About JK Research
We're operating partners — not consultants passing through.
JK Research was founded on a simple conviction: professional services firms don't fail from lack of strategy. They fail from lack of execution capacity at the top. Founders and CEOs get buried in client work, partners get pulled in ten directions, and the initiatives that would actually move the needle — growth, exit readiness, integration — sit on the shelf.
We exist to close that gap. Three partners. Sixty-plus years combined running growth, brand, and M&A inside and alongside professional services firms. Fifteen transactions. Two hundred-plus client engagements. One shared belief: the firms that grow, exit well, and integrate cleanly are the ones with operators in the room — not deck-delivery consultants.
Our Mission
To be the trusted operating partners for professional services founders, CEOs, and PE owners who want to grow their firms, exit on their terms, and integrate acquisitions that actually deliver.
Our Vision
A professional services industry where founders don't have to choose between growth and freedom — where every firm is built to be exit-ready, whether or not the owner ever sells.
What We Believe
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All in for the client win. Your outcomes are our scoreboard. We embed with your team, get our hands dirty, and stay accountable long after the strategy is on paper.
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Functional and industry expertise, not generalist advice. We've operated inside consulting, training, L&D, life sciences, healthcare, IT services, and marketing agencies. We know the economics, the buyer, and the exit landscape of your vertical — because we've lived them.
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Fingers on the pulse. Markets shift. Buyers change. AI is rewriting how professional services get bought and delivered. We invest in research — 6sense, DCM Insights, SPI, Axial, and primary voice-of-client work — so our clients don't have to guess where things are headed.
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Execution beats elegance. A pragmatic plan that gets implemented beats a brilliant plan that doesn't. We prioritize what moves the needle, kill what doesn't, and measure in quarters— not years.
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Peer-to-peer, never top-down. We've sat in the founder's seat and the CMO's seat. We talk to clients the way we'd want to be talked to — direct, operator-to-operator, no jargon, no posturing.
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Your freedom is the point. Every engagement is ultimately about giving the founder more options — more growth, more profit, more time, and when the moment comes, a better exit.
Meet the Team
Dario Priolo, Founding Partner
267-265-7150
Dario founded JK Research after a 25-year career as a C-suite operator and growth leader across some of the most recognized professional services firms in the world — Deloitte, Hay Group, and Miller Heiman among them.
He has led 25 M&A transactions on both the buy and sell side, and completed 200+ advisory engagements with PS firms ranging from founder-owned boutiques to PE-backed platforms.
His focus at JK Research is growth strategy, exit readiness, and transaction positioning — helping clients get significantly more than their initial offers while navigating the process with minimal stress and disruption.
Brett Trainor, Partner
908-752-7962
Brett brings 20+ years of operating experience running customer, marketing, and revenue functions at some of the most recognized brands in the world — American Express, Chase, and AT&T among them.
He has held roles including Chief Customer Officer, CMO, GM, and VP of Demand Generation across Fortune 50 companies and high-growth environments, and has completed 50+ consulting engagements with professional services firms.
His focus at JK Research is client-led growth and scalable revenue systems — helping firms deepen existing client relationships, expand revenue per account, and build the operational infrastructure that makes a firm more valuable and more sellable.
Michael Hunter, Partner
610-393-7688
Michael’s career is at the intersection of professional services and marketing — having served as a management consultant and M&A advisor at AlixPartners and a CMO for BBDO advertising.
He has completed 50+ advisory engagements with professional services firms and their PE backers — and spent the early part of his career managing major agency relationships as a client at KitchenAid and Best Buy – a unique 360-degree vantage point that shapes how he thinks about his clients’ businesses.
His focus at JK Research is positioning, growth strategy, and post-acquisition integration — helping firms sharpen how they show up in-market and capture full value before and after deal close.
Frequently Asked Questions
ABOUT THE ROLE
Q: What is a Strategic Operating Partner?
A: In private equity, operating partners work cross-functionally with CEOs to maximize firm value—bringing both hands-on execution and portfolio-level best practices. We bring that model to professional services CEOs and PE firms. Not functional executives running marketing or sales, but partners working across your organization on whatever drives growth and exit value.
