Distress & Recovery Β· πŸ”„ Turnaround Consultant

A distress signal published. The board doesn't know who to call. Be the answer.

The window between a SHAB distress publication and formal insolvency proceedings is measured in weeks, not months. Directors are scrambling for a credible path forward before the situation becomes irreversible. A turnaround consultant who reaches them in the first 48 hours arrives as a lifeline β€” not another vendor. By day 45, the case is in the hands of the court, and your mandate never existed.

The timing advantage

Be the first to know. Be the first to call.

For turnaround consultants, the entire value proposition collapses if you arrive too late. Turnaround only works before formal proceedings β€” once a court-appointed liquidator is in charge, the restructuring window is gone. The SHAB distress signal is the starting gun. Your competitors who don't monitor it daily are always a week behind.

1
The board has no trusted advisor at the moment of crisis
Directors receiving a distress notice are often first-time operators facing an unfamiliar situation. They don't have a turnaround specialist on speed dial. The first credible, calm voice offering a structured path forward β€” not just legal defensiveness β€” earns immediate attention. That window is 24–72 hours wide.
2
Operational distress is distinct from terminal distress β€” and the SHAB tells you which
Not every distress filing means the company is finished. The filing profile β€” capital levels, sector, director history, prior SHAB entries β€” signals whether this is a cash flow crisis or structural failure. Calling with that read already done separates you from every generalist who sends a form letter.
3
Leadership changes create a secondary entry point
A new CEO or CFO arriving at a company already showing stress signals is often there to fix what their predecessor couldn't. They need external turnaround support immediately and have the authority to engage it. Catching this overlap β€” leadership change at a distressed company β€” doubles the relevance of your outreach.
Your signals

Which SHAB events matter for Turnaround Consultant

Two SHAB event types create the clearest opening for a turnaround approach. Both indicate a company in transition β€” one existentially, one structurally β€” and both represent a mandate that has not yet been awarded.

⚠️ Distress Signal
HIGH SIGNAL
A formal distress publication in the SHAB means the company has crossed a legal threshold β€” overindebtedness or capital loss β€” that requires public disclosure. This is the exact moment when turnaround is still possible. Directors must act within weeks. A turnaround consultant who appears the same day the notice is published arrives as a solution, not a solicitation.
πŸ‘€ Leadership Change
HIGH SIGNAL
A new CEO or CFO at a company with prior stress indicators β€” or one operating in a sector under pressure β€” often signals that the board has acknowledged failure and brought in a fixer. That incoming leader needs external turnaround expertise to support their mandate and provide independent credibility to creditors. Reaching them in their first week, with a read on the filing history, is a strong opening.
Real scenario
Distress filing β€” Nexus Group AG in Zurich β€” Day 1 vs Day 30

A distress notice hits the SHAB. Two turnaround consultants see it. One calls that morning. The other waits until next month.

8:04 AM
The SHAB publishes. Distress Signal for Nexus Group AG in Zurich. Capital loss disclosure, three directors listed, no prior liquidation proceedings.
8:15 AM
Your Founders & Movers brief lands. Turnaround Consultant score: 94. AI angle attached: "Operational stress profile β€” capital loss, not overindebtedness. Turnaround window open. No prior insolvency filings."
9:30 AM β€” Day 1
You reach out to the company's directors the day the signal appears. They're dealing with a crisis and haven't yet engaged a turnaround specialist. You can be the first credible voice offering a structured path forward.
Day 30 β€” If you wait
The company has entered formal insolvency proceedings. Turnaround is no longer an option β€” it's damage limitation. A court-appointed liquidator is in charge. Your mandate never existed.
Why the window closes

Day 1 vs Day 30 β€” the difference is the deal

Day 1
Day 1 β€” You call today
  • The board has no turnaround advisor engaged. Your call arrives as exactly what they need β€” not a sales pitch, but a structured offer to help them avoid the worst outcome.
  • You bring a read on the filing profile before you've spoken to anyone. That specificity establishes credibility instantly β€” you've already done the work.
  • The company still has operational breathing room. A two-week stabilisation plan is viable. Directors can still make decisions without court supervision.
  • Creditors haven't yet mobilised. There is still room to negotiate a restructuring before positions harden and formal proceedings begin.
Day 30
Day 30 β€” You call next month
  • Formal insolvency proceedings have opened. A court-appointed administrator is in charge. There is no turnaround mandate to win.
  • Creditors have submitted claims. Negotiations are now legal proceedings, not commercial conversations. The window for voluntary restructuring closed weeks ago.
  • The directors you needed to reach are now legally constrained in what they can authorise. Your engagement would require court approval.
  • Another consultant who monitors the SHAB daily already reached the board in week one β€” and may have secured the engagement before proceedings began.
Reach out with reason

Not "I help companies like yours." A specific reason to call.

SHAB events give you a real, specific, verifiable reason to reach out. That changes the conversation from cold outreach to warm intelligence β€” you're not selling, you're responding to something that happened this morning and you have a view on it.

❌ Generic cold outreach
Subject: Business turnaround and recovery advisory

Hi,

I specialise in operational and financial turnaround for Swiss companies facing difficult periods. If your company needs expert guidance to navigate financial distress, I'd be happy to discuss how I can help.

Best regards
βœ… SHAB-triggered with AI angle
Subject: Nexus Group AG β€” distress filing today, turnaround possible?

Saw the distress notice for Nexus Group AG in the SHAB this morning. The filing profile suggests this is operational stress, not terminal. Turnarounds at this stage β€” before formal proceedings β€” succeed when the right people are in the room in the first two weeks. I run exactly that process. Would a call today make sense?
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Founders & Movers has 27 pre-configured roles. These work similarly to Turnaround Consultant β€” overlapping signals, the same timing urgency, and complementary mandates in distress situations.

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