Case Study: CB&A
"From start to finish, Journey Consulting made the deal come true. "
- Charlene Blohm, former CEO & President of CB&A
CB&A, A FINN Partners Company, is the most experienced marketing communications agency specializing in the U.S. education market. CB&A accelerates the growth of companies that provide products and services to K-12 school systems and higher education institutions. We believe that by accelerating our clients’ growth, we are contributing to positive outcomes for students and educators. We want to reach every student in the U.S.
When Jayne met Charlene Blohm at an entrepreneur group event, her hunger to learn and grow was evident. Charlene was already running a great company, and she was eager to further position herself and her business to achieve her goal of exiting CB&A in 2-3 years.
Before Working with Journey
There was no outside business evaluation
Charlene had reduced her involvement in day-to-day operations and was looking to offboard more tasks
Not all business systems and processes were fully documented.
Key metrics were being tracked and managed, but the team didn't know where to focus to drive value
How We Achieved Results
Performed a business valuation to set a baseline of business value and establish key areas of improvement
Worked with Charlene to empower and train next-level leaders to grow the organization and drive results
Developed and documented standardized processes and workflows for remaining areas of the business
Implemented trailing 12-month financial metrics to focus on business value growth
Grew team confidence, allowing Charlene to take a month-long business and personal trip out of the country.
Value Journey Results - CB&A
128% Increase in Business Value in 2.5 Years
65% Revenue Growth
45% EBITDA Growth
In 2023, CB&A sold for a 6.5x Multiple!
The next level leaders became a critical component of the acquisition allowing Charlene an easy transition.
Charlene is staying on with the buyer for a brief period, ensuring a successful transition.
By focusing on building value and strategically positioning herself to exit on her own terms, Charlene can now focus on her family and enjoy the fruits of her labor!
CHARLENE BLOHM
Senior Partner of
CB&A, A FINN Partners Company
Former CEO & President of CB&A
Partnering with Journey Consulting
“From start to finish, Journey Consulting made the deal come true. We kicked off with an easy-to-follow evaluation process, which was so helpful in evaluating options later.
We had more than 20 years of benchmarks and metrics, and Jayne McQuillan helped us figure out where to focus, offering tangible tips on how to move the numbers as needed.
Jayne knew our numbers cold, and I was glad to have her with me during interviews with prospective buyers all the way through evaluation of the bids received and final purchase agreement.
I greatly appreciate the support of both Jayne and Brenda at each step along our shared journey.”
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