Our Why
Our mission is to help people have transformational "A Ha!" moments.
Our How
We define your problem before we start working with you.
We discover what we don't know. We are always curious.
We design solutions for you based in real needs.
We deliver what you need in ways that we know will work.
Our What
Skills training and coaching - to help you and your team realize your potential and create organizational health.
Business strategy and ideas - to help your organization break through to your next level.
Micah Ray
Mike Witt
Micah received his undergraduate degree from Wake Forest University, and went directly into managing and owning a share of the family furniture business. That's where he learned all the basics of business and making payroll each week.
After that, he joined Liberty Hardware, a company that grew from $10M to over $200M when he left. Being a fast-growing company, it gave him the opportunity to serve in a variety of roles: Operations, Dir of IT, Dir of Supply Chain and Sr Dir of Product Development and Innovation. His passion for starting something new came through as an "intrapraneur," starting 3 new departments while there.
His next career phase was spent in non-profit work and leading ministry teams. He served as a campus pastor for an inner-city ministry, and as a mentor to college students. In addition, he led multiple volunteer teams every year on international trips.
In 2019, he founded D4 Concepts with his business partner and lifelong friend Mike Witt. They use their talents and experience to help strengthen small businesses with people development, strategic planning and innovation process.
He and his wife Jennifer have lived in High Point, NC, for over 30 years. His two adult daughters, Hannah and Abby, also live and work in High Point.
5 Voices profile: Creative Pioneer Guardian Connector Nurturer
StrengthsFinder: Connectedness, Strategic, Ideation, Maximizer, Belief
Certifications: GiANT-certified coach; 5 Voices certified; 100X Leader certified; IDEO Ideation and Insights
D4 Responsibilities for clients: Leadership training, Executive coaching, Keynote speeches, Strategy workshops, Innovation projects.
D4 Responsibilities internally: Marketing and Tech systems.
After graduating UNC-Greensboro, Mike started his career in the apparel manufacturing industry working with companies such as Champion Products, Nike, and Renfro. There he gained experience in manufacturing, supply chain management, and operations planning.
In 2002 Mike went to Liberty Hardware to work in global supply chain management. Over his 19-year career there, he also worked in several management positions in project management for New Product Development and in Innovation.
Mike has collaborated with teams to improve business processes and make things run better his whole career. He has always worked tirelessly to take care of the details for the sake of his team and organization.
In 2019, he co-founded D4 Concepts with his business partner and lifelong friend Micah Ray. They use their talents and experience to help strengthen small businesses with people development, strategic planning and innovation process.
He and his wife Lesley have lived in Kernersville, NC, for over 20 years. His adult sons, Connor and Ryan, are twins and are about to graduate from college. One of Mike’s passions is “standing in a river waving a stick”, otherwise known as fly fishing.
5 Voices profile: Nurturer Connector Guardian Creative Pioneer
StrengthsFinder: Responsibility, Belief, Connectedness, Developer, Arranger
Certifications: GiANT-certified coach; 5 Voices certified; 100X Leader certified; Green Belt in Six Sigma
D4 Responsibilities for clients: Leadership and Communication training, Executive coaching, keynote speeches, Innovation projects.
D4 Responsibilities internally: Sales, Finance, and Logistics.
Jen Evans
Jen is a highly experienced and people-centered coach with extensive experience in working with leaders and teams. Like Micah and Mike, she believes that organizational health is crucial in today's workplace. She is always striving to help leaders become the best versions of themselves. Jen has a unique ability to identify and leverage the strengths of others, and to develop strong leaders and healthy teams.
At a previous time in her career, Jen worked alongside Micah and Mike at Liberty Hardware. While Jen led the training and development efforts for the company, they all collaborated from time to time in training sessions, and in leading a cultural shift toward better collaboration.
Jen's experience includes positions where she has developed, implemented, and facilitated various people initiatives: leadership development, employee engagement, culture building, and talent strategy. She is passionate about creating programs that deeply engage the talent within an organization, combining both the heart and mind aspects.
Jen's approach is highly personalized and hands-on. Her extensive experience and expertise allow her to navigate the complexities of leadership and team dynamics effectively.
By working with Jen, you can expect to unlock your full potential and become a leader people willingly want to follow. Through her coaching, they can develop a deeper understanding of their strengths, weaknesses, and areas for growth, ultimately leading to enhanced performance and positive organizational impact.
She and her husband Jonjo live in Montana, and have two adult children, Rider and Haney.
5 Voices profile: Connector Creative Pioneer Nurturer Guardian
StrengthsFinder: Maximizer, Strategic, Achiever, Relator, Individualization
Certifications: GiANT-certified coach; 5 Voices certified; EQi 2.0 certification; Human Capital Strategist; Situational Leadership, Core Certificate; VOICES 360 Coaching & Feedback Certification
D4 Responsibilities for clients: Coaching; Virtual Communication workshops
How D4 Came to Be
On Sept 28, 2018, I (Micah) pitched the idea of starting my own business while Mike and I had coffee together. Little did I know that Mike was ready to get out of corporate life and was intrigued by the idea of starting a business.
But this wasn't the first time our careers had crossed paths.
The first time was in 2003 when I hired Mike to take my place in Supply Chain management for Liberty Hardware in Winston-Salem, NC.
The second time was when I returned to Liberty after running my own business (that ultimately failed). I came back to launch and run the Innovation initiative. I knew I wanted Mike as a key member of the Front End Innovation group. Those jobs were a blast for both of us, and gave us our backgrounds in design thinking and innovation methodology.
But even before we worked together, we went to school together - since first grade! We've known each other practically our entire lives.
We knew each other's strengths and weaknesses, and how we complemented each other. We learned that about ourselves as we ran the Innovation department in our former careers. That's why a partnership made sense.
After talking to a few business owners that we knew, we made the leap. On Jan 1, 2019, D4 Concepts LLC became official.
Now we're on a mission to take what we've learned, and help other people like you have "A-Ha!" moments. We want everyone around us to become the best versions of themselves that they can be.
Ready for your A-Ha moment this year?
Let's get started!