Challenge
Transforming Strategy into Action in a Rapidly Changing Organization
OBAGI, a global leader in cosmeceuticals, faced a pivotal moment. With a new CEO and nearly an entirely new leadership team in place, the company had a bold vision—but lacked the alignment, speed, and transparency to bring it to life.
With over 30 years of legacy operations, OBAGI struggled with siloed teams, sluggish execution, and unclear priorities. Leadership knew change was needed:
- Clarify Strategic Priorities: Ensure all teams understood and executed on the new vision.
- Improve Cross-Team Collaboration: Break silos and improve communication.
- Accelerate Execution: Get everyone aligned fast—and stay there.
"There was a lot of ‘who does what?’ We saw OKRs as the perfect way to get teams focused on the right priorities." — Jordan Meyer, CEO, OBAGI
The Solution: A Rapid, Structured Rollout
From 'It Can't Be Done' to Full Implementation in 2 Weeks
OBAGI partnered with Wave Nine to do what others called “impossible”—launch a company-wide OKR program, including software rollout and team OKRs, in just 14 days.
Wave Nine’s team worked closely with OBAGI’s Chief of Staff, Lu Al-Nsour, to design a fast but thoughtful process:
- Tailored OKR Framework: Clear cadence, quarterly cycles, localized team OKRs, and weekly updates.
- Change Management: Custom communications, kickoff sessions, and playbooks to engage every level of the organization.
- Coach Certification: Training internal OKR champions to sustain momentum beyond the initial rollout.
- WorkBoard Implementation: Immediate visibility, accountability, and rhythm through software.
"What Wave Nine brought really helped our vision come to life. I don’t think we could have pushed it across the finish line without their partnership." — Lu Al-Nsour, Chief of Staff, OBAGI
