Fractional CMO Services
Marketing Leadership
for SaaS Exits & M&A
Helping SaaS founders and boards build the marketing foundation that survives diligence, commands a premium, and integrates cleanly — from early exit preparation through close.
Why Marketing Determines Exit Outcomes
Most SaaS founders treat marketing as a pipeline function right up until they’re in a due diligence process — and then they discover that acquirers and PE sponsors are asking very different questions.
They want to know whether growth is repeatable without the founder. Whether CAC is defensible at scale. Whether the brand commands a premium in its category or competes on price. Whether the pipeline reflects real buyer intent or inflated top-of-funnel volume.
The companies that achieve the best exit multiples have built marketing as a system — not just a team. Getting there takes 12–24 months of intentional work. It doesn’t happen in the final quarter before a process.
Experience that speaks for itself
“Steve served as CMO at SmartRecruiters through the company’s successful acquisition by SAP — one of the most significant transactions in enterprise HR technology.”
That experience — building marketing credibility under the scrutiny of a major acquirer’s due diligence, maintaining team performance during a transaction, and supporting integration planning — is directly applicable to SaaS founders preparing for their own exit.
It also followed years of scaling Prophix from $65M to $135M ARR in under two years, demonstrating that the same marketing system that drives growth is the one that survives diligence.
What Acquirers and Sponsors Assess in Marketing Due Diligence
Whether you’re targeting a strategic acquisition, PE buyout, or IPO, the marketing diligence questions fall into four predictable categories. The companies that perform best have clear, credible answers to all of them.
1. Growth Repeatability
Can the business grow without the founder? Is demand generation systematized, attributed, and scalable? Does pipeline come from multiple channels with defensible unit economics?
2. Brand & Category Position
Does the company own a clear, defensible position in its market? Is it recognized by analysts (Gartner, Forrester, G2)? Does brand equity support pricing power or commodity competition?
3. Customer Economics
What is CAC by segment and channel? How does it trend over time? What is the LTV:CAC ratio? Does marketing own NRR contribution through expansion and cross-sell motions?
4. Team & Technology Scalability
Is the marketing team structured to scale without hero dependence? Is the MarTech stack auditable, integrated, and efficient? Are processes documented and transferable?
How a Fractional CMO Accelerates Exit Readiness
As your fractional CMO, Steve works alongside your leadership team to build the marketing foundation that maximizes exit value — without the cost or timeline of a full-time hire.
Marketing Audit & Gap Analysis
Benchmark your current marketing against what acquirers in your segment actually scrutinize. Identify the gaps between your current state and a defensible narrative — and build a prioritized roadmap to close them.
Pipeline & Attribution Credibility
Build clean, multi-touch attribution and pipeline reporting that stands up to scrutiny. Demonstrate that pipeline creation is systematic, not event-driven or founder-dependent. Improve magic number and CAC payback period — both key valuation levers.
Category & Analyst Relations Strategy
Position your company clearly in the category it wants to win — or create the category narrative that commands a premium. Build relationships with Gartner, Forrester, G2, and Peer Insights reviewers that validate your market position before a process begins.
Diligence Narrative & Data Room Support
Build the marketing sections of your data room. Prepare the growth narrative, ICP documentation, win/loss analysis, and competitive positioning materials that acquirers and their advisors will review. Experienced in working directly with investment bankers and M&A advisors.
Post-Close Integration Planning
Maintain team performance and marketing continuity during the most disruptive period of a transaction. Support integration planning with the acquirer’s marketing organization, brand consolidation decisions, and retention of key marketing talent.
A Typical Exit Readiness Timeline
Exit readiness is not a sprint. The most successful outcomes are built 18–24 months before a process begins. Here’s how a fractional CMO engagement typically maps to that timeline.
| Phase | Timeline | Marketing Focus |
|---|---|---|
| Foundation | 18–24 months out | Audit, ICP refinement, attribution build, pipeline system, brand positioning |
| Growth Proof | 12–18 months out | Demonstrate repeatability, improve unit economics, analyst relations, category narrative |
| Diligence Ready | 6–12 months out | Data room prep, narrative lock, win/loss documentation, customer reference program |
| In Process | Active transaction | Business continuity, team retention, diligence question response, integration planning |
| Post-Close | 0–6 months after | Integration execution, brand decisions, acquirer alignment, team stabilization |
Who This Is For
SaaS Founders
Planning a strategic sale or PE transaction in the next 18–36 months and need to build marketing credibility before a process begins.
PE-Backed Portfolio Companies
Post-acquisition or building toward an exit. Need senior marketing leadership without a full-time CMO cost during the value creation phase.
Boards & Operating Partners
Identifying marketing as a value creation lever and needing an experienced operator to assess, advise, and execute against the plan.
Planning an Exit in the Next 24 Months?
The best time to build exit-ready marketing is before you need it. Let’s talk about where you are and what needs to be in place.
