Eco Living Club Case Study
Exit Readiness & Metrics Architecture: Turning Spreadsheets into a Buyer-Ready Story
Results At A Glance
Exit KPI Architecture
Codified the metrics buyers care about (SKU‑level margins, gross‑to‑net waterfall, inventory turns, channel CAC/LTV, contribution margin after fulfillment).
Built a single source of truth and a lightweight dashboard.
Cadence & Governance
Installed a weekly KPI rhythm and a board‑ready monthly packet so leadership could run toward the exit window with fewer surprises and clearer decision gates.
Pricing & Packaging
Created 12–24 month base / conservative / accelerated cases with sensitivity drivers (COGS, freight, promo spend, pricing) and a value‑creation plan aligned to likely acquirer synergies.
Diligence‑Ready Narrative
Organized a buyer‑first storyline with clean cohorts (customer, SKU, and channel), unit economics, churn/returns, supplier concentration, and QA signals: packaged for fast diligence.
Signal
Great product and momentum, but the exit conversation was getting ahead of the numbers.
Metrics definitions were inconsistent across tools, reporting was manual, and the narrative mixed growth and mission without a cohesive value bridge for buyers.
Structure
We rebuilt around four workstreams:
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Definitions & Instrumentation
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Standardized metric definitions (GM% post‑fulfillment, contribution margin, CAC by channel, inventory turns).
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Assembled a SKU‑level gross‑to‑net view (list → promo → shipping/fulfillment → returns/allowances).
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Consolidated data sources into a single workbook view; reduced manual entry and versioning.
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Buyer‑First Narrative & Data Room
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Drafted a diligence outline (market, unit economics, cohorts, supply chain, quality/returns, concentration risks).
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Built cohort cuts (customer/channel/SKU) and flagged where data needed remediation before sharing.
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Forecast Model & Valuation Bridges
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Built a light 3‑case (conservative, base, aggressive) model with key sensitivities (costs, promos, price, mix).
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Developed a value bridge from historicals → potential exit opportunities with clear metrics.
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Operating Rhythm
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Instituted a weekly KPI review and a monthly packet with trends, exceptions, and decisions due.
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Defined go/no‑go criteria for buyer outreach waves based on data completeness and KPI thresholds.
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Scale
With clean definitions, a diligence‑ready packet, and an operating rhythm:
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Leadership can walk buyers through a consistent, auditable story in minutes.
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Gaps are visible early, shortening remediation and due‑diligence cycles.
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Negotiation confidence increases because drivers and sensitivities are explicit and defensible.
