Why do PE portfolio companies need a fractional CMO?
Most PE portfolio companies are acquired without a marketing leadership layer, they have a sales team, maybe a marketing coordinator, and no one with C-suite accountability for pipeline. The PE firm needs marketing to contribute to EBITDA growth within 12-18 months. A full-time CMO search takes 3-6 months and costs $300,000+ annually. A fractional CMO activates within two weeks, delivers the 100-day marketing transformation plan, and operates at PE board meeting standards, all at a fraction of the cost.
What does marketing due diligence for PE look like?
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Get your free game plan →Free, no obligation. If it's a fit, you'll pick a time to talk with Mark directly.Marketing due diligence for PE should assess: the quality and accuracy of the ICP, channel concentration risk (over-reliance on referrals or a single paid channel), competitive positioning durability, brand asset ownership, marketing-attributed revenue percentage, CAC trends over 24 months, and whether the marketing function is leadable by the incoming team. WETYR provides pre-acquisition marketing due diligence reports for PE sponsors conducting add-on and platform acquisitions.
How does a fractional CMO support PE portfolio company exit?
An exit-ready marketing function increases enterprise value in three ways: it demonstrates repeatable, marketing-attributed revenue (reducing buyer-perceived risk), it creates category authority that supports premium multiple pricing, and it documents the marketing infrastructure as a transferable operating asset. A fractional CMO working toward an exit builds these assets explicitly, creating the pitch deck narrative, the revenue attribution model, and the 5-year marketing growth story that strategic buyers and financial sponsors pay for.
By Mark Gabrielli · Fractional CMO & COO · Last updated: May 2026