TriVista

Vault’s Verdict

New to our survey this year, TriVista operates in a very specific niche within the global economy as a whole, and the consulting industry in particular—one that has undoubtedly been quite a ride over the past couple of years given the turmoil around global supply chains, as well as the recent tightening of PE funds.

On the whole, TriVista insiders seem satisfied with their lot, citing a collaborative, supportive culture and the opportunity to make rapid career progress as key differentiators of life at their firm. Note that this is not a firm for those seeking a low-travel situation: TriVista insiders spend a lot of time on the road (and in the air)—as might be expected for a firm that specializes in process improvements and facilitating the movement of goods.

While a firm of this size isn’t likely to be hiring a huge incoming class, it’s definitely worth checking out if operations improvement plus life in Southern California sounds like your ideal pairing.

Firm Culture

“Everyone is so open and responsive. The firm is always willing to support you in any situation, personal or work related. The experience and mentoring within the firm is vast.”

“Great culture offering high level training and mentoring in a fast-paced and prestigious industry.”

“My onboarding experience has been well structured and full of supportive individuals who want me to succeed.”

“The collaboration, feedback, and mentorship is welcomed and appreciated in my first consulting role. Early responsibility and opportunities for work in several industries (across many business practices) with various brilliant professionals sets us apart and develops young business men and women.” 

“We are not a ‘competitive’ firm, we are not a siloed firm. We all work as one to help each other grow, learn, and accomplish any project or goals. We are not cut-throat - we want everyone around us to succeed. We are also a fairly flat firm when it comes to projects and we don't let titles get in the way. The culture is one of the largest reasons I stay with the firm.”

Quality of Life

“Despite traveling often, TriVista offers amazing ‘road warrior’ benefits and is very flexible in fostering a healthy work/life balance.”

“I've had little live interaction with the home office. I would like a more regular visit to touch base with people.”

“The overall culture is excellent. I don't like unlimited PTO because it is essentially a scam to reduce accrued liability for vacation pay. Nobody at a senior level can really take off unlimited time.”

“TriVista’s culture is second to none with regard to quality of life/culture, collaboration amongst all colleagues, and working directly with the individual based on specific needs.”

“We are a very flexible firm. If you are not on a project, the firm expects you to be relaxing, running errands, and doing anything you can't get to when a project is in full force. The firm is great at respecting boundaries, such as people always eating dinner with their kids or needing to coach their kid's soccer practice. We trust everyone to get their work done on time, and if that means being occupied at some point during the day, that is okay.”

Compensation

“Annual bonus allows all employees to benefit if the company performs well.”

“For a consulting firm, especially at the entry level/associate position, the pay is on the lower end, especially when factoring that all associates have to be located in Southern California. But on the whole, it is still a livable salary. As you progress, the salary increases are respectable and starts to become more in-line with competitors. The ‘lower’ pay in the beginning is mitigated by manageable working hours (maybe 50 hours max), a flexible work environment, and hands on experience with senior level members of the firm and directly with the clients as well.”

“I am satisfied with my compensation, including a nice additional payment for each night spent away from home while traveling, but do think it could be slightly more competitive.”

“I don't believe we pay among the leaders in terms of base pay for directors and there is no equity ownership plan (that's the major negative).”

“We are compensated well and are able to expense things like our phone bill and access to airport lounges.”

Career Development

“Best aspects are exposure to great companies, learning and promotion opportunities.”

“Good open career development discussions and opportunities. High need and value to cross-train/develop.”

“Promotional opportunities are good for associates and consultants, but like any firm, most people peak out at director level because the pyramid gets very narrow at the top. We have trouble recruiting women because we mandate that all associates work out of the HQ office. The company supports and funds lots of training opportunities (e.g. green belt, black belt, structured problem solving, etc.).”

“The promotion process is extremely transparent - you know where you stand with the firm at all times and having that level of feedback is great for career development. Additionally, Associates have the opportunity to work with multiple different functions, which is great for career development. At this point I do not have any negatives to speak of regarding TriVista's career development opportunities.”

