You've invested in a struggling portfolio company. How do you turn the financial tide?
When a portfolio company falters, it's crucial to identify issues and implement changes swiftly. Here's how to steer back towards profitability:
- Conduct a thorough audit to spot inefficiencies and areas needing improvement.
- Reassess the business model to align with current market demands and opportunities.
- Engage with management to foster accountability and drive operational excellence.
How have you navigated turning a portfolio company around? Share your strategies.
You've invested in a struggling portfolio company. How do you turn the financial tide?
When a portfolio company falters, it's crucial to identify issues and implement changes swiftly. Here's how to steer back towards profitability:
- Conduct a thorough audit to spot inefficiencies and areas needing improvement.
- Reassess the business model to align with current market demands and opportunities.
- Engage with management to foster accountability and drive operational excellence.
How have you navigated turning a portfolio company around? Share your strategies.
-
I have been “the turn around guy” for over 20 years fixing businesses across 100+ countries. I have 26 steps I use which are a combination of efficiency (think exit losing accounts, delayer, stop profit leakage…), growth (think cross-sell / up-sell, strategic partners, land and expand offerings…), and stakeholder engagement (think customers, employees, partners, analysts…). Turn arounds are an art and a science and tone at the top is important as a turn around is a change. People hate change and your best talent, partners, and customers will leave unless you can get their hearts and minds behind the changes you plan on doing. Transparency and follow through are key.
-
💸 Uh-oh, sinking ship? No panic—let’s be the captain who turns it around. Start with a deep dive into their operations 🧐. What’s bleeding cash? Where can you cut back and optimize? 📉 Bring in advisors or mentors who’ve done it before 🧠. And hey, consider injecting fresh talent or changing course entirely if the market demands 🌊. If you can find that sweet spot, you’ll transform this investment from struggle to star! 🌟 High-five to future success! ✋
-
To turn the financial tide for a struggling portfolio company, start by conducting a thorough financial and operational analysis to identify inefficiencies and key areas for improvement. Collaborate with the management team to develop a strategic turnaround plan, focusing on cost reduction, streamlining operations, and optimizing cash flow. Reassess the company's value proposition and market position, and consider pivoting or refining the product or service offering. Engage stakeholders, including employees, customers, and investors, to rebuild confidence. Strengthen leadership if necessary and implement clear milestones to monitor progress and ensure accountability.
-
To turn around a struggling portfolio company, I would first conduct a deep financial and operational audit to identify the root causes of underperformance. Then, I'd implement cost controls, streamline operations, and potentially bring in new leadership if necessary. I'd also refocus the business on its core strengths, ensuring alignment with market demand, while exploring new revenue streams or pivoting the business model if needed. Finally, I'd set clear, measurable milestones and closely monitor progress, providing both strategic guidance and resources to execute a turnaround plan.
-
Turning around a struggling portfolio company requires a hands-on approach. Start with a thorough audit to identify inefficiencies and cash flow issues. Reassess the business model to ensure alignment with current market demands, potentially pivoting to new revenue streams. Engage with management to foster accountability and, if needed, restructure leadership. Focus on core competencies, eliminating non-essential projects. Streamline operations for cost savings and improved efficiency. Reengage with customers through targeted feedback and marketing. If necessary, secure additional funding with a clear turnaround plan. This strategic approach can steer the company back to profitability.
-
Ideally, you are a value-added provider of capital. Now that the capital bit is out of the way, focus on the value-add. Delve deep into your professional network to find customers/beta users of your startup's offerings. Invest time in educating them of the startup's strengths that led you to invest in the first place. Make warm introductions to the founding team with the goal of seeding a long term professional relationship (high LTV). Study their operations carefully to identify aberrations from industry averages and address these through better pricing, leaner operations, better customer segmentations, enhanced product offerings (and articulating these through marketing material) and sharpened go-to-market strategy.
-
Para virar a maré financeira de uma empresa em dificuldades, geralmente recomendamos: - Reestruturar custos e identifique gargalos de fluxo de caixa. - Priorizar o core business, eliminando o que não gera valor. - Negociar com credores para aliviar a pressão de curto prazo. - Encontrar novas fontes de receita e investimentos. Rápido diagnóstico, ação estratégica e foco são essenciais para reverter o cenário.
-
There are some great stories about pivots behind notable success like Paypal, Twitter and Slack. At the earlier stages, the main challenge is people tend be more comfortable making incremental changes - reduce burn a bit and focus on a subset most important OKRs. However, it seems like the best outcomes come from larger changes. The changes after mean selling something completely different, even if a lot of underlying tech remains the same. But in some cases it means tossing a lot of the product and tech too. Best here means getting back to high growth. TLDR at the earlier stages, where the original goal was a high growth, large outcome, bigger changes seem to generate much more value vs incremental.
-
When a portfolio company struggles, acting quickly is essential for a turnaround. Start with a thorough audit to identify inefficiencies and areas for improvement. Reassess the business model to ensure it aligns with current market demands and opportunities. Engage with management to instill accountability and drive operational excellence. These steps help steer the company back towards profitability.
-
To turn the financial tide of a struggling portfolio company, start by assessing the root causes of the financial issues, whether operational inefficiencies, market misalignment, or leadership challenges. Work closely with the management team to revise the business model or strategy, focusing on cost-cutting measures, improving cash flow, and targeting higher-margin opportunities. Explore new revenue streams, partnerships, or product pivots that align with market demand. Additionally, ensure strong financial controls and reporting are in place to track performance closely. If needed, consider leadership changes or bring in external advisors with expertise in turnaround strategies to drive the recovery.
Rate this article
More relevant reading
-
Business StrategyWhat are the practical limitations of real options valuation in decision making?
-
Conflict ManagementWhat are the most effective ways to use problem-solving skills in shareholder conflicts?
-
Business StrategyWhat are the challenges of applying real options valuation in uncertain markets?
-
Financial ManagementWhat are effective ways to solicit feedback from investors?