Who is Maggie Lord ?
I founded Rustic Wedding Chic in 2008 and spent more than a decade building it into an established brand in the wedding industry. In 2020, I sold the business to David's Bridal.
Today, I bring that firsthand experience to my work with entrepreneurs and business owners. I've experienced the realities of building, growing, operating and ultimately selling a company, and I understand the opportunities and challenges that come with each stage.
I'm also the co-founder of The Whisper Group, a collective of exited female founders advising women before, during and after their business exits. In addition to my advisory work, I serve as a strategic advisor to growing businesses and have held board and advisory positions across several companies.
My approach is practical, candid and grounded in the belief that building a successful business should create meaningful value and give its founder more options for the future.
What makes Maggie Lord different from other business consultants and advisors?
I bring the perspective of someone who has actually built and sold a business.
My advice isn't based solely on business theory, frameworks or textbook strategies. I've navigated the decisions, financial realities, operational challenges and personal considerations that come with growing a company and preparing it for an acquisition.
I understand that founders are often balancing immediate operational demands with much bigger questions about profitability, growth, leadership, business value and their eventual exit.
I work alongside founders as a strategic thought partner, helping them see the bigger picture, identify opportunities, challenge assumptions and determine what matters most.
My goal isn't simply to tell business owners what they should do. It's to help them make better decisions and build businesses that are stronger, more valuable and better positioned for what's next.
What is Maggie Lord's entrepreneurial background?
I founded Rustic Wedding Chic in 2008 at age 26. What started as an entrepreneurial venture grew into an established wedding industry brand.
I spent years building the business, developing its audience, creating strategic partnerships and navigating the decisions involved in growing and operating a company.
In 2020, I sold Rustic Wedding Chic to David's Bridal.
That experience fundamentally shaped the work I do today. I understand the difference between building a business that generates revenue and building one that has sustainable operations, strong financial performance and meaningful enterprise value.
I now use those lessons to help other founders navigate their own business journeys.
What industries does Maggie Lord work with?
My experience is particularly deep in the wedding and events industry, where I spent more than a decade building Rustic Wedding Chic and continue to maintain relationships across the industry.
I also work with founder-led businesses across different industries, particularly companies navigating growth, organizational change, operational challenges, acquisitions or ownership transitions.
My advisory approach focuses on the fundamentals of building a strong business: strategy, leadership, financial performance, operations, positioning and long-term value creation.
I don't believe good business strategy is limited to one industry.
Does Maggie Lord work with women-owned businesses?
Yes. Supporting female founders and business owners is an important part of my work, including through The Whisper Group.
I work with women who are building companies, navigating growth, considering acquisitions or thinking about their eventual exit.
I believe women business owners should have access to experienced advisors, honest conversations and practical guidance as they make decisions that shape their companies and financial futures.
I also work with founders and leadership teams regardless of gender.
Strategic Advisory & Business Services
What does a strategic business advisor do?
A strategic business advisor works alongside a business owner or leadership team to evaluate the company, identify opportunities, address challenges and make decisions that support long-term business performance.
My role is to help founders step outside the day-to-day demands of running their businesses and look at the bigger picture.
That may involve evaluating the business model, reviewing financial performance, identifying operational inefficiencies, assessing growth opportunities, strengthening leadership and determining which initiatives should receive the greatest attention.
I bring an objective perspective, ask difficult questions and help translate strategic priorities into actionable plans.
The goal is to help business owners make more informed decisions and build businesses that are stronger, more profitable and more valuable.
What types of businesses benefit from strategic advising?
Strategic advising can be valuable for founder-led businesses that have moved beyond the earliest startup stage and are facing more complex decisions.
I typically work with business owners who:
Have established a business but need a clearer growth strategy.
Are generating revenue but struggling with profitability.
Have become too involved in daily operations.
Need help identifying their biggest business priorities.
Are considering expansion, acquisitions or new opportunities.
Need to strengthen their leadership and operational structure.
Want to increase business value.
Are beginning to think about an eventual exit.
You don't necessarily need to be experiencing a problem to benefit from strategic advising. Sometimes the most valuable time to bring in an outside perspective is when things are going well and you want to make sure you're building toward the right future.
What is the difference between business coaching and strategic advising?
Business coaching and strategic advising overlap, but they serve different purposes.
Founder coaching is often centered on the individual business owner: leadership, accountability, decision-making, confidence and navigating the challenges of entrepreneurship.
