Repositioning Masternaut for success and a strategic sale
How littlevoice helped transform Masternaut, preparing it for a successful acquisition
CHALLENGE
Turning a struggling business into an attractive acquisition
Luke Abrams
VP of Product
Franc Nicoletti
Head of Product Management / Mobile
Masternaut, a connected vehicle company backed by private equity, was in the middle of a turnaround. The challenge was clear: reposition the business, improve performance, and make it ready for a successful sale.
The team was underperforming, and leadership needed senior partners to support a strategic reboot.
The company lacked a clear value proposition, making it difficult to attract investors and customers.
Masternaut needed a compelling roadmap and improved UX/UI to demonstrate future potential.
The turnaround had to be more than just cosmetic—operational issues needed addressing.
With limited internal resources, Luke Abrams, VP of Product, turned to littlevoice to help overhaul the company’s direction and ensure long-term success.
KEY INSIGHTS
Unlocking Masternaut’s potential
littlevoice quickly identified critical gaps and opportunities that shaped the transformation:
1
Masternaut’s market positioning was unclear
The company needed a stronger narrative to attract investors and demonstrate value.
2
UX/UI inconsistencies impacted customer engagement
The user experience needed a major overhaul to align with Masternaut’s new vision.
3
The roadmap was weak
Investors needed to see a future-proof strategy extending beyond immediate fixes.
4
Internal teams lacked senior leadership
littlevoice filled critical gaps, providing strategic design and product expertise.
Through deep collaboration, littlevoice uncovered overlooked strengths, giving Masternaut a clear direction that resonated with both customers and potential buyers.
"I needed to reboot the whole company and the whole direction of the company. And I needed very, very senior design partners to help me with that. And they did."
Luke Abrams
VP of Product at Masternaut
Navigation and information is structured for ease of use and discoverability
"They weren’t just designers—they were strategic thought partners."
Luke Abrams
VP of Product at Masternaut
SOLUTION
Full-scale transformation
littlevoice didn’t just improve the UX—they helped redefine Masternaut’s entire value proposition and business strategy:
1
Redefined Masternaut’s brand and value proposition
making it more compelling to investors and customers
2
Created a 3-year roadmap
to showcase long-term vision and growth potential
3
Overhauled UX/UI
to align with Masternaut’s new positioning and improve user engagement
4
Addressed operational inefficiencies
to ensure the business was running effectively, not just looking good on paper
5
Worked closely with leadership
filling the gaps in internal expertise and aligning teams across different regions.
"They are actual professionals—people that know what the heck they're doing."
Luke Abrams
VP of Product at Masternaut
Actionable data dasboards
"The calibre that I could not have even afforded to hire… They offered their services to help me with a bunch of stuff."
Luke Abrams
VP of Product at Masternaut
IMPACT
From struggling business to successful exit
With littlevoice’s support, Masternaut went from a struggling company to an attractive acquisition target:
A compelling new market positioning
made Masternaut stand out in a competitive space
Clear and strategic messaging
helped secure interest from investors
Operational and technical improvements
ensured the company was not just viable but thriving
Successful sale to Michelin
with littlevoice continuing to support the business post-acquisition
"Ultimately that led to the successful sale of the company, which was the point of it. It was a PE-backed business… And that’s what we were able to do."
Luke Abrams
VP of Product at Masternaut
"littlevoice became a valued part of the fabric of the company—not just through the sale, but well into the future."
Luke Abrams
VP of Product at Masternaut
CONCLUSION
A long-term partnership for real transformation
Masternaut’s successful sale wasn’t just about making the company look good—it was about making it truly better.
littlevoice’s strategic and design expertise ensured Masternaut was not only sale-ready but primed for continued success under new ownership. Their involvement didn’t end at the sale—Michelin recognised their value and retained them post-acquisition, a testament to their impact.
"I understand they continued to work with Masternaut post-acquisition for several years… littlevoice was able to just make themselves part of Masternaut and Michelin, and were a valued resource for a long time."
Luke Abrams
VP of Product at Masternaut