Customer Type: PE Firms

In the Know: How to Tackle Merger Integration

November 30, 2022 Delaney Walker

As part of an ongoing series, we’re sharing real-time trending topics we are hearing from our 500+ PE firm clients. In our most recent installment, Scott Bellinger, BluWave Consulting Manager, shares some of the top reasons our clients bring in merger integration groups and the benefits they gain from them. Learn more by watching the video below.

Interested in connecting with the PE-grade, specialized merger integration providers you need? Contact us here to quickly get started.

Video transcript:

According to data from the BluWave Activity Index, third-party merger integration specialists are consistently one of the top 10 service providers that private equity firms look to for support. Add-on acquisitions are standard operating procedure in private equity, and leading firms rely on expert third parties to seamlessly execute any integration. Here are some of the top reasons PE firms bring in merger integration specialists and the benefits they see from engaging these groups.

When integrating two companies, the goal is always for 1+1 to be greater than 2, however, if not integrated properly, a new add-on investment can quickly go south.  PE firms who trust their integrations to expert third parties can guarantee that the integration will be executed properly, resulting in an outcome greater than 2. Additionally, by trusting their integrations to third parties, they are able to rest assured that their companies will be fully integrated – something that strategic buyers are looking for more often. Plus, if the integration is occurring in a founder-led business, a third-party expert is essential given that most founder-led businesses rarely have the talent in-house to effectively integrate both businesses.

The benefits of utilizing these experts go far beyond achieving an outcome greater than 2. For one, these groups can excellently integrate companies quickly – our pros can perform an integration from start to finish in as few as 120 days. Plus, some of our innovative groups can provide additional services complementary to strictly executing your merger integration, such as conducting a pre-merger synergy assessment to help you better understand potential cost-savings beforehand.

We would be happy to connect you with the PE-grade third-party merger integration expert that is exactly suited for your needs, just give us a shout at info@bluwave.net.

In the Know: Proactive Due Diligence Practices

November 19, 2022 Delaney Walker

As part of an ongoing series, we’re sharing real-time trending topics we are hearing from our 500+ PE firm clients. In our most recent installment, Keenan Kolinsky, BluWave Consulting Manager, shares some of the proactive due diligence practices we see PE firms take that separate the more innovative private equity firms from the others. Learn more by watching the video below.

Interested in connecting with PE-grade specialized due diligence providers for your next need? Contact us here to quickly get connected to the ones you need.

Video transcript:

Due diligence is a critical piece in the private equity deal cycle, and we equip hundreds of leading private equity firms with the right PE-grade diligence providers they need – and when they need them. Performing thousands of projects every year, we gain a unique perspective to some of the more proactive and innovative approaches to the diligence process, and I want to share two such approaches we’ve seen that are separating some of the more proactive private equity firms from the others.

Number one, using the right diligence providers for the right deals. Many private equity firms have a go-to list of commercial, IT, and operations diligence providers they leverage for nearly every deal. However, each deal’s different and may require a different slate of providers to get the most out of each unique diligence phase, or diligence stream, depending on a variety of factors such as the target’s industry, the deal size, target technology or operational nuances, timing, and more. Many of our proactive private equity clients realize these nuances, and we support them by connecting them with the diligence providers whose functional capabilities, expertise, and experience account for these factors – uniquely positioning them to deliver excellence on that deal. This allows private equity firms to gain better insights with more speed and certainty, which, in turn, optimizes the entire diligence process for the respective deal. In private equity, one size does not fit all.

Number two, expanding the functional breadth and depth of diligence. Times are changing, and it’s more important than ever to get diligence right and to gain the necessary actionable insights, not only to make a more informed investment decision, but also to begin equipping the value creation plan. Especially in today’s market, value creation doesn’t and can’t end with only commercial, technology, and operational levers.As such, many of our proactive private equity clients are institutionalizing increasingly common diligence streams such as HR, digital, data, and ESG diligence to inform both investment decisions and value creation plans. We continuously map the market for PE-grade diligence providers across various functional areas, industries, price points and more so that you don’t have to.

