Strategic Marketing Leadership for PE-Backed Organizations Private Equity

We start by assessing current marketing performance using our proprietary tools: the Random Acts of Marketing Assessment™ (RAMS) and the Authentic Growth® Survey. These benchmark against hundreds of similar companies and identify underperforming investments. We then audit marketing spend, tech stack, talent, and execution efficiency—often uncovering immediate cost savings and reallocation opportunities. Within 90 days, we implement customized dashboards tracking lead flow, pipeline velocity, conversion rates, customer acquisition cost (CAC), and customer lifetime value (LTV). Our clients typically see improved marketing ROI within the first 3-5 months of engagement, directly supporting value creation plans.

Unlike typical agencies or consultants, we provide embedded executive leadership through our fractional CMO model—giving you dedicated C-level expertise without the full-time cost. Our CMOs average 15+ years of experience, including specific expertise in PE environments and exit preparation. They operate as extensions of your leadership team while being backed by Authentic’s collective expertise, proven frameworks, and specialized resources. 

Critically, we take a people-first approach, honoring established relationships and company culture rather than implementing disruptive “rip and replace” strategies. We thoughtfully inventory, assess, and align existing resources for greater impact while building new capabilities where needed. This culture-sensitive approach accelerates results while maintaining team morale through ownership transitions. Importantly, our CMOs are W2 employees—not independent contractors—ensuring quality, consistency, and accountability.

Our CMOs excel at building right-sized marketing functions, bringing the right talent at the right time and capacity. We begin by assessing business needs and defining the optimal structure, then implement a tailored approach: identifying key in-house roles critical for long-term success, engaging specialized experts from our vetted Ally Network for specific initiatives, augmenting with contractors for flexible capacity, and leveraging our Authentic Intelligence™ approach to accelerate execution through thoughtful AI implementation. This multi-faceted talent solution ensures you’re not overhiring while still accessing all capabilities needed to execute your value creation plan. As the business grows, we help transition from external resources to in-house talent when the economics make sense, ensuring seamless knowledge transfer and continuity.

We specifically design our work to enhance exit valuation. Beginning 12-24 months pre-exit, we implement initiatives that strengthen the growth narrative buyers and investors find compelling: establishing clear market positioning, demonstrating sustainable competitive advantages, documenting the customer acquisition model, optimizing unit economics, and building a scalable marketing engine that will continue performing post-transaction. 

Our focus is on creating authentic, sustainable value—not just window dressing—so that acquirers recognize the true worth of what’s been built. We’ve helped portfolio companies achieve successful exits at multiples 2-3x higher than industry averages by transforming marketing from a cost center to a strategic value driver that acquirers are willing to pay premium valuations to obtain.