Strategex

06/11/2026

Most manufacturing CEOs don’t have a growth problem; they have a focus problem.
Complexity builds quietly:
– more SKUs
– more customers
– more exceptions

At first, it feels like growth.
Over time, it starts to drag everything down:
– margins
– speed
– decision-making

We see this often in $1B+ manufacturing companies, especially those that have grown through expansion or acquisition.
The hard part isn’t identifying complexity.
It’s having the discipline to eliminate it.
Where are you seeing complexity creep in right now?
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06/02/2026

Most companies don’t have a demand problem.
They have a commercial focus problem.

We see it all the time:
– too many SKUs
– too many customer segments
– inconsistent pricing

Revenue grows.
But margin doesn’t follow.
Especially in $1B+ manufacturing businesses, complexity creeps into the commercial model long before it shows up in the P&L.
The challenge isn’t identifying it.
It’s deciding what to simplify.
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Where are you seeing this show up most: product, customer, or pricing?

05/21/2026

TAM tells you how big a market is. It doesn't tell you if it's worth pursuing.
Total Addressable Profit (TAP) is a simple extension of traditional market sizing. Instead of focusing only on revenue, TAP estimates the total gross profit available within a market or segment.

Because the biggest market and the most profitable market are not always the same thing.

Read more about TAP, the missing dimension in market sizing, here: https://hubs.la/Q04hrlCm0

TAM shows market size, but not value. Learn how Total Addressable Profit (TAP) helps companies prioritize higher-margin opportunities and drive better…

04/21/2026

Strategex Vice President, John Ahn, breaks down what 50 PE investors are planning to do in 2026, and why conviction is harder to come by than capital. The forecast is gloomy, but there is undoubtedly value to be captured. The path to it just needs a fresh game plan.

Read the observations from our most recent market survey:
https://hubs.la/Q04cTQXC0
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A Strategex 2026 Private Equity Market Survey. SEE THE DETAILED UNDERLYING DATA

04/16/2026

"Gathering insights is worthless without action."
Too many companies hear hard truths from their customers and respond with "We already knew that," then change nothing.

One company chose differently. Three years and an 89-point NPS swing later, they went from at-risk to industry leader.
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https://hubs.la/Q04cfphK0

Companies that ignore customer satisfaction metrics risk falling dangerously behind, but those who measure relentlessly and act on the hard truths can…

04/14/2026

95% of companies investing in AI have seen zero measurable return. Why? They're automating work they should be eliminating. Read the full insight to see how a simple 3-step approach turns AI spend into results.
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https://hubs.la/Q04b-p1Y0

95% of businesses investing in AI have seen zero measurable return. The problem isn't the technology; it's that most companies are automating work they…

03/24/2026

68% of PE value creation today comes from revenue growth and margin expansion. Revenue growth and margin improvement have to do the heavy lifting.
See how 80/20 applies to the 5 value creation drivers: revenue growth, margin expansion, strategic acquisitions, debt paydown, and multiple expansion.
https://hubs.la/Q047XwV50
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80/20 gives lower-middle-market management teams a repeatable way to cut through complexity and act on what actually drives results. Learn how the 80/20…

03/17/2026

The operating models that built today's industrial giants weren't designed for today's challenges.
Next month, Strategex's Jenn Desrosiers will bring that conversation to the Manufacturers Alliance Board of Trustees, presenting “Operating Model Transformation: How to Create Lasting Value."
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https://hubs.la/Q0478qtJ0

Jenn Desrosiers, Managing Director of 80/20 Profit & Growth, will lead a session on operating model transformation at the Manufacturers Alliance Board…

03/12/2026

Please join us in welcoming Michele Kuhrt to Strategex. Michele brings nearly three decades of leadership experience from Lincoln Electric Holdings, a global leader in advanced manufacturing and welding technologies. She served in multiple C-suite roles, including Executive Vice President and Chief Transformation Officer, Chief Human Resources Officer, and Chief Information Officer, following more than a decade as Senior Vice President of Finance. That range gives her a unique vantage point into how strategy is translated into ex*****on inside complex global organizations. At Strategex, Michele partners with CEOs and leadership teams to accelerate profitable market share growth through disciplined strategy ex*****on, organizational alignment, and enterprise focus.
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https://hubs.la/Q046xRvv0

03/10/2026

Joe Hahn presented "Creating vs Destroying Value via Acquisition: The Questions No One Asks (But Should)" at The National Association of Manufacturers- NAM Spring Board Meeting. This marked Strategex's fourth consecutive year presenting to this prestigious group of 200+ manufacturing executives.

Joe shared his battle-tested methodology from 50+ acquisitions, revealing the questions and decisions that separate deals that double profit from those that destroy value.
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Photos: David Bohrer, National Association of Manufacturers