Clear Perspective

Are You Properly Positioned?

2009-02-06T13:18:00.000-08:00

Navigating Through Disruptive Times
Do you have a roadmap for survival?

We are in the midst of unprecedented disruptive change:
• Companies are suffering from decreased revenues
• Layoffs are occurring across all sectors
• Purchase decisions are being delayed
• Credit is tight and capital is constrained

To survive in today's environment, it will require more than business as usual. Company leaders that are willing to take a good look at their business and are committed to making the changes that are required to best position their company to navigate the current economy can actually thrive and emerge even stronger.

Consider this; in a recent article in Forbes Magazine, Scott Anthony wrote that both Southwest and Intel had revenues less than $1 Billion in 1979. Both grew 30% per year during the down cycle of 1980-82. The same is true for Best Buy in 1991 and Amazon.com in 2001.

Companies WILL succeed through these disruptive times. And the best way to position for success is to understand your business and make proactive decisions to maximize your opportunities and minimize your risks.

3SIXO Advisors has over 20 years of experience helping middle market companies assess their opportunities and develop strategies to quickly recognize value. Our third-party, objective view allows us to provide "clear perspective" for informed decisions.

3SIX0 Advisors can help you chart a course for a healthy 2009 with a sound plan that includes:

• Operational Efficiency
• Rightsizing
• Strategic Partners & Alliances
• Effective Distribution
• Customer Acquisition & Retention
• Long Term Value Creation & Liquidity

Find out what you should be doing to make your company more effective and efficient and ensure your long term viability.
www.3SIX0Advisors.com

Facing the Challenge Ahead

2008-11-19T08:54:00.000-08:00

Proactive Planning for Changing Conditions

A recent survey of private company CEOs performed by PricewaterhouseCoopers and BSI Global Research, Inc. found that most companies are focused on the following opportunities:

• Cost cutting and operational efficiencies (81%)
• New products/services with greatest potential (71%)
• Reviewing and resetting near-future growth plans (67%)

These topics may come as no surprise as most companies have been affected by disruptive change in the economy and in their own industries. The interesting point is that these initiatives cut across both internal and external forces. Operational efficiency requires a company to look within and examine its processes and structure. New product development requires a strong understanding of the external market and the competitive environment. And developing sound growth strategies involves knowledge of your internal capabilities and resources as well as the trends and projections in the marketplace.

While the results of the survey indicate that CEOs and their management teams are proactively addressing the current economic slowdown, the recent wave of bankruptcies and layoffs would suggest that many companies continue to search for answers.
3SIXO Advisors is focused on helping company owners get the right answers to questions they have relating to pain, growth, and preparation for sale:

• Pain usually comes from disruptive change in their market, a change in management, or operational inefficiency.
• Growth issues may involve organic growth, expansion into new markets, innovation, or category creation.
• Sale involves working with owners and executive teams to develop growth and exit strategies that will lead to the highest value at the time of liquidity.

Our process of internal discovery and external market validation allow us to zero in on the issues that are facing a company and our third party status creates objectivity and “clear perspective” on the issues, challenges, and opportunities that you and your Board are dealing with. Our team is comprised of strategists and subject matter experts that have experience making decisions and producing results. We have the right people who have been in your shoes and successfully navigated through disruptive market change while in senior positions in middle market and Fortune 1000 companies.

Let us work with your Board or Executive Team to prioritize your issues and develop the right answers.

Please contact John Mooers for more information (949) 252-8828 or visit our website at www.3SIXOAdvisors.com .

Aligning Your Business With Current Market Conditions

2008-09-03T08:33:00.000-07:00

Are you prepared to take advantage of the market bounce?

Times are changing and extenuating factors are causing companies to miss their numbers and fail to meet shareholder expectations. In times of disruptive change, not many companies have the experience or discipline to make the tough decisions and take aggressive action to reduce their profile in concert with worsening market conditions, retool their internal structure, and address operational inefficiencies. Those that stay in alignment with market changes are able to maintain margins as the market contracts and are well positioned to bounce back and separate from the pack when the market turns.

3SIXO Advisors knows the difference that proactive planning can make with our middle market clients. Our third-party perspective allows us to get to the heart of the issues and address the critical factors that can keep your company healthy and prepare you for growth when the time is right.
Let us help you focus your efforts on addressing the true nature of your business.

• Crisis stabilization and viability reviews
• Strategic advice and business plan development
• Financial modeling
• Cost cutting
• Operational efficiency
• Performance improvement
• Transaction advice (acquisition and divestment)
• Financial and operational restructuring
• Critical process improvement
• Organizational change
• Management assessment and recruitment
• Workout plans

3SIXO Advisors has team members with over 50 years of combined experience that can assist companies in identifying opportunities for efficiency improvement and work within your structure to affect change. Our experience includes:

• CEO turnaround of both public and private companies
• Taking public companies private
• COO and CFO workout experience
• Experience selling off of assets and subsidiaries
• Operational efficiency improvement
• Disruptive market change strategy development
• Creation of Board of Advisors
• Management Team structure, recruiting, and training

Call us today at (949) 252-8828 to discuss how we can help you make the tough decisions and ensure that your company is in alignment with the current state of the market.

