The Simplest Initial Diagnosis of a PE Portfolio Company’s Sales Performance

If a portfolio company has stalled growth, a simple initial (Phase 1) data-driven diagnosis of plateauing or declining sales at a middle-market PE backed portfolio company begins by breaking sales bookings into its fundamental equation and isolating which inputs have shifted relative to history and benchmarks. By tracing each variable…  Read More >

PE Value Creation – Successful Exits for PE-backed Companies

To achieve successful exit outcomes, PE portfolio companies typically employ a variety of strategies: Disproportionate Organic Revenue Growth (based on PE Fund’s GTM Expertise & Capital-Efficient Focus): Focusing on driving disproportionate and capital growth via market expansion, new customer acquisition, expansion sales into existing customer base, and product development, to…  Read More >

PE – Post Fed Rate Hikes in 2023 & Beyond

Just a few personal thoughts on the next horizon in PE after the series of rate hikes (marking the end of prolonged period of low rates in the past few years, and generally over the past few decades): PE is going to be a lot more than doing good deals…  Read More >

PE – Early Indicators and Success Factors to Gauge Before Buying a Company

PE – Assessing Success Factors Before Acquiring a Company When evaluating a potential investment, I focus on businesses with strong fundamentals, clear value-creation levers, and predictable, sustainable growth. These are the key criteria that make an acquisition attractive: Strong Leadership or Replaceable Gaps Evaluating whether the management team is strong…  Read More >

PE is Both a Privilege and a Responsibility

Reflecting on the last several years in PE , I’ve been contemplating what I genuinely like about the job. This is primarily for my personal reflections and to articulate my thoughts more clearly but it genuinely starts with a true privilege and a tremendous responsibility to be in PE. Similarity…  Read More >

PE – Portfolio Value Creation: Top 10 Quantitative GTM Drivers to Diagnose First

Diagnosing GTM analytically starts by benchmarking pipeline sufficiency, quality, and per-rep load, then validating conversion efficiency and seller productivity, before optimizing pricing and retention for TEV uplift.  Below is a top-10, PE-grade list of measurable GTM drivers and levers to diagnose where the problem sits. It’s key to look at trends…  Read More >

CROs Make Exceptional CEOs

In software, many of the most effective chief executives come from sales. A strong CRO masters two of the hardest disciplines in business: Top-line growth – driving predictable, capital-efficient revenue P&L ownership – running organizations grounded in unit economics, margins, EBITDA and return on capital The best CROs already operate…  Read More >

PE Value Creation – Strategic Pricing Optimization (Part 2)

Pricing Assessment for Private Equity Portfolio Companies: A Framework for Value Creation Pricing optimization is a key driver of revenue growth, margin expansion, and overall enterprise value for private equity-backed companies. A well-structured pricing strategy enhances customer acquisition efficiency, strengthens retention, and increases expansion revenue. This framework prioritizes the most…  Read More >

PE Value Creation – Strategic Pricing Optimization (Part 1)

How PE Can Unlock Equity Value Through Strategic Pricing Optimization Pricing is one of the most powerful levers for value creation. Monetization improvements for PE-backed companies, a disciplined, data-driven approach to pricing can unlock significant equity value by improving unit economics, accelerating growth, and expanding EBITDA margins. Pricing as a Direct…  Read More >

Pricing Optimization & Unlocking Revenue Potential: A Systematic Approach

Many middle-market PE portfolio companies leave money on the table due to misaligned pricing models, value leakage, or friction in customer acquisition and retention. A structured approach to pricing optimization helps identify gaps, refine packaging, and maximize revenue potential. This framework ensures pricing captures the full value delivered while maintaining…  Read More >