If you or your teams are using the same slate of diligence providers for every deal, it may be time for a refresh. As you start to consider your slate of diligence providers for your next deal, give us a shout at info@bluwave.net and let us connect you with the right diligence providers for the right deal.

In the Know: How to Action BI & Analytics Experts

November 10, 2022 Delaney Walker

As part of an ongoing series, we’re sharing real-time trending topics we are hearing from our 500+ PE firm clients. In our most recent installment, Jeremy Yoder, a BluWave Strategic Account Executive, shares how to action BI & Analytics experts, detailing the different use cases firms and other proactive companies have for bringing in data & analytics experts. Learn more by watching the video below.

Get connected to a BI & Analytics Expert.

Video transcript:

In our increasingly digital world, business intelligence and analytics is a growing input factor for companies to measure their level of growth and for private equity firms to evaluate the success of their portcos. PE firms come to BluWave with needs for data and analytics specialists who can help drive effectiveness and efficiency within their portfolio companies. Here are just a few of the most common use cases we see for why a firm brings in data and analytics specialists.

Number one, developing more measurable metrics at the portco level. The first step to making data-driven decisions is having the right metrics and reporting measures in place. Many companies are lacking this when their first PE sponsor comes into the picture, so our clients equip their new portcos with specialists who can help companies build a solid metrics and reporting foundation. This gives the PE firm visibility into how their portcos are tracking against those set goals.

Number two, data diligence. For companies with large sets of data on products and customers like companies in the B2C sector, there is often hidden value hiding within these datasets if they aren’t being analyzed. When companies aren’t actioning the data available to them, leading PE firms bring in specialists to uncover what stones are being left unturned and help glean risks and actionable opportunities from the data that already exists.

Number three, cleaning and assessing data. The most forward-thinking PE firms are using specialists to clean and assess their portcos data so that they can improve the precision of their evaluations and more deeply inform the health of their organizations. We have a deep bench of business intelligence and analytics providers at the ready for a variety of niche needs. To get connected to the PE-grade,exact-fit provider you need, contact us at info@bluwave.net.

Interim CFO urgently needed for prep for sale process

PE firm urgently needs an interim CFO to help with prep for sale

A PE managing partner came to us with a critical need for an interim CFO to lead their software portco through a sale process. Hoping to sell within the next 3 to 4 months, the managing partner was urgently looking for someone who could immediately come in to the portco, take point on gathering essential documentation for sale, manage financial projections, and serve as a leader within the portco during this transitional time. The PE firm quickly needed a PE-grade interim CFO who was available for the next 4-6 months, had deep SaaS expertise, and was able to travel onsite several days a month.

BluWave has pre-vetted providers matching client’s needs

Leveraging our founder’s 20 years in private equity, we have extensive frameworks for assessing PE-grade prep for sale needs. BluWave utilizes technology, data, and human ingenuity to pre-map, assess, monitor, and maintain deep pools of interim CFOs that uniquely meet the private equity standard. We interviewed the PE firm to understand their specific key criteria, and then connected the client with the select pre-vetted interim CFOs from our invitation-only Intelligent Network that fit their exacting needs.

Firm engages interim CFO and begins prep for sale

The day after the initial scoping call, the PE firm and portfolio company were introduced to two PE-grade interim CFO that specialized in helping software companies prepare for sale. The client selected their ideal choice. The firm engaged the interim executive and was able to confidently proceed with their prep for sale process thanks to the leadership of the CFO we connected them with.

Leadership coaching consulting firm needed for executives

PE firm urgently needs leadership coach for prep for sale process

A PE vice president came to us with a critical need for leadership coaching services to build up one of their portco’s mid-level management teams in preparation for sale. Looking to exit the company within the next year and with several high performing mid-level leaders with little to no executive experience, they were in critical need of a provider that could coach this cohort up for the sale process. The firm specifically wanted a provider that had experience in a PE setting, practice around exit prep, and expertise in coaching the management level just under the C-suite.

