 THE BIG SQUEEZE SPRINT
One Sprint. A 30-Day Plan to Move EBITDA
AÂ structured intervention designed to turn capability gaps into a concrete value creation plan.
“The constraint is rarely capital. The constraint is capability.”
WHAT OPERATORS SAY
"John helped us move beyond surface-level issues and diagnose the real constraints affecting growth and execution. Using the framework and process, we uncovered over 100 operational symptoms and 13 underlying root causes impacting alignment, structure and strategic delivery. The process gave us a clearer operating rhythm and helped restore strategic focus across the organisation."
“The framework helped us identify the core execution issues affecting performance rather than continuously reacting to symptoms. By diagnosing around 30 operational issues and isolating three major root causes, our leadership team became more aligned, proactive and focused on high-value priorities.”
“John brings a rare combination of strategic thinking and practical execution expertise. His methodology helped our senior leadership team improve alignment, sharpen decision-making and reconnect strategic priorities to operational reality.”
 THE REAL COST OF THE SQUEEZE
Every week execution stalls, value leaks
You've seen it in the gap between what the value creation plan promises and what the business is actually delivering.
In the decisions that take too long. In the leadership team that's working hard but not pulling in the same direction. In the board meetings where the numbers move but performance doesn't.
The question is no longer whether the Squeeze is costing you. It's how much — and how long you're prepared to let it run.
In private equity, time is not neutral. Every quarter of execution drag has a direct impact on EBITDA trajectory, exit readiness, and valuation. The businesses that close the capability gap faster are the ones that outperform at exit.
The Sprint is how you close it.
The longer you wait, the more it compounds.
WHY THE USUAL FIXES DON'T WORK
More reporting won't fix it.
Another consultant won't fix it.
Most fixes treat symptoms rather than the operating system underneath.
The Sprint takes a different approach — a precise diagnostic, then a 30-day plan with executive-grade outputs you can use immediately.
Treats the symptom
Dashboards tell you where.
They show where performance is falling short. They don't tell you why decisions aren't turning into action.
Treats the symptom
Consultants identify problems.
They don't always leave behind the capability to keep solving them. The engagement ends — so does the progress.
Treats the symptom
Senior hires add talent.
They don't automatically fix the execution rhythm around them. New people inside the same operating system.
Introducing: THE SPRINT
A focused diagnostic
and value creation reset
The Sprint is not a course. It is a structured intervention. You bring your portfolio company situation.
You leave with a clear picture of what's blocking value creation and a 30-day plan to move it.
Diagnose
A structured assessment of your portfolio company's lifecycle stage, capability pressure points and execution gaps. A precise diagnostic tied to where value creation is actually breaking down.
Map
A Decision Map that identifies where decision-making is misaligned, unclear, or too slow — and what it's costing you in execution speed and EBITDA performance.
Reset
A 30-Day Value Creation Reset Plan built around your specific constraints. Prioritised, actionable, and designed to be taken directly into a board meeting or leadership session.
Debrief
A 30-minute 1:1 Executive Debrief with John. Not a sales call. A working session to pressure-test your plan and answer the hard questions.
YOUR GUIDE THROUGH THE SPRINT
25 years building capability inside the pressure environments you're operating in now.
John Grisby is a Professor of Practice in Leadership and Managing Partner at Grey Matter Global. He does not consult from the outside. He embeds into the operating reality of PE-backed businesses and builds the internal capability that makes value creation plans executable.
He has worked with portfolio companies at every stage of the mid-market growth curve — from founder-led businesses navigating the transition to professional management, to turnaround situations requiring rapid execution discipline, to buy-and-build strategies that demand leadership alignment at scale.
His clients are not looking for another advisory relationship. They are looking for something that changes what the organisation can do. That is the only standard the Sprint is held to.
WHAT YOU GET
Executive-grade outputs. Built to move into a board conversation immediately.
Big Squeeze Diagnostic Snapshot
Decision-to-Impact Readiness Brief
Decision Map / Stakeholder Map
30-DayValue Creation Reset Plan
Sprint tools & resources
30-minute Executive Debrief with John
WHAT OPERATORS SAY
“The methodology fundamentally changed how we approached problem-solving and organisational performance. Our leadership team gained the ability to diagnose issues systematically, identify root causes and implement more structured execution processes across the business.”
“John combines academic rigour with real-world operational experience in a way that is highly practical for leadership teams navigating growth, complexity and change. His frameworks helped us simplify difficult organisational challenges and create clearer execution focus.”
“The approach provided a practical structure for aligning leadership, improving execution discipline and accelerating strategic implementation. We estimate the framework helped reduce our implementation timeline by between six and eight months.”
FAQ
Is this leadership training?
We already have operating partners.
We already use consultants.
We don't have time.
Our issue is commercial or financial, not leadership
Will this produce measurable results?
The businesses that close the capability gap faster are the ones that outperform at exit
Diagnose the pressure before it compounds.
Start the Sprint From $297 →