Real expertise. Real results. Built for the way work actually happens.

I'm Mike Sullivan, founder of Lean Initiative and a Lean Six Sigma practitioner with over 15 years of hands-on experience. I built this practice to help organizations move beyond surface-level improvement and create real, measurable operational excellence by identifying waste, solving process problems, reducing risk, and developing employees into confident problem-solvers.

Every one of my certifications was earned hands-on under one of the most respected Lean leaders in the world, Jerry Wright, a Certified Master Black Belt and only just the 7th person globally to be recognized at the highest Lean level (Lean Gold Certified) by the joint alliance of AME, ASQ, SME, and the Shingo Institute in 2016. I didn't just sit through a course, I was trained in the field, on real projects, by the best.

For years after my certifications, I continued working directly with my trainer on countless projects across industries gaining first-hand expertise that you can only get from rolling up your sleeves alongside a true master of the craft. That same hands-on approach is what I now pass down to every team and individual I train, coach, or partner with on Lean Six Sigma events and projects.

With over 250 individuals and businesses trained, Lean Initiative brings practical, real-world Lean Six Sigma expertise to every engagement, whether that's a one-day workshop, a full certification program, or hands-on consulting support. Lean works best when it's grounded in your actual work, your processes, your data, your people. That's how training sticks, projects finish, and savings show up on the bottom line.