Market Downturns, Don't Go Along for the Ride

2008-08-12T07:26:00.000-07:00

What to do to stay ahead of the curve

Assess and Adjust to take Advantage of Changing Conditions

Many companies are ill prepared to deal with dramatic changes in the market, and the few that have developed contingency plans often jettison those plans due to the fear and uncertainty caused when the unexpected change actually occurs.

Do you have the right plan in place for the current market cycle? Strong executives recognize that changing markets create a real opportunity to develop new business models and capture increased marketshare from competitors. Those that can stay ahead of the curve and adapt to change stand to reap rewards in terms of growth, long term profitability, and staying power.

Downturns are not for the faint of heart. History has shown that leaders gain market share over their followers during downturns.

3SIXO Advisors has worked to help clients gain marketshare through downturns and disruptive industry changes. We develop recommendations, plans and strategies that result in both strategic and financial gain. Our third-party objective, market-based approach allows us to accurately assess and position our clients to take advantage of their opportunities. Let us assess your current situation and develop recommendations to position your company for growth.

Maximizing Strategic Alliances

2008-07-29T07:30:00.000-07:00

Are you getting the most from your partner relationships?

The Right Alliances Can Create Immense Value

How do you know if you are you making the most of your strategic alliances and partnerships? Do you even have alliance partners that are capable of promoting your business and driving growth? The value of a strong alliance partner goes far beyond top line revenue growth. Alliance partners can provide your company with the following:

• Credibility in your marketplace
• Extended network and extended “sales force”
• Ability to reach and service adjacent market spaces
• Creation of a more complete solution sale
• Competitive differentiation in the market
• Reduced costs associated with sales
• A potential future buyer for your company

The above list of benefits can only be recognized if you have a true strategic alliance built on mutual goals that provides some benefit to all partners. There are many alliances that exist in name only. But if the alliance doesn’t create synergies that complement each of the partners, chances are, it will not produce the desired results.

3SIXO Advisors has developed and implemented a number of alliance strategies for clients that have resulted in both strategic and financial gain for the participants. Our process and experience allow us to develop the criteria to identify potential alliance partners and the strategies to ensure success and maximum value.

Achieving Business Growth in a Down Market

2008-07-22T07:00:00.000-07:00

Are you doing the right things to ensure success?

Achieving business growth in a down economy can be a difficult task. This prospect can be compounded if your industry or market segment is undergoing disruptive change. The overwhelming tendency is to cut back, manage costs, and wait out the storm. Topics such as strategic planning are put on hold at a time when creativity and breakthrough thinking can provide extraordinary value.

Companies that turn inward and look to control costs in absence of a greater plan should instead be evaluating their strengths and offerings and putting themselves in a position to take advantage of opportunities that may arise.

Now is an ideal time to assess your prospects for growth and implement the strategies and tactics required to achieve that growth. 3SIXO Advisors can assist you with an objective, third-party assessment and identification of opportunities to pursue within your operations, your client base, and even potentially new and adjacent markets.

It may be time to re-evaluate your business model, explore partnerships and strategic alliances, or take advantage of opportune acquisitions. If you are experiencing disruptive change in your market, don’t fall victim to inaction and indecision. Let 3SIXO Advisors map out a clear path for growth. For more information please contact John Mooers (949) 252-8828 or visit our website at www.3SIXOAdvisors.com.

Managing Pain for Growth and Ultimate Liquidity

2008-07-16T07:00:00.000-07:00

Achieve Exponential Returns in Times of Disruptive Change

The fallout from the mortgage crisis was compounded last week with the FDIC taking over operations of IndyMac Bank. Just one year ago it was the 11th largest residential mortgage originator according to Inside Mortgage Finance, and its stock traded at upwards of $30 a share. It opened this week at 17 cents a share and Fitch downgraded their Issuer Default Ratings to a "D".

The financial impacts will reach far beyond the mortgage industry as it is projected that roughly 10,000 of IndyMac Bank's customers could lose up to $500 million in uninsured deposits. The effect on consumer confidence and spending related to the collapse can have far reaching consequences to the overall economy.

Could this have been prevented? What could IndyMac's management done differently? Businesses need to be prepared to manage changing markets. While many companies are not facing a situation as catastrophic as the one facing IndyMac, the reality is that most are undergoing or will be faced with disruptive change in the near future. This change often causes pain, but for those that can get out in front of the change, it can be a tremendous opportunity for growth.

3SIX0 Advisors can assist you with assessing your opportunities and developing strategies to create growth in times of disruptive change. Our process provides "clear perspective" for making critical business decisions. To view case studies and learn more about how 3SIX0 Advisors can help your or your client achieve exponential results, visit our website at www.3SIX0Advisors.com/cs1.htm or call (949) 252-8828.