Built by Operators, Not Academics
We didn’t learn how to scale businesses from a textbook. Our frameworks are forged from decades of real-world, boots-on-the-ground experience leading companies, optimizing multi-generational operations, and navigating the exact corporate complexities you are facing today.
After years of sitting in the CEO chair and senior executive roles, we founded The Competitive Edge Group to provide mid-market leaders with something rare in the consulting world: practical, battle-tested execution. We look inside your building to unlock the capacity you’ve already built, transforming daily firefighting into predictable, sustainable scale.
Jeff Baldassari – Founder & CEO
- Two decades of CEO manufacturing experience, multi-site and multi-shift operations
- Extensive crisis management and turnaround experience/expertise
- Expert in catalyzing rapid, scalable business expansion through strategic planning
- Excels at analyzing complex operational processes, identifying bottlenecks, calculating departmental capacities, and pinpointing areas for improvement
- Served on seven corporate and organizational boards, including 15 years each in the manufacturing and distribution industries, respectively.
- 17-year track record of creating and nurturing exceptional partnerships with labor unions (Carpenters, Steelworkers and Communication Workers)
- Created a nationally and regionally recognized second-chance hiring program
- Passed the Ohio CPA exam
- Best of the Best, Best in Manufacturing Winner – Spirit of the Entrepreneur, Inland Empire Center for Entrepreneurship at CSU San Bernardino, November 2021
- Certified Vistage Speaker
Leslie Morales – COO
- Over 20 years of executive experience in the manufacturing, automotive and retail space.
- Demonstrated ability to design internal operating systems that generate sustained profitability.
- Comprehensive expertise in crisis management and business turnarounds
- Proven expertise in driving swift and scalable business growth through effective strategic planning
- Skilled in evaluating intricate operational workflows, assessing departmental capacities, and uncovering opportunities for enhancement
- Earned national corporate recognition for Exceptional Achievement in Operations and Business Management.
- Mentored 200+ co-workers that led to their promotions at both regional and national levels.
- Experienced leader who navigates the challenges of business crisis, crafting solutions to preserve the workforce while increasing revenue, cutting costs and increasing cash flow.
- Led a nationally and regionally recognized second-chance hiring program.
- Board Member/VP of Finance – HIRE OC (Hub for Integration, Reentry and Employment), non-profit who assists formerly incarcerated individuals to find resources and support as they find employment post incarceration.
Susan Cashion – Fractional Chief Revenue Officer
- Over 25 years of executive and consulting experience leading sales strategy, revenue growth, and go-to-market execution across B2B and B2C organizations.
- Demonstrated ability to design and implement scalable sales operating systems that drive predictable revenue and long-term enterprise value.
- Comprehensive expertise in diagnosing sales performance gaps and leading sales transformations, turnarounds, and growth acceleration initiatives.
- Proven success in driving swift and sustainable revenue growth through strategic planning, sales process design, and disciplined execution.
- Skilled in evaluating complex sales workflows, pipeline mechanics, territory design, and compensation models to uncover opportunities for improvement.
- Complements operational optimization by architecting revenue engines that convert increased capacity into profitable growth and enterprise value.
- Trusted advisor to CEOs, founders, and second- and third-generation family-owned businesses navigating growth, scale, and leadership transitions.
- Hands-on leader known for building accountability, improving forecasting accuracy, and increasing confidence within sales teams and leadership.
- Partners closely with operational leaders who remove bottlenecks and build capacity by designing the sales engine that creates consistent, predictable demand.
