Welcome back to Strategic Counsel by ForthRight Business! Looking for Marketing Smarts? You’re in the right place. After almost 4 years of helping to make you savvier marketers, we decided to broaden this podcast to include more business-oriented topics that will make you savvier business leaders.

In this episode of Strategic Counsel by ForthRight Business, we’re talking marketing and branding for PE-backed firms with Marc Rust. Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and your other favorite podcast spots – follow and leave a 5-star review!

• Episode Summary & Player
• Show Notes
• Marketing Smarts Summary
• Transcript

Strategic Counsel: How Marketing & Branding Boosts PE-Backed Firms with Marc Rust, Consequently Creative

Historically, many PE-backed firms don’t take marketing & branding seriously. They think building a brand is irrelevant and takes too long, especially for the aggressive timelines often found in private equity. What if we told you building a brand and then marketing that brand can actually work as a shortcut to the results you want AND increase your valuation? We wanted you to learn from an expert with a ton of experience here, so we welcomed on Marc Rust. He’s the Managing Director of Consequently Creative (CQC), who helps private equity increase portfolio company valuations & navigate change with brand momentum. Here’s a small sample of what you will hear in this episode:

• PSA for companies being sold
• From discomfort to defense innovation
• Culture as part of valuation
• Why people matter more than product features
• Identifying the Right PE Partners

And as always, if you need Strategic Counsel, don’t hesitate to reach out to us at: ForthRight-People.com.

Check out the episode, show notes, and transcript below:

Show Notes

• How Marketing & Branding Boosts PE-Backed Firms with Marc Rust, Consequently Creative
  • [0:00] Welcome to Strategic Counsel by ForthRight Business
  • [0:29] Introduction: Marketing and Branding for PE-Backed Firms
  • [1:52] Meet Marc Rust – Founder of Consequently Creative
  • [3:43] Why Branding is Not a “Nice to Have” – It’s the Operating System
  • [5:38] How Branding Increases Valuation in Private Equity
  • [8:01] Applying Branding to PE Portfolio Companies
  • [10:06] The Ceramics Company Changing the World
  • [13:26] Getting Buy-In from Skeptics
  • [14:28] The Drone Company: From Discomfort to Defense Innovation
  • [18:45] Beyond the “Better Mousetrap” Mentality
  • [22:22] Culture as Part of Valuation
  • [26:02] Why Benches Make Coffee Taste Better
  • [28:22] Identifying the Right PE Partners
  • [30:15] Why People Matter More Than Product Features
  • [32:58] The Marketing Dance
  • [37:17] Getting Engineers to Talk to Engineers
  • [39:11] The Key to Sales Success
  • [42:00] Why People Are Now Critical to Valuation
  • [44:22] Managing the Shock of Being Bought
  • [47:17] Transparency in Transitions
  • [50:31] The Power of Great Company Culture
  • [52:19] PSA for Companies Being Sold
  • [54:43] American Business Culture: Money vs. People
  • [58:22] Legacy vs. Money: Being Honest About Your Exit Strategy
  • Quick-Fire Questions
  • [1:01:14] What Marc is Reading/Listening To
  • [1:02:08] If he could shadow anyone: Richard Branson
  • [1:03:05] Marc’s favorite way to unwind?
  • [1:04:06] Stop Being Boring and Do Something Different
  • Make sure to follow Strategic Counsel on your favorite podcast spot and leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts
  • Learn more at ForthRight-People.com and connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn

What is Strategic Counsel?

Welcome back to Strategic Counsel by ForthRight Business! Looking for Marketing Smarts? You’re in the right place. After almost 4 years of helping to make you savvier marketers, we decided to broaden this podcast to include more business-oriented topics that will make you savvier business leaders.

Thanks for listening Strategic Counsel. Get in touch here to become more strategic.

Transcript