Not sure where to start? The commercial health diagnostic assesses your business across five areas in 15 minutes and gives you your three most important priorities right now.
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The first months after closing are unlike anything the search prepared you for. The business is real, the team is watching, and the decisions start immediately. Most new CEOs figure it out as they go.
From transferring the founder’s knowledge to building a commercial engine that belongs to the business, the journey has a logic to it. This section maps it.
The biggest driver of value in a search fund acquisition is not financial engineering or cost reduction. It is commercial growth.
18.1x
Out of 31x total return came from revenue growth alone
0.4x
Came from margin improvement
Source: IESE Business School research on search fund value creation
The commercial journey after acquisition
Built on years of experience growing businesses and working with search fund CEOs and acquired SMEs across Europe, and informed by the leading research on what drives and destroys value in search fund acquisitions. The framework has been used to guide commercial transformation across European acquired SMEs.
Stage 1
Diagnose and stabilise
Months 0 to 6
Understand what you have inherited before you change anything. Map the customer relationships, the commercial assets and the key dependencies. Protect the revenue and the team’s trust. Fix what is harmful. Listen before you transform.
Stage 2
Build the foundation
Months 3 to 12
Write the value proposition with the team. Introduce pipeline visibility. Review the portfolio and the pricing logic. Establish the first customer satisfaction baseline. Update the commercial materials to reflect the business as it is today.
Stage 3
Build the commercial engine
Months 9 to 24
Define the positioning. Develop a pricing strategy based on value. Formalise the sales process so it can be taught and measured. Rebuild the website. Activate lead generation beyond the existing network. Refresh the brand.
Stage 4
Scale and grow
Months 18 and beyond
Expand into new segments and channels. Develop the portfolio strategically. Build the sales team’s capability beyond relationship selling. Build marketing into a systematic commercial function.
Commercial health diagnostic
Where does your business stand right now?
The commercial health diagnostic maps your business against the framework across five areas:
- Sales team and pipeline
- Value proposition and positioning
- Customer knowledge and satisfaction
- Portfolio and pricing
- Marketing and visibility
Working with a post-acquisition CEO
We partner with search fund CEOs and work directly with their teams. We build on what already exists in the business, adapt to the specific situation and focus entirely on creating commercial growth.
If you want to talk about where you are and what comes next, we are easy to reach.
Get in touch →
If you want to talk about where you are and what comes next, we are easy to reach.