Revitalizing a PE-Backed Professional Services Firm for Sustainable Growth

Overview

A PE firm acquired a professional services company that appeared to be a strong addition to its portfolio. However, upon closer inspection, the firm’s internal systems and processes were severely outdated. Its growth had been heavily dependent on its founder’s expertise, and when the founder exited, the company struggled. Within a year of acquisition, growth had completely stalled, and the firm was rapidly losing its competitive edge.

A full-scale recovery was needed to reposition the business for success. This required a complete reset, including a marketing overhaul, leadership restructuring, and a shift from founder-driven identity to a client value-focused strategy. By aligning marketing, operations, and leadership under a new customer-centric approach, the firm was able to reignite growth, reconnect with its core market (construction & real estate firms), and rebuild its competitive positioning.

Business Goals

• Rebuild the Brand & Market Positioning – Move away from founder-driven messaging and craft a customer-value-focused identity.
  
• Update Internal Systems & Processes – Modernize outdated operational frameworks, marketing, and customer engagement.
  
• Accelerate Growth & Market Penetration – Restore momentum and position the firm for long-term scalability.

Key Results at a Glance

• Restored revenue growth trajectory after a year-long stall.
• New market positioning developed, shifting from founder-driven to client-focused messaging.
• Operational inefficiencies addressed, modernizing internal workflows & service delivery.

Original State

• Founder-Driven Identity No Longer Applied – With the founder gone, USPs like founder-owned, women-owned, and small-business focused no longer resonated.
  
• Outdated Systems & Processes – The firm lacked modern operational frameworks, data systems, and marketing automation.
  
• Leadership Void & Strategic Confusion – The absence of a clear leader after the founder’s exit created uncertainty internally and externally.
  
• Marketing Became Directionless – Without the founder’s personal brand, the company had no cohesive marketing strategy to communicate its value proposition.

Post-Engagement Success

• Clear Market Positioning Rebuilt – The firm shifted from a founder-focused identity to a customer-centric narrative emphasizing value, reliability, and industry expertise.
  
• Leadership Stabilized & Strengthened – The COO transitioned to CEO, ensuring continuity, operational expertise, and a renewed focus on customer excellence.
  
• Marketing & Sales Realigned – Messaging was redesigned to tap into the emotional sentiment of customer needs while reinforcing the firm’s industry expertise.
  
• Operational Efficiencies Improved – Outdated systems were modernized, improving service delivery, customer engagement, and internal collaboration.
  
• Growth Reignited: Revenue rose by 20% within the first year, marking a full recovery from the previous stagnation.
• Shorter Sales Cycles: With refined messaging, targeted marketing, and clear customer value, the firm saw a significant reduction in sales cycle time.
  
• Expanded Service Offerings: By engaging with existing clients, the company identified unmet needs and introduced new services that required minimal investment, adding additional revenue streams.

Program Details

The first step in the transformation was a full brand and marketing overhaul. With the founder’s exit, the firm had lost its core identity, and messaging no longer resonated with its audience. We worked closely with leadership and marketing to develop a new, customer-driven narrative, focusing on industry expertise, problem-solving, and emotional connection with construction and real estate firms. This shift helped shorten the sales cycle, as prospects quickly understood the firm’s value, while also re-engaging existing customers who had grown disengaged.

Beyond repositioning, the company unlocked new revenue potential by listening to its customers. Through structured client interviews and feedback loops, leadership uncovered service gaps that the firm could fill with minimal investment. By aligning internal capabilities with real client needs, the company introduced new service offerings that expanded revenue streams while maintaining operational efficiency. This customer-first approach not only improved retention but also strengthened competitive positioning, allowing the company to recover and exceed pre-acquisition growth rates.

The final piece of the recovery involved modernizing operations to ensure scalability. Outdated systems, workflows, and CRM tools were overhauled to improve data-driven decision-making and customer management. A more integrated marketing, sales, and customer service approach created a streamlined process that removed inefficiencies, optimized resource allocation, and empowered teams to work with a unified vision. This foundation allowed the firm to achieve 20% growth within a year and position itself for sustainable expansion.

Key Takeaways

• Leadership Stability is Essential for Trust – Transitioning an experienced COO to CEO helped restore confidence internally and externally.
  
• Emotional Connection Matters in B2B Sales – By realigning marketing messaging with customer sentiment, the company re-established its authority and trust in the market.
  
• Outdated Systems Stifle Growth – Modernizing operations, CRM, and sales processes created efficiency, scalability, and stronger client engagement.

Struggling with post-acquisition integration and stalled growth? Let’s build your recovery roadmap.

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