Divine Mercy Academy, a young, small, private school on Madison, Wisconsin’s west side had experienced significant growth from year 1 to year 2, nearly doubling enrollment and staff. With an influx of new, including a physical move to a new location, it was exhibiting the common symptoms of lack of communication, role clarity, and alignment. Burn out was becoming a serious threat to the organization that’s mission was to education children ages 3 through 12.

In 2025, Hartberg Growth Advisors led an initiative to introduce a new operating system into the school to align an already strong mission statement, vision, and core values to a clearer organizational structure, leadership team, long- and short-term goals, key performance metrics, and meeting cadence at all levels.

“Ryan guided our growing school through a reorganization of our leadership and structures of accountability. His thoughtful approach was an excellent match for the complex needs of our school.  He was easy to work with and made the process understandable for those who were not familiar with organizational structures.  He was patient and steady in his guidance, orienting us to our mission and creating a more sustainable, confident, and happier team. He helped us understand ourselves better in order to better understand our unique and important roles within the school.”

-Kathryn Haun, Head of School

“Ryan has brought clarity and direction to our board during a pivotal season for Divine Mercy Academy. His ability to guide us through the vision and goal-setting process gave us a clear path forward that is both practical and inspiring. As a fellow business owner, I especially value how he helped us align our mission with measurable steps, while always keeping faith and purpose at the center. His leadership has set Divine Mercy Academy on a strong foundation for growth.”

–Dr. Daniel Tataje, Co-Founder and Board Treasurer