From Vision To Execution: Strategy For Business Transformation

Russell P. Reeder | ATSG CEO | Go-To-Market Leader | Public and Private Company Board Member | Children’s Science Center Board.

When acquiring companies, you inherit more than just assets—you also take on teams and cultures that may need renewed focus and alignment. Realizing success in this scenario demands a transparent process to energize employees, foster a high-performance culture, maximize existing assets and ultimately build an industry-leading platform.

I’m currently facing one of my most intricate and exciting career challenges: acquiring and integrating a peer Managed Services Provider (MSP) of similar size. We aim to create a fully integrated, metrics-driven MSP that helps IT organizations succeed. After raising over $300 million and coordinating multiple stakeholder interests, we acquired Evolve IP. Now, our work centers on breaking down silos, unifying our teams and building a platform designed to scale into billions in revenue.

The Strategic Challenge: Complexity And Opportunity

Like many PE-backed companies, ATSG and Evolve IP grew through numerous acquisitions. This growth unlocked new markets and capabilities but created a patchwork of operations:

Siloed Divisions: Multiple systems, processes and mid-level structures operating independently.

Inconsistent Customer Experiences: Disparate tools and workflows led to uneven service quality.

Brand Confusion: An overly generic name (“ATSG”) struggled to stand out in a crowded market.

Inefficiencies: Overlapping roles, multiple CRMs and ITSM tools were barriers to consistent performance.

These issues aren’t just operational problems; they risk undermining customer experience and limiting future growth. We knew we needed more than surface-level integration. We needed to unify around a clear mission, align teams and systems and differentiate ourselves in a tight MSP marketplace.

Top-Down: Crafting The Vision

1. Redefining Purpose And Direction

We began by updating our Mission, Vision, Values and Purpose—together with employees at all levels:

Mission: Deliver lasting partnerships powered by innovative, secure and reliable IT solutions.

Vision: Become a global leader in transformative technology solutions.

Purpose: Empower businesses through technical freedom in an ever-evolving digital world.

Core Values:

Raise The Bar – Reject mediocrity and hold ourselves accountable.

Communicate Without Fear – Embrace transparency, directness and empathy.

Face Challenges Head-On – Identify root causes and tackle them proactively.

Be Curious – Adapt quickly, stay open-minded and keep learning.

One Team – Celebrate wins together and support each other through challenges.

These principles guide every decision—from systems integration to rebranding—and help employees see themselves as co-creators of a shared future.

2. Designing The Ideal Organization

Instead of shuffling current roles, we visualized the structure we need for future scale. We collapsed unnecessary layers of middle management and evaluated each position for its impact on our goals. Every employee held a one-on-one discussion with their manager to clarify success metrics and define what support they needed, ensuring that each person was set up for long-term success.

3. System And Process Evaluation

A thorough SWOT analysis revealed considerable tech debt—multiple CRMs, provisioning tools and ERP systems. We prioritized fixes based on business impact and then developed a reference architecture to guide integration. Although we’re early in this process, the comprehensive planning ensures we address the most significant issues first and build a scalable platform for organic and inorganic growth.

4. Leadership Realignment

Within three weeks of closing, we introduced the new management team from the integrated companies. I’ve acquired multiple companies over my career. Thanks to the quick alignment between our two ownership groups, RunTide Capital (ATSG) and Great Hill Partners (Evolve IP), we started the planning process months before the deal closed. This timely realignment allowed us to establish a unified leadership vision and maintain momentum from day one.

Bottom-Up: Empowering Execution

1. Building A New Financial Framework

We went beyond zero-based budgeting to create a data-driven model with real-time metrics—like average quota per sales rep, SQL-to-close ratios, CAC and LTV. Tracking these daily and weekly gives us immediate insights into what’s working, allowing us to course-correct early instead of waiting for end-of-quarter surprises.

2. Tracking Metrics And KPIs

We introduced live dashboards and project management tools, providing full departmental performance transparency. This fosters ownership and accountability, as everyone can see what’s working, where issues arise and how their efforts directly relate to shared objectives.

3. Streamlining Processes

New workflows and collaboration tools help us tear down silos. Cross-department coordination is no longer a buzzword—teams see each other’s progress and challenges in real time. This alignment has noticeably sped up project cycles and improved decision making.

4. Ensuring Fair Compensation

We benchmarked salaries to industry standards and adjusted accordingly, resulting in an 18% boost in employee satisfaction. Fair pay isn’t just a retention strategy; it’s a statement that every contributor is genuinely valued.

Rebranding: Telling A Unified Story

Because “ATSG” was too generic, we’re rebranding to create a fresh, distinctive identity. The goals:

Signal A New Era: Highlight a forward-looking approach to the market.

Unite Teams: Bring siloed acquisitions under one brand and cultural umbrella.

Stand Out: Differentiate ourselves from the sea of MSPs competing for the same customer base.

We used market research to shape a compelling brand narrative, which we then launched internally and will soon launch externally to unify our story.

Early Wins: Momentum In Motion

Although we’re only about 40% into this journey, early metrics point to a solid start:

Operational Efficiency: Consolidated systems and more focused roles have reduced costs and improved customer responsiveness.

Employee Engagement: Transparent communication and cross-functional collaboration have boosted morale and productivity.

Customer Satisfaction: Faster ticket resolutions and cohesive service offerings strengthen client relationships.

Market Visibility: The forthcoming rebrand generates excitement among partners and prospective customers.

Lessons In Leadership: Where Vision Meets Execution

Our experience so far underscores that true transformation demands harmony between strategy and execution:

Clarify The Vision: Everyone should understand the “why.”

Empower Execution: Equip teams with metrics, tools and autonomy.

Foster Collaboration: Break down silos; cross-functional input accelerates problem-solving.

Stay Customer-Centric: Ultimately, every strategic move should enhance the client experience.

This is more than revenue growth; it’s about setting a higher standard for the IT services industry. By aligning vision with execution, we’re creating a culture that empowers teams, delights customers and delivers meaningful value to investors.

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