Strategic advising focuses more directly on the business itself, including its financial performance, business model, operations, growth opportunities and long-term objectives.
I offer both.
Some founders need a consistent thought partner to help them navigate the personal and professional demands of running a company. Others need a strategic partner who can look at the business, identify opportunities and help determine what needs to change.
Many benefit from a combination of the two.
What is Founder Coaching?
Founder Coaching is designed for business owners who want a trusted thought partner to help them navigate the challenges and decisions that come with entrepreneurship.
Running a business can be isolating. Founders are often responsible for making significant decisions without having someone independent to challenge their thinking or help them evaluate their options.
Through founder coaching, I help entrepreneurs gain clarity, establish priorities, improve decision-making and stay accountable to the goals they set for themselves and their businesses.
Our conversations may cover leadership, business challenges, growth decisions, team dynamics, time management, opportunities and the personal realities of being a business owner.
The focus is on helping you become a stronger, more intentional leader while moving your business forward.
What is Strategic Advising?
Strategic Advising is a partnership for founders and business owners who want experienced, objective guidance as they navigate important business decisions.
I work alongside you to understand the current state of your business, evaluate opportunities and challenges, identify priorities and develop a strategic direction.
Depending on the business, this may include reviewing financial performance, evaluating business operations, identifying growth opportunities, strengthening positioning, assessing profitability and creating a roadmap for the next stage.
I bring an outside perspective while remaining grounded in the realities of operating a business.
The objective is to move beyond reacting to what's happening today and make intentional decisions about where the business is going.
What is Strategic Business Transformation?
Strategic Business Transformation is focused on companies facing a significant inflection point and needing more focused leadership to move forward.
This may happen when a business has outgrown its existing structure, is struggling with profitability, needs to reposition itself, is experiencing operational challenges or is preparing for a major period of growth or change.
My role is to evaluate the business, identify what needs to change and help establish a practical path forward.
Depending on the engagement, this may involve business model evaluation, operational improvements, leadership alignment, strategic planning, prioritization and implementation oversight.
The goal is to create a stronger business with the structure, strategy and direction needed for its next chapter.
Does Maggie Lord offer fractional leadership or executive support?
I work with businesses that need experienced strategic leadership and hands-on support during important periods of change or growth.
Depending on the company's needs, an engagement may include ongoing strategic advising, leadership support, operational oversight, project prioritization and helping move key initiatives from planning into execution.
The scope and structure of each engagement are determined by the business's needs and the level of involvement required.
Exit Advisory & Business Sales
What is exit advisory?
Exit advisory helps business owners understand, prepare for and navigate the process of selling or transitioning their companies.
Selling a business is one of the most significant financial and professional decisions an entrepreneur will make. It requires preparation, thoughtful planning and an understanding of what buyers are looking for.
Through my exit advisory work, I help founders evaluate their businesses, understand potential value drivers, identify areas that may need improvement and prepare for conversations with prospective buyers.
My firsthand experience selling Rustic Wedding Chic to David's Bridal, combined with my work through The Whisper Group, informs how I guide founders through this process.
The objective is to help business owners approach an eventual exit with greater clarity, preparation and confidence.
When should I start preparing my business for sale?
Earlier than most founders think.
Many business owners begin thinking about selling only when they are ready to leave, but the strongest exit preparation often begins years before a transaction.
Ideally, founders should start thinking about exit readiness while they still have time to make meaningful improvements to the business.
That includes strengthening financial reporting, improving profitability, documenting operational processes, reducing owner dependency, developing leadership, diversifying revenue and understanding what makes the business attractive to potential buyers.
Even if you have no immediate plans to sell, building an exit-ready business can make your company stronger and give you more options.
How do I know what my business is worth?
Business valuation is influenced by several factors, including revenue, profitability, growth trends, recurring revenue, customer concentration, operational structure, market position and the overall attractiveness of the business to potential buyers.
Two businesses with similar revenue can have very different valuations depending on their financial performance, risk profile and growth opportunities.
I help founders understand the financial and operational factors that influence business value and identify opportunities to strengthen their position.
A valuation assessment can provide an important starting point for understanding potential value, but it should not be confused with a guaranteed sale price or a formal independent valuation.
How can I increase the value of my business before selling?
Increasing business value requires looking beyond revenue growth.
Buyers are interested in businesses that demonstrate sustainable profitability, reliable financial performance, manageable risk and the ability to operate successfully beyond the founder.
