Accelerating Value Creation in a High-Rate Era: Insights from ISF Chicago 2024

On September 12, 2024, the Independent Sponsor Forum (ISF) in Chicago brought together leading voices in private equity and value creation for a highly engaging panel discussion on one of the most pressing challenges of our time: “Frameworks to Accelerate Value Creation in an Inflationary/High-Interest Rate Environment.”

Moderated by Craig Group Managing Partner Summer Craig, the panel included expert insights from:

• Laura Lester of Onward Capital
• Andy Tatman of Resolute Capital Partners
• Ryan Brown of Insperity

Their collective experience provided attendees with actionable strategies tailored to the realities of lower middle market portfolio companies, particularly those without in-house Revenue Operations (RevOps) infrastructure.

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Strategy: Laying the Foundation for Value Creation

The conversation opened with a foundational question: “What defines a successful value creation strategy?” In an environment where the old playbooks often fall short, the panel emphasized that growth requires more than intention. It demands decisive and early action.

Andy Tatman offered the capital provider’s perspective, sharing that firms like Resolute expect independent sponsors to bring a clear, actionable growth strategy to the table — not just investment ideas. Summer highlighted a common pitfall of delaying implementation post-close: “A growth plan needs to be in place to bridge the gap between diligence and execution.”

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Process: The First 100 Days Matter

A key takeaway from the panel was the importance of structure and accountability early on. Laura Lester underlined that many portcos start from a blank slate. Thus, setting up core processes within the first 100 days, including operational rhythms, accountability structures, and performance benchmarks, is critical.

Summer added: “We consistently see failure in the first 6 to 9 months due to inactivity and a lack of investment in RevOps.” This phase is crucial to avoid “drift,” where initiatives stall due to unclear ownership or competing priorities.

Andy followed with a discussion on KPI cadence, noting that timely and relevant metrics help drive strategic discipline. Summer emphasized the distinction between leading and lagging indicators — “Revenue is a lagging KPI. If it’s all you’re watching, it’s too late.”

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People: The Right Roles at the Right Time

As the panel moved into talent and organizational structure, Ryan Brown emphasized identifying critical roles that enable growth and operational traction. However, as Summer pointed out, “Hiring a CRO without a process in place sets them up to fail.” The infrastructure needs to come before the headcount.

Laura touched on board support and the importance of value-add board members who actively guide portfolio companies, especially those with green leadership teams. Perhaps the most telling anecdote was about a CEO who had every strategic detail locked in his own mind — a clear lesson in why knowledge sharing and documentation matter.

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Systems: Building the Infrastructure for Scale

The panel wrapped up with a discussion on essential tools for scaling. From CRM systems to financial dashboards, panelists stressed that technology must enable visibility and accountability. Systems don’t have to be complex, but they must be in place to support data-driven decisions and coordinated execution.

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Final Thoughts

The ISF Chicago panel underscored that accelerating value creation in today’s economic climate requires clarity, commitment, and early operational investment. While each company’s path will be different, the foundational pillars remain consistent: define strategy early, invest in enabling processes, put the right people in place, and support them with the right tools.