An Interview with Freddie Laker, Founder of Chameleon Collective
Private equity firms are under constant pressure to deliver fast returns, and the first 100 days after an acquisition often become a sprint toward quick wins. But as Chameleon Collective’s Founder, Freddie Laker, has seen time and again, sustainable transformation requires more than speed.
We sat down with Freddie to explore what separates fleeting performance improvements from lasting enterprise value – and how PE leaders can engineer change that truly endures.
When the First 100 Days Backfire
Q: Can you share an example of a PE-backed company that focused heavily on cost-cutting in the first 100 days but saw it backfire?
A: We’ve seen instances where investors moved quickly to cut costs, especially in go-to-market activities. They sacrificed long-term brand building and top-of-funnel awareness by leaning too hard into lower-funnel acquisition tactics. These approaches appear to deliver high ROI on paper, but when you stop feeding the funnel, those short-term gains can create long-term pain.
Some firms truly understand where the money goes and what feels essential. But not spending enough time understanding the customer is a major issue. It’s not just demographics; it’s about motivations, behaviors, and brand attributes that shape the customer relationship. Neglect that, and you risk weakening the very foundation of growth.
The Promise and Limits of the First 100 Days
Q: What should boards or operating partners really be optimizing for in the first 100 days?
A: There’s often more happening in that window than people realize. I’m a believer in setting ambitious goals to keep energy high, but it’s critical to focus those efforts on removing foundational blockers rather than chasing long-term goals too early.
These are typically one-time transformation costs that fall under capital expenditures (CapEx), which is where Chameleon Collective excels. We often help build foundational systems for sales enablement, pipeline tracking, and repeatable training playbooks. Developing customer personas, mapping journeys, and introducing workflow automations or AI tools early enables companies to move quickly later.
Some quick wins can lift morale, but patience and understanding go a long way. Taking time to truly understand the organization and its people builds trust and paves the way for long-term success.
Shifting Mindset Beyond the First 100 Days
Q: What mindset shift needs to happen after stabilization?
A: One of the best lessons I’ve learned is that the people you need in the first three to six months of an acquisition are rarely the same people you need over the next two to three years.
The first wave of experts helps stabilize and define the vision, but the next wave operationalizes and scales it. Many companies fail because they don’t evolve their teams as the mission changes. You need both visionaries and executors, and the balance shifts over time. Recognizing that early prevents stagnation later.
The Three Pillars of Long-Term Value
Q: Of the three pillars – Leadership & Strategy Alignment, Go-to-Market & Growth Engine, and Operational & Technology Foundations – which do companies tend to neglect most?
A: Investors are typically strong in leadership and strategy alignment. They secure capable executives and work with partners like us to fill gaps. Many also excel at operational and technology foundations, implementing ERPs and CRMs to professionalize the business.
Where most fall short is in building the go-to-market and growth engine. We still see outdated playbooks that haven’t kept up with modern realities. Growth and digital strategies are evolving faster than leadership teams can adapt, and firms still operating with 2020-era tactics risk losing their edge.
The fastest-moving lever is the go-to-market function, and it requires constant modernization. The firms that stay competitive are the ones that keep pace here.
The Chameleon Collective Playbook
Q: How do you approach balancing diagnosis with quick action?
A: We start by understanding how each investor operates. Some prefer to slow down and be hyper-strategic, often because of their ownership stake or confidence in leadership. Others want to move quickly and figure things out as they go. Both approaches can be effective, as long as the right individuals are in place.
There’s no universal playbook. Sometimes, you’re running the business while evolving it in real-time. The key is having the leadership and expertise to balance day-to-day operations with long-term strategy. That adaptability is where our model shines.
Case Example
Q: Can you share a recent example of how a short-term engagement evolved into a long-term transformation?
A: It happens frequently. We’re often brought in for diligence or strategic assessments, but our role often expands beyond strategy. We embed ourselves in the execution, whether as fractional leaders, tactical experts, or recruiters building permanent teams.
One example involved a global consumer products brand. Over the course of nine months, we helped reorganize the integration of digital and e-commerce into their broader market strategy. We restructured global sales and marketing into a matrixed model with a shared services layer and replatformed key technologies to support it. The impact was both immediate and lasting, setting them up for sustainable growth.
Metrics and Signals to Watch
Q: What indicators show a company has moved from stabilization to sustained value creation?
A: Financial metrics like revenue, EBITDA, CAC, and retention are essential, but the real story is in consistency. When performance metrics stabilize and become predictable, that’s the signal that transformation is working.
Progress slows when poor planning forces constant rework. True momentum happens when initiatives mature, systems are stable, and the team can shift focus to the next challenge with confidence.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Q: What mistakes do leaders make that can quietly derail transformation?
A: Underestimating morale is a big one. Even when ownership changes, alignment matters. Teams need to understand the vision and believe in it. Financial plans alone don’t inspire people; they need context and meaning.
You must communicate in human terms, discuss the customer, the mission, and what success means to everyone involved. When change feels purposeful, people embrace it. When it feels random, they resist.
Buyer and Exit Perspective
Q: How does successful transformation show up in an exit process?
A: Buyers see through surface-level growth. I’ve been amazed by how many high-growth companies crumble under due diligence because nothing is documented, and institutional knowledge lives only in people’s heads.
Depth and documentation matter. Repeatable playbooks, onboarding systems, and training frameworks build confidence in scalability. It demonstrates that the company is prepared for additional capital or integration, and this gives acquirers confidence in the leadership team.
Being transparent about what remains to be done and the opportunities ahead signals maturity. Buyers appreciate realism and potential.
Lessons on Durable Transformation
Q: Looking back on your career, what’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned about building sustainable transformation?
A: Traditional agencies and consultancies aren’t aligned with investor goals. They thrive on long-term retainers, which become ongoing expenses that hurt EBITDA.
To truly serve investors, you must build capabilities within the portfolio company itself. That’s where real transformation happens, when you create independence instead of dependency.
I wanted to build something different. Chameleon Collective was designed to align with investor priorities and deliver success that sticks. The old model is broken, and our clients recognize that the future belongs to partners who empower, not entrench.
The first 100 days matter, but they’re only the beginning. True value creation happens when leadership evolves, systems mature, and the growth engine runs on its own momentum. For PE firms ready to move beyond the 100-day sprint and build businesses that last, Chameleon Collective offers the leadership, expertise, and embedded partnership to make it happen.
