Advisory & private client services
Get the Private Equity Playbook ...Without the Private Equity
We help founder-CEOs of $5M–$50M businesses run the private equity playbook on their own company, so they can increase EBITDA, multiply enterprise value, and engineer an exit on their terms.
My job is to make sure the person who built the business is the person who captures most of the value.
300+
Founder-CEOs Advised
4
Exits
$200M+
Portfolio Group
Not just an advisor. A growth partner.
Most founders running $5M–$50M businesses face two bad options when they need help:
1.Hire a full-time executive at $300K+ before they're ready.
2.Settle for a "business coach" who's never actually run a company at scale.
I'm the third option.
For 25+ years, I've built and sold companies, scaled eight of them to eight figures, nearly gone bankrupt (twice), and now advise 300+ founder-CEOs through The Scalable Company.
My partners and I bring the same caliber of partnership that private equity firms attach to their portfolio companies… focused on EBITDA, enterprise value, and the exit on your terms… without the structural baggage that breaks as many companies as it scales.
When I work with you, I'm not handing over a strategy deck and disappearing. I'm in the trenches with your team… identifying the constraints capping your growth, building the systems that scale, and engineering the value that gets you to your ideal exit.
Who I Work With
We work with founder-CEOs from $2M to $50M in industries such as business services, home services, manufacturing/construction, media, and retail/ecommerce. The best engagements come from companies where:
You've tried coaches and advisors, and you want someone who'll actually get in the work with you
You want a real strategic partner before you're ready to hire a full-time executive
You want the private equity playbook without giving up control of your company
You're overwhelmed and growth has flattened
Three Ways To Work Together
All engagements start with a Scale & Exit Plan. Some continue into Implementation. A separate Strategic Advisory track is also available for founders who already have a plan and just need an advisory partner.
The Scale & Exit Plan
You need clarity on what's bottlenecking your growth and a clear plan to break through it.
Timing
~2 weeks
Investment
$25,000–$50,000
credited toward Implementation if you continue
In about two weeks, my partners and I go deep inside your business, identify the real constraints capping your scale, and build a plan designed to:
3X–5X your EBITDA
Move your business up a rung in enterprise value
Engineer your ideal exit (whether that's preparing the company for sale, stepping out of day-to-day operations, or both)
What you'll walk away with
Your Growth Thesis: the memo a private equity firm would write about your company before buying it… what it's worth today, what's broken, what we'd do, and who buys it (and why)
A diagnosis of the real constraints restricting your scale
A specific, sequenced plan to grow revenue and 3X–5X EBITDA
A defined exit strategy: sale-ready, day-to-day-free, or both
Owner-level clarity on what to do first, second, third… and what to ignore
Scale & Exit Implementation
Timing
12–36 months
Investment
Two options:
Option A: Flat-Fee Engagement. Typically $150,000–$500,000 (depending on plan complexity and duration), paid in installments.
Option B: Partner Structure (20/20/20). We take a 20% profits-only interest, a $20K/month minimum retainer (or the profit distribution, whichever is higher), and 20% on exit. You keep 100% of your voting equity and 100% of control. We only get paid when you do.
If you want help executing the plan (capturing the EBITDA, building the systems, and getting to your ideal exit), here's how my team and I get in the trenches with you until the work is done.
Either way, my team and I embed with your team until the plan is executed and the systems are operating.
What you'll walk away with
The Scale & Exit Plan, fully implemented
Revenue and operations aligned as one system
A leadership team that runs the business without you in the middle
A hiring sequence and org design for the next stage of growth
Playbooks, SOPs, and dashboards that outlast the engagement
Strategic Advisory
Timing
Ongoing, quarter-to-quarter
Investment
$15,000–$25,000/month
This is for you if you have a strong team and a clear direction. You don't need someone to build. You need a strategic partner who sees the whole system and helps you make better decisions… faster.
