Businesses with private equity ownership know they’re being primed and prepared for their next sale—but private equity consulting firm Accordion found that those company CFOs aren’t quite as ready as their sponsors want them to be. And going into 2026, which many analysts are saying is shaping up to be an active year for M&A, that could be problematic.

Accordion wrote a playbook, shared exclusively with Forbes, for the four out of five CFOs who aren't already perpetually ready. These plans provide a roadmap so CFOs can be where they need to be to maximize value in a transaction, as well as do their daily jobs. There are two plans in their playbook: One for long-term preparation—12 to 24 months before the sale—and one for a shorter time frame—less than a year.

In the long-range plan, the CFO has time to develop a comprehensive, data-driven story that highlights everything the company has to offer in terms of current and future value. The first step is to identify what will build this story: where the value lies, which KPIs determine it, and which short-cycle initiatives will build EBITDA? After figuring out what numbers are needed to tell that story, set up a cross-functional team to help tell that story—and in this case, “help” means both assisting in pulling together the correct numbers and making sure that you hit all of those targets.

Building dashboards to show progress and integrating AI to measure it are effective ways to identify problems early. Then focus on identifying hidden value opportunities through analysis and quick experimentation, and regularly update the private equity sponsor on your efforts. (This is important, considering half of all sponsors say inconsistent value tracking is a top CFO weakness.) And use AI and technology to bring all of that information together in a data foundation—which will not only help track your numbers, but show prospective buyers that your company is more mature and valuable as a whole.

You can build the same story on a more compressed deadline, the playbook says, but you need to work hard toward alignment with your private equity sponsor. Start by establishing your value story with your sponsor, then quickly gather the necessary data. The CFO’s office should be the central location for this data, bringing together finance and operations and highlighting the KPIs and areas that showcase the value story you’re trying to present.

Make sure all data and previous M&A-related add-ons are fully integrated, presenting a single company package ready to go to potential buyers. And locate the easier-to-execute initiatives that can boost your value, using them to show a buyer just how much your company is worth. Accordion says that in this time frame, CFOs aren’t building a system, they’re building confidence in their company.

Even if you're not looking for an acquisition in the near future, businesses today need to be focused on value—also through the lens of ensuring the supply chain is as strong as it can be, with a reliable, actual supply always flowing. Supply chain disruptions can lead to significant problems for your company. I spoke with Andrew Rader, managing director at the supply chain operations and consulting firm Maine Pointe, about how to identify and address these issues. An excerpt from our conversation is later in this newsletter.

While it’s peak holiday shopping season, many Americans are already feeling the financial pinch that generally comes with January credit card bills. A new AP-NORC poll found that more than half of Americans are finding it hard to afford the things they want to give as gifts. This is an issue across the board—nearly two-thirds of those making less than $50,000 feel that way, and close to two in five of those making more than $100,000 also agree. Close to half of respondents said they are shopping for nonessential items less this year, and higher prices are standing out: 87% say groceries are more expensive, while 69% and 63% say the same about electricity and gifts, respectively.

President Donald Trump continually says there is no affordability crisis facing Americans, despite the fact that analysis of prices shows they are increasing—and his approval rating on........

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