I Help Founder-Led Businesses Build Strategic Value—Whether They Sell or Not
About Charles Bedard
I’m Charles Bedard.
I work with B2B service founders who are thinking a few moves ahead—people who want to create companies that are not only more efficient or profitable, but more valuable in every sense of the word.
I specialize in helping founder-led businesses build leverage: strategic clarity, valuation readiness, operational precision, and buyer-grade metrics—long before there’s a banker in the room. That doesn’t always mean you’re selling. It means you’re building a business that could sell tomorrow if you wanted to. And that optionality? That’s power.
My Philosophy
Not every founder wants to exit. But every founder I work with wants to understand the value they’ve created, defend it confidently, and grow it intentionally.
Too many advisors focus on transactions. I focus on transformation—the hard, often invisible work of turning a good business into a premium one. That means:
Identifying and tightening KPIs that actually drive multiples
Benchmarking operational performance against real market comps
Clarifying the strategic narrative (not just the financial one)
Preparing the business for buyers—and for better internal decision-making
I do this as a fractional corporate development operator, a valuation strategist, and a long-term thinking partner for leaders who care more about precision than polish.
How I Got Here
Like many in this space, I didn’t follow a traditional track. I started on the operator side—running and scaling service businesses, navigating all the weirdness that comes from building value inside complexity.
Eventually, I started getting called in earlier and earlier in deal conversations—not to broker them, but to clean up what was broken before the bankers arrived. The founder hadn’t benchmarked. The KPIs didn’t match the story. The buyer didn’t trust the data.
Over time, I started building a method for how to fix those things before they became dealbreakers—and how to apply that same method even if there’s no deal in sight.
Credentials, For What It’s Worth
I’m a Certified M&A Advisor (CM&AA) and Certified Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA). I earned my MBA from the Neeley School of Business at TCU and a BA from Southwestern University. I’ve also advised through several exits, served in corporate development roles for private equity and founder-owned firms, and currently lead ErgoComps, a private market intelligence platform that helps founders price and position their business in real terms.
(Translation: I’ve been in the rooms most people only hear about after the close.)
Who I Work With
You’re a good fit if:
You run a B2B or work tech business doing between $2M and $20M in revenue
You’re smart, scrappy, and not afraid of feedback
You care about value—not vanity metrics
You don’t need “advice”—you need real strategic lift
You want to build something worth buying, whether or not you ever sell
Where Else You Can Find Me
Solve the Value Blog
I share sharp insights, dry takes, and real-world strategy for founders building valuable businesses—whether you're prepping for exit or just thinking smarter.
Visit Solve the Value Now
The Accounting Podcast
You can also hear me on the Accounting Podcast, where I spoke about modern pricing models and how they impact firm valuation—especially in services-driven businesses.
Let’s Connect on LinkedIn
I share practical insights, no-fluff takes, and occasional dry humor about building valuable, founder-led businesses—whether you're exiting or just getting sharper.
Bottom Line
I don’t chase deals. I don’t build slide decks. I don’t lead with fluff.
I work with founders who are building something real—and want to be ready for what comes next. If that sounds like you, let’s have a conversation.