Georgia State Professor Shares Strategic Planning Insights with Southwest Gwinnett Chamber

Ken Bernhardt highlights common mistakes that cause strategic plans to fall short during chamber's monthly luncheon.

Mar. 13, 2026 at 3:21pm

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The Southwest Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce hosted a luncheon where Georgia State University professor Ken Bernhardt shared his expertise on strategic planning. Bernhardt discussed 10 common mistakes that cause even well-intentioned strategic plans to fail, and provided tips on how businesses can create effective strategic plans, including involving key stakeholders, setting clear priorities, and revisiting the plan regularly.

Why it matters

Strategic planning is crucial for businesses to stay focused and make informed decisions, but many organizations struggle to implement effective plans. Bernhardt's insights can help the Southwest Gwinnett Chamber's member businesses avoid common pitfalls and develop strategic plans that drive real results.

The details

During the luncheon, Bernhardt highlighted 10 reasons strategic planning often fails, such as not having the right people involved, failing to set clear priorities, and neglecting to define success metrics. He advised the chamber members to create a mission and vision statement, involve both internal and external stakeholders, and focus on 2-4 key priorities. Bernhardt also shared examples from his work with organizations like Hands On Atlanta, where strategic planning helped the nonprofit adapt to changing market conditions.

  • The Southwest Gwinnett Chamber's monthly Thought Leaders luncheon was held on March 12, 2026.
  • Bernhardt has facilitated strategic planning for more than 50 organizations over the course of his career.

The players

Ken Bernhardt

Regents Professor of Marketing Emeritus at Georgia State University, with an MBA from Harvard Business School and a Ph.D. from the University of Michigan. Bernhardt has facilitated strategic planning for over 50 organizations and previously wrote a bi-monthly marketing column for the Atlanta Business Chronicle.

Southwest Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce

A voluntary business association representing residents and businesses from the cities of Berkeley Lake, Norcross, and Peachtree Corners. The chamber hosts monthly Thought Leaders luncheons and weekly Coffee Connections meetings.

Hands On Atlanta

A nonprofit that connects businesses and the community with volunteering opportunities. Bernhardt worked on strategic planning with Hands On Atlanta as the organization adapted to changes in its corporate client base.

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What they’re saying

“Strategic plans can be very valuable when tied to some of the problems that businesses have today. It provides focus, helps you make better decisions, [and] can align your organization so everybody is on the same page about where you're headed, which is often a problem in my mind.”

— Ken Bernhardt, Regents Professor of Marketing Emeritus (roughdraftatlanta.com)

“If everything is a priority, then nothing is. You have to decide what you're not going to do or not going to keep doing, because that's where the resources for the new strategic priorities come from.”

— Ken Bernhardt, Regents Professor of Marketing Emeritus (roughdraftatlanta.com)

What’s next

Bernhardt advised the chamber members to revisit their strategic plans on a monthly basis to ensure they remain focused on their key priorities.

The takeaway

Bernhardt's insights can help businesses in the Southwest Gwinnett area avoid common pitfalls in strategic planning and develop effective plans that drive real results, aligning their organizations and making better decisions to navigate changing market conditions.