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CORE COMPETENCIES

 

 

Executive Advisory Services & Management Consulting

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Catalyst Insight Partners believes that the best way to create value is to form a close partnership with outstanding and experienced operating executives. This approach greatly enhances our ability to maximize the future growth opportunities of each company through open communication and prompt decision making. We accelerate the achievement of management’s vision for a company by sharing ideas, experiences, systems, and insights with management.

Many of our clients engage us on an on-going basis to serve in a formal advisory role to the board, majority owner, or CEO.  Catalyst works with management teams to provide and help implement industry best practices and identify key performance indicators beginning with the CEO and his/her key reports throughout the organization.

We provide insights on key industry trends and issues, and serve as an impartial third-party sounding board for ideas. We provide analytical and strategic planning support to help the management team deal with some of the brand’s most difficult challenges. 

 

• Executive Mentorship

• Business Model Enhancement

• Outsourced Management Team Support 

• Transitional Leadership

• Management Changes

• Board or Investor Advisory

• Board of Directors Representation

• Research & Analysis

• Special Projects

 

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Corporate Development & Finance

 

Our clients engage us to assist with strategic financing, capital structuring, and investment decisions. Our goal is to assist management in maximizing shareholder value through long and short-term financial planning and the implementation of strategies that serve to accelerate growth and enhance valuation. 

 

• Management team recruitment

• Strategic alliances

• Ramping or exiting markets or offerings

• Corporate financing

• Acquisition identification and deal support

 

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Capital Planning & Execution

 

The team at Catalyst works with management teams to develop strategic bank relationships (“SBRs”) for the brand.  An SBR is a collaborative effort between lender and franchisor to set up a predictable model for franchise financing. Specifically created for start-up and expanding franchisees, the program is limited to franchise systems with measured performance and experience within their market segment.  SBR financing can also be used for debt restructuring and brand reimaging campaigns.

 

An SBR provides the following advantages to a brand:

 

            Validation of the Brand by a Financial Institution

            Availability of Capital to Finance Expansion and Renovation

            Predictability of Access to Capital 

            Direct Access to Bank Decision Makers

            Availability of Better Financing Terms

            Increased Working Capital for Franchisees

            Availability of Capital for All Credit Profiles

            Preferential Treatment of Franchisee Applicants

            Reduced Time to Apply for and Obtain Financing

            Positive Public Relations and Marketing Message

 

Financial Services — Catalyst also works with management teams to identify non-bank financial service providers to assist franchisees in financing unit level growth, remodels, and acquisitions.

 

• Franchisee Finance

• IRA Rollover Program (ROBS)

• Fleet & Equipment Leasing

• SBA Lending

• Merchant Processing

• Loyalty Programs

• Gift Cards

 

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Strategy Development & Execution

 

Today’s Marketplace is increasingly crowded and faces significant disruption. Consumer trends, regulatory activity, capital markets, labor and economic pressure, new technology, demographic shifts and changing buyer behaviors all put pressure on a company’s business model. Turnarounds are more challenging than anticipated. New brands may struggle to break out or achieve growth objectives. Executive teams are often challenged to step outside day-to-day operations to do the necessary data analysis, field investigative work, organization capabilities mapping, competitive assessment, and ideation to craft new strategic options.  We deliver the insights, analytics and operational assistance to help inform both investor and corporate decision-making and strategy.  

 

• Macro and Micro Disruption

• Economic and Marketplace Volatility 

• Leadership Disruptors

• Brand Crisis Management 

 

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Turnaround, Restructuring & Transformation

 

We work with franchises facing significant field execution challenges, excessive leverage, liquidity challenges, balance sheet issues, leadership turnover, declining unit fundamentals, franchisee discontent or distress, or closures. We also work with brands struggling with external forces such as market or technology disruption, changing consumer purchase behavior, or competitive factors. 

 

Distressed brands can be extremely attractive acquisition targets with the right risk mitigation and turnaround plan to ensure desired investment outcomes can be achieved. We work with investors to find the right opportunities and develop the path for dramatic improvement.

 

• Unit Level Economic Maximization

• Franchisor Operations Audit & Systems Review

• Strategic Alliances & Supply Partners

• Stabilize Operations & Restore Positive Cash Flow

• Key Stakeholder Relationships

• Crisis Support & Interim Management

• Forecasting & Benchmarking

• Capital Market Support 

• Expert Witness & Planning for Lending Partners

• Restructuring Support & Chief Restructuring Officer 

• Long-term Recovery Planning & Operations Planning

 

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Due Diligence & Investment Support

 

True system health, potential for return on capital, and portfolio fit can be difficult to ascertain using traditional tools. Franchising is unique. We draw from deep franchise sector experience to validate brands that deserve attention. Within those target brands, we identify opportunities for growth and value extraction based on a holistic understanding of how effective franchise systems are created. We support all phases of the investment process. When modeling value creation opportunities and exit planning, we focus on driving upside potential with risk mitigation strategies to inform the due diligence process and investment strategy. We go beyond typical advisory services and work as an operating partner, assuming responsibility for outcomes and often co-investing.

