Koio founder & CEO · J.P. Morgan M&A · Wharton MBA
$20M raised
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18-month profitability turnaround
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Exit after 200+ buyer conversations
Most founders wait until their options are gone. I help you make the call early, while you still have leverage.
Limited engagements. By inquiry and fit.
For founders who want the truth about their business — and are ready to act on it.
Margins are off, cash is tighter than it should be, or you're growing but not sure if you're building real value.
Team, channels, cost structure — hard decisions are coming and you want clarity before you make them.
You're preparing to raise, take on debt, or sell — and need your financials and story to be airtight.
This is strategic work, not running your books. You'll need a bookkeeper or accountant for that.
If there's no urgency and no real decision ahead, this isn't the right time.
This works for founders who want the truth and will do something with it.
Most founders start with a diagnostic. A few continue into ongoing work or capital/exit execution. I work with 3-5 brands at a time to ensure depth over volume.
Find out if you're building real value or just buying revenue. Get a clear roadmap to profitability in one focused week. Often used by profitable brands to tighten margins and increase strategic flexibility.
Understand your full range of options—raise, restructure, debt, exit, or stay the course—and what it takes to execute each one. I help you see your business the way buyers and investors will—before you're in the room with them.
For founders who want ongoing strategic support—monthly reviews, scenario planning, and decision guidance at critical moments. Limited to 3-5 active partnerships at a time.
Strategic guidance and full transaction execution for raising capital (equity or debt) or preparing for exit. I've been through it: from first buyer outreach to managing diligence to negotiating terms and closing. You don't get theory. You get someone who's been through the process end-to-end.
Straightforward process. No long sales cycles, no corporate overhead. Just focused work that helps you make better decisions, faster.
We talk through where you are, what's broken, and whether an assessment makes sense. If it's not a fit, I'll tell you and point you in the right direction.
You get a clear picture of what's driving your profitability and cash issues, which levers matter most, and a prioritized plan to fix it.
You can take the plan and run with it, or we can work together on implementation—monthly check-ins, scenario planning, and decision support when it matters.
For capital raises or M&A processes that require broader buyer/investor outreach and full transaction execution, I work with Thunder VC to add institutional-grade capabilities.
You stay founder-led. We add process, materials, and infrastructure where it helps—positioning, outreach, and deal execution.
I've been where you are. I know what it takes to turn a brand around and what it takes to make it worth buying.
Most founders wait until their options are gone. They hold onto the growth playbook too long, then scramble when the runway gets short. I help you make that call earlier, while you still have leverage to restructure, raise, or exit on your terms.
This isn't a CFO firm. It isn't an M&A shop. It's strategic clarity from someone who's made these calls.
I spent 10 years building Koio. We raised capital, scaled the team. Then the math stopped working. By early 2023, we were losing money with months of runway left. We cut the team. Closed offices. Went remote. Cut SKUs. Renegotiated with vendors. Shut down unprofitable channels. Eighteen months later: Koio was self-sustaining and profitable.
Then came the exit. Three years of conversations with strategic and financial buyers, diligence prep, deal structure, and close. I learned how long exits really take and how different buyer priorities are from what founders expect.
Now I help founders make the decisions that determine outcomes. I don't just analyze. I help you decide and execute until the outcome is real.
Profitability restored. Capital closed. Or the wire clears.
Designed to surface the decision you're avoiding. If they light up red, request a decision call.
14 questions. Find out if you should restructure, raise, pivot, or sell—and what's gating that decision.
Take the Diagnostic →23 questions. Find out if sophisticated buyers would view your business as ready for a sale process today—and what gaps to close first.
Get the Scorecard →6 inputs. Know your CAC, LTV, and LTV:CAC ratio in 2 minutes. If it's under 3:1, you have a problem.
Calculate Now →6 inputs. Get a realistic valuation range based on current EBITDA multiples. No 10x fantasies—real transaction data.
Get Your Range →I occasionally share what I'm seeing across DTC brands — what breaks, what fixes work, and what buyers care about.
A few things founders usually ask before we start.
Very. I'm not building decks for your shelf—I work directly with you on P&L reviews, scenario planning, and tough calls. This works best with founders who want a partner who's been in the trenches, not a consultant who bills by the slide.
No. I focus on strategy—profitability, cash flow, unit economics, capital decisions, and exit preparation. I work with your existing accountant, or I can make introductions to the right people for your books.
I'm independent. For larger M&A processes that need institutional execution, I collaborate with Thunder VC. Any Thunder VC work is scoped separately.
Usually within days. Assessments take 1–2 weeks depending on data availability. Ongoing work can start right after an assessment if it makes sense.
Below $10M: I may point you to lighter-touch resources. Above $75M: selective, depending on the situation and whether you have existing finance leadership.
This is for founders doing $10–75M who need support with profitability, cash, restructuring, or capital/exit decisions. If we're not a fit, I'll tell you quickly. Most founders hear back within 48 hours.