Q: Are you fractional CMOs or CROs?
A: No. Fractional CMOs run your marketing function. CROs run your revenue function. We execute strategic initiatives that drive growth and exit value—often going well beyond marketing. Think account expansion strategy, strategic repositioning, solution development, exit readiness. Cross-functional work focused on revenue and firm valuation, not departmental metrics.
Q: How are you different from traditional consultants?
A: Traditional consultants deliver strategy decks and leave you to execute. We clear your plate with immediate wins, then stay engaged through execution. We get our hands dirty and do the work as an extension of your team. We also bring portfolio-level intelligence from 100+ firms—what's actually working across the industry, not just generic frameworks.
Q: What's the "portfolio advantage" you mention?
A: We've worked with 100+ professional services firms and conduct ongoing Voice of Client research with hundreds of executive buyers. You get pattern recognition on what's working in account expansion, how buyers are selecting firms, which positioning approaches win, what drives valuations. Industry-level insight your internal team can't access.
HOW WE WORK TOGETHER
Q: How does an engagement typically start?
A: We typically start by clearing your plate—execute 2-3 urgent projects that have been slipping for months. This delivers immediate relief, proves the partnership works, and typically pays back fees in 3-6 months. Then we redirect to strategic initiatives that will drive the most growth and firm value.
Q: How much of my time will this require?
A: Very little upfront—that's the point. We learn by executing projects you need done anyway, not by asking you to educate us. As we get into strategic work, expect monthly strategy sessions plus ad hoc collaboration. We work to reduce your burden, not add to it.
Q: Do I need to hire additional staff to work with you?
A: No. We work with your existing team as an extension of your leadership. If we identify capability gaps, we'll discuss options—but the goal is to execute with what you have while building internal capability.
Q: Will you work on-site or remotely?
A: Flexible. Some engagements are primarily remote with periodic on-site visits. Others benefit from more regular on-site presence. We adapt to what makes sense for the work and your location.
Q: How long do engagements typically last?
A: Flexible. Some CEOs need a few months to clear the deck and redirect priorities. Others want sustained partnership executing the full growth and exit agenda. PE firms often engage us across multiple portfolio companies. We figure out what makes sense as we go.
Q: Can you work with multiple portfolio companies simultaneously?
A: Yes. PE firms often engage us across their professional services portfolio—bringing domain expertise and best practices across companies. We can work fractionally across multiple portfolio companies on specific value creation initiatives.
SCOPE & CAPABILITIES
Q: What kind of projects do you take on?
A: Whatever maximizes growth and firm value. Common work: account expansion and revenue capture, strategic positioning and market visibility, solution development and go-to-market strategy, business development systems, AI integration for productivity and margins, exit readiness and valuation optimization.
Q: Do you help with account expansion?
A: Yes. Most firms capture only 1/3 of their account potential. We bring proven methodology (PACE framework) plus intelligence on what's working across firms. This often pays back engagement fees in first quarter.
Q: Can you help with positioning and thought leadership?
A: Yes. We've positioned major firms and know what differentiates in the market. We also help build visibility and thought leadership programs—moving your best thinking from delivery work into market-facing content that wins deals.
Q: Do you help with AI integration?
A: Yes. We help professional services firms identify high-value AI applications—particularly in delivery productivity and margin improvement. We cut through the hype to focus on what actually delivers ROI in services businesses.
Q: Can you help develop new solutions or offerings?
A: Yes. We bring both market intelligence on what's selling and practical go-to-market experience. We help you vet ideas, develop offerings, and launch without false starts.
Q: Do you help with exit preparation?
A: Yes. 13 M&A transactions means we know what drives valuations. We help identify and address valuation killers—client concentration, founder dependency, churn, lack of repeatable systems. Typically need 18-24 months to properly prepare.
Q: Do you help with M&A transactions themselves?
A: We help with preparation and positioning for exit, but we're not investment bankers. We focus on building the operational foundation that maximizes valuations—then you work with bankers and advisors on the transaction itself.
CLIENTS & FIT
Q: Who do you work with?
