Honor
We do what we say we'll do, when we say we'll do it. No exceptions.
Serving Main Street, not Wall Street
You started your business with a dream. We're here to help you achieve it. Our ethos is simple: raise others up and you will rise. We believe in raising up American entrepreneurs, empowering entire communities in the process.
<1%
of the population are business owners with five or more employees
Pew Research Center
46%
of the American workforce is employed by small businesses
US Small Business Administration
44%
of the US GDP is contributed by small businesses
US Small Business Administration
70%
of business owners have made sacrifices to stay afloat
Brown and Nichols, “Self-Employment, Family-Business Ownership, and Economic Mobility.”
60%
of business owners started their business to be their own boss
Guidant Financial
Our business exists to make yours better
When business owners thrive, everyone wins: families, teams, communities. Our success is measured by the freedom and wealth we create, not the fees we collect.
Small businesses employ nearly half of American workers. But too many owners are prisoners of their own success, trapped by consultants who sell dreams and deliver disappointment.
We are here to change that story.
8× Inc. 5000 winner
When you help businesses grow instead of just talking about it, people notice. We’ve been recognized as one of America’s fastest-growing companies seven times.
Inc. 5000 Fastest Growing Companies
7× winner: 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026
Triad Business Journal Fast 50
6× winner: 2019, 2020, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025
Inc. 500
2017
Inc Power Partner
2024, 2025
Better Business Bureau accredited
Associated Builders and Contractors, Inc.
The Associated General Contractors of America
National Association of Manufacturers
American Trucking Association
Trusted by the industries that build America
We’re active members of the organizations that represent construction, manufacturing, and transportation. We don’t just serve these industries, we’re part of them.
The new standard in consulting
Built by entrepreneurs, for entrepreneurs
Most consultants have never built a business. Our team has. After getting burned by consulting firms that delivered expensive binders and vanished, we built something different: a firm that stays until the work gets done. We’re builders, implementors, and advisors… not your typical consultants.
“Our superpower – our ability to continue to scale at the rate we’ve been able to scale – is definitely based on people who have embraced the culture.”
Rob Braiman
Founder & Managing Director
Rob Braiman
Founder & Managing Director
Built for freedom. Committed to yours.
Rob's entrepreneurial journey began at 26, when an experienced entrepreneur saw his potential and made him a partner. Together they built three successful companies, but the reality of being "successful" didn't match the dream. Rob was working nonstop, making sacrifices at home, and realizing that a thriving business on paper could still cost you your life.
He recognized a hard truth.
Most owners start their business for freedom, but end up chained to it. Determined to change that for himself—and for others—Rob became a business analyst, working with thousands of owners across the country. He saw the same story repeated: great people, solid businesses, but no structure or systems to create a business that could run without them.
In 2014, he founded Cogent Analytics with a mission to help owners reclaim their time, improve profitability, and build businesses that serve them—not the other way around.
“Our relentless focus on ROI is in service to our clients, in service to the American Dream.”
Caleb Connerty
Partner & Vice President of Operations
Caleb Connerty
Partner & VP of Operations
Built for excellence. Relentless about growth.
Caleb joined Cogent with an analytical mindset and a drive for success. As a serial entrepreneur himself, he understands what it means to be “doing well” but still feel the pull for more. For Caleb, good isn't enough—he wants to create market leaders, industry benchmarks, and generational wealth vehicles.
His focus is domination.
Caleb's leadership reflects the heart of the ambitious growth driver—owners who don't just want stability, they want to dominate their market. His focus is on eliminating bottlenecks, expanding into new markets, and raising the standard for what's possible.
Culture built on character
Courage
We tackle the hard conversations and difficult changes that transform businesses.
Wisdom
We bring decades of real-world experience, not textbook theories.
Faith
We believe in the potential of every business owner to achieve both success and fulfillment.
Perseverance
We stick with you through the challenging work of real transformation.
Loyalty
We're committed to your long-term success, not just our short-term profit.
Meet the executive team
The people who set the standard for how Cogent Analytics works alongside our clients.
-
Robin Braiman
Chief Financial Officer
Robin Braiman on LinkedIn -
Kevin Mercer
In-House Counsel
Kevin Mercer on LinkedIn -
Lisa Bradshaw
Director of Finance
Lisa Bradshaw on LinkedIn -
Anne Creed
Director of Human Resources
Anne Creed on LinkedIn -
Merlin Van Gerpen
Director of Consulting
Merlin Van Gerpen on LinkedIn -
Kai Hungerford
Director of Innovative Consulting
Kai Hungerford on LinkedIn -
CJ Johnson
Director of Business Development
CJ Johnson on LinkedIn -
Sarah Rose Mosh
Director of Branding
Sarah Rose Mosh on LinkedIn -
Ethan Prehoda
Director of Professional Services
Ethan Prehoda on LinkedIn -
Chase Langeloh
Director of Business Coordination
Chase Langeloh on LinkedIn -
Samantha Turba-Hilton
Director of Marketing
Samantha Turba-Hilton on LinkedIn -
Tim Grabrovaz
Director of Learning and Organizational Development
Tim Grabrovaz on LinkedIn -
Collin Hoben
Director of AI
Collin Hoben on LinkedIn -
Bill Sheely
Director of Accounting
Bill Sheely on LinkedIn -
Ronnie Blanton
Director of Creative
Ronnie Blanton on LinkedIn -
Dakota Madison
Assistant Director of Consulting
Dakota Madison on LinkedIn -
Billy Hardison
Assistant Director of Consulting
Billy Hardison on LinkedIn -
Josh Harvey
Assistant Director of Consulting
Josh Harvey on LinkedIn -
Preston Phillips
Assistant Director of Consulting
Preston Phillips on LinkedIn -
Kaitlyn Tedder-Rodriguez
Assistant Director of Performance Analytics
Kaitlyn Tedder-Rodriguez on LinkedIn -
Shane Wilson
Assistant Director of Talent Solutions
Shane Wilson on LinkedIn -
Chuck Price
Associate Director of Digital and Culture
Chuck Price on LinkedIn -
David Hardcastle
Regional Director of Sales
David Hardcastle on LinkedIn -
Charles Webber
Regional Director of Sales
Charles Webber on LinkedIn -
David Griffith
Regional Director of Sales
David Griffith on LinkedIn -
Kara Stadler
Business Development Team Lead
Kara Stadler on LinkedIn -
Geneva Yarborough
Business Development Team Lead
Geneva Yarborough on LinkedIn -
Zack McGee
Business Development Team Lead
Zack McGee on LinkedIn
In memoriam
Honoring those who shaped our story.
- Jerry Williams
- Travis Smith
- Clyde Gann
- Terrence Martin
What clients say when they partner with Cogent
Watch business owners describe the transformation in their own words
Eric Labore
Chief Finance & Operations Officer
Prestige Motorsports
Andrew Schillinger
President
Coldstream Logistics
Trey Godwin
V.P. Operations
Larry's Sausage Company
The last consulting firm you'll ever need
You didn’t start your business to become its prisoner. Most consultants will gladly take your money and leave you more confused than when you started.
We’re here to build the business you always imagined, and we stick around until it’s done.