with manufacturers. Today, however, businesses in all industries —

including service businesses — can benefit from the implementation

of lean principles to eliminate waste in all areas of their

operations and increase the value of their companies in the

process. On this edition of “Deal Talk,” Jeff Allen speaks with

Colin Baird, vice president at Sullivan-Curtis-Monroe in Los

Angeles, about what lean is and why business owners need to look

seriously at process improvements that can help strengthen their

balance sheets while adding value to their organizations.