Corey Stein

COREY STEIN Elevare Strategic Solutions I help PE sponsors and portfolio CEOs when a business needs operational clarity before acquisition, after closing, or during integration. THE PROBLEM I SOLVE Deals close with a model and a thesis. Then reality hits: reporting overwhelms leadership, integration stalls, execution can drift, and confidence between sponsor and operator erodes. The business is not broken but it is losing momentum, and the longer it drifts, the harder it is to recover margin and performance. Most sponsors do not need another consultant with a framework. They need someone who has been the operator in the chair who understands both sides of the table and can stabilize execution without creating more noise. WHERE I GET CALLED IN Pre-Acquisition Operational Assessment: The model says this company is a fit, but no one has pressure tested whether the leadership, systems, and operating rhythm can perform under new ownership. I assess operational readiness before closing that includes leadership depth, margin reliability at the job level, and integration complexity so the sponsor knows what they are buying and what needs to change on Day 1. Acquisition Execution Drift: The deal closed, but reporting demands are overwhelming leadership, the operating cadence does not exist, and friction between sponsor and operator is building. I establish a practical cadence that aligns sponsor expectations with how the business currently runs, institute good meetings, not more meetings and allow leadership to focus on execution and margin performance. Platform Integration Without a Playbook: A company was added to the platform with no Day 1 plan. Systems do not align, cultures are clashing, and synergy exists only in the model. I build a 30–60–90-day integration approach tied to the financial model with clear priorities, not 20 things implemented at once. This approach reduces resistance at the operating level before it calcifies. Margin Erosion and Lack of Visibility: Jobs look profitable until they are not, PMs are reactive, and leadership doesn’t trust the numbers. I create usable visibility into cost and risk using their existing systems so leaders can identify margin leakage and act before it shows up in financials. HOW I WORK I start by understanding how the business operates, what is working, what’s not, where friction is being created before I change anything. Then, I align leadership, establish a sustainable cadence, and focus on practical changes that improve execution quickly. Hands on, high-engagement, typically fractional or project-based, 3–9 months. I focus on limited engagements to ensure direct involvement. WHERE I FIT BEST $20M–$150M revenue industrial, mechanical, and specialty contracting businesses. PE-backed or founder-led companies in transition. Situations involving acquisition, integration, or leadership change where the sponsor or CEO knows they have a problem and they want it solved not studied. BACKGROUND Former President & Owner scaled a mechanical contracting business from ~$10M to ~$80M in revenue. Led the company through sale to a PE sponsor, then operated within the platform post-acquisition. I am currently serving as Special Advisor & Board Member for a PE-backed industrial platform. I’ve been the operator navigating sponsor expectations, that’s not a credential I studied for, it is one I earned.