Real-World Agile: Insights I Gained from Valpak’s Transformation

As part of my SDLC (Software Development Life Cycle) course, we’ve been focused on Agile methodology and how it applies in real business environments. One case study that stood out to me was Valpak, a direct marketing company that serves millions of households with both print and digital coupon services, while supporting a network of franchisees. The case study, featured in The Project Manager’s Guide to Mastering Agile by Charles G. Cobb (2015), explores how Valpak implemented Agile principles company-wide, transforming not just their IT department but their overall organizational culture.

What I found valuable about this case study is how it highlighted common challenges companies face when making this kind of shift. In reviewing Valpak’s solutions, I reflected on my own leadership experiences—especially in operations and financial management—and found myself connecting Agile theory with real-world practice. Below are the key challenges and solutions Valpak encountered, along with my takeaways.

1. Managing Cross-Team Dependencies

Challenge: Valpak faced a challenge where teams couldn’t complete their work without relying on others. For instance, some teams needed data from the reporting team before they could move forward.

Valpak's Solution: They tracked team dependencies, shared reports to highlight connections, and held weekly meetings to discuss them. Teams marked these dependencies on boards for visibility and met early to agree on task handoffs. They also added check-ins after planning sessions to ensure teams were fully aligned.

Why It’s Agile: This approach reflects key Agile values like “Individuals and interactions over processes and tools,” with teams prioritizing real conversations over relying solely on tools. It also promotes transparency and flexibility, allowing teams to adjust early when issues arise.

My Takeaway: Strong communication is what makes or breaks situations like this. What resonates with me in Valpak’s approach is how they didn’t just rely on a tool—they created space for teams to connect regularly and make issues visible early. I’ve seen firsthand how teams can fall into the trap of assuming others are on the same page, only to hit delays later when hidden dependencies surface. Having clear check-ins, visible work boards, and early agreements on what needs to get done is exactly what helps avoid these situations. It’s not just about following Agile—it’s about making sure communication is clear, honest, and keeps everyone aligned.

2. Accountability at the Top

Challenge: Valpak noticed a disconnect between leadership and teams. Executives were involved, but their priorities often conflicted or shifted, leaving teams unclear on direction.

Valpak’s Solution: They assigned executive sponsors to teams, introduced a Portfolio Kanban board to make high-level work more visible, and included leadership in quarterly planning, sprint reviews, and retrospectives.

Why It’s Agile: This aligns with Agile by promoting transparency and shared ownership. Having executives involved helps with business alignment and supports the value of “Business people and developers must work together daily throughout the project.”

My Takeaway: While I agree with the need for leadership alignment, I’m cautious about how it plays out in practice. Having been in environments where leadership participates closely, I know it can shift the dynamic of team spaces. Agile relies on trust and openness, and when senior leadership is present—especially in retrospectives—it can unintentionally make teams hold back. For me, it’s about how leadership shows up. If executives lean into servant leadership and focus on removing roadblocks, then their involvement can be valuable. But if it starts to feel like oversight or control, it risks undermining the team’s ability to speak candidly. I see this as a cultural shift more than a checklist item.

3. Product Owner Collaboration

Challenge: Product Owners at Valpak were too focused on their individual teams, which caused issues when multiple teams were working on related tasks.

Valpak’s Solution: They introduced Scrum-of-Scrums meetings, which later evolved into a weekly Scrum Powwow involving POs, Scrum Masters, and other team leads. They also gave teams access to each other’s backlogs and shared cross-team reports.

Why It’s Agile: This supports Agile’s focus on breaking silos and promoting cross-functional collaboration, aligned with “Individuals and interactions over processes and tools.”

