Houlihan Lokey Advises Challenger Optimization

Houlihan Lokey is pleased to announce that Challenger Optimization Inc. (Challenger), a portfolio company of Marlin Equity, has been acquired by Richardson Sales Performance (Richardson), a portfolio company of Truelink Capital. The transaction closed on September 10, 2024.

The combination of Richardson’s expertise in developing role-based sales capabilities and Challenger's distinctive approach to challenging conventional thinking in sales, marketing, and customer service teams will equip both companies’ customers for greater success. Together, the two companies will offer a more comprehensive suite of solutions designed to elevate sales teams’ performance and drive measurable business outcomes.

Richardson and Challenger’s joint capabilities will provide customers with expanded access to best-in-class methodologies, cutting-edge technology, rich analytics, and a broader range of learning experiences. By leveraging the strengths of both organizations, customers will benefit from a more holistic approach to sales training, encompassing everything from consultative, agile selling skills to disruptive, insight-driven selling strategies.

The acquisition also opens up new opportunities for employees of both companies. Together, Richardson and Challenger will foster a collaborative and innovative environment where employees can access broader professional development opportunities, leverage combined resources, and contribute to shaping the future of sales training and performance improvement.

Challenger, a global leader in sales transformation, delivers a comprehensive range of training and development solutions for revenue teams. By leveraging both in-person workshops and tech-enabled channels, Challenger seamlessly integrates its content and tools into the seller’s workflow, driving measurable behavior change. Grounded in the world-renowned The Challenger Sale™, the first research-based sales methodology, Challenger’s solutions empower enterprises to design, adopt, and implement more effective commercial strategies, fostering sustainable success on a global scale.

Richardson is how leading sales organizations around the world are getting better results from their investment in sales training. For far too long, companies have had to deal with a big disconnect between their training and their real results in the field. Richardson connects metrics to behaviors, training to outcomes, and sellers to their best performance.

Houlihan Lokey served as the exclusive financial advisor to Challenger. This transaction highlights the team’s expertise and continued success in the professional learning sector, marking its 19th transaction since the beginning of 2021.

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