Challenge
At Ferrara Candy Company, leadership isn’t just about managing operations—it’s about inspiring people, fostering a culture of accountability, and driving excellence at every level. With manufacturing facilities spanning the U.S., Mexico, and Thailand, Ferrara had a bold vision: to empower leaders from site directors to line leads with the skills and confidence to lead effectively in a fast-paced, high-stakes environment.
For years, they pursued this goal, investing in a Manufacturing Leadership Development program with another provider. While the program had strong foundations—offering in-person content, leader walks, and private coaching—the program lacked the ability to scale globally and integrate seamlessly into Ferrara’s operational complexity.
Ferrara needed more than just great facilitators; they needed a strategic partner who could take leadership development beyond the classroom and into the heart of their operations. That’s where Optify came in. With a powerful combination of expert coaching, structured content, and a scalable technology platform, Optify delivered a solution that made leadership development accessible, actionable, and sustainable across all Ferrara facilities.
Solution
Optify partnered with Ferrara to design a four-month leadership development program that was immersive, practical, and built for real-world application. The program combined multiple learning modalities to ensure that leadership skills weren’t just taught, but actively practiced and reinforced in the flow of daily work:
- Workshops: Interactive group sessions covered essential leadership competencies, including fostering a leadership mindset, coaching skills, giving and receiving feedback, effective delegation, and leading teams through change.
- Leader Walks: Coaches worked side-by-side with leaders on the manufacturing floor, offering in-the-moment guidance to reinforce the key leadership behaviors in real operational settings.
- 1:1 Coaching: Every participant engaged in private coaching sessions, providing dedicated time for reflection, goal setting, and skill application tailored to their individual leadership challenges.
- Self-Assessment: The Leadership Circle Profile Manager Edition self-assessment enabled participants to reflect on their leadership capabilities and blind spots, and assess their progress from the beginning to the end of the program.
- Technology-Enabled Development: Optify’s platform ensured seamless accessibility and structure, allowing leaders across Ferrara’s global sites to track progress, engage in continuous learning, and integrate leadership tools into their daily routines.
To drive real behavior change, Optify partnered closely with Ferrara through pre-program site visits and conversations to understand the challenges leaders faced on the ground. From there, the Optify team designed content tailored to the teams’ identified needs and goals. Content focused on mindset shifts and actionable leadership frameworks that leaders could practice and apply immediately in the flow of their work.
Rather than delivering one-size-fits-all training, Optiify co-created a program that aligned with Ferrara’s culture and operations. The result was a consistent, practical leadership approach that stuck—empowering leaders at every level to lead with greater clarity, accountability, and confidence.
This multi-layered approach ensured that leadership principles weren’t just theoretical but became deeply embedded in the daily actions and mindsets of Ferrara’s leaders.
Impact
The impact of Optify’s partnership with Ferrara Candy Company wasn’t just felt—it was measured. Pre- and post-program self-assessments revealed significant gains in leadership effectiveness and cultural impact across multiple sites.
- 85% of participants reported that they had become more effective leaders and managers, demonstrating greater confidence and intentionality in their roles. ● Leadership effectiveness increased by 12.5%, highlighting significant growth in leadership capabilities across the organization.
- Courage in leadership—the ability to engage in difficult conversations, hold others accountable, and step up as a leader—improved by 27.5%, an exceptional gain in just four months.
- Caring leadership—leaders’ ability to engage with their teams on a personal level and foster deeper connections—increased by 11%, reinforcing a people-first leadership approach.
- 100% of participants reported meaningful progress toward their leadership goals, showing that the program’s tools and coaching were directly applicable to their everyday work.
The program achieved a Net Promoter Score (NPS) of 61, indicating strong participant satisfaction and endorsement of the program’s value.
Beyond the numbers, the cultural shift was evident. Leaders across Ferrara’s sites began operating with greater self-awareness, intentionality, and a clearer sense of purpose. Teams reported stronger communication, increased collaboration, and a greater emphasis on accountability and support.
The success of the program has paved the way for an expanded leadership development strategy, with Ferrara and Optify working together to implement a tiered approach that will continue to strengthen leadership across new facilities. Through this partnership, Optify continues to help Ferrara create a scalable, high-impact leadership development program that drives real cultural transformation across its global manufacturing facilities.