BluWave identifies exact-fit leadership coaching expert

Leveraging our founder’s 20 years in private equity, we have extensive frameworks for assessing PE-grade prep for sale needs. BluWave utilizes technology, data, and human ingenuity to pre-map, assess, monitor, and maintain deep pools of leadership coaching consultants that uniquely meet the private equity standard. We interviewed the PE firm to understand their specific key criteria, and then connected the client with the select pre-vetted executive coaches from our invitation-only Intelligent Network that fit their exacting needs.

Firm engages provider to coach management through prep for sale process

Within less than 24 hours from the initial scoping call, the PE firm was introduced to an exact-fit leadership coaching provider. The client engaged the recommended provider and was able to confidently move forward in their efforts to sell the business knowing that their management team would now have the proper coaching required to successfully deliver on their roadshow presentations.

October 2022 Roundup: BluWave Client Insights

November 4, 2022 Delaney Walker

BluWave works with over 500 PE firms from around the globe as well as their portfolio companies and other proactive independent companies, connecting them with BluWave-vetted, best-in-class, third-party service providers across a variety of resource and functional areas. From information technology and manufacturing to healthcare, consumer goods, and beyond, our clients are expert business builders. In other words, they have their heads in the game and their hands on the pulse of news and insights you can use.

Check out the latest, curated collection of our client’s musings on cybersecurity, AI, market trends, and more. 

Blackstone: Quarterly Webcast

In this latest quarterly webcast, Blackstone’s Joe Zidle and Byron Wien share insight into inflation, global recession risks, and long-run trends to consider.  Key takeaways include recession risks remain higher in Europe, the inflation peak is sticky, and more.

Watch the video>>>

Permira: Launching AI Capability

With many software providers looking to implement AI-powered features to enhance customer experiences, Gaurav Bhatnagar and Ben Roger from Permira share their insights on launching AI capabilities.  

Read More>>>

Bridges Fund Management: The Value of Cybersecurity

In the third issue of their series “Investing in the Future”, Bridges Fund Management shares a publication on the importance of cybersecurity in the age of technology and the businesses that have emerged as a result of this need.  

Read More>>>

Montage Partners: PE Firm Stereotypes

Montage Partners’ new series breaks down the stereotypes that surround private equity firms and why they are not accurate. On this episode, Connie Bates shares her experience on how capital is not the only thing PE firms can offer a company.  

Watch the video>>>

 

Read what some of our clients had to say last month on employee-based ownership, developing ICPs, creating an employer brand, and more.

If you need PE-grade third parties to help you prepare for the downturn, bolster your cybersecurity efforts, or implement AI, don’t hesitate to give us a shout.

Urgent need for sales & marketing focused org design consultant

PE firm needs consulting group to improve sales and marketing functions

A PE partner came to us with an urgent need for a boutique sales consulting group that could perform a sales diagnostic for their software portfolio company and help with org design for the company’s sales and marketing functions. With the head of marketing no longer at the company, the firm was looking to reset the sales and marketing function to improve growth. They needed someone to come in, assess the current sales and marketing function, identify what channels they should be focused on, and then give them guidance on how to build the department and who to hire in order to achieve growth. The firm needed this guidance as soon as possible and were ideally hoping it would come from someone with past marketing experience, and M&A expertise.

Using pre-vetted network, BluWave identifies exact-fit providers

Leveraging our founder’s 20 years in private equity, we have extensive frameworks for assessing PE-grade org design and consulting needs. BluWave utilizes technology, data, and human ingenuity to pre-map, assess, monitor, and maintain deep pools of specialized boutique consulting firms that uniquely meet the private equity standard. We interviewed the PE firm to understand their specific key criteria, and then connected the client with the select pre-vetted groups and independent consultants from our invitation-only Intelligent Network that fit their exacting needs.

