Why portfolio divestments underperform the market

In short Trade sellers achieve multiples 40% below the rest of the market Information presented below what smart buyers expect Signposted as a disposal rather than an opportunity The price chip is not anticipated Divesting part of a business can be a strategically smart move for portfolio businesses providing the opportunity to: Analysis of transactions … Continue reading Why portfolio divestments underperform the market

Six Warning Signs About Your Finance Set Up

In short Finance says ‘no’ rather than telling you how More accounting staff than salespeople Management accounts take three weeks or longer Forecasts cannot be updated to support a decision Margin by product or project is unknown Cash flow still surprises you If your financial setup is frustrating you, then you could notice the following … Continue reading Six Warning Signs About Your Finance Set Up

How financial modelling can help improve business decision-making

Financial models are powerful tools used for a variety of purposes to assess forward looking financial information to overcome limitations of relying only historic information Some of the best uses for financial models are: We support clients build financial models for a range of business requirements, from simple forecasts to developed models to support decision-making. … Continue reading How financial modelling can help improve business decision-making

Six common mistakes in financial modelling

In short The wrong business model, lifted from earlier work Complexity nobody else can follow Assumptions with no reliable data behind them Inconsistent formatting and colour coding Broken links between sheets and files No error checks and no validation Six common mistakes people often make when performing financial modelling: We support clients build financial models … Continue reading Six common mistakes in financial modelling

Post-acquisition staffing strategies

In short Poor cultural fit is the most cited reason acquisitions fail Think about the new employees: your deal rationale is incidental to them Think about your existing teams: their roles are at risk too Imagine how integration will really work; ‘sheep dip’ backfires Do it properly: TUPE or not, there is no benefit in … Continue reading Post-acquisition staffing strategies

Thinking about Build and Buy?

Build and buy strategies are where a business acquires other businesses, very often to help increase value ahead of an exit. They are not uncommon for private equity or companies trading on a public exchange and can also work for smaller businesses but are less common.  Build and buy strategies can be an attractive way … Continue reading Thinking about Build and Buy?

Four hacks for creating a Growth Mindset

In short High growth is built deliberately, not stumbled into An action plan for growth that is yours, not a borrowed playbook Deeper understanding of your market, and where not to compete What actually drives productivity at your stage of growth Leadership and management skills developed on purpose High growth businesses rarely stumble into success … Continue reading Four hacks for creating a Growth Mindset