Some of the areas I encourage founders to examine include:
Improving EBITDA and overall profitability.
Reducing unnecessary operating expenses.
Strengthening recurring or predictable revenue.
Reducing customer concentration.
Developing a capable leadership team.
Documenting systems and operating procedures.
Improving financial reporting and recordkeeping.
Establishing a clear competitive position.
Reducing reliance on the founder for daily operations.
Identifying credible opportunities for future growth.
The right priorities depend on the individual business, its financial performance and its potential buyers.
What is exit readiness?
Exit readiness is the process of preparing a business to be attractive, transferable and ready for a potential sale.
It involves evaluating the business from the perspective of a potential buyer.
That means understanding the financials, identifying potential risks, reviewing operational systems, assessing leadership and evaluating how easily the business could continue operating under new ownership.
Exit readiness also means understanding what the owner wants from a transaction, including financial objectives, timing and the type of buyer who may be the best fit.
I help founders look at their businesses objectively and identify the work that can improve their readiness and potentially strengthen their position when it is time to sell.
What is the difference between exit planning and exit advisory?
Exit planning is the broader process of preparing a business and its owner for a future transition.
It can begin years before a sale and includes strengthening the business, improving financial performance, addressing operational risks and understanding the owner's goals.
Exit advisory is more focused on helping the founder evaluate and navigate the decisions associated with a potential transaction.
Both are important. Preparing the business creates a stronger foundation, while advisory support helps the founder make more informed decisions as they explore and pursue an exit.
Does Maggie Lord work with founders who are not ready to sell?
Absolutely.
In fact, many of the founders I work with are several years away from a potential exit.
You don't need to be ready to sell to benefit from understanding what makes your business valuable and what you can do to strengthen it.
Building a stronger, more profitable and less owner-dependent business creates options. You may ultimately decide to sell, pursue an acquisition, bring in a partner, transition leadership or continue growing the company.
My goal is to help you build a business that gives you choices.
Working With Maggie
What does working with Maggie Lord look like?
Every engagement begins with understanding you, your business and what you're trying to accomplish.
I want to understand where the company is today, what is working, where you're experiencing challenges and what decisions are ahead.
From there, we identify the areas where I can provide the greatest value and determine the right structure for working together.
Depending on the engagement, this may include regular advisory meetings, financial and operational reviews, strategic planning, business assessments, leadership discussions and ongoing accountability.
My approach is collaborative and direct. I want to be someone you can call when you need an objective perspective, a sounding board or help thinking through a consequential decision.
How do I know which service is right for my business?
It depends on what you're navigating.
If you're a founder looking for greater clarity, accountability and support as a business owner, Founder Coaching may be the right fit.
If you need an experienced strategic thought partner to help evaluate business performance, opportunities and priorities, Strategic Advising may be a better fit.
If your company is facing a major inflection point and needs focused leadership to address challenges or implement significant changes, Strategic Business Transformation may be appropriate.
If you're thinking about selling, exploring acquisition opportunities or preparing your company for a future exit, Exit Advisory is the natural starting point.
You don't need to have everything figured out before reaching out. Part of our initial conversation is determining what kind of support will be most valuable.
How long do advisory engagements last?
The length of an engagement depends on the goals and complexity of the work.
Some founders benefit from an ongoing advisory relationship, while others need focused support around a particular business challenge, strategic initiative or transition.
I offer different engagement structures based on the level of support required. We'll discuss the appropriate scope and timing before beginning.
How do I get started working with Maggie Lord?
The best place to start is by reaching out through the Contact page on MaggieLord.com.
Share a little about yourself, your business and what you're looking to accomplish.
I'll review your inquiry and we can determine whether an initial conversation makes sense.
Whether you're focused on growing your business, improving profitability, navigating a major transition or preparing for an eventual exit, I'm always interested in hearing what founders are building and where they want to go.
The Bigger Picture
What does Maggie Lord believe makes a successful business?
I believe a successful business should create value beyond the revenue it generates.
It should have a clear purpose, healthy financial performance, strong operations, a capable team and the ability to function without the founder being involved in every decision.
Most importantly, it should give its owner choices.
Building a company is an enormous commitment. Founders deserve to create businesses that support their financial goals, professional ambitions and the lives they want to lead.
That is ultimately what informs my work: helping founders build stronger businesses, make better decisions and create lasting value.