336-932-6575
Background
A highly profitable $12 million fire protection contractor with 65 employees operating across two locations in Georgia, specializes in the installation and maintenance of fire suppression and sprinkler systems for the commercial and industrial sectors. The company has built a strong reputation for quality and reliability. However, with a growing business and upcoming leadership transitions, they faced critical challenges: the absence of a clear succession plan, gaps in middle management and leadership bandwidth, cash flow and working capital constraints, and legacy operational systems that hindered efficiency and real-time performance tracking.
Challenges Identified
-
Lack of a formal succession or transition plan, risking business continuity and valuation
-
Insufficient leadership bandwidth at the middle management level to support growth and operational oversight
-
Cash flow and working capital management issues impacting project execution and profitability
-
Outdated legacy systems limiting operational efficiency, job costing accuracy, and real-time performance insights
-
Potential risk of operational stagnation and loss of value without strategic interventions
Solution Implemented by Shapcott & Lauber:
Our team worked with management to develop a comprehensive strategic and operational enhancement plan:
-
Crafted a tailored succession and transition plan with a key operations director to prepare leadership for future ownership changes
-
Identified leadership gaps and implemented middle management development programs to build capacity
-
Streamlined cash flow management and working capital strategies to improve project funding and profitability
-
Assessed and upgraded operational systems, integrating more advanced job costing, project tracking, and performance dashboards
-
Designed scalable processes to support continued growth and improve operational visibility
-
Facilitated leadership alignment and ongoing coaching to embed a culture of continuous improvement
Results
-
A sound succession plan established, reducing uncertainty and safeguarding business valuation
-
Strengthened middle management, creating a more resilient and scalable leadership structure
-
Improved cash flow and working capital management, leading to smoother project execution and higher margins
-
Upgraded operational systems enabling real-time performance tracking and more accurate job costing
-
Enhanced operational efficiency, positioning the company for sustainable growth and increased market competitiveness
Client Testimonial
We were initially skeptical about bringing in an outside consulting firm to evaluate our business. But after our initial meeting with Bill Shapcott, his practical insights and low-pressure offer of a complimentary 5-hour company review gave us the confidence to take the first step.
Working with Bill and George Lauber through the initial business and financial review quickly revealed that we lacked many of the foundational structures and financial management systems we needed. That realization led us to move forward with their 2-Day Discovery process.
When Brian Norton completed the Discovery, it truly opened our eyes—we had far more room for improvement than we’d imagined. That engagement became a turning point for our business.
Shapcott & Lauber's Project Director, Vince Botto helped us build a clear succession plan, upgraded our systems, and as a result we gained a better real-time visibility into operations. Vince's support in improving our cash flow management and strengthening leadership capacity has been invaluable.
Thanks to Vince and the S&L team with their strategic guidance, we now have the confidence to pursue new growth opportunities. We’re in a stronger position than ever to secure our legacy and expand our footprint.
Let's have a conversation
This is a Paragraph. Click on "Edit Text" or double click on the text box to start editing the content.