My Takeaway: I agree with Valpak’s approach here. Encouraging Product Owners to collaborate more across teams aligns with the Agile principle of equality within a team. In Agile, there’s no traditional hierarchy—whether you’re a developer, tester, Scrum Master, or Product Owner, everyone is part of a flat, collaborative structure. Having POs work more cross-functionally reinforces that mindset and helps them see their role not just as a decision-maker but as a contributor within a wider team ecosystem. That kind of collaborative spirit benefits the whole organization, especially when managing complex, interdependent work.

4. Franchise-Based Company

Challenge: Even though Agile sped up internal work, Valpak’s franchisees didn’t adopt new products and tools as fast as corporate teams did.

Solution: They expanded Agile practices into sales and marketing to better support franchises and accelerated training and communication to improve adoption.

Why It’s Agile: This reflects Agile’s flexibility and its focus on customer collaboration by treating franchises as key partners, not just outside users.

My Takeaway: When you’re dealing with external partners—whether clients, vendors, or franchisees—you’re often working with people outside your Agile environment. It’s not about introducing Agile and expecting immediate buy-in. It’s about influencing through actions and delivering value. I also wondered about the internal lift this required from sales and marketing. How much time and energy did this shift take? In my experience, onboarding external partners to new systems always comes with growing pains. Agile internally is one thing—but getting adoption externally takes even more patience, training, and trust-building.

5. Managing Stakeholders

Challenge: Valpak’s POs were managing stakeholders with different expectations and communication styles, making alignment difficult.

Valpak’s Solution: They provided basic Agile training to stakeholders and let POs create their own methods—some used formal request forms, others held regular meetings depending on who they were working with.

Why It’s Agile: This aligns with Agile’s emphasis on adaptability and collaboration, as teams worked directly with stakeholders to meet their unique needs.

My Takeaway: This reminds me of how, in my industry, every client has their own preferences for how they want updates or reports—some prefer detailed documentation, others want everything streamlined through a shared system or portal. The project manager or superintendent on a job often functions like Valpak’s Product Owner, tailoring communication depending on the client. I agree with Valpak’s approach here because I’ve seen that flexibility is essential when managing different clients and balancing multiple projects.

6. Agile Culture Shift

Challenge: Valpak faced pushback when introducing Agile, with some employees fully embracing it while others resisted the change.

Valpak’s Solution: They brought in an Agile coach, restructured their PMO into an Agile Leadership Office, and held regular Agile-focused team-building events to embed Agile into their culture.

Why It’s Agile: This reflects Agile’s emphasis on people over processes and on creating an environment that encourages long-term growth and collaboration.

My Takeaway: Reflecting on this, I realize I’ve had my own version of a culture shift. After stepping down from my role as Operations Manager, I returned to the company in a new capacity. While I’m no longer part of the executive leadership meetings, I now oversee the financial operations of the facilities division side of the business. The company continues to operate under the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS), a framework designed to help organizations set a clear vision, strengthen leadership, and improve how teams execute business goals.

While EOS still provides structure and alignment at the organizational level, I’ve shaped my own approach within my team—one that naturally incorporates Agile principles. Over time, I’ve built an environment where collaboration, self-organization, and open communication are part of our day-to-day operations. Having experienced more rigid, high-pressure environments earlier in my career, I now focus on balancing accountability with flexibility. Applying Agile practices within my team has helped create a space where trust, transparency, and sustainable progress take priority.

Although my reflections are based on my current role and industry, I can see how these Agile lessons will carry over into software development when that opportunity comes. Valpak’s success shows that Agile is more than just a framework—it’s a way to build trust, respect, independence, and a stronger sense of ownership within teams.

Adopting Agile requires maturity and a willingness to communicate openly, take accountability, and constantly improve. What stands out to me is how Valpak’s approach focused not just on processes, but on creating a culture where teams collaborate effectively and stay aligned.

Whether leading in finance, facilities operations, or tech, this is a methodology I look forward to using to help build adaptive and people-centered teams.

Reference:
Charles G. Cobb. The Project Manager’s Guide to Mastering Agile: Principles and Practices for an Adaptive Approach. Wiley, 2015.