Firm engages ideal org design consultant to improve the portco’s sales and marketing

Within 24 hours of the initial scoping call, the PE firm and portfolio company were introduced to three select PE-grade org design consultants that specialized in organizational design & assessment for sales and marketing functions in software companies. The client selected their ideal choice and the firm was able to confidently build out a hiring plan that would allow them to reset their sales and marketing functions and achieve growth thanks to the work of the provider we connected them with.

Critical digital marketing independent contractor to advise software portfolio

Firm needs consultant to enhance digital marketing efforts across portcos

A PE managing director came to us with a critical need for a product marketing and positioning independent contractor who could advise several of the tech and software companies in his firm’s portfolio on their digital marketing efforts. With the digital world evolving quickly, the firm was in critical need of someone who could help their portcos enhance their digital marketing capabilities to best position themselves against their competitors. The firm was looking for someone who could advise on digital content, SEO, and other marketing activities as it related to each company’s product and brand positioning goals. It was crucial that the provider had industry experience and proven functional expertise.

BluWave has exact-fit, PE-grade digital marketing consultants

Leveraging our founder’s 20 years in private equity, we have extensive frameworks for assessing PE-grade marketing needs. BluWave utilizes technology, data, and human ingenuity to pre-map, assess, monitor, and maintain deep pools of expert marketing independent contractors that uniquely meet the private equity standard. We interviewed the PE firm to understand their specific key criteria, and then connected the client with the select pre-vetted marketing resources from our invitation-only Intelligent Network that fit their exacting needs.

Firm chooses ideal provider to improve the digital positioning of their portcos

The day after the initial scoping call, the PE firm and portfolio company were introduced to three PE-grade marketing independent contractors that specialized in digital content, SEO, and broader marketing activities for software companies. The client selected their ideal choice. The PE firm engaged the provider and was able to gain confidence in the digital positioning of each company in their portfolio thanks to the advisor’s help.

Merger integration consultant urgently needed for software & industrial services merger

PE firm critically needs merger integration experts

A PE operating partner came to us with a critical need for a merger integration consultant to help them develop a playbook, provide resource coaching, and execute a planned merger of their existing portco with a new add-on in the software sector of the industrial services industry. With a lot of operational integration that needed to be done and the target add-on in the process of acquiring two additional companies, the firm urgently needed a small team of merger integration experts that could manage the complexity of this integration. The PE firm was seeking a provider that had industry expertise, a proven track record of successful merger integrations, and the ability to start in the next month.

BluWave identifies industry-specific consultants within network

Leveraging our founder’s 20 years in private equity, we have extensive frameworks for assessing PE-grade merger integration needs. BluWave utilizes technology, data, and human ingenuity to pre-map, assess, monitor, and maintain deep pools of merger integration consultants that uniquely meet the private equity standard. We interviewed the PE firm to understand their specific key criteria, and then
connected the client with the select pre-vetted merger integration consultants from our invitation-only Intelligent Network that fit their exacting needs.

Firm engages top choice to execute integrations

Quickly after the initial scoping call, the PE firm and portfolio company were introduced to three select PE-grade merger integration providers that had industry expertise and were available to get started immediately. The client selected their ideal choice. The PE firm was able to confidently begin executing the integrations, trusting that the provider BluWave connected them with was handling all of the niche complexities of the situation.

In the Know: The Importance of Interim CFOs

October 27, 2022 Delaney Walker

As part of an ongoing series, we’re sharing real-time trending topics we are hearing from the hundreds of PE firms we work with. In our most recent installment, Erez Schnaittacher, BluWave vice president of client coverage, shares the importance of interim CFOs and why they are a vital resource all PE firms should be taking advantage of. Learn more by watching the video below.

Interested in connecting with interim CFOs? Contact us here to quickly get connected to the exact-fit interim CFO you need.

