The short answer
Tina Youngblood shares her experience being brought in as a turnaround CEO to repair and sell a niche software business, and why maintaining business performance during a sale process is exactly where deals succeed or fall apart.
Key takeaways
- The 6 staple rules to thrive in any industry
- Developing a 4-part framework for a rock-solid strategic plan
- The importance of culture to strategic success
- How to approach the due diligence process with a realistic outlook
Listen to the podcast
1 hr 6 minWatch the full interview
About this episode
Tina Youngblood has a formula for success. But unlike most guests on this show, it’s not for starting businesses, it’s for stepping in and turning them around.
A certified CEO 2.0, Tina has walked into various businesses from accounting to health to SaaS in order to help flagging founders inject new life into the company. Her method is industry-agnostic, and you’ll learn how she approaches strategic challenges to unlock business value and sustainable growth.
This is her story of how she took over the reins at Pathfinder Health Innovations and flipped it in just 7 months, only to have the board of directors tell her it was time to sell.
Chapters
- 3:01Burnt out, not having fun, and in need of a break, the sabbatical Tina changed the course of her career because 11 months into it, the SaaS company, Pathfinder found her
- 13:0630 employees and only a couple million dollars on revenue doesn’t look impressive for acquisition, but what Pathfinder did have was a first-to-market integrated solution in a fragmented market. The appeal was breaking down tech silos in one consolidated system
- 19:10Coming into a business to turn it around can be a rough slog. Here is Tina’s step-by-step process for determining her plan of action
- 29:48The first thing an advisor will tell you as a small business owner is that you need an investment bank, an attorney, and a slew of consultants. Tina said no and took on due diligence herself. She managed the attorneys herself and assessed each offer that came in to ensure she was making the best cultural fit for the company; however, this became her full-time job
- 44:53The entire process took 15 months from when the board decided it was time to sell to the walkaway date. Tina’s advice: Add at least 6 months to any internal timelines you might have because there is only so much that is in your control
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About Tina Youngblood
Tina Youngblood has over 20 years of experience in executive strategic leadership and results-oriented operational administration. She has expertise in risk management, M&A, and transformations to build business value and sustainable growth.
Throughout her career, Tina has provided focused, dynamic leadership in helping companies, at all stages of their lifecycle, achieve growth objectives by continually diversifying revenue streams, building engaged and motivated teams, and creating collaborative environments where innovation and excellence is expected and rewarded.
As CEO of Pathfinder Health Innovations, Tina simultaneously stabilised the technology platform, eliminated unnecessary costs, and drove a dramatic improvement in company culture leading to a successful sale of the business in less than 18 months.
Now as Chief Enterprise Officer, Tina manages financial and operational business for Tech Accel. She directs day-to-day business in alignment with corporate strategic initiatives, leading corporate departments, including project management, IT, human resources and culture, and marketing.
Connect with Tina Youngblood
About the show
Buy Grow Sell is hosted by Simon Bedard, founder and managing director of Exit Advisory Group, a boutique mergers and acquisitions advisory firm that helps Australian business owners value, prepare for and navigate a sale. Every conversation draws on real deals and the patterns behind them.