A: Professional services CEOs generating $1M-$100M in revenue, typically needing to accelerate growth or building toward exit in 3-5 years. PE firms who own or are seeking portfolio companies in consulting, training & talent, marketing services & agencies segments.
Q: Do you work with firms outside consulting, training & talent, marketing services & agencies?
A: Our sweet spots are these types of professional services firms. We will occasionally work with professional services firms in other categories if together we deem there to be a fit.
Q: What size firms do you work with?
A: Typically $1M-$100M in revenue. Below $1M, firms often need different support. Above $100M, they usually have internal resources for what we do.
Q: Do you work with PE-backed firms?
A: Yes. We work both with PE firms directly (as operating partner across portfolio) and with individual PE-backed companies that need domain expertise for value creation.
Q: Do you work with firms not planning to exit?
A: Yes. Many engagements focus on accelerating growth—stalled revenue, client concentration, competitive losses, margin erosion. Exit readiness is one outcome, not the only one.
Q: How do you work with CEOs vs. PE firms?
A: For CEOs: We help execute growth and exit initiatives that keep slipping. Start by clearing urgent projects, then redirect to what maximizes growth and firm value.
For PE firms: We're the domain specialists for professional services portfolio companies. Most operating partners are generalists—we bring 60 combined years in operating roles and consulting and across 25 M&A transactions.
INVESTMENT & ROI
Q: What does an engagement cost?
A: Depends on scope and duration. Fees typically pay back within 3-6 months through immediate revenue capture or margin improvement. We're happy to discuss specifics once we understand what you need.
Q: How quickly will I see ROI?
A: Most engagements deliver ROI within 3-6 months. Account expansion work often recoups fees in the first quarter. Strategic repositioning and capability-building take longer but create sustained value.
Q: What results have you delivered?
A: Exit valuations more than doubled. Doubled firm size in 4 years with 4x increase in exit value. 4x revenue growth over two-year engagement. Consistent ROI within 6 months. Clients who paid back engagement fees in first quarter through account expansion.
Q: Do you guarantee results?
A: We don't guarantee specific outcomes, but we do focus on self-funding engagements. Early work typically delivers quick wins that validate the investment before we tackle longer-term strategic initiatives.
DECISION CRITERIA
Q: How do I know if I need a Strategic Operating Partner?
A: You have strategic initiatives that keep slipping because operations always win. Revenue growth stalled, client concentration too high, losing to weaker competitors, can't defend premium pricing, best clients could expand 2-3x, considering exit but unclear on timing. If any of these resonate, let's talk.
Q: What if I'm not sure what I need?
A: That's common. Most CEOs know they need to do something but aren't sure what will move the needle most. That's why we start by clearing urgent projects—we learn your business while delivering value, then we can diagnose what actually matters most.
Q: How do I know if we're a good fit?
A: Good fit indicators: You're a professional services CEO who's maxed out on capacity but knows strategic work is falling through the cracks. You're PE firm with services portfolio companies needing domain expertise. You want hands-on execution, not just strategy recommendations. You're willing to redirect priorities based on what we learn.
Q: What if my team is skeptical about outside help?
A: We work to prove value quickly through immediate wins. Also, we position as an extension of your team, not a replacement—building their capabilities while executing alongside them. Skepticism usually converts once they see the portfolio-level intelligence and results.
GETTING STARTED
Q: What's the first step?
A: Let's have a conversation. We'll learn about your situation, you'll get sense of how we work. If there's fit, we'll identify 2-3 urgent projects to start clearing your plate. No lengthy proposals or discovery phases.
Q: Do you do discovery or assessment phases?
A: We learn by doing, not by asking you to educate us through workshops and interviews. We identify urgent projects that need doing anyway, we execute them while learning your business, then we redirect to strategic priorities.
Q: What information do you need to get started?
A: Minimal. Tell us what's urgent and what's been slipping. We'll figure out the rest by talking to your team and executing real work.
Q: How quickly can we start?
A: Usually within 1-2 weeks once we agree on initial projects and engagement terms. We don't require extensive onboarding or preparation.
Ready for more? Want me to add specific industry questions, competitive questions, or anything else?