The birth of EquityBuilder: a hard lesson in business turnaround

Early in my career, I was given a daunting yet exciting opportunity—a turnaround project involving multiple businesses in the building materials industry. With a solid track record as a CFO and Managing Director in publicly listed companies, I felt confident. When the owner asked if I was up for the challenge, my answer was immediate and resolute. I was convinced I could turn things around. My entrepreneurial spirit spoke louder than my caution.

But as I dove into the task, reality set in. I quickly realized two fundamental things were missing:

1. A system to quantify the depth of the problem – I had no structured way to assess and measure the true state of distressed companies.

2. A roadmap for improvement – Without a clear plan for change, my progress was slow and reactive.

As time wore on, it became painfully clear that I was wasting valuable time just to reach a harsh conclusion—the business was beyond saving. I had poured months into trying to fix something that, in hindsight, may never have been salvageable from the start.

A solution born from a hard lesson

This experience stayed with me, and I kept reflecting on what I could have done differently. What if I had a system to measure and visualize the company's status right from the beginning? I needed a tool that went beyond just financial metrics and could provide a holistic view of the business. This tool would not only include numbers but also quantitative elements to reveal hidden weaknesses and areas for potential growth.

And that’s how the idea of EquityBuilder was born.

With EquityBuilder, I now have a structured, visual method to capture the true health of a company. It’s designed to offer a complete picture, integrating Financial intelligence, Value opportunities, Value enablers and retention, and Future value. With this tool, I would have been able to show the owner a clear assessment of the business's condition and explain the resources and time that would be required to fix it—if it could even be fixed.

The EquityBuilder system in action

Today, when I look at businesses, I can generate a clear, quantifiable visualization of their status, much like the image of "Company X" here. This radar chart tells a story—where the strengths are, where the weaknesses hide, and what it would take to create a balanced, sustainable path forward. This clarity is what I wish I’d had back then, and it’s what EquityBuilder now provides to owners, CEOs, and boards who are serious about understanding and maximizing their company’s potential.

Based on a chart like this, I would have been able to warn the owner that it might be wiser to close the company or to accept that we were in for a long and costly journey to turn it around. I would have been able to take informed decisions before committing valuable resources to an uncertain outcome.

EquityBuilder is for me more than just a system. It’s a result of years of experience, a hard-learned lesson, and a vision to empower others in making informed, strategic decisions.

Would you like to know more about EquityBuilder and its Value Gap Assessment? Happy to discuss during a free consultation: andi@theEquityBuilder.com