Maximize Asset Value. Eliminate the Efficiency Tax.
We partner with PE Operating Partners and Portfolio Leaders to audit and remove the structural drag; Speed, Bloat, and Talent - that is costing your portfolio up to 30% of its EBITDA.
Growth Creates Friction. Friction Erodes Value.
In aggressive "Buy and Build" strategies or Series B scale-ups, organisational complexity often outpaces leadership capability.
When structure breaks, operating leverage reverses. You add headcount, but output flatlines.
The Speed Tax: Decision latency slows time-to-market.
The Bloat Tax: Process debt and meeting overload inflate OPEX.
The Talent Tax: Untrained managers drive expensive turnover.
We don’t just "coach leaders." We re-engineer the decision-making structures and operating rhythms to stop the leak, protect your margins, and prepare the asset for exit.
The Offer Ladder: Diagnose → Fix → Transform
We don’t start with solutions. We start by diagnosing where friction is really coming from.
Once that’s clear, we build the right response — fast, targeted, and tied to commercial outcomes.
Efficiency Audit
The Output: A board-ready audit identifying your primary constraint (Speed, Bloat, or Talent) and a calculated "Cost of Inefficiency" report.
What We Deliver:
The Three Drains Analysis: A structural pulse-check to locate exactly where the asset is leaking value (Decision Latency vs. Process Debt vs. Turnover Risk).
The Financial Calculator: A costed view of inefficiency - quantifying exactly how much EBITDA is being eroded by the current operating model.
The "One-Fix" Sprint: We don’t just diagnose; we implement one immediate, high-impact intervention to prove ROI within weeks.
The Roadmap: A clear, prioritized plan to close the remaining drains over the next quarter.
Best for: Operating Partners who need a rapid, data-backed view of an asset’s health before committing to a larger transformation.
The Speed and Bloat Intervention
The Operational Sprint
The Goal: A targeted operational sprint to reduce "Decision Latency" (Speed Tax) and eliminate "Process Debt" (Bloat Tax).
We deploy in one of two modes:
Velocity Mode (Speed Tax): We restructure authority matrices, clarify decision rights, and implement "Disagree & Commit" protocols to accelerate product/service delivery.
Margin Mode (Bloat Tax): We audit the "Meeting Tax," remove low-value forums, and streamline cross-functional handoffs to reduce OPEX drag.
Best for: Assets that are missing growth targets due to internal bureaucracy rather than market conditions.
The Capability De-Risking Programme
The Leadership De-Risk
The Goal: Protecting the asset from the "Talent Tax" by stabilizing the middle layer.
The Intervention: Strong assets fail when "Accidental Managers" are promoted without the toolkit to lead. We deploy a rapid upskilling structure to prevent high-performer burnout and regretful attrition.
Drive Accountability: Shift managers from "task doers" to "outcome owners."
Feedback Loops: Install rigorous performance management rhythms that actually drive revenue behaviors.
Retention: Create clear pathways for high-performers to reduce key-person risk.
Best for: Companies where founder-led sales/operations are bottlenecking because the middle management layer cannot carry the load.
The Value Creation Programme
The Full Structural Reset
The Goal: A comprehensive operational overhaul designed for assets navigating Merger Integration, Series B Transition, or Pre-Exit Preparation.
The Scope: This is the full deployment of the Three Drains Framework to protect EBITDA and prepare the organization for scale.
The Full Roadmap: Execution of the Speed, Bloat, and Talent interventions simultaneously.
Board Alignment: Aligning the Executive Team and Investors on the operating rhythm.
Operating Model Reset: We don’t just fix the symptoms; we install the meeting cadences, decision rights, and leadership behaviors required for the next valuation milestone.
Best for: "Buy & Build" integrations or assets requiring a heavy lift to get back on track.
Why Work With Christen
Christen Gilchrist is a business psychologist and organisational strategist with over 15 years of experience. Her work spans the NHS, global consulting firms, and mid-market companies in the UK, Europe, UAE, and Australia.
She combines deep expertise in behavioural science with the commercial lens of someone who understands operations inside fast-moving businesses. Her clients trust her to cut through noise, build leadership confidence, and design systems that actually work.
You’ll work directly with Christen throughout each engagement.