A Framework for transitioning from an owner-operated company to a management-run company
If you’re looking to systematize and grow your business, move from owner-operated to management-run, and step away from the daily operations of the company in order to do more of what you love, the ACE Framework will get you there.
- An ACE is a company with an employee-led Leadership Team responsible for taking on the responsibilities of a single owner-operator.
- An ACE is a systematized company that grows under its own power.
- An ACE is a management and budget-run company that stresses accountability and discipline.
- An ACE is a company that grows servant leaders.
- An ACE is a company that improves the lives of everyone in its orbit.
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ACE helps you build your leadership team and educate them in the following areas:
Leadership & Strategy
- Forming the leadership team, and keeping its member engaged, committed, and aligned
- Defining and living by your Mission, Vision and Values
- Creating departmental missions and departmental Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for each department
- Designing compensation and bonus structures
- Maintaining a forward-looking org chart
- Building an advisory board of companies 3-5 years ahead of you
- Strategic Planning – for the short-term (1-3 year), mid-term (4-7 years) and your long-term BHAG (10+ years)
- Making data-based decisions around resource allocation
- Running off-site workshops that create OKRs/Rocks and ensuring the leadership team delivers on them
- Running board presentations
People & Culture
- Creating job descriptions with deliverables that are linked to procedures with success metrics
- How to implement structured communication, including team meetings, one-on-one meetings and performance reviews
- Creating and maintaining an employee handbook
- Onboarding & training procedures
- Hiring procedures
- Designing career progression paths
- Creating a culture where ideas flow in all directions
- Conducting regular P&C audits
- Human Resources Management Systems – Payroll, Time-tracking, Paid leave, etc.
- Organizing events and off-site leadership sessions
Operations & Systems - SERVICE
- Scheduling and dispatch procedures, scripts, and KPIs
- Customer Service training, procedures, checklists and KPIs
- Procedures, checklists, and KPIs for technicians
- Warehouse and inventory software, procedures, checklists, and KPIs
- OSHA and EPA Compliance
- Equipment maintenance procedures, checklists, and KPIs
- Fleet procurement procedures, checklists, and KPIs
- Conducting operational audits
- Implementing ERP for Operations and Finance
Operations & Systems - CONSTRUCTION
- Bidding and estimation procedures, scripts, and KPIs
- Project management training, procedures, checklists and KPIs
- Procedures, checklists, and KPIs for builders
- Purchasing/Procurement procedures, checklists and KPIs
- Warehouse and inventory software, procedures, checklists, and KPIs
- OSHA and EPA Compliance
- Equipment maintenance procedures, checklists, and KPIs
- Fleet and equipment procurement procedures, checklists, and KPIs
- Conducting operational audits
- Implementing ERP for Operations and Finance
Finance
- Understanding revenue and creating financial forecasts based on AR, WIP and backlog.
- Cash flow Management – Ensuring the company never runs out of money
- Building a price book in order to keep gross margins in the top 75th percentile in the industry
- Creating segmented income statements to understand contribution margin by segment and what work the business should focus on
- Calculating Expected Value on capital allocation projects
- Completing financial budgets for each department and keeping department head accountable
- Reducing SG&A and turning fixed costs into variable costs where possible
- Reducing the cash conversion cycle
- Reducing cost of capital
Sales & Marketing
- Creating and promoting customer personas and honing value propositions
- Branding for the company (new website, and promotional materials)
- Creating a multi-channel, scalable customer acquisition strategy that utilizes digital and traditional channels (typically local SEO, PPC, TV ads, direct marketing)
- Process and training for a scalable sales prospecting strategy done offshore
- Building the KPIs for the sales department, creating and iterating on training, scripts, and holding call review meetings and lead pipeline meetings
- Process for validating new markets and new products
Why We Created ACE
During our first acquisitions, many of our partners were not ready to take over a business. They were overwhelmed and this led to a low quality of life. They became owner-operators, just like the sellers.
This Framework was battle tested on several businesses and has led to a completely different owner experience and a significantly improved company culture.
ACE Integration
The Acquira Certified Enterprise (ACE) Framework is a change management system designed to integrate, systematize, and grow newly acquired businesses, with a special emphasis on culture, systems, and servant leadership.
ACE Integration is the perfect tool for post-acquisition growth. The ACE Integration process takes 8 months to complete.
ACE Integration is required as part of our equity participation in a deal.
If you'd like to find out whether your business is already integrated, take our free quiz now.
Our Track Record
Since 2015, Acquira has acquired over 30 companies and invested in more than $50 million worth of small businesses.
In the last year, we’ve created one roll-up that we plan to take public in 2023. We know how to acquire businesses, implement systems, build culture, and create companies that allow owners to grow their own wealth and freedom.
That’s why we created The ACE Framework, a change management framework designed to grow an ownership-run business into a management-run business.
Meet The Coaches & Integrators
Our coaches have backgrounds in entrepreneurship, investment banking, private equity, and business operations. We’re here to help ensure that each business we work with is posed to make the biggest positive impact possible for its owners, employees, and community.
Quinn Huffman, Director of Operations
Quinn has served as Director of Operations and Director of Acquisitions for Acquira. He was the interim General Manager for a midwestern plumbing company and has overseen the integration of a number of home services businesses that Acquira has worked with.
Brian Stroh, Integrator
Brian has worn multiple hats over the years, from founder & CEO of his own companies to a management consultant where he delivered on-site Change Management Consulting, identifying constraints and creating plans to correct, metrics to measure and accountability to resolve.
Hayden Miyamoto / Co-Founder
Hayden is the co-founder of Wired Investors, Kingmakers, and Acquira. He has boot-strapped several 6 and 7-figure businesses and invested in over 30. He has deep experience developing systems to scale businesses. He is an investor and adviser and sits on the board of several companies.
Case Studies & Learning Material
At this HVAC company, Acquira’s Certified Integrators saw that the company’s culture was its superpower. However, the business needed to build a leadership team that held regular meetings. The changes were quick: Once the team was in place and a regular meeting cadence was adhered to, revenues began to climb.
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