Why VC and PE Firms Struggle with Portfolio GTM Ops—and How BeaconGTM Bridges the Gap

Simply providing capital is no longer enough for VC and PE firms to ensure the success of their portfolio companies. Operational support, particularly in Go-to-Market (GTM) execution, has become a critical lever for driving growth and maximizing returns. But as we've engaged with more VC and PE firms, we've identified a recurring challenge: scaling GTM expertise across a growing portfolio without the cost and complexity of building large in-house ops teams.

That’s where BeaconGTM comes in.

The GTM Execution Gap in VC/PE Portfolios

Of all their competing priorities, 73% of founders cite GTM execution as their biggest concern. It’s not surprising—getting the GTM strategy wrong can have long-term ripple effects on revenue growth, customer retention, and operational efficiency. Additionally, while founders are struggling, Portfolio Operations teams at VC and PE firms that are meant to support those founders are often stretched thin.

Here’s what we’ve learned about the biggest challenges VC and PE firms face when trying to support GTM initiatives across their portfolios:

1. Lean Ops Teams, Big Expectations
   Many VC and PE firms operate with lean portfolio ops teams—often just 1-3 full-time employees (FTEs) supporting dozens of companies. On average, there’s 1 ops FTE for every 11 portfolio companies​. That makes it nearly impossible to provide deep, hands-on GTM support at the scale most portfolios require.

2. The High Cost of In-House Expertise
   Building out in-house GTM expertise is expensive. The average ops FTE earns nearly $500K in annual cash compensation (according to OneGuide’s 2024 State of Portfolio Ops Report)​. For firms managing multiple funds and dozens of companies, these costs add up quickly, making it impractical to hire a dedicated GTM expert for every portfolio need.

3. Inconsistent GTM Execution Across Portfolios
   Without standardized GTM frameworks and resources, portfolio companies often rely on piecemeal advice or one-size-fits-all solutions that lack the nuance needed for their specific markets or GTM motions. This leads to inconsistent results and missed opportunities for growth.

4. Limited Bandwidth for Diligence Support
   GTM readiness is often the make-or-break factor in new investments, but few firms have the capacity to conduct deep GTM diligence during the deal process. This can lead to post-investment surprises when growth doesn’t materialize as expected.

How BeaconGTM Solves These Challenges

At BeaconGTM, we’ve built our business around addressing these exact pain points. Our team of experienced operators has scaled revenue teams at companies like Drift, Klaviyo, and Datadog, and we’ve taken those lessons to help VC and PE firms deliver scalable, cost-effective GTM support to their portfolios.

Here’s how we do it:

1. Scalable Expertise Without Full-Time Cost
   We provide the GTM expertise your portfolio companies need—without the cost of in-house hires. Whether it’s refining ICP, aligning sales processes, or optimizing pipeline management, we embed proven GTM strategies tailored to each company’s unique needs.

2. Flexible Engagement Models for Every Portfolio
   We offer three ways to engage with VC and PE firms, ensuring our support fits seamlessly into your existing operations:

   • Direct Portfolio Company Support: We work hands-on with your portfolio companies to improve their GTM execution.

   • GTM Diligence for New Investments: We evaluate the GTM readiness of prospective investments to identify risks and growth levers before you invest.

   • Portfolio-Wide Retainer: We act as an extension of your portfolio ops team, providing scalable GTM support across your entire portfolio.

3. Technology-Enabled GTM Support
   Our Beacon AI-powered chatbot ensures that the work we do sticks. By getting our GTM frameworks directly into the hands of our end users (AEs, SDRs, CSMs, etc), we make it easy for sales and customer success teams to stay aligned and execute consistently, even after we’re gone.

4. Measurable Outcomes, Every Time
   We’re not just consultants—we’re operators focused on delivering real, tangible results. Our engagements have led to:

   • Higher productivity per rep in portfolio companies.

   • Higher funnel conversion rates across diverse industries.

   • More robust operational command of GTM processes for leadership teams.

Why Now? The Growing Need for Scalable GTM Support

The need for scalable GTM expertise is only growing. According to OneGuide’s 2024 State of Portfolio Ops Report, 88% of VC/PE firms expect their portfolios to grow in the next 12 months, yet only 40% plan to hire additional portfolio ops FTEs​. That leaves a significant gap in operational support—one that BeaconGTM is uniquely positioned to fill.

With our flexible engagement models, proven expertise, and technology-enabled solutions, we help VC and PE firms maximize the success of their portfolio companies without the need for costly, full-time operational hires.

Let’s Drive Portfolio Growth Together

If you’re a VC or PE firm looking to scale GTM support across your portfolio, we’d love to connect. Whether you need direct company support, GTM diligence for new investments, or portfolio-wide engagement, BeaconGTM is your partner for scalable growth.

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By understanding the unique challenges VC and PE firms face, and offering tailored, scalable solutions, BeaconGTM is driving the next generation of portfolio growth. Let’s work together to unlock the full potential of your investments.