Written By: Gerald O’Dwyer II
The PE Guru — Blackmore Partners, Inc | October 11, 2024
Introduction
In any acquisition or investment, especially in private equity (PE), the real value lies not only in financial metrics but also in operational excellence and leadership. The “Value Creation Engine” provides a clear set of principles and actionable steps to drive sustainable growth, build high-performing teams, and focus on disciplined execution within portfolio companies. By integrating these practices into your deal thesis, you can maximize operational performance, employee engagement, and ultimately, the value at exit.
This manual guides you through applying each principle from the Value Creation Engine into your acquisition thesis, providing an edge when aligning strategic vision and operational execution. It also highlights why attending BlackmoreConnects (BMC) conferences is essential for building the relationships and gaining the insights necessary for success in the private equity world.
Section 1: Building High-Performance Teams
1.Big thinking precedes great achievement
How BMC Helps: BMC conferences feature top PE professionals sharing how they developed and executed big-picture strategies. Use this networking opportunity to refine your approach and learn from successful exits.
- Application in Deal Thesis: Develop a strategic vision that reflects long-term, big-picture thinking. For any investment, whether it’s a buyout or a growth equity stake, clearly articulate the mission and vision for the company post-acquisition. Explain how this vision translates into growth and value creation.
- Execution: Create and communicate a strong mission, vision, and values aligned with the PE firm’s overarching goals. This should be established early post-acquisition to guide all strategic efforts.
2.Communication is the real work of leadership
How BMC Helps: Attending BMC will allow you to hear best practices from leaders who have successfully navigated leadership transitions and integrated new communication frameworks in portfolio companies.
- Application in Deal Thesis: Leadership communication is essential to setting the tone for the portfolio company. As part of your thesis, detail how the new leadership team will establish clear lines of communication across all levels to ensure buy-in and transparency.
- Execution: Develop and execute a consistent communication plan post-acquisition, ensuring regular touchpoints between leadership and staff, and emphasizing cultural alignment.
3.Feedback is the breakfast of champions
How BMC Helps: At BMC, many executives discuss how feedback loops have led to operational improvements. Use these insights to develop a framework for continuous improvement in the company you plan to acquire.
- Application in Deal Thesis: Build in mechanisms for regular feedback from employees and customers. In your thesis, outline how quarterly or biannual reviews and surveys will help identify areas for improvement, enabling the company to pivot when necessary.
- Execution: Ensure that every team member undergoes annual reviews and quarterly check-ins, creating a feedback-driven culture.
4.Success is best when it’s shared
How BMC Helps: Engage with PE professionals at BMC who have effectively implemented equity-sharing programs in portfolio companies. This exposure will help you understand how best to structure such incentives in your acquisitions.
- Application in Deal Thesis: Incorporate employee equity and bonus structures to align incentives. Your thesis should highlight how shared success among employees through performance-based bonuses or equity incentives will drive higher engagement and productivity.
- Execution: Implement bonus plans and equity incentives for all employees to ensure everyone has a stake in the company’s success.
5.Teamwork is the ultimate competitive advantage
How BMC Helps: BMC conferences provide access to case studies from portfolio companies where teamwork was a critical driver of success. You can gain insights into implementing collaborative frameworks in your portfolio companies.
- Application in Deal Thesis: Emphasize the role of collaboration and cross-functional teamwork in driving operational success. The thesis should describe how teamwork will be structured and leveraged within the organization to solve challenges.
- Execution: Every employee should be part of a team that meets weekly to foster collaboration, innovation, and accountability.
6.The greatest asset of a company is its people
How BMC Helps: Learn from seasoned PE operators about how they recruit and retain top talent through mentorship and employee development programs, helping you formulate a winning human capital strategy for your portfolio companies.
- Application in Deal Thesis: Talent management is critical to any deal’s success. In your thesis, detail how you plan to retain, attract, and develop talent to build a competitive advantage. Focus on building a company culture that values its people.
