Driving Organic Growth: Proven Strategies for Success

For private equity firms, driving organic growth within newly acquired portfolio companies is critical. But actually implementing revenue and EBITDA maximization strategies can be an uphill battle – especially in the lower middle market where resources and expertise are often lacking. This is where Craig Group has carved out a niche, with a practical approach emphasizing prioritizing execution over strategy alone, unlike your traditional consulting firm.

“Newly acquired lower middle market companies urgently need to ramp up revenue growth, but they can’t afford a long runway,” says Summer Craig, founder and president of Craig Group. “Our team partners closely with the existing management, respecting the foundation they’ve built while identifying opportunities for quick wins. Simultaneously, we develop long-term infrastructure to support sustainable growth. By seamlessly integrating ourselves within the organization, we revamp, commercialize, and operationalize sales and marketing strategies and processes, while getting impactful go-to-market motions operationalized in just months, not years.”

While strategy is critical, Craig Group’s differentiated value lies in its ability to integrate seamlessly as an extension of the portfolio company’s team. They get into the trenches to execute on transforming the entire revenue engine from ideal customer profile and positioning to demand generation campaigns, sales enablement, and marketing operations.

“We bring our A-team of senior advisors who have ‘been there and done that’ to roll up their sleeves alongside the portfolio company’s leadership,” explains Summer. “This depth of cross-functional expertise refined from over 500 prior engagements allows us to cut through the fluff and focus on revenue and EBITDA drivers.”

Their comprehensive assessment phase provides the foundational insights to develop customized go-to-market strategies centered on quantifiable metrics. Leveraging proprietary data-driven frameworks and tools, Craig Group delivers tangible results that lower middle market companies typically can’t access or afford through traditional consultancies.

“Rather than generic advice, we simplify even the most complex sales, marketing, financial, and technical recommendations into clear, actionable plans,” says Summer. “Our advisors speak the language of the portfolio companies to make sure there’s no misalignment, and when it’s time to put these steps into action, everyone knows their part.”

From there, it’s about prioritizing execution through a hands-on, collaborative approach. Craig Group’s cross-functional teams work in lock-step with the portfolio company’s management to continuously drive the growth plan forward. This includes areas like digital marketing, sales enablement, CRM/martech implementations, content marketing, lead management, and crucially – unifying sales and marketing operations.

“We don’t parachute in with a plan and disappear,” Summer emphasizes. “We integrate ourselves within the organization, getting the heavy lifting done efficiently. If needed, we can then transition the fully operationalized revenue engine to an in-house team within 18-24 months.”

While strategy is the crucial foundation, Craig Group’s approach differentiates itself in their seamless ability to transition from strategy to execution. Their approach has allowed their vendor-agnostic advisory services to earn the trust of major private equity players like Jones Capital, Cyprium Partners, Energize Capital, and many others. Lower middle market portfolio companies rave about finally having access to results-driven expertise catered specifically to their needs.

“With high interest rates straining inorganic growth, our services are in higher demand than ever for unlocking sustainable revenue growth,” says Summer. “We’re focused on expanding our capabilities even further by investing in areas like AI to continually enhance our ability to drive impact.”

By embedding themselves within portfolio companies and prioritizing relentless execution alongside strategy, Craig Group is equipping lower middle market businesses with the revamped go-to-market engine required to maximize their potential and deliver exceptional returns.

Summer Craig is the President and Founder of Craig Group, a revenue growth advisor for middle-market, private-equity-backed portfolio companies. 

The article on MSN.com by James Brown can be found here.