We recently co-hosted a roundtable with our sister company, tml Partners, for marketing leaders in investor-backed businesses. Chaired by one of our B2B tech Growth Partners, Sophia Ahrel, the discussion centered around the evolving role of marketing in driving growth, securing investment and navigating boardroom dynamics.
In this article we look at a key takeaway from the event:
Marketing’s influence on business valuation is no longer confined to execution, it extends to strategy, communication and cross-functional alignment at the highest level.
These discussions shed light on the critical importance of having a marketing voice on the board. More than just a functional leader, a marketer at the board level acts as a translator, bridging the gap between commercial performance and investor priorities. This ability to align marketing insights with investor-friendly narratives often proves pivotal in securing additional funding (Series A, B, or beyond) and gaining strategic buy-in.
Translating Vision into Results
Board discussions are driven by two things: data and the story behind it. Investors want clarity on how the business is scaling, where risks lie and how growth will be sustained. Marketing leaders with boardroom presence can confidently articulate the “why”, “what” and “how”, showing, for example, how acquisition strategies are reducing CAC, retention programs are driving NRR, and campaigns are delivering scalable, predictable results.
Navigating C-Suite Dynamics for Strategic Impact
A marketer on the board isn’t just a data presenter, they’re a strategic enabler, ensuring alignment across the C-Suite. The insights shared at our event highlighted how vital it is for marketing leaders to influence collaboration between sales, product, and customer success teams.
This cross-functional alignment drives greater efficiency and sharper focus on shared objectives. For investor-backed businesses operating under tight timelines, such cohesion is critical to delivering on growth targets and long term shareholder value.
The Case for a Fractional CMO or Fractional CRO
One of the key challenges for ambitious portfolio businesses is a lack of executive marketing leaders who have both the experience and boardroom gravitas to fulfill a c-suite marketing role.
A fractional commercial leader brings both executive business leadership expertise and a customer centric commercial mindset, enabling them to seamlessly step into a senior leadership team and represent marketing effectively at both business and board level.:
- Board Ready Talk Track: Expertise in framing marketing attribution in terms that align with investor risk profiles, business priorities and growth objectives.
- Cross-Functional Leadership: Proven ability to align executive leadership teams with business functions and work together to execute against a unified vision and strategy.
- Scalable Solutions: Strategic and operational insight relevant to the company’s growth stage, whether preparing for Series A, B+, or an exit.
What is Marketing’s Role in Value Creation?
Insights from our event made one thing clear: marketing leaders must play a central role in investor-backed businesses and their influence needs to reach the boardroom. With a strong marketing voice at the table, businesses can not only align their growth strategies with investor priorities but also ensure their execution drives measurable, scalable results.
If you’d like to understand how a fractional commercial leader can elevate your investor relationships, secure buy-in and position your business for success, contact us.
