Workflow Example

A step-by-step walkthrough showing how to use every tool, using the McMenamins Kennedy School case study from class. Follow along or adapt each step to your own initiative.

The Kennedy School Project — McMenamins

About 27 years ago, the Kennedy School in northeast Portland was a derelict building heading for demolition. The Portland Development Commission needed someone to do something with it. Mike McMenamin and his brother Brian saw an opportunity — restore the old school into a McMenamins hotel, restaurant, and pub.

The challenge? They had to win a competitive proposal from the city, get neighbors on board who were worried about noise and traffic, secure financing when no bank would give them a loan, and then actually deliver a successful launch. This required persuading very different stakeholders at every stage.

From class: Shannon McMenamin (Mike’s daughter, now CEO) shared a principle that captures the whole course: “Who do I need to be today to get to where I want to be tomorrow?” Every small, consistent action matters.

The Initiative

What: Win the Portland Development Commission proposal to acquire the Kennedy School and restore it into a McMenamins property — hotel, restaurant, pub, theater, and community space.

Why now: The building was heading for demolition. The PDC needed a viable developer. McMenamins had only 4–5 properties at the time but had a track record of restoring historic buildings.

Timeline: Win the proposal, then get the project up and running within 3 years.

The Key Stakeholders

  • Portland Development Commission (PDC) — Top Dog with Authority. They decide who gets the project. Need to see a viable plan with community benefit.
  • Neighborhood Community & Churches — Guru with Great Influence. Leaders of churches, schools, and neighborhood organizations had enormous sway over whether the PDC would approve McMenamins. “There’s always a rock and roll star of the neighborhood — plug into them.”
  • US Bank (SBA Loan) — Gatekeeper. Controlled the financing. No bank would give McMenamins a loan initially. SBA loans were relatively new, and US Bank was a pioneer in them.
  • PDC Lawyer — Guru. A specific lawyer at the PDC who helped structure creative financing. Identified by Mike as one of the most helpful people on the project.
  • Sumner Sharp (Community Consultant) — Guru. A city planning consultant who organized “design charrettes” with neighbors to understand what they wanted: parking, gardens, colors, atmosphere, noise management.
  • The CFO — Gatekeeper, Traditionalist. Needed to approve taking on significant debt to buy an old building. Wanted hard numbers and responsible projections.
  • Internal Team (GMs, architects, artists) — Players. The people who would actually deliver. Had to believe in the vision and execute.

Workflow at a Glance

  1. Setup — Create your initiative and add stakeholders
  2. Phase 1: Anticipate — Profile each stakeholder, map power dynamics, simulate objections
  3. Phase 2: Mobilize — Tailor messages, build credibility, generate justifications
  4. Phase 3: Negotiate — Address fears, calibrate power arguments, plan conversations
  5. Phase 4: Sustain — Identify small victories, monitor coalition health
  6. Simulate & Report — Practice your pitch, check ethics, generate deliverables