As economic uncertainty continues and tariffs weigh heavily on businesses, companies are increasingly turning to experts for guidance on maintaining profitability. Dennis Schooley, founder of Schooley Mitchell, the largest independent cost reduction consulting firm in North America, says the current climate has only intensified the demand for their services.
In a recent interview, Schooley outlined how tariffs are hitting businesses hard—through reduced sales, lower margins, delayed purchases, and even layoffs. “None of it is good news,” he said, “but it reinforces the need to take control of what you can control—your operational costs.”
Schooley explains that many businesses overlook costs below the gross margin line—expenses like telecom, merchant services, courier, and waste—which, while often complex and confusing, present a major opportunity for savings. “It’s death by a thousand cuts,” he noted, “and that’s where we come in.”
He emphasized that Schooley Mitchell’s model is performance-based. They audit a client’s bills and contracts, negotiate better terms, and only share in the savings they help generate—meaning clients don’t pay out of pocket. “In many cases, the vendors end up paying us, not the client,” Schooley said.
When asked about the dangers of over-cutting, Schooley made a key distinction: “We’re not cutting essential services or compromising value—we’re eliminating waste, correcting billing errors, and improving pricing without reducing quality.”
He also stressed the importance of outside perspective. “Even large companies negotiate with vendors based on just their invoice. We’ve seen 32,000 of them. That gives us the leverage and insight they don’t have.”
As businesses face mounting financial pressure, Schooley believes cost reduction should be the first move—not price hikes or layoffs. “We’re not taking away—we’re giving companies the money they need to invest and grow.”
Mario Toneguzzi
Mario Toneguzzi is Managing Editor of Canada’s Entrepreneur. He has more than 40 years of experience as a daily newspaper writer, columnist, and editor. He was named in 2021 and 2024 as one of the top business journalists in the world by PR News. He was also named by RETHINK to its global list of Top Retail Experts 2024 and 2025.
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