Decisions a C-Suite would make for Lower-Middle-Market PE Portfolio Companies
Vendor comparisons that are honest about where each tool falls short, plus a plan for doing the work yourself. Where we quote a benchmark, we show its source.
15 guides for Lower-Middle-Market PE Portfolio Companies of 1,000
Why Most PE-Backed Portfolio Companies Cannot Use an SBA 7(a) Loan
Why SBA affiliation rules disqualify most private equity portfolio companies from 7(a) loans, and what to finance growth with instead.
Ironclad vs LinkSquares for a PE Portfolio Company
Ironclad vs LinkSquares for lower-middle-market PE portfolio companies, covering credit agreement covenants, board terms, and add-on diligence.
Diligent vs BoardPro for Portfolio Companies Reporting to a Sponsor
Monthly reporting packs that get rebuilt by hand eventually land in an exit data room. Compare Diligent and BoardPro for PE portfolio company boards.
How PE Portfolio Companies Actually Handle Entity Setup
Where a formation vendor actually fits into a private equity portfolio company's holdco and opco structure, and where it doesn't.
Vouch or Embroker for a PE-Backed Portfolio Company
What a lower-middle-market PE portfolio company should ask when comparing Vouch and Embroker, from board-level D&O to consistency across a fund's holdings.
Banking a Lower-Middle-Market Portfolio Company Under a PE Sponsor
Sponsors want consolidated visibility and clean reporting cadence. Compare Mercury and Relay for a lower-middle-market portfolio company's banking.
Pulley vs. Carta: Can Your Management Team Read Their MIP?
Sponsors design management incentive plans for themselves, not the executives receiving them. See how Pulley and Carta model hurdles, preferences, and rollover.
Deel vs Remote for Portfolio Companies Hiring Abroad Fast
How lower-middle-market PE portfolio companies should compare Deel and Remote when a sponsor's growth plan requires hiring in new countries fast.
Justworks vs TriNet for Lower-Middle-Market PE Portfolio Companies
A worksheet for lower-middle-market PE portfolio companies comparing Justworks and TriNet during a carve-out or add-on acquisition integration.
Fractional CFO vs Controller for a PE Portfolio Company
A worked example shows lower-middle-market PE portfolio companies how sponsor reporting requirements decide between a fractional CFO and a controller.
Financing Growth at a PE-Backed Portfolio Company
PE portcos usually have sponsor debt and governance constraints venture debt and RBF weren't built around. Here's how to think about layering capital.
Carta vs Forge When Your Shareholders' Agreement Already Picked the Process
Why management incentive plan equity in a lower-middle-market PE portco follows the shareholders' agreement, not Carta or Forge, before the sponsor's exit.
Hunt Club vs Bolster for Lower-Middle-Market PE Portfolio Companies
A sponsor's 100-day plan runs on a clock a normal search doesn't respect. Compare Hunt Club's referral network with Bolster's interim bench for this hire.
Exiting a PE-Backed Portfolio Company: Not an Acquire.com Sale
A PE-backed portfolio company exit runs through an investment bank or sponsor process, not Acquire.com or Flippa. Here's how a lower-middle-market exit works.
Optery vs DeleteMe for a New CEO Suddenly on Public Record
A deal close creates a burst of new filings overnight. How newly installed portfolio company leaders should think about Optery vs DeleteMe.