The business had been built for growth. Then demand fell sharply.
When COVID hit, revenue contracted at speed. The cost base had been scaled for expansion, not resilience. Fixed commitments, layered management, and optimistic planning assumptions created immediate pressure on liquidity.
Forecast visibility was limited. Decisions had to be made under uncertainty, without waiting for clarity.
Incremental cuts would not have been enough. The model required reset, not adjustment.
What I Did
Cost Base Reset
Conducted a full cost review, separating core capabilities from non-essential spend. Executed organisational delayering, vendor renegotiation, and fixed-cost realignment to protect margin and cash flow.
Operating Model Simplification
Reduced complexity by consolidating business units, clarifying ownership, and reinstating measurable performance thresholds at unit level.
Liquidity Control & Scenario Planning
Installed weekly 13-week cash flow forecasting, downside scenario modelling, and defined liquidity trigger points to guide decision-making during volatility.
Margin & Productivity Guardrails
Introduced clear productivity and contribution thresholds requiring variance closure before incremental spend or rehiring.
Operating Mechanics
Execution centred on:
- Weekly cash and cost variance reviews
- Explicit owner-level accountability for cost centres
- Defined productivity metrics per operating unit
- Rapid, contained decision cycles during volatility
Stability was prioritised over expansion.
Outcomes
The cost base was materially reduced while preserving essential operating capacity and protecting core revenue-generating functions.
Liquidity runway was extended, restoring optionality and strategic control.
Within two quarters, performance stabilised under the revised model, creating a platform for disciplined recovery rather than reactive survival.
Pattern
Demand contraction does not test ambition. It tests control.
Effective stabilisation requires:
- Cash visibility before optimism
- Decisive resets before incremental trimming
- Ownership before reassurance
- Discipline before recovery
Resilience is built through clarity and control, not cost panic.