The first year in business is a bit like showing up to your own surprise party, you know you’re the guest of honor, but you have no idea what’s behind the next door. For a company focused on starting, acquiring, and building businesses by investing capital, time, talent, and technology, what some call a holding company, that first year is less about treading water and more about learning how to swim while juggling flaming torches.
The good news? There’s a playbook for making that transition smoother, sharper, and maybe even fun. This is our version, filled with practical moves, a few gentle warnings, and the occasional laugh to keep the stress wrinkles at bay.
A holding company without a clear vision in year one is like a ship leaving harbor without a map , adventurous, sure, but mostly doomed. The first and most important change we make is defining exactly where we’re heading. This means outlining measurable goals, not vague ambitions. "Increase efficiency" is fine, but "reduce operational costs by 12% in 12 months" is sharper, measurable, and far more motivating.
When everyone on the team understands the destination, decisions start making more sense. The meetings get shorter, the priorities get sharper, and you spend less time chasing every shiny new opportunity that wanders by.
In the first year, opportunities can pile up like unread emails. Not every one of them deserves your time. Part of our playbook is learning to filter out anything that doesn’t align with our long-term plan. It’s not glamorous, but it keeps us from drowning in half-finished projects and scattered resources.
The first-year reality check? You can’t scale chaos. Before chasing aggressive growth, we invest time in building systems that can survive expansion. This includes defining workflows, clarifying reporting lines, and documenting processes so no one has to guess how things get done.
Think of it as setting up the plumbing and wiring before decorating the house. Sure, hanging art on the walls is more fun, but if the pipes burst or the lights flicker every other day, you’ll regret skipping the basics.
People are the engine of any holding company, and the first year is when we figure out who we want in the driver’s seat. That doesn’t mean hiring in a rush. It means taking the time to find individuals who not only bring skills but also share the company’s mindset for growth and adaptability. A high performer who can’t collaborate is like a sports car with no steering wheel , impressive, but likely to end in disaster.
Let’s be honest: The first year can feel like money is sprinting out the door while revenue takes a leisurely stroll in. That’s why financial discipline is one of the earliest changes we lock in. Every expense, no matter how small, is tracked, reviewed, and justified.
Budgeting in the first year isn’t just about cutting costs. It’s about learning the spending patterns that make sense for the long run. A dollar spent on tools that improve efficiency can pay for itself ten times over, while a dollar spent on “temporary fixes” can end up costing more in future headaches.
We also make a point to create a financial cushion. Markets can turn, deals can stall, and unexpected costs can appear like uninvited guests at a party. Having reserves means we can handle those surprises without losing momentum or resorting to hasty, short-sighted decisions.
Technology decisions in year one should be future-proof. It’s tempting to choose the cheapest or quickest software solution, but that often leads to expensive migrations later. We opt for tools that can handle not only current needs but also the growth we expect over the next several years.
If the first year is about laying a foundation, then technology is the concrete. The right systems quietly make everything run smoother. The wrong ones… Well, they become a recurring character in every team meeting, and not in a good way.
We also look for opportunities to automate routine work early. Invoices, reporting, scheduling , these tasks can eat up hours every week. Automation frees up the team to focus on high-value work, which is the real fuel for progress in a holding company structure.
Culture isn’t something you “get around to” later. The way we work, communicate, and solve problems starts forming on day one. We make sure the tone is set with openness, accountability, and just enough humor to keep things human.
The truth is, first-year changes are easier to introduce when the culture encourages feedback and experimentation. People feel safer raising concerns, and that safety translates into faster problem-solving.
First-year goals can sometimes feel like climbing a mountain, so we make a habit of recognizing small victories. Hitting a mini milestone keeps motivation alive and reminds everyone that progress is being made, even when the peak still looks far away.
In the holding company world, acquiring too quickly can cause more problems than it solves. We take the first year to establish an acquisition process that balances opportunity with due diligence. Every potential acquisition is measured against our core vision, resources, and ability to integrate without chaos.
Once an acquisition happens, integration becomes the real challenge. We avoid the “all at once” trap by prioritizing the most impactful changes first. This phased approach prevents burnout and keeps both new and existing teams moving in the same direction.
The first year is when we get serious about spotting potential threats. This can be anything from legal vulnerabilities to dependency on a single supplier. By identifying these early, we can take proactive steps rather than scrambling when something goes wrong.
Our playbook keeps room for pivots. If we’ve learned anything, it’s that a rigid plan is a brittle plan. Flexibility lets us respond to new information and shifting conditions without throwing the whole operation into chaos.
First-year changes aren’t about guessing , they’re about observing and adjusting. We build feedback loops into every area of the business so we’re never flying blind. That means regular check-ins, measurable benchmarks, and the willingness to admit when something isn’t working.
The danger in year one is waiting for everything to be “just right” before moving forward. Our approach is to launch, learn, tweak, and improve. Progress beats perfection every time, and small course corrections are easier than giant overhauls.
The first year in a holding company isn’t about doing everything at once. It’s about setting a strong, smart pace and focusing on the changes that will actually matter five years from now. Our playbook keeps us grounded, disciplined, and just flexible enough to handle whatever the business landscape throws our way.
If there’s one thing we’ve learned, it’s that the first-year changes aren’t a checklist to rush through. They’re the opening chapters of a story we’ll be telling for years. And if we happen to have a little fun along the way , well, that’s just smart business.
Ryan Schwab serves as Chief Revenue Officer at HOLD.co, where he leads all revenue generation, business development, and growth strategy efforts. With a proven track record in scaling technology, media, and services businesses, Ryan focuses on driving top-line performance across HOLD.co’s portfolio through disciplined sales systems, strategic partnerships, and AI-driven marketing automation. Prior to joining HOLD.co, Ryan held senior leadership roles in high-growth companies, where he built and led revenue teams, developed go-to-market strategies, and spearheaded digital transformation initiatives. His approach blends data-driven decision-making with deep market insight to fuel sustainable, scalable growth.