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Video transcript:

The CFO role is one of the most critical seats in a business. The position plays a key role in ensuring that a business is strong and if PE-backed, that the investment is successful. Because this seat is vital to a company’s success, it is important that it is not left open, and is also filled by someone who possesses the right skillset to execute on the demands that come with being a CFO.

To ensure that both of these are always the case, PE firms often turn towards interim CFOs. At BluWave, we equip our private equity firm clients with interim CFOs for various due diligence, value creation, and prep-for-sale needs. Here are some of the most common use cases for bringing in interim CFOs:

Number one, unanticipated departures. When CFOs unexpectedly resign, it can leave a company’s finance function in chaos. We help PE firms combat this by providing them with exact-fit interim CFOs who can quickly step in, fill the shoes of the role, and keep the ship steady while the search for a permanent placement kicks off.

Number two, longer than normal hiring processes. Even when a CFO seat is expected to be vacant within a certain timeframe, sourcing a candidate to step in at the exact time you need them to can be challenging. With hiring processes taking longer than normal, interim CFOs can help bridge the gap, giving you extra time to ensure you hire the best-fit person for the job.

Number three, professionalizing new portcos’ finance functions. We are supporting many PE firms as soon as a deal closes, by supplying them with interim CFOs. These firms are bringing in these individuals to help new portcos’ finance functions understand what it means to be PE-grade, and help them get the right monthly performance packages in place to ensure that the PE firm is getting the info it needs.

And finally, number four, prep for sale processes. Our clients bring in interim CFOs to respond to diligence requests, assess data, and pull reports prior to a sale. By bringing in an extra set of hands to take care of the extra workload that comes with a sale process, FTEs are freed up to maintain focus on keeping the daily routines going, without causing a delay on the sale process. The modern-day M&A process is fast and furious, valuations decline the second you have to hit the pause button, making it crucial to keep the momentum.

Interim CFOs are one of the most versatile and useful resources available to private equity firms. Hundreds of leading firms come to us with their interim CFOs because of our ability to know before they need, hone in on individuals that meet their specific, unique criteria, and quickly connect them to the select few that are exact-fit.

If we can support your interim CFO needs, please contact us at insights@bluwave.net.

PEI Operating Partners Forum – New York 2022 Event Recap

October 27, 2022 Delaney Walker

On October 19th and 20th, 2022, our team had the opportunity to attend and sponsor the PEI Operating Partners Forum – New York 2022. It was PEI’s largest event to date with over 500 PE ops professionals in attendance, a testament to the growing ops function in private equity.

At the conference, our founder & CEO, Sean Mooney, hosted a panel titled, “Unlocking the Due Diligence Imperative to Rapidly Achieve the Value Creation Plan”. The panelists – Cici Zheng of ParkerGale Capital, Marc Jourlait of The Riverside Company, and Kalyan Mukherjee of Apollo Global Management – all shared insightful thoughts on this topic and we have captured some our key takeaways below:

Leveraging Diligence Streams to Inform Value Creation

  • Overall, value creation plans are being created and put into place earlier in the process than has been done historically.
    • Benefits include building trust with the management teams and having the time and information upfront to formulate a more fully baked value creation plan.
  • Ops teams find it critical to work with specialized groups for commercial due diligence that already know and understand the market.
  • Areas assessed upfront in diligence to help ops teams better understand risk include human capital, technology, operations, and ESG.

Working with Deal Teams & Managing the Diligence Chaos

  • Ops teams have discovered that working with deal teams from day 1 helps avoid any post-close surprises.
  • Early work with the deal team helps the ops teams better understand what the deal team is underwriting for, allowing the ops team to better prioritize and position value creation plans.
  • Many firms are leveraging technology to manage the many diligence processes that are happening at any given time.

We greatly enjoyed learning from these thought leaders and connecting with both familiar as well as new faces at the PEI Operating Partners Forum – New York 2022. You can learn about specific ways we equip PE operating professionals with the exact-fit, specialized third parties they need here. If you have an immediate need we can support, contact us here and we will immediately get started.