Marketing should be a lever.
Instead, it's a risk
When marketing stalls, the risk isn’t just operational. It’s strategic.
If you’re seeing CMO churn, missed pipeline targets, or a board narrative that won’t hold up under scrutiny, the problem is bigger than tactics. It’s alignment, execution, and accountability.
Before Making Another Marketing Plan, Ask These Questions
- Is leadership confident in what marketing is producing?
- Is there clear ownership of pipeline outcomes across GTM functions?
- Does the current CMO need coaching to scale into what the business needs?
- Do marketing activities align with the investment thesis?
- Are you getting forward-looking metrics, not just output?
If the answer to any of these is uncertain, now is the right time to intervene.
Before Making Another Marketing Plan, Ask These Questions
- Is leadership confident in what marketing is producing?
- Is there clear ownership of pipeline outcomes across GTM functions?
- Does the current CMO need coaching to scale into what the business needs?
- Do marketing activities align with the investment thesis?
- Are you getting forward-looking metrics, not just output?
If the answer to any of these is uncertain, now is the right time to intervene.
What This Role Requires
The marketing function must support value creation, not compete with it. That means:
Pipeline growth that’s measurable and repeatable
Go-to-market execution mapped to ICP and customer economics
Messaging that matches segment-specific value drivers
An Interim CMO who collaborates across sales, product, customer success and finance
Clean board updates with meaningful, investor-facing KPIs
Fewer surprises and fewer gaps between plan and execution
Why Marketing
Often Falls Behind
Many CMOs, even experienced ones, are not trained for private equity.
- They haven’t operated under compressed timelines.
- They haven’t been accountable to EBITDA or value creation levers.
- They haven’t translated an investment thesis into GTM strategy.
- Do marketing activities align with the investment thesis?
- Are you getting forward-looking metrics, not just output?
So it’s common to see activity without impact, brand work without revenue, and updates that can’t meet board-level expectations.
When Marketing Is Misaligned,
Alan Realigns It
Alan enters as Interim CMO (or Interim CMO Advisor) with one mandate: restore performance and prepare infrastructure for scale.
Engagements are structured, accountable, and aligned to the strategic plan. He identifies what is and is not working, corrects course, and sets up the next leader to succeed.
Deliverables typically include:
- A full marketing and GTM diagnostic in the first few weeks
- 30-60-90 execution planning tied to the investment thesis
- Interim leadership or structured support for the sitting CMO
- Alignment across sales, customer success, and product
- KPI frameworks that track to value creation, not vanity
- Onboarding and continual coaching support for the permanent CMO, if required
Why Private Equity turns to Alan
Portfolio CEOs
- Free up time to focus on strategic priorities
- Gain a GTM leader who can stabilize the function
- Support the CMO or fill interim leadership gaps without organizational disruption
Operating Partners
- Get clarity on why pipeline and revenue are underperforming
- Translate the investment thesis into actionable marketing priorities
- Restore momentum without waiting another quarter
Talent Partners
- Improve marketing leadership success rates
- Pair new CMOs with proven onboarding and coaching support
- Reduce the risk of turnover and the cost of re-hiring
A Typical Engagement
Deliverables typically include:
First 30 Days:
- GTM diagnostic and functional assessment
- Executive alignment and execution roadmap
Next 60–90 Days:
- Interim leadership or coaching
- KPI implementation and reporting structure
Post-Engagement
- Transition support for incoming CMO (if applicable)
- Optional strategic advisory or coaching
- A system that continues to function and scale
About Alan Gonsenhauser
Safe to Sponsor. Trusted by Leadership. Proven in PE.
Alan has served as CMO at eleven companies. He has mentored over 150 executives and reset underperforming GTM teams across B2B SaaS, HealthTech, Cybersecurity, and Enterprise Software environments.
He works exclusively with private equity portcos that need clear accountability in marketing.
- PE fluency and comfort with compressed timelines
- Pattern recognition built from dozens of transformations
- Focus on EBITDA, LTV/CAC payback, and strategic alignment
- Coaching and succession that builds bench strength
- A system built to scale, not dependent on him
FAQs
How fast can we expect results?
Most leadership teams have clarity and momentum within 90 days.
Is this similar to a fractional CMO?
No. Alan operates as a hands-on interim executive focused on stabilizing and re-aligning the function to the value creation plan.
What if we want to retain the current CMO?
Alan coaches and supports them. If needed, he helps with succession and onboarding.
How long does an engagement last?
Typical interim roles last 6 months, with advisory support available after transition.
What’s the ROI?
You’ll see better pipeline quality, faster GTM execution, improved internal alignment, and stronger board confidence.
