Strengthening Communication & Engagement

Case Study: Strengthening Communication & Engagement at HOC

Company Overview

House of Cheatham (HOC), a privately-owned hair care manufacturer with roughly 150 employees, generated more than $50M in annual revenue. Despite its commercial success, the company was plagued by poor internal communication and siloed operations. Leadership operated in a top-down manner, with little transparency or structured employee engagement.

My Role

As Sales Support Specialist, my responsibilities extended well beyond sales support to include customer service, marketing support, graphics design, reporting and analysis, project management, and process improvement. In this capacity, I identified major communication gaps within the company and created tools to bridge them—both internally (employee morale and engagement) and externally (communication with retail partners and distributors).

The Challenge

Communication at HOC was deeply flawed:

·         Leadership held closed-door boardroom meetings and relied on managers to selectively relay information to their teams.

·         Employees were frequently “the last to know” about new product launches, process changes, or strategic shifts.

·         Departments operated in silos, often duplicating work or remaining unaware of one another’s challenges and successes.

·         External communications with retail partners lacked consistency, diminishing relationship strength.

This fragmented approach fostered frustration, eroded morale, and left employees feeling disengaged and undervalued.

The Impact of the Challenge

·         Low morale: Employees often felt overlooked, disconnected, and uninspired.

·         Inefficiency: Critical information flow broke down, leading to confusion and misalignment across departments.

·         Weakened external relationships: Retail and distribution partners received inconsistent updates, reducing opportunities for collaboration and growth.

The Solution

 ·        Quarterly Sales Newsletter (executed): I created a quarterly sales team newsletter distributed internally and externally to retail and distributor partners. This showcased sales wins, brand highlights, and company updates, building visibility and trust.

·         Employee Magazine (proposed): I designed a prototype for a quarterly employee magazine aimed at improving morale, transparency, and engagement. The magazine would:

• Provide leadership updates in an accessible format.

• Spotlight employees through features and interviews, boosting recognition.

• Offer opportunities for employee contributions, breaking down silos and encouraging creativity.

• Include educational and industry insights to connect employees to the company’s mission.

While not implemented during my tenure due to insufficient resources and competing priorities, HOC later implemented a similar publication, underscoring its long-term necessity.

Barriers to Success

·         Leadership resistance: Leaders undervalued structured communication, defaulting to inconsistent and selective manager updates.

·         Poor-quality alternatives: Prior attempts to create newsletters were poorly executed, riddled with errors, and disengaging.

·         Top-down culture: Leadership resisted initiatives that empowered employees or democratized information.

The Outcome

The quarterly sales newsletter improved internal visibility of sales team and brand achievements, while also strengthening external relationships with retail and distribution partners.

The employee magazine prototype demonstrated a forward-looking solution to boost morale, unify communication, and engage employees as contributors. Its later adoption by the company validated both the idea and its importance.

Lessons Learned

·         Effective communication is foundational to organizational health—without it, silos deepen and morale crumbles.

·         Employees want to be part of the narrative; when invited, they engage, contribute, and show pride in their work.

·         Quality matters. Communication tools must be intentional, polished, and people-focused to drive true engagement.

Tie-In to Phenyx Consulting

At Phenyx Consulting, we transform fractured communication into cohesive systems by:

·         Designing engaging communication strategies that improve transparency and trust.

·         Building morale by creating channels that recognize employees and amplify their voices.

·         Establishing structured, consistent communication practices that break down silos and strengthen alignment.

HOC’s case demonstrates that when communication is designed to connect rather than control, it not only informs—it inspires.