Strategic Refocus Balancing Product Viability and Talent Alignment

Challenge

A Canadian tech company was managing three separate cloud-based products. While two showed strong market traction and operational synergy, the third struggled with adoption and required distinct technical capabilities. Leadership faced a strategic decision: continue investing in the underperforming product or refocus resources on the core business.

Approach

We were brought in to support a strategic assessment of the product portfolio, focusing on the impact on the workforce, opportunity costs, and readiness for acquisition.

Our approach included:

  • A performance review of all three products: growth rate, customer acquisition, retention, and profitability.
  • Market benchmarking to evaluate competitive pressure and barriers to scale in the retail tech space
  • A talent and org structure assessment, identifying role overlaps, dilution of key resources, and hiring risks

Scenario planning around three pathways:

    • Maintain and invest in all three products
    • Spin off the third product as a separate entity
    • Retire the third product to focus on the two core offerings

 

Our workforce modelling included analysis of hiring needs, skills gaps, onboarding costs, and operational strain. We helped quantify not just what it would take to continue—but what it might cost the business in focus, speed, and strategic clarity.

Industry

Financial Institution

Geography

Canada