Exit Strategy Consulting for Investors
Maximize Alpha.
Streamline Operations.
Elevate Value.
At Ascent Consulting, we specialize in helping investors in construction, specialty contracting, and trade services companies achieve strong, strategic exits. Whether you’re preparing to bring a portfolio company to market or exploring options in the secondaries landscape, our growth and exit strategy consulting services are designed to maximize ROI and position your investment for peak valuation.
Unlocking Value During the Final Hold Years
For private equity firms holding construction and trade services businesses in the 3–5 year range- this could be longer or shorter for an exit, Ascent provides targeted consulting engagements that align with your exit strategy timeline. Our approach goes beyond surface-level cleanup. We embed operational improvements and leadership discipline that translate directly into higher EBITDA, stronger financial narratives, and increased buyer confidence.
Our services during the final hold period include:
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Operational Efficiency Reviews: Identify and eliminate cost centers, overhead bloat, or process bottlenecks that drag down profitability. We improve job costing accuracy, inventory control, and margin discipline to unlock latent earnings potential before a transaction.
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Scalable Systems Implementation: Ensure the business is built to grow beyond your exit. We implement SOPs, technology integrations (ERP, project management, procurement platforms), and performance metrics that demonstrate operational maturity and reduce buyer risk.
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Leadership and Org Chart Optimization: Buyers look for proven teams and defined accountability. We help restructure leadership, define key roles, and create succession plans that appeal to strategic acquirers or secondary sponsors.
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Sell-Side Due Diligence Prep: We work with your team to identify operational red flags before buyers do. From WIP reporting to project margin analytics to backlog clarity, we help craft the cleanest operational story possible.
Secondaries Market Support
In today’s evolving private equity landscape, secondaries have become a powerful tool for maximizing value, extending hold periods, or recapitalizing strong portfolio companies. Ascent supports GP-led secondary sales and continuation vehicle setups by providing:
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Independent Operational Assessments: Build confidence with secondary buyers through third-party validation of the company’s systems, scalability, and operational excellence.
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Growth Plan Development: We help create credible forward-looking plans to support the next phase of value creation, whether under a continuation fund or new sponsor.
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Risk Mitigation Strategy: Highlight improvements already made and identify remaining execution risk—then provide actionable plans for reducing risk- changed the word here during the transition.
Exit-Focused Value Creation Plans
We understand what buyers, bankers, and investment committees want to see. Our Growth & Exit Strategy services are tailored to highlight:
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Consistent revenue and margin growth – We can’t highlight this if it doesn’t exist.
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Repeatable and scalable operational systems.
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Mature back-office and project controls infrastructure
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Clean inventory, procurement, and accounting processes
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A well-structured leadership team ready for the next phase
By aligning operational performance with financial narratives, Ascent helps ensure that the exit story is compelling, credible, and backed by data. – If it is.
Why Ascent?
With decades of experience advising construction firms and trade contractors—and deep familiarity with investor expectations—Ascent Consulting is the go-to partner for strategic exits in the built environment.
We don’t just prepare companies for sale. We engineer higher multiples.
Let’s Maximize the Return on Your Investment
Whether you’re preparing a portfolio company for a strategic buyer, a financial sponsor, or a secondaries recap, Ascent can help you present a business that commands a premium.
