C.O.S.T.™
Our Approach
BlackView's value-creation framework. A diligence instrument and the organizing architecture of the BlackView Operating Team.
A Framework for Value Creation
C.O.S.T.™ is BlackView's value-creation framework. It organizes the four primary levers of operational and strategic improvement — Capital, Operations, Strategy and Technology — into a single, integrated system that guides diligence, investment thesis development and post-close execution.
C.O.S.T.™ is both a diligence instrument and an operating framework. During diligence, it structures our assessment of where value can be created. After close, it organizes the BlackView Operating Team's engagement with portfolio company management.
Capital Efficiency
Financial discipline and working capital efficiency are foundational to value creation. The Capital pillar focuses on optimizing the capital structure, improving cash conversion, managing spend with rigor and ensuring that the business has the financial foundation required to execute its strategy.
Capabilities
Finance & FP&A
budgeting and forecasting improvement, stakeholder reporting, KPI design, margin and growth analysis, root cause analysis.
Working Capital & Liquidity
working capital improvement, 13-week cash flow forecasting, liquidity and treasury management.
Financial Performance
EBITDA enhancement, SG&A rationalization, business plan forecasting.
Financial Accounting Advisory
audit readiness, close process, controls implementation, account reconciliation, finance function assessment and design.
Spend Management & Procurement
purchasing discipline, vendor economics and procurement process, delivered through the Preferred Vendor Partner Network.
Healthcare Value Management
evaluating employee healthcare spend, benefit economics and utilization to improve value while maintaining quality.
Operational Excellence
Execution capability inside the business. The Operations pillar addresses the core operating model — how the business delivers its product or service, how it manages its people and how it performs against its potential. This is where turnarounds are won or lost.
Capabilities
Operating Executives
experienced executives and functional specialists working with management on strategic and operational priorities.
Operational Excellence
process, throughput, performance management and operating cadence.
Talent & Organizational Performance
leadership assessment, organizational design, executive effectiveness, talent strategy, accountability.
Performance Improvement & Restructuring
contingency planning, refinancing support, debt restructuring, interim and crisis management, reorganization advisory.
M&A Integration
merger integration planning and execution.
Sustainability & Operational Efficiency
sustainability where it produces efficiency, resilience, cost reduction, risk mitigation or enterprise value.
Strategic Direction
Direction and commercial expansion. The Strategy pillar focuses on where the business competes, how it grows and how it creates and captures value in its market. This includes both the long-term strategic plan and the near-term commercial initiatives that drive revenue and margin improvement.
Capabilities
Strategic Planning
business plan development, first hundred day planning.
Pricing & Commercial Excellence
pricing strategy, discount discipline, commercial terms, sales effectiveness.
Growth Strategy
market expansion and adjacency.
Add-on Acquisition Execution
corporate development and M&A support.
Transactions Execution
carve-out planning, sell-side readiness, capital raise support, working capital purchase price adjustments.
BlackView Network & Portfolio Synergies
sharing knowledge, relationships, commercial opportunities and best practices across the BlackView ecosystem.
Technology Enablement
Enablement and modernization. The Technology pillar deploys technology as a transformation tool — not a buzzword. We work with management to modernize architecture, automate workflows, build decision intelligence and strengthen cybersecurity posture.
Capabilities
advanced analytics, data and artificial intelligence to sharpen investment processes and accelerate portfolio company performance.
Technology Transformation
architecture, modernization, digital workflows, automation.
Data & Analytics
decision intelligence and portfolio monitoring.
Cybersecurity
assessment, testing, monitoring and incident response.
Systems Execution
ERP and financial system implementation.
C.O.S.T.™ and V.A.S.T.™
C.O.S.T.™ defines the value-creation plan. V.A.S.T.™ defines the investment thesis. Together, they form the intellectual architecture of every BlackView investment — from initial screening through exit.