Aligning Marketing with Financial Goals in Private Equity with Summer Craig
The Deal Scout Newsletter: Unlocking Growth with Summer Craig
If you’re keen on understanding how to drive growth in private equity-backed portfolio companies through strategic sales and marketing, this episode is a must-listen!
Here are the key takeaways
1. Summer’s Journey into Private Equity
Identifying a Market Gap:** Summer noticed that many mid-market companies lacked effective marketing strategies, leading her to establish Craig Group as a revenue growth advisor for private equity-backed firms.
2. Bridging Marketing and Finance
Aligning with EBITDA Goals:** Summer’s team ensures that marketing efforts are directly tied to financial objectives, particularly EBITDA. This alignment helps in making marketing measurable and impactful.
Integrated Functions:** Marketing and sales are fundamentally intertwined. Summer emphasizes the need for both functions to work together to drive revenue.
3. Defining Clear Business Goals
Measurable Objectives:** Establishing clear, measurable goals that align with broader business objectives is crucial. Sommer prioritizes these discussions with CFOs and boards to ensure everyone is on the same page.
Customer Journey Focus:** Even in B2B contexts, understanding and guiding the customer journey is essential for effective marketing.
4. Challenges in the Mid-Market
Lack of Formal Marketing Functions:** Many mid-market companies struggle to scale due to the absence of a dedicated marketing team. Craig Group specializes in filling this gap.
5. The Joy of Problem Solving
Discovery Phase:** Sommer finds joy in understanding the unique challenges of each client and developing tailored solutions. This collaborative approach leads to impactful growth strategies.
6. Avoiding Pitfalls
Strategic Hires:** Recognizing her strengths and weaknesses, Summer made strategic hires early on to focus on areas where she adds the most value, avoiding the less enjoyable aspects of running a business.
7. Vision for the Future
Evolving Landscape:** Summer is optimistic about the increasing recognition of marketing’s value in private equity. She believes in the potential for greater collaboration and innovation in the industry.
Next Steps
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Disclaimer: The content shared on this podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be taken as financial, legal, or tax advice. The views and opinions expressed are those of the host, Josh Wilson, and any guests, and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any agency or organization.
Josh Wilson is a licensed real estate broker and an investment banker, but this podcast is not a substitute for professional advice. We strongly recommend that you consult with a qualified financial advisor, legal counsel, and tax professional before making any financial decisions or taking any actions based on the information provided in this podcast.
Summer Craig
CEO
Summer Craig, the President & CEO of Craig Group, is a seasoned digital marketer with a background driving ROI-focused strategies for multi-million dollar companies.
From starting her career at Austin-based ad agency GSD&M working on Mastercard, Walmart, and Southwest Airlines to navigating the corporate communications complexities of mergers and buyouts in the telecom industry at SBCGlobal-Cingular-AT&T, Summer rapidly rose through the ranks and her analytical prowess became a hallmark of her career. This skillset, combined with her expertise in media buying and selling, positioned her as a standout in the early advertising landscape.
Charging into the digital realm, Summer played a pivotal role at AOL, contributing to the adoption of innovative Martech and pioneering programmatic advertising. That experience was a stepping stone to Summer’s tenure at HomeAway.com (later VRBO), where the company completed a successful IPO and she delved into the world of venture capital, and her entrepreneurial flame was lit.
She moved back to Houston and soon became a regional client rep with New York-based Publicis ZenithOptimedia overseeing Gulf States Toyota, where she learned the intricacies of operating one of the world's largest privately held businesses under a major brand. Summer transitioned into an in-house leadership role where she was responsible for showing marketing effectiveness to the board, dealer council and executive stake-holder groups.
In 2019, Summer founded Craig Group, a company rooted in data-first sales and mar… Read More