New Tool Predicts Sales Declines at PE-Backed PortCos—Before Numbers Slip

CPO PLAYBOOK today unveiled findings from its proprietary Portfolio Intelligence Assessment™, PIA360™, that reveal a statistically significant connection between leadership dynamics and business outcomes—such as sales bookings performance, and employee turnover—across private equity-backed companies.

“We’re used to financial forecasts in PE. What we’re not used to is forecasting culture and execution risk—with actual precision,” said Felicia Shakiba, Founder of CPO PLAYBOOK and developer of the PIA360™ model. “For the first time, investors can see in black-and-white how trust gaps, leadership misalignment, and organizational drag are either compounding value or quietly destroying it.”

Key insights include:

• Sales bookings can be predicted by strategic leadership trust.
• Employee turnover is predictable based on managerial effectiveness and decision agility.
• High EBITDA isn’t always high health—PIA360™ reveals blind spots in leadership that signal falling sales before the numbers slip.

Originally conceptualized during Shakiba’s time at Stanford Graduate School of Business, PIA360™ is not a culture survey or leadership 360. It’s a predictive intelligence program designed to measure hidden drivers of value across multi-entity portfolios.

One client, MCM Capital Partners– a Cleveland-based private equity firm with over 25 years of experience investing in lower middle market manufacturing B2B service companies–shared:

“Partnering with Felicia and the CPO PLAYBOOK team on the Portfolio Intelligence Assessment was both insightful and productive,” said Bobby Kingsbury, Managing Partner. “She engaged seamlessly across all levels—from executives to hourly teams—uncovering actionable insights that tied directly to performance.”

Why it matters:

In an age where financial data is abundant but organizational clarity is elusive, PIA360™ offers a new source of competitive edge: human capital intelligence. With mounting pressure on CEOs and boards to accelerate results post-acquisition, this approach could redefine how investors detect early signals of success—or erosion.

What’s Next:

CPO PLAYBOOK is now expanding its dataset and actively partnering with additional PE and VC firms to refine predictive insights across industries. Early signals suggest PIA360™ factors may help investors anticipate employee turnover and sales bookings—before an acquisition even closes.

CPO PLAYBOOK is the firm behind the data. Founded by executive coach and Stanford GSB alum Felicia Shakiba, the firm is on a mission to close the gap between performance and prediction. Alongside PIA360™, CPO PLAYBOOK delivers leadership coaching, data-backed consulting, and a chart-topping podcast.

The CPO PLAYBOOK Podcast also launches its new subscription model today on Apple Podcasts, with exclusive content and early access for subscribers. The latest episode features Mark Sankarsingh, VP, People Solutions at PepsiCo, on how responsible AI is reshaping workforce productivity.

To preview the findings or request a demo of PIA360™, visit:

https://www.cpoplaybook.com/consulting-services/pia360

Media Contact:

Felicia Shakiba
CPO PLAYBOOK, LLC
+1 650-209-0913
felicia@cpoplaybook.com
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Acing Cultural Transitions Post Private Equity Acquisition with MCM’s Kingsbury | CPO PLAYBOOK Podcast with Felicia Shakiba