Strategic growth advisory for the middle market.

Trusted Advisors
Partners in Growth

The Buckeye Group is a strategic advisory firm that fuels exponential growth and accelerates speed to exit. We prioritize people, the most powerful catalyst to transformation.

People-powered profitability®

We help organizations facing a variety of hurdles achieve meaningful results.

Organizational Challenges

  • Growth

  • Leadership

  • Transitions

  • Pivots

  • Strategy

  • Turnarounds

Tangible Results

  • Increased Revenue

  • Improved  Margins & EBITDA

  • Accelerated Speed to Exit

  • Advanced Culture 

  • Raised Multiples

We work with Executives and Teams to:

Expand the bandwidth of the chief executive.
Informed by an agile, deep dive into your company culture and current state, we serve as strategic confidante and executive coach to the C-suite, for both newly promoted and seasoned leaders, as a trusted advisor.

Uncover white space, and the bold path forward.
By serving as a growth advisor to CEOs and their teams, we identify opportunity while flagging – and course correcting – blindspots. This work encourages new perspectives and approaches to growth, often uncovering value hiding in plain sight.

Restore and strengthen organizational culture.
In growing/evolving organizations, it becomes essential to clarify the vision - leading from strength. Our work sets up teams to take a clear-eyed approach to whatever challenge lies ahead, while fine-tuning the key to all relationship dynamics - communication. We work closely with existing (or brand new) team members to forge alignment and structural integrity.

Navigate leadership transitions with clarity and confidence.
Succession planning and implementation require a nuanced set of skills and the discretion to understand each culture’s unique history. We partner closely with boards, outgoing leaders, and rising talent to ensure continuity, alignment, and a shared vision for what’s next.

Empower new and first-time CEOs to lead with conviction.
Whether the role is new or the company is, we offer tailored support as CEOs step into the complexities of executive leadership. We serve as an advisor, thought partner, and coach, helping new CEOs build trust, set direction, and grow into their voice with clarity and authority.

Invest in future leaders.
By designing and delivering high-potential development programs that nurture rising talent, we help organizations retain and empower their next generation of leaders. Intentional and impactful, team members feel seen in their natural gifts while acquiring important skills for future roles.

The Q of EQ

You are conducting a Q of E analysis, but are you also analyzing the Quality of Emotional Intelligence of a merger or acquisition?

When two previously autonomous entities begin to share interests, having clarity on shared (or disparate) values and behaviors is essential. Quality of Emotional Intelligence is the equally important, often ignored, due diligence step of assessing cultural alignment between organizations or leadership. 

Using our proprietary framework, People-Powered Profitability, we work to become fluent in an organization’s Way-of-Doing and Being. We then synthesize findings in clear, digestible terms so that companies can build on what is already shared. We flag what may not immediately align and identify ways to overcome those gaps, ensuring a smoother transition or integration.

Curveballs are inevitable during times of significant change, so solving for the predictable allows leadership teams more bandwidth for what isn’t.

When an organization is buying a new platform or add-on, management’s ability to deliver on the growth that they believe is possible, is the asset. As a result, what is being presented to LPs when seeking investment, is the ability to select effective managers.

Are the people being prioritized as much as the numbers? This is the requisite question.

An Approach that Evolves into Two Phases

PHASE 1 | 1-2 QUARTERS


Foundation Building

We work side-by-side in partnership with your team as an extension of the C-Suite, going deep into the business to uncover gaps, identify growth opportunities, and chart an action plan.

PHASE 2 | ONGOING


Maintenance & Growth

Building upon on 1-2 quarters of foundational work, our relationship transitions into an advisory capacity, including executive support, ad hoc strategy, team meetings and quarterly on-sites.

Select Clients

Our Clients See Results

Jason Boyarski
Founding Partner
Boyarski Fritz LLP

Billy has been transformative for our firm. When we began working together, we faced various challenges, from culture building to staff retention issues emanating from the pandemic. Through his involvement in our team meetings and his bespoke weekly guidance, we've built the strongest team in our firm's history and also increased revenue substantially while creating efficiencies and re-focusing on our firm's core values. As a leader, I value Billy's personal approach, responsiveness and accessibility - he's become an indispensable advisor to me and our firm and we consider him part of our family.

Evan Golden
CEO
Krewe

Billy has been invaluable as I navigate taking over as CEO from Krewe's visionary founder. His counsel on team management, communication strategies and leadership mindsets has transformed my thinking. Early in our work together, I was able to become more comfortable prioritizing effectively, making critical team decisions and focusing on high-impact activities that move the needle. His depth of experience paired with his accessible style has been a pillar during a pivotal transition.

Austin Rees
Principal
LVC Partners

Billy has become a true force multiplier for us, essentially serving as a Human Capital Operating Partner across several of our portfolio companies. His counsel and strategic insights have proven invaluable. His ability to identify leadership opportunities and drive results throughout our companies has exceeded our expectations. Billy's personal approach and ability to understand and see through complex challenges make him an essential advisor to both our firm and our portfolio leadership teams.

Rashmee Patil, MD
CEO
Pinnacle Clinical Research

Billy was instrumental in my growth as CEO after our acquisition by a private equity firm. His leadership coaching transformed my approach as our team more than tripled in size. Through his participation in our leadership meetings and facilitation of team retreats, he helped create a cohesive executive team capable of navigating rapid growth. The results speak volumes – our revenue more than doubled under his guidance. Billy's personal approach, insightful counsel, responsiveness, and accessibility make him an invaluable partner in Pinnacle Clinical Research's success.

Gail Hinkson
Co-founder and CEO
Summit Clinical Research

Billy's presence has been transformative for me and Summit Clinical Research during a pivotal time following our acquisition. He helped me navigate the dual challenges of being both tactical and strategic while managing difficult employee situations. Through his participation in our leadership meetings and team retreats, he strengthened our entire executive team. We've grown significantly, enabling me to hire a president and focus more strategically as CEO while positioning us for a successful merger. His ability to blend practical leadership solutions with long-term vision has been exactly what our growing organization needed during this critical phase and I have grown both personally and professionally.

Ideas from The Buckeye Group