Abstracts.

Jim Barnish: Tradesmith

TradeSmith is a wealth-tech SaaS company that offers hedge fund-level insights designed for the individual investor. 

The Challenge

This successful $30M+ revenue wealth-tech company was underperforming due to misaligned organizational fundamentals that limited its growth and threatened to diminish its valuation. A Value Creation Assessment (VCA) revealed the company’s valuation in the marketplace was lower than what was hoped, but there were opportunities for significant optimization. At the time, the company’s largest purchase offer came from an existing strategic investor, at a valuation not suitable to the founder, Richard Smith. 

My Role

Growth Architect

I was tasked with identifying and executing value creation opportunities to successfully optimize capital spend, uncover additional revenue drivers and ultimately, increase the value of the business rapidly to position the company to be bought, not sold, at the right time and right price.



The Work

Performed a Value Creation Assessment (VCA).

  • Executed a thorough diagnostic; reviewed all existing company data, analyzed the market, and interviewed internal and external stakeholders.‍

Transformed data from VCA into key insights.

  • Identify key insights and value creation opportunities for effective progression toward value optimization.

Transformed insights into actionable recommendations. 

  • Compiled insights into a series of recommendations on how to maximize the value of the business going forward.

‍Developed and executed a tailored growth strategy.

  • Revised go-to-market strategy and accompanying investment/exit strategy, including the creation of all collateral and processes.
  • Evaluated several potential investors and buyers. 
The Outcome

Orchid Black’s VCA identified opportunities and quick-wins to execute on immediately, which significantly increased the value of the business in a short period of time. During the course of a seven-month growth services engagement, the organization deployed a new go-to-market strategy that made it much more attractive to the eventual buyer, and realized a 55 percent jump in company valuation, making the exit much more attractive to the company’s founder.

TradeSmith Investment Optionality
“

TradeSmith is a classic example of a founder who had done a brilliant job at building a thriving business, but now the company was underperforming. We identified value creation opportunities and together, executed on a strategy that rapidly positioned the company to be purchased at a significantly increased valuation that gave the company’s founder the exit he deserved.

”
––Jim Barnish, Managing Partner, Orchid Black