For the GP: How to Build a Growth Squad

Jul 12, 2019 10:27:28 AM | Posted by The Chief Outsider

Operating partners of private equity (PE) firms can do so much to create value at a portfolio company, provided they’re free to focus on what they do best. Peter Hlavin, VP of Business Development at Chief Outsiders, explains how fractional Chief Marketing Officers (CMOs) can collaborate with operating partners to build growth engines and drive exponential revenue growth.

The heyday of the C-suite and PE-suite jack-of-all-trades is over (if there ever was one). The most substantial opportunities to improve portfolio companies require sector and discipline expertise now. Twenty years ago, cleaning up the balance sheet and addressing some supply chain snafus might have delivered a healthy IRR, but today’s high asset prices require more than boilerplate reforms.

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In Pursuit of Growth: What the Numbers Don’t Say

Nov 21, 2018 10:55:49 AM — Too many GPs rely on raw sales numbers rather than seek out the root causes of growth issues at a portfolio company, and that hinders their ability to develop effective strategies beyond rote solutions. And given today’s competitive landscape, those simply aren’t sufficient. In private equity circles, the industry is well beyond the point of relying on mere financial engineering to generate returns. But we’re fast approaching a point where operational tinkering alone won’t do the trick either. Today’s assets don’t come cheap, and require real growth to produce an adequate ROI.

PEI Operating Partner Forum 2018 – Insights from a Fractional CMO and Managing Partner

Oct 30, 2018 2:22:11 PM — Key top line growth themes include digital marketing, sales/marketing alignment and talent acquisition. This month, I had the opportunity to attend my second Private Equity International’s Operating Partner Forum in New York City. It is the largest gathering in the US of Operating Partners who come together to share learnings and discuss PE portfolio operational assessment and value addition. With acknowledgement that there is upwards of $1 Trillion in uninvested capital making deals more competitive, prices are higher and great outcomes will be more heavily reliant on top line revenue momentum. Discussion this year focused on the need to continue to drive operational excellence with a cost cutting focus AND be innovative in driving top line revenue. The 2017 forum panels were more focused on the opportunities to leverage go to market plans by investing in sales and sales productivity with discussions about helping portfolio companies with playbooks to accelerate top line revenue growth. Many panelists continue to acknowledge that their first hires were VP Sales leaders.

Operating Partners: Creating Value and Driving Organic Growth

Oct 30, 2018 1:56:28 PM — Operating Partners have a tough job! Many firms are still trying to figure out their Operating Partner strategy They don’t always have input into the deal parameters yet are called-upon to see that the Value Creation Plan fulfill the investment thesis They don’t always have a full seat at the table with the deal partners and may not reap the same type of rewards They are often in the position of working with management teams who are skeptical of their input and not always quick to accept help They are often spread thin across multiple portfolio companies with limited resources These dynamics were on full display at two events I attended recently – The PEI Operating Partners Forum and ACG’s M&A East. While Operating Partners were in abundance at the first event, the second was dominated by deal professionals and board advisors. Surprisingly, much of the messaging was very similar.

PEI 2018 Operating Partners Forum Recap: Growth Guidance Role Becoming More Strategic

Oct 30, 2018 1:28:01 PM — The two key messages from the PEI Operating Partner forum came through loud and clear this year: Every PE firm needs an Operating Partner strategy. The structures vary, but LPs now insist that someone is covering the role. As the Operating Partner role has become more strategic for PE firms, the focus of the role has matured from cost cutting to sales effectiveness and now onto supporting and driving commercialization and Big M strategic Marketing. I have attended 5 of the last 6 PEI Operating Partner Forums. During that time, I have seen the role of Operating Partner change significantly. When I first started attending, Operating Partners (OPs) were evolving from cost-focused executives in residence to starting to work with Deal Teams on Value Creation Plans. At that time, being involved in fund raising and participating in LP meetings was an aspiration.

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For the GP: How to Build a Growth Squad

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In Pursuit of Growth: What the Numbers Don’t Say

PEI Operating Partner Forum 2018 – Insights from a Fractional CMO and Managing Partner

Operating Partners: Creating Value and Driving Organic Growth

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PEI 2018 Operating Partners Forum Recap: Growth Guidance Role Becoming More Strategic

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