Is your firm too focused on acquisitions while neglecting the power of organic growth? 

Kelly Waltrich welcomes John Wernz, a "reformed CMO" who now works with private equity firm Great Hill Partners as an Entrepreneur in Residence. Together, they explore a common pitfall in the financial advisory industry: prioritizing acquisitions and inorganic growth at the expense of developing strong organic growth capabilities. John shares insights from his experience working with firms looking to grow organically and sitting on several industry boards, offering a valuable perspective on balancing growth strategies.

Kelly and John discuss:

0:32 John's current role at Great Hill Partners 
1:56 The problem of firms skipping foundational marketing and jumping straight to advanced strategies
4:09 Indicators that show a firm is ready for organic growth investment 
5:02 The most common successful marketing channels for advisory firms 
6:13 Realistic marketing budgets for firms 
8:16 The often-overlooked "soft costs" of implementing marketing strategies 
9:20 The importance of having firm leadership involved in marketing efforts 
10:03 Why both John and Kelly appreciate working with empowered marketing roles 
13:21 John’s "Don't Do That": Getting caught up in inorganic growth at the expense of organic growth 
15:26 Why some firms rush to acquisitions before establishing their core marketing 
16:38 How to determine if your firm is ready for M&A
19:22 The need to have a defined marketing playbook before pursuing acquisitions 
20:18 Why an acquisition integration plan must include organic growth targets 22:06 The benefits of applying recruitment marketing principles to M&A 
26:25 John's Final advice

Connect with Kelly Waltrich: 

• LinkedIn: Kelly Waltrich
• LinkedIn: Intention.ly
• X: Intention.ly
• Instagram: Intention.ly

Connect with John Wernz: 

• LinkedIn: John Wernz
• LinkedIn: Great Hill Partners 
• Website: Great Hill Partners 

About Our Guest: 

With over 25 years of experience in leading and transforming marketing and growth strategies for various businesses, John is currently an Executive in Residence at Great Hill Partners, a private equity firm that invests in high-growth companies in the financial services, technology, consumer, and healthcare sectors.