Rollover Equity and Data Risk: What Sellers Need to Know
Rollover equity has risen from 14% to nearly 17% of TEV. When sellers keep skin in the game post-close, data quality matters beyond the close date.
Inside the Data Room
Data Strategy for PE Operators
Practical guides on data diligence, exit readiness, and the data problems that erode valuation.
Essential Guides
Pillar Guide
Data Governance That Raises Valuation
Data governance is EBITDA protection disguised as policy. A pillar guide for PE-backed companies covering the governance framework, five controls buyers look for, and a 90-day implementation plan.
Pillar GuideAI Readiness Starts with Data Readiness
80% of PE firms deployed AI by late 2024, but only 20% have operationalized use cases. The gap is data quality. Here is the framework for getting the foundation right.
Pillar GuideWhy Your QoE Report Will Surface Data Problems (And How to Prevent It)
QoE reports expose data infrastructure failures most teams never see coming. Here's why numbers break, what triggers adjustments, and how to fix it early.
All Posts
Data Governance That Raises Valuation
Data governance is EBITDA protection disguised as policy. A pillar guide for PE-backed companies covering the governance framework, five controls buyers look for, and a 90-day implementation plan.
The CFO's Guide to Data-Driven Exit Preparation
Five things every CFO at a PE-backed company should have locked down six months before exit. Revenue reconciliation, flash reports, retention metrics, and more.
How to Build a Business Case for Data Quality in Your Portfolio
A practical framework for operating partners to justify data quality investments to investment committees. Three value drivers, one-page template, and the cost-of-inaction math.
Why Your Portfolio Company's AI Initiative Is Stalling
Most PE portfolio company AI initiatives stall not because of the technology, but because of the data underneath. Five root causes and what to do about each one.
Data Integration After an Add-On Acquisition
A 90-day framework for integrating data after an add-on acquisition. Covers customer master deduplication, chart of accounts harmonization, KPI alignment, and reporting consolidation.
The Bifurcation: Why Some PE Portfolio Companies Exit at Premium While Others Sit
PE deal volume hit its lowest since 2017, yet A-assets still close fast at premium multiples. Five characteristics separate companies that sell from those that stall in diligence.
Reverse Due Diligence: Audit Your Own Data Before Buyers Do
Five areas to self-audit before a buyer gets into your data room. A practical framework for running reverse due diligence on your own data, with specific questions and 2-week fixes.
What Operating Partners Get Wrong About Data Governance
65% of PE firms struggle to reflect value creation in exit EBITDA. Three governance mistakes explain most of the gap, and all three are fixable.
AI Readiness Starts with Data Readiness
80% of PE firms deployed AI by late 2024, but only 20% have operationalized use cases. The gap is data quality. Here is the framework for getting the foundation right.
The One-Page Data Value Creation Plan for Portfolio Companies
Most value creation plans have a vague line for data. Here is a concrete one-page framework that turns the data component into a real operating plan.
Why Record Multiples Make Data Your Edge, Not Your Debt
EBITDA multiples hit 11.8x. Financial engineering alone cannot deliver returns at these prices. Data is the operational lever that separates winners from the rest.
Post-Acquisition Data Playbook: The First 100 Days
What to do with data in the first 100 days after acquiring a company. A phased playbook for operating partners and portfolio company leaders.
Data Diligence Prep: DIY vs. Bringing in Help
When to handle data diligence preparation yourself and when to bring in outside help. An honest comparison of cost, timeline, and outcomes.
Why Your QoE Report Will Surface Data Problems (And How to Prevent It)
QoE reports expose data infrastructure failures most teams never see coming. Here's why numbers break, what triggers adjustments, and how to fix it early.
How Long Does It Take to Fix Data Before Diligence? A Realistic Timeline
Realistic timelines for fixing data before diligence. The 12-month ideal, 6-month sprint, and 3-month emergency paths with specific deliverables at each phase.
How Data Problems Cost One Company Half a Turn on Their Multiple
An anonymized case study showing how data issues led to QoE adjustments, buyer repricing, and a $20M valuation haircut on a mid-market PE exit.
PE Exit Readiness: The Data Checklist Most Teams Miss
The data readiness checklist PE-backed teams miss before an exit. Covers financial, operational, and customer data with timelines and real benchmarks.
The 48-Hour Test: Can Your Team Answer These Questions Before Diligence?
Ten questions your team should answer in 48 hours or less. A practical readiness test for PE-backed companies approaching an exit.
7 Data Red Flags That Kill Deals in Diligence
Seven specific data problems that make buyers walk away or reprice. What each red flag signals, why it matters, and how to fix it before diligence starts.
The Complete Data Diligence Guide: What Buyers Actually Test
What buyers actually look for in data diligence. 15 questions, what good answers look like, common red flags, and how to prepare before the clock starts.