PE doesn't buy potential. They buy operational velocity.

Forty years in global operations taught me one thing. Most firms leave 15 percent EBITDA on the table simply because they lack a deployment cadence.

They have ideas. They don't have a Blitz.

This is the 100-Day Framework I use to turn bloated operations into exit-ready assets.

Phase 1: Stop the Leak (Days 1 to 20)

Find the working capital trap and the silent margin killers. Triage before you transform.

Phase 2: Automate the Boilerplate (Days 21 to 50)

Strip out manual SG&A. The OpEx Scalpel.

Phase 3: Build Supply Chain Resilience (Days 51 to 80)

Near-shore the choke points and qualify the alternatives.

Phase 4: Force the Exit Value (Days 81 to 100)

Lock in the new run rate. Document the playbook. Make the asset legible to a buyer.

Part 2, the EBITDA Lever Matrix, drops next. Follow to catch the update.

By Michael Lennard Gnaedinger. © 2026 Gnaedinger Consultancy. All rights reserved.