Dr. Marc Bielitza

What does it take to create growth when you acquire a business at the peak of the cycle, only to face an immediate and severe market contraction? Marc and Markus share how CirQono, a Berlin-based demolition and construction waste disposal group, delivered 20% growth in a market that declined by 30%, by combining rigorous commercial fundamentals with disciplined execution and well-timed acquisitions. The session breaks down the concrete levers, sequencing, and governance choices that made growth possible despite extreme market headwinds, e.g.:

• Enforcing price increases through clearer value positioning and pricing discipline

• Transitioning from founder-led selling to a professional, data driven sales organization

• Establishing CRM, KPIs, and a clear sales cadence to drive repeatable performance

• Diversifying the customer base and product offering to reduce cyclicality

• Accelerating digital sales by systematically growing web traffic and conversion

• Executing a successful buy and build strategy in a highly fragmented market

In small and mid-sized companies — especially founder-led ones — evaluating the management team can be emotionally delicate and operationally complex. Leaders may feel scrutinised, while investors urgently need to understand whether the existing team can deliver the value creation plan. This topic explores how to assess capabilities respectfully, identify gaps, and attract the right talent to accelerate growth.

• How to run capability assessments without triggering defensiveness or fear

• Identifying gaps between current leadership skills and value creation ambitions

• Bringing in talent without destabilising the cultural fabric of the business

• Building trust between founders, management, and operating partners

• Creating a repeatable framework for talent and capability evaluation across portfolio companies