The ACE Framework is designed to help buyers in two key ways. First it facilitates a smooth transition into the new business while helping you begin the move to owning a management run company.
What You Get
The ACE program involves you having a team of well-experienced Acquira professionals guide your way.
- The Lead Integrator oversees the whole ACE project/program for you. He/she is your quarterback of the process. Your Lead will monitor project progress via a template of project management tasks that we have honed from prior experience. There are many areas you will need to address and your Lead helps keep you on track.
- The Finance Integrator will help 1) secure your numbers, meaning they will help you lock in on accounting and bookkeeping processes to insure you have the right numbers going forward and 2) they will craft a financial reporting discipline with you, identifying key performance indicators you will want to review regularly.
- The People and Culture Integrator (P&C) will help structure the front office for proper personnel management activities and talent management tools. In addition they will help guide the creation of the culture you want to grow for your business.
- The Sales & Marketing Integrator will assess your current positioning for effective sales and marketing processes while helping you decide on key strategies going forward to propel the business growth.
- Other resources as needed – Acquira partners with best in class providers of services to augment and support your on-going strategies for growth. Note: These other services may require separate fee arrangements.
How We Do This
Upon ACE contract execution and roughly 30 days pre-closing you will meet with Acquira’s Director of Integration and Leadership who will introduce you to the Integration Team. You will be given access to the ACE Framework training we provide on Thinkific.
You will then begin meeting with each of the integrators separately to begin the program. Each integrator has a portion of the transition checklist to follow, but will be offering extra tips and ideas based upon the specific situations you might encounter.
The Lead Integrator will be with you in person at closing for a day or two after the close. This gives you your own bench strength to meet the new team and process questions and concerns they may express about the turnover of the business. The Lead will also be gathering information you can use to triage your immediate priorities during those first 30 days of ownership.
The other integrators will likewise be working with you virtually. Somewhere between 30 to 45 days post-closing your Lead Integrator will facilitate a workshop for your entire leadership team. Terms and conditions for these events are covered in teh ACE contract. This is the first step toward launching the management run aspects of building the business. Then again at 75 to 90 days post-closing a second workshop is planned to allow your team to start thinking strategically about the future of the company.
The program ends between months 4 and 5 post-closing. Your Integration team will compare an ACE audit that is done right at the start, then again at the end of the engagement. These audit results can inform your choices for going forward in your strategic thinking about the business.
On-Going
Acquira will be available to offer technical support from the integration team on an as-needed or retainer basis once the original ACE Program expires.
If you are interested in knowing more, arrange a courtesy call with our Director of Integration here: