of self-motivation, continued optimization, and increased stability of systems as well as human capital. The BTY Program follows a strategic and achievable 5 step strategy
- Prepare
- Establish goals using SMART
- Discuss reality
- Options and Planning
- Commitment
- Follow through
The resultant change is driven by the Better-than-yesterday philosophy, effecting fast, proven, and reliable results.
Services:
Consulting, Managed IT Services, Coaching, Branding and Marketing.
IT Services and Consulting
Managed database and IT services, Web-design, Development, Project Management, IT Auditing, Process Automation, License Compliance
Business Development
New business development, Strategy design and implementation, Contract negotiations, Process Automation, Marketing
Coaching
Business coaching, Team development, Leadership training, Skills development, Life- Relationship and Divorce Coaching
If you set your goals ridiculously high and it’s a failure, you will fail above everyone else’s success.
Work Experience
Henk is a market leader IT consultant, mentor, and coach.
With over 22 years of IT experience, building, and leading managed service technology teams, with client retention of on average 10+ years, and counting, Henk and his teams continue to deliver specialized services to various clients across the corporate and SME markets.
As a consultant, Henk helps to identify technology problems and implement effective and sustainable solutions through cost reductions, resources and tech optimizations, improved productivity, and systems stability, giving a competitive advantage to his clients.
He utilizes his vast IT experience combined with coaching and mentoring programs to enable his teams and gives clear manageable handovers to clients for continued excellence.
2012- Present
Account management, Service development, SQL Consultant, Optimization and Automation Specialist, Contract Negotiations
2019-Present
Policy development, Service development, SQL Consultant, Contract Negotiations, Marketing and Branding
2022- Present
Head Coach, Program Manager, Marketing and Strategy Director, Content creator, web developer
2010-2012
SQL Consultant, SQL Server Architect, Pre-sales, Optimization, Database Developer, SQL Administration, DBA training
History
- Senior Front Arena Developer
- ABSA Capital 2009 – 2010
- SQL Consultant
- Belay IT Solutions 2006 – 2009
- Database Developers Database Administrator
- Kibo Computer Services 2003 – 2006
- Field Support Engineer
- ASTA – DTS 2001 – 2003
Portfolio
Primary expertise:
An expert problem solver, he thrives in the optimization of processes, helping clients reach their potential, and enabling businesses and people to reach self-sustainability.
Differentiator:
His outlook on life, makes you live in the moment, giving you the ability to utilize time, your only asset, to achieve your goals and targets. His Better-than-Yesterday philosophy changes your world, and delivers immediately, giving your ideas and obstacles a real-world solution.
Success stories :
Creating and growing OBS Consulting’s Microsoft Services, and turning it into a major financial contributor for the company. OBS is a predominately Oracle Managed Service company, and he is also assisting in rebuilding this BU, into a net-profitable service area. He successfully negotiated several multi-year contracts of support for clients such as MultiChoice, Standard Bank, and Hollard Insurance.
Henk founded, launched, and continues to drive ShadowSQL with his partners, Zane Zeiler and Phillip Wong. Together they have launched a Netflix model Automated DBA Managed Service, and boast an impressive list of SME clients such as Shipshape, Rohlig, Morgan Beef, Savino Del Bene, and others. They have specialized tools and are proud to boast the only currently available client-specific ShipShape Configurations and Optimizations. They have also partnered with Tech-Fusion where they are managing their hosted databases on the IAAS platform.
LizzardKing Inc. is Henk’s latest venture and he is utilizing this platform to give an overreaching capability to tie several of his business and coaching abilities together. He is actively busy with several clients in new business development, business coaching as well as branding and marketing opportunities. The opportunities he is exploring with his client range from the Travel and Tourism industry, Health and Wellness, and a Sustainable farming project, set to give communities the ability to grow, market, and distribute their produce in an integrated manner to major markets and retailers.
Core marketing message:
Delivering break-neck speed solutions, and expert business knowledge, combined with process optimizations and strong interpersonal skills generates a business strategy loaded with opportunity.
Branding/marketing strategies:
Usable technology and processes, as well as easily customizable marketing for the typical entrepreneurial candidate who typically struggles with technology.
Ideal clients:
Clients who benefit from his services are typically Idea-orientated, skill-specific, and often technology-constrained. He works well with creative mind-orientated individuals, large to small businesses who have specific immediate burning points, and individuals with a self-motivation problem, but high ambition.
Value proposition and brand promise:
The services and products Henk provides become reliable, sustainable growth tools, and the optimizations he drives deliver impactful results. He is not satisfied until your targets are met, and will strategize, motivate, guide, optimize, and deliver against your achievable goals.
Signature consulting programs, products, and services:
Coaching and Consulting: Better-than-Yesterday, is the product of choice for you and your business growth requirements. This program is designed to deliver fast, proven, and effective change, with reliable predictable results. It uses a structured five-step process, and the program typically runs from 6 to 9 weeks for comprehensive and measurable results.
Managed IT Services: The Shadow SQL Core MS SQL Support (SSCMS) model is their best seller. It gives complete control of the daily and weekly DBA functions to a managed tool freeing up your current IT staff to focus on other non-operational problem areas. The Core model includes the in-house developed Shadow SQL MS Toolkit (SSMST) and offers an estimated 87% saving vs. similar services in the industry. The results of optimization have given a consistent 60% + time reduction in client-to-database wait times, and up to 99% improvements on individual processes.
What can prospective clients expect:
When engaging with Henk, your business and personal growth becomes a priority for him and his team, and being results-orientated, and maintaining a family-first leadership style, he generates a work-life balance environment in which everyone thrives and delivers.
Past year strategy:
In the past year, Henk created a host of new opportunities for various clients through his recently adopted Better-than-Yesterday program and assisted individuals and businesses to grow to their potential. His passion for delivering people-oriented service has made him a stronger individual for growth, a trait he values and loves to share.
Stay In Touch
We love feedback, challenges, and creativity. Why don’t you reach out if you have a business idea that needs development, a stubborn time-consuming process, or maybe just a personal motivation requirement? We love to help and drive you to new heights.
Amor Fati