“We are a very fluid firm, and everyone takes interest in making sure you succeed, so it is very easy to find opportunities for career advancement. You are promoted based on your performance and not whether there is a position open. It is truly the best company for career development I've been a part of. Now, the only downside is if your people manager doesn't seem too invested in your development or you aren't getting the support you need. That can happen, but you will soon be transferred to a different manager.”

Community Engagement

“From a promotional side, I think every consultant has an equal opportunity for success from a D&I. However, overall the firm's D&I efforts are low, as the majority of the firm are cis white males.”

“I feel that everyone is treated equally and has equal opportunity for promotions and quality assignments. I do not have much insight on the hiring side of our DEI efforts.”

“Regardless of gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation no one is being held back for a promotion. Granted, there are significantly more white men in our consulting roles, so it can feel like they often get promoted first, but that is a perception issue because they make up well over a majority of core delivery. Truly, as soon as someone becomes worthy of a promotion they get promoted.”

“The firm is very accepting of people from all walks of life. I feel everyone is awarded the same opportunities regardless of race, gender or orientation.”

“Yes, the firm seeks out professionals that match the company culture, interact effectively with clients, and demonstrate aptitude for growth and dev. D&I efforts are clearly recognized within the firm and hiring process.” 

Business Outlook

“Busy, enough work. How to continue to grow and keep positive and engaging culture will be interesting.”

“Current inflation and US economy overall not being the strongest is worrisome, as not as many M&A's are occurring, but it's a great thing for our sister side of the company which focuses on post-closure operational savings.” 

“Growth in supply chain opportunities (sourcing, SIOP), M&A business engagements, consistent buy/sell side due diligence contracts, as well as strong relationships with PE portfolio clients creating add-on project scopes and recurring business supports a positive business outlook.”

“Our business depends on how the private equity space is looking and operating, and as of right now I don't see any issues that would prevent us from having a ‘bad’ year. The leadership team is very good at being transparent about the state of the business (orders, revenue, etc.) and will let us know if a month or quarter doesn't look good.”

“The business outlook for TriVista is very strong. We are well diversified between Transaction Advisory Services and Operational Improvement supporting the private equity industry.”

 Hiring Process

“I heard from the recruiter only a couple days after submitting my resume and then was always called the same day after each interview to discuss how it went, next steps. Recruiting process was excellent. It was clear they were looking for smart individuals with experience in the industry.”

“Our recruitment team is incredible, they find the best talent and provide the best engagement for them throughout every step, without ever making them feel like they are in the dark.”

“There are up to three interviews a candidate can go through (minus the screener): a get to know, a technical, and an on-site. The first two interviews are over Zoom. Our recruiter will call a candidate after every interview regardless of how it went just to check in with the candidate and will then call them again informing them whether or not they are moving forward. Our ideal candidate is someone who is intellectually curious and always wanting to learn more; someone who is open to feedback and willing to grow and change; and ultimately someone who would enjoy challenging work and work with manufacturing clients.”

“They are seeking driven individuals with in-industry experience. They want well-educated, professional employees with a myriad of different skills.”

“They are very responsive to candidates and let you know where you are standing very quickly. We are seeking highly intelligent but also people who are curious and want to learn and grow.”

Interview Questions

“Case studies, Excel, PPT skill and storytelling demonstration, and case study to highlight critical thinking processes.”

“Most questions focused on operations: supply chain, continuous improvement, lean practices.”

“The final interview consists of a case study related to manufacturing or supply chain, and we have the candidate walk through their thought process in addressing the case study. Other questions can include trying to understand the candidate's knowledge on manufacturing operations, supply chain, lean six sigma.”

“This manufacturing company would like to reduce their direct labor cost. Based on the information stated below how would you go about achieving this deliverable?”

“We have a number of case studies depending on their background. The cases are short and vague and require the candidate to make many assumptions. They get 30 minutes to prepare their analysis and then present to 4-5 interviewers. A typical case is a clothing company specializes in high end clothing and wants to add a new low-cost line. What are all the supply chain issues they should consider to enter a low cost line?”