Search Fund Coaching
For search fund CEOs that have successfully bought a business and want to develop from individual contributors into transformational leaders.
I Have Been Where You Are
“Being CEO may be a lonely life. But isolating yourself and your problems is a choice.”
— Byron Morrison
You’ve successfully gone through the process of finding and buying a business, but the actual work of building shareholder value is proving much harder than anticipated. You’re struggling with execution and meeting the demanding targets set by your board and investors, and the promises you made to them.
As a new CEO, you’ve inherited a team of people you didn’t hire, and some of them are uncooperative, demotivated, and sceptical. Winning their trust and respect, convincing them of your vision for the business, and leading them towards achieving ambitious goals are challenging tasks.
You have a track record of success as an individual contributor, consultant, dealmaker or perhaps mid-level manager in a former career where your domain knowledge was highly valued. You feel under pressure to reinvent yourself as a transformational leader and get results in a new business or industry in which you have little or no operational experience.
You might be experiencing high levels of stress, given the high stakes involved in the success of your venture, which you’ve committed to with your career, investors, and family. Although it’s exciting, some days it can be daunting, and you worry about making mistakes and jeopardising the business.
You may feel overwhelmed by the sheer number of tasks to complete, and it seems there are never enough hours in the day. Despite having a supportive board and excellent investors, you find it challenging to project confidence when you feel out of your depth and have so much to learn.
You are building a business while trying to create a family, take care of yourself, and build a satisfying life. It is tricky to juggle the different aspects of your life and keep everything running smoothly. You are being pulled in multiple directions by the business, your children, and your marriage, and it seems impossible to keep them all happy at the same time.
A Confidential Thinking Space
I know how hard it is to find, buy, and take over the leadership of an established business and transform it to deliver the potential you saw when you bought it.
The search fund community offers many valuable resources on the “how-to” mechanics of a successful search, from fundraising to acquisition. However, it falls short in providing support for search fund CEOs to develop into transformational leaders, especially in Europe.
Boards play primarily a governance role focusing on the company, are accountable to investors, and do not have enough time to give the intensive support most first-time CEOs need.
Like their CEOs, boards also have to go on a journey. Few European board members have experience with search funds and tend to treat search fund acquisitions like VC or PE portfolio companies, which limits their ability to provide the necessary support.
Coaching offers a confidential space for personal reflection and external processing during periods of significant transition and change. This is especially important during the first few years after an acquisition, which is a very challenging period for all searchers.
Coaching is a professional relationship where the focus is 100% on you, the searcher-turned-CEO, and supporting your growth as an effective leader, including your emotional intelligence and leadership style.
With me as your coach, you will benefit from board-level insights without board-level judgment or pressure from someone who has been in your position and knows what it takes.
Ready to become a better leader?
Everyone wins when a leader gets better. It’s time to confidently lead with purpose and achieve remarkable success.