 

• Franchise Feasibility Studies

• Target Identification

• Market Analysis

• Competitive Analysis

• Deal Sourcing

• Due Diligence

• Unit Level Profitability Diagnostics

• Mystery Shopping & Franchisee Interviews

• Post-Acquisition or Post-Merger Planning

• Board Representation

• Exit Target Development

 

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Go-To-Market Strategy and Execution

 

Any successful growth strategy requires thoughtful planning and prioritization to identify the best opportunities, aligned with the right execution and capital support plan. We work with clients on market identification and new market entry initiatives, multi-unit operator selection for acquisition, partnerships, branding, marketing, and real estate. We develop sales plans, sales analytics and forecasting, customer segmentation, territory transformation and new real estate models to maximize market penetration and unit level profitability for franchisees.

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Brand Building & Franchise Development 

 

It is common for once-promising franchise brands to stall. Common causes include failing franchisee recruiting strategies, weak capitalization, and insufficient operational support. This can lead to sold but unopened units, unhappy franchisees, lender pull-back, more restrictive covenants, validation problems, and weak performance. Our franchise development approach focuses on creating attractive core value and profitability strategies for franchisees.  We then help brands target the right franchisees and create holistic franchise development plans that deliver sustainable growth. Our development planning also includes existing owner expansion and strategies to attract strong multi-unit operators. 

 

We work with management to build differentiated franchise brands that deliver strong value propositions to both customers and franchisees. We then communicate those value propositions to the marketplace. Catalyst works with management teams to help identify what the brand’s future as a franchisor looks like 5 to 10 years out and assist the management team to initiate key initiatives to achieve that vision.

 

• Lead Generation

• Franchise Sales

• Franchise Buyer Archetype Targeting

• Content Strategy

• Resale Programs

• Campaign Development

• Case Studies

• Territory Geographic & Demographic Growth Analysis

• Market Development Strategies

• Franchise Advisory Council Creation or Support

• Franchisor Infrastructure Development & Support

 

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Developing People & Organizational Culture

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In order to achieve breakthrough results, we infuse organizations with the necessary knowledge, skills, habits, attitudes, collaborative culture, and discipline to achieve a rapid breakthrough in growth and earnings. Our organizational design and culture transformations include extensive coaching around the unique challenges and opportunities of the franchisor-franchisee relationship.

• Management Team Recruiting

• Outsourced Executive Leadership

• Organizational Design

• Culture Design & Strategy

• Change Leadership

• Communications Planning

• Coaching & Development

• Stakeholder Workshops

• Franchise Advisory Council Design & Support

 

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Research, Analysis, & Special Projects

 

Franchise management teams must stay focused on impactful initiatives. Our approach helps leadership identify priorities and we provide an experienced outside perspective.  We take on key questions that inside resources often cannot, either because they are too close to the issues or because there are inherent conflicts of interest. Catalyst can act as the brand’s special projects team to complete data-driven, mission critical strategic analysis or other projects on behalf of franchise or board leadership.

 

• Market Entry Analysis 

• Market Maximization Analysis

• Impact of Potential Regulatory Changes

• Impact of Changes in Demographics

• Impact of Shifting Consumer Demand

 

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Innovation & Change Management

 

Franchise buyers (as well as finance partners, debt markets and investors,) want evidence of a brand’s sustainability. A brand’s current franchisees are also considering expansion options – should they expand with the brand or look elsewhere for growth? Increasingly, the issue of brand resilience is a key decision filter for buyers. Catalyst works with clients on contingency and investment planning, improving unit level economics, and technology strategies. 

 

Catalyst also works with clients to transform organizational performance and franchisor-franchisee alignment.  Our objective is substantial and sustainable improvement in outcomes and brand trajectory.  Our leaders have deep experience leading organizational change initiatives across teams, cultures, and international markets. We also bring a network of relationships, proprietary tools and deep knowledge about franchising.

 

 

Strategic Partner Programs

 

Catalyst cultivates new and existing relationships with key suppliers and vendors that are critical to the growth of a franchise system.  Catalyst's advisors are deeply networked and provide access to important relationships with service providers.  We can create custom programs or provide outsourced fractional leadership solutions.

 

• Construction Management & Prototype Development

• Crisis Management

• Event Management

• Franchise Development

• Industry-Specific Partnerships

• Insurance

• Lead Generation

• Legal Services

• Lending

• Marketing

• Merchant Services

• Public Relations

• Real Estate

• Safety & Workers Compensation Programs

• Vehicle Leasing

• Website Development