- Execution: Survey your team regularly and take actionable steps based on the feedback. Develop a talent management strategy to ensure long-term success.
Section 2: Focused on Execution
7.Focus on less to accomplish more
How BMC Helps: Learn from BMC speakers how PE firms focus their efforts on a few critical initiatives to scale businesses successfully. Incorporating this into your thesis will strengthen your value creation plan.
- Application in Deal Thesis: Set clear priorities for the company post-acquisition. Outline 2-3 key growth drivers in your deal thesis, ensuring that management resources are not spread too thin.
- Execution: Implement and execute only the top 2-3 initiatives that align directly with the long-term strategic goals of the company, leaving distractions aside.
8.You can’t win if you don’t keep score
How BMC Helps: Attending KPI-focused sessions at BMC will give you insights into how other portfolio companies use KPIs to drive results, which you can apply when developing your acquisition strategy.
- Application in Deal Thesis: KPIs are essential for tracking success. Include measurable KPIs in your thesis that will be used to monitor company progress and performance. Focus on financial, operational, and team-related metrics.
- Execution: Set up a system to create and track KPIs weekly. This ensures that performance is consistently measured and corrective actions are taken when needed.
9.Facts are friendly, sometimes painful
How BMC Helps: Learn from case studies where PE operators made crucial decisions based on tough facts. The lessons shared at BMC will give you the tools to assess your portfolio’s performance critically.
- Application in Deal Thesis: Be prepared for unexpected data and insights. Incorporate regular performance reviews into your thesis and set the expectation that facts, even uncomfortable ones, will be used to guide strategy and recalibrate as needed.
- Execution: Conduct monthly performance reviews and recalibrate strategies based on factual insights.
10.Sales are process outcomes, not goals
- Application in Deal Thesis: Focus on building a repeatable sales process rather than just driving top-line growth. Your thesis should include how the company’s sales engine will be optimized for predictability and scalability.
- Execution: Identify your target markets, optimize the sales funnel, and consistently track sales metrics to improve close rates.
How BMC Helps: Many BMC executives discuss optimizing sales processes. Understanding their frameworks will help you build a scalable sales machine for the portfolio company.
11.The customer is always right
- Application in Deal Thesis: Collect and act on customer feedback to ensure the portfolio company adapts to customer needs. Highlight how customer satisfaction and retention will be measured and integrated into operational improvements.
- Execution: Conduct biannual customer feedback surveys and use the data to guide business strategy.
How BMC Helps: Gain insights from other portfolio companies that have successfully integrated customer feedback into their business models during BMC discussions.
12.Brand and reputation are precious assets that take years to build and days to ruin
- Application in Deal Thesis: Incorporate Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles to protect and enhance the brand of the portfolio company. Your thesis should cover how these principles will be integrated into day-to-day operations.
- Execution: Implement ESG policies that support long-term brand value and customer trust.
How BMC Helps: ESG is a growing focus in PE, and BMC offers workshops on how companies can incorporate these principles for lasting impact.
Action Steps for Executives Attending BlackmoreConnects Conferences
- Pre-Conference Preparation
- Set clear goals for what you want to achieve at the conference.
- Review past portfolio case studies and be ready to discuss how you’ve applied the Value Creation Engine in your own experience.
- Refine your deal thesis to incorporate learnings from other successful PE-backed companies.
- During the Conference
- Network with PE firms and operating partners who have successfully implemented the Value Creation Engine principles.
- Attend relevant sessions on operational excellence, talent management, and value creation strategies.
- Engage with BMC mentors and speakers who have executed similar strategies in portfolio companies.
- Post-Conference Action
- Follow up with key contacts and mentors you met at the conference to continue building relationships.
- Apply insights gained from BMC to refine your deal thesis and value creation plan for portfolio companies.
- Continue leveraging the BMC network to stay informed on best practices and evolving PE strategies.