How We Work
What follows is a description of the Nordon methodology. We describe the architecture. We do not publish the models.
The Scoring Framework
Every diagnostic evaluates a target asset across seven scoring dimensions. Each is scored independently before a composite position is formed. The composite recommendation is the product of the full scoring, not any single dimension.
01
Where the asset shows up when families search locally. Google Business Profile presence and completeness, Google Maps ranking, local pack visibility, organic search rankings, and aggregator listing position across the major senior living systems. Discoverability is the most observable indicator of whether the asset's pipeline can hold without paid intermediation.
02
The direction of public sentiment over the last twelve months. Review volume, star rating movement, response rate and quality, recurring sentiment patterns, and the cadence of fresh reviews. Reputation does not turn overnight. Its trajectory tells the buyer whether the operator is gaining ground, holding, or losing it.
03
The asset measured against three to five direct competitors in the same submarket. Every Discoverability and Reputation signal compared. Where the asset leads, where it matches, where it trails. An asset reads differently at the top of a weak set than at the bottom of a strong one.
04
A structural read on whether the lead pipeline is operator-owned or aggregator-dependent. At Tier 1, inferred from the gap between owned digital strength and aggregator presence. At Tier 2, confirmed against twelve months of CRM data showing lead volume by source. The most consequential dimension for hold-period economics.
05
What the operator owns versus what disappears at close. Website ownership, ad account ownership, analytics access, CRM ownership, and the agency-or-operator question across each. Infrastructure that does not transfer is infrastructure the next operator has to rebuild.
06
A composite read across the other six dimensions, scoped to this asset's specific submarket. Not a portfolio track record. Not a national brand reputation. The question is whether this operator wins in this market against these competitors. Operator Local Capability is read as a synthesis judgment, grounded in the evidence from the other six.
07
A point-in-time capture of the asset's external position at the moment of close. Same dimensions, taken as a snapshot, used to document inherited state and measure subsequent operator stewardship through the hold. The Transition Baseline is the buyer's anchor for what changed under their watch.
How the Work Is Done
Every Nordon assessment is built in two tiers. The first reads external signals. The second cross-verifies those signals against seller-provided backend data. The sequence is fixed: external first, verified second.
Tier 1 · External Signals
Five to seven business days. No seller cooperation required. The seven dimensions assessed from publicly observable sources. Findings carry confidence labels of Verified, Observed, Inferred, or Unavailable. The deliverable a buyer can request before LOI without the seller's consent or knowledge.
Tier 2 · Verified
Ten to fourteen business days from data receipt. Adds seller-provided exports across CRM, Google Analytics, Google Search Console, and the paid advertising accounts. Every Tier 1 inference cross-checked against the verified backend. Variance is itself a finding. Tier 2 sits inside formal due diligence with seller cooperation negotiated through the deal.
Configuration A is the most common Tier 1 / Tier 2 engagement. The architecture extends across Configurations B through F with structural variations appropriate to each engagement type.
Evidence Grading
Every data point in a Nordon diagnostic carries a confidence label. We do not present uncertain findings with the same authority as verified ones.
Verified
Backend or authoritative source confirms the finding directly. Available at Tier 2 once seller-provided data is in scope.
Observed
Public data shows the finding directly, without inference. Available at Tier 1 from sources visible to any external party.
Inferred
Multiple public signals together suggest a finding that no single source confirms. Most common at Tier 1 for dimensions where ground truth requires seller data.
Unavailable
The finding cannot be determined at this tier. Named openly in the deliverable. At Tier 2, items previously Unavailable typically resolve to Verified.
Risk Classification
Every finding is classified by how significantly it affects the investment decision.
Critical
Findings that materially threaten the investment thesis. Resolution required before proceeding.
Material
Findings that affect value or risk profile meaningfully. Should be weighted in committee discussion.
Moderate
Worth monitoring. Do not alter the recommendation independently.
Watch
Early signals. Not actionable at time of diagnostic, but flagged.
Sources
The methodology draws on external digital signals: local search and mapping systems, the major senior living aggregator listings, public review systems, infrastructure-ownership signals, and operator-presented public assets. We describe the categories of data we read. We do not publish the specific systems, the weighting model, or the scoring rubrics. The standard is that every finding traces to a citable public source the buyer could verify independently, or, at Tier 2, to seller-provided backend data named in the methodology appendix.
Coverage
The same seven dimensions sit underneath all six configurations across five phases of the capital lifecycle. Market Entry Analysis runs at Market Selection. Pre-Acquisition Assessment runs Under LOI. Transition Baseline captures the moment of Closing. Portfolio Health Monitor and Asset Performance Diagnostic operate during the Hold Period. Exit Positioning Package prepares the asset Pre-Exit. Each configuration applies the methodology at the deal moment relevant to it. The dimensions do not change. The frame, the timeline, and the deliverable change to fit the question being asked.
Nordon's role is to read the asset, document what is, and tell the capital partner what the evidence supports. The buyer and their operating partner decide what to act on. The diagnostic is orientation, not advocacy.
Output
Proceed
The market position evidence supports the investment thesis as presented.
Proceed with Conditions
Specific conditions apply. Named risks require monitoring or structural adjustment.
Pause for Further Review
Specific dimensions require additional validation before a position can be confirmed.
Do Not Proceed
The market position evidence does not support the investment thesis at current terms.
No diagnostic produces a guarantee. Every recommendation is a position built from the best available evidence at the time of the engagement.