Diagnosing the Marketing Health of a Portfolio Company

Fractional Futures is the essential podcast for CEOs, investors, and senior marketing executives looking to unlock the power of fractional marketing leadership.

Hosted by Paul Mills, Founder at VCMO, and with special guests, we'll share expert insights, provide actionable strategies and explore real-world success stories to help you leverage fractional marketing leadership for maximum impact.

Episode Summary

In this episode of Fractional Futures, Paul Mills and Rob Nicholls discuss the critical role of fractional CMOs in helping portfolio companies scale and maximize enterprise value. They delve into the often-overlooked area of marketing due diligence during acquisitions, emphasizing the need for investors to assess marketing capabilities thoroughly. The conversation highlights the importance of key metrics in evaluating marketing success and the necessity for CMOs to communicate effectively with CFOs. They also explore the significance of building strong relationships between marketing and finance leaders to navigate budget requests and identify potential red flags in marketing strategies.

Special Guest

Rob Nicholls, Founder Rob Nicholls Consulting, CFO, Board Advisor and Angel Investor. Connect with Rob on LinkedIn:   / robnichollsconsulting-cfo-ned-advisor  

Key Takeaways

• Investors often overlook marketing capabilities during due diligence.
• Marketing due diligence should be a key part of acquisition processes.
• The future potential of a business is more important than past performance.
• Storytelling by founders can influence investor decisions.
• CMOs need to align their metrics with revenue generation.
• Building relationships with CFOs is crucial for CMOs.
• Credibility with the board can facilitate budget approvals.
• Understanding market trends is essential for identifying opportunities.
• Too many metrics can dilute focus; keep it simple.
• CFOs act as chief risk officers in assessing investment opportunities.

Sound Bites

"It's all about the future."
"Too much is just too much."
"Credibility goes a long way."

Chapters

00:00 Opening Titles
00:58 Episode Introduction & Rob Nicholls
02:05 Assessing Marketing Health in Portfolio Companies
06:23 Why Growing a Business on Gut Instinct is a Red Flag
07:56 The Importance of Risk Reduction
12:02 Key Metrics for Evaluating Marketing Effectiveness
15:16 The Dangers of Vanity Metrics
16:43 Forming the CMO v CFO Alliance
20:11 Building Relationships Between CFOs and CMOs
22:53 Fewer KPIs Are Better
24:25 Navigating Budget Requests and Identifying Red Flags
29:08 Episode Summary and Close

Contact VCMO

• Connect with the host:   / paulmills-fractionalcmo  
• Email us: [email protected]
• Visit our website: https://www.vcmo.uk
• Phone us: +44 (0) 331 630 9395

Thanks for streaming & keep podcasting!

Fractional Marketing Leadership | Marketing Transformed.