What you'll walk away with
Faster, more confident decisions
Pattern recognition from inside hundreds of $2M–$200M businesses
Direct feedback, not validation
A trusted outside perspective on the calls only you can make
Not sure which is right?
Apply and Let's TalkI'll tell you honestly which one should come first (or if none is the right fit at this time).
Recent Engagements
A few examples of how we made our clients more valuable (and exit-able)...
Case Study01
86X'ed sales for an ecommerce business
Grew $300k per year ecommerce business 86X to $26M per year. Added products to digital info sales, brought in professional management, and exited to a billion-dollar strategic acquirer.
Case Study02
200% growth from a "dead" live event
Completed digital transformation of live events company reducing costs by over 50% while increasing sales by 200%.
Case Study03
9-figures in manufacturing sales
Grew multi-national manufacturing company to 9-figures sales across 5 continents, installed professional management, and professionalized for exit to strategic acquirer.
Case Study04
From $2.5M in debt to $2M in profit in 12 months
Consumer products company in debt over $2.5M losing money. Re-architected business model + restructured business to eliminate existing debt and generate $2M in profits over 12 months
Case Study05
SaaS transforms from a $250K loser to $2M winner
Created a new value ladder and negotiated a strategic partnership to transform a software as a service (SaaS) company losing $250k annually into generating an annual profit of $2M.
Case Study06
Cut operating costs at professional services firm by 67%
Redesigned business model of rapidly growing professional services company to increase profits 300%, reduce staffing needs and lower operating costs by 67%
Case Study07
221% valuation increase for home services company
Restructured homes services company to increase value 221% and achieve $3.3M in tax savings. Negotiated sale to strategic acquirer.
Case Study08
20X multiple increase & exit to Blackstone company
Grew training event company ad revenue 50X, sales revenue 6X, and enterprise value 20X resulting in exit to strategic acquirer that was a Blackstone Company
Case Study09
12X profit increase and 30X multiple increase for digital publishing company
Grew digital publishing company revenue by 3X and profits by 12X, repositioned business model and acquired additional products to increase value 30X.
Have Questions?
How is this different from taking PE money?
PE firms bring operating expertise, but they also bring buyouts, board control, and timelines that prioritize their fund cycle over your business. I bring the same operating playbook without any of that. You keep your company, your culture, your control, and your timeline. On a partner structure we take a profits interest and a share on exit… which means we only get paid when you do. And we engineer the exit on YOUR terms, not theirs.
Why not just hire a full-time COO or President?
You should… when you're ready. A full-time executive costs $300K+ and equity, and takes 6–9 months to hire. I'm the bridge: we build the systems now, so when you do hire, you'll know exactly what to look for, and you'll have something for them to actually run.
What if it isn't working?
The Scale & Exit Plan stands on its own: two weeks, one clear plan, and you decide what happens next. Implementation runs 12–36 months, and the goal the entire time is a business that runs without me. If you still need us in the day-to-day once the plan is executed, something's off… and we'll be honest about that long before it becomes a problem.
Do you work with companies outside the US?
Yes. Most clients are US or Canada-based, but the operating principles apply anywhere the team is serious about execution.
What industries do you work with?
My recent experience is in services, education, ecommerce, and media. The patterns are usually the same across categories… if your growth feels stuck or your business feels chaotic, I can probably help.
What does a typical engagement cost?
The Scale & Exit Plan is a one-time $25,000–$50,000 engagement (credited toward Implementation if you continue). Implementation runs $150,000–$500,000 flat, or a 20/20/20 partner structure, over 12–36 months. Strategic Advisory is $15,000–$25,000 per month, quarter-to-quarter.
Let's Find Out If There's a Fit
If you're running a $5M–$50M business and you're ready to multiply your EBITDA and engineer an exit on your terms… let's talk.
NOTE: I work with a small number of clients each year. Most of my time goes to existing engagements, so new client capacity is limited.