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PE-Outreach-Playbook-Solanasis

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The PE Firm Direct Outreach Playbook

How Solanasis Can Win Repeat Portfolio Company Work from Private Equity Firms

1. Why PE Firms Are Your Ideal Client (The Market Context)

The Macro Shift That Creates Your Opportunity

The private equity industry has fundamentally changed in the last 5 years, and this shift creates a massive opening for exactly what Solanasis offers:

  • Operations now drive 47% of PE value creation, up from just 18% in the 1980s. Financial engineering alone no longer works with higher interest rates and elevated valuations.
  • Nearly 90% of PE firms now create 100-day plans when they acquire a business — and those plans almost always include IT assessment, cybersecurity review, and systems optimization.
  • PE firms are actively seeking specialist external advisors because even firms with internal operating teams often lack IT/cybersecurity/systems integration depth. Many operating partners are generalists or finance-focused.
  • Cybersecurity is increasingly a deal-level concern: PE firms routinely need cyber due diligence before acquisition, and then immediately need remediation after closing. Breaches at portfolio companies create fiduciary liability for the fund.
  • The average data breach now costs $4.88M (IBM/Ponemon 2024), and 60% of SMBs go out of business within 6 months of getting hacked. PE firms holding SMBs in their portfolio are acutely aware of this risk.

Why This Is Perfect for Solanasis Specifically

Your wedge services (security assessment, disaster recovery verification, data migration) map perfectly to what PE operating teams need at three critical moments:

  1. Pre-acquisition due diligence — Cyber risk assessment of target companies
  2. Post-acquisition 100-day plan — IT infrastructure review, cybersecurity remediation, systems optimization
  3. Ongoing portfolio management — Operational resilience, CRM setup, systems integration across portfolio companies

Pro Tip: The “100-day plan” is your Trojan horse. Almost every PE acquisition triggers an IT/security review within the first 100 days. If you can become the firm’s go-to provider for this work, you’re automatically in the conversation for every new deal they close.

2. Understanding PE Firm Anatomy (Who to Target)

The Decision-Maker Map

PE firms are not monolithic. The person who hires you depends on what you’re offering and how the firm is structured. Here’s who matters:

Tier 1: Operating Partners / Value Creation Team (Your Primary Target)

  • Role: Drive operational improvements across portfolio companies
  • Why they hire you: They need specialist IT/cyber/systems expertise they don’t have in-house
  • Title variations: Operating Partner, VP of Operations, Value Creation Associate, Portfolio Operations Director, Technology Operating Partner
  • How they think: “I need someone who can quickly assess a portfolio company’s IT situation, give me a clear report, and execute a remediation plan — without me having to manage them closely”
  • Budget authority: Usually can approve 100K engagements without committee approval; larger engagements need Managing Director sign-off

Tier 2: Managing Directors / Partners (Deal Team)

  • Role: Source deals, manage investments, sit on portfolio company boards
  • Why they hire you: They need IT/cyber due diligence for an active deal, or a portfolio company CEO told them they need help
  • How they think: “I need this done fast, done right, and I need the output to be clean enough to show my investment committee or the portfolio company board”
  • Budget authority: Full authority on deal-related spending

Tier 3: Portfolio Company CEOs / CFOs (End Users)

  • Role: Run the actual businesses the PE firm owns
  • Why they hire you: Their PE sponsor told them to fix IT/security, or they independently realize they need help
  • How they think: “I need someone who speaks my language, not enterprise-grade consulting jargon, and can work with my small team without overwhelming us”
  • Budget authority: Varies — some have full authority, others need PE firm approval for any engagement over 25K

Which Tier Should You Target First?

Tier 1 (Operating Partners) is your highest-leverage target. Here’s why:

  • One Operating Partner typically oversees 3-8 portfolio companies
  • If you do great work for one portfolio company, the Operating Partner will deploy you to others
  • They’re the ones building the 100-day plans and vendor lists
  • They’re more accessible than MDs/Partners and more relevant than portfolio company executives for repeat business

Pro Tip: The “flywheel” in PE consulting is: Operating Partner → 1 portfolio company → great work → Operating Partner deploys you to 2nd company → then 3rd → then refers you to Operating Partners at other PE firms. One relationship can generate 10+ engagements over 2-3 years.

3. Which PE Firms to Target (Your Sweet Spot)

Firm Size Segmentation

SegmentDeal Size# of FirmsInternal Ops Team?Your Fit
Mega-funds (KKR, Blackstone, Apollo)$1B+~30Large (60-100+ people)Low — they have in-house teams
Upper middle market1B~200Moderate (10-30 people)Medium — gaps in IT/cyber
Lower middle market ⭐200M~2,000+Small or none (0-5 people)HIGH — your sweet spot
Small / Search funds25M~5,000+NoneHigh — but lower budgets

Your Ideal PE Firm Profile

Target lower-middle-market firms (200M deal size) that:

  • Invest in services businesses, healthcare services, manufacturing, or tech-enabled services (these have the messiest IT)
  • Have a small operating team (1-3 people) or no dedicated operating team — meaning they desperately need external help
  • Are in a buy-and-build / roll-up strategy — meaning they’re constantly acquiring new companies and need IT integration, security assessments, and systems consolidation after each add-on
  • Are based in or have portfolio companies in the Mountain West / Colorado region (geographic proximity matters for trust-building, though much work is remote)

Finding Target Firms

Free Resources:

  • PitchBook — Gold standard PE database (expensive, but your local library or SCORE chapter may have access)
  • Crunchbase — Free tier shows recent PE deals
  • Grata — Deal search engine with lower-middle-market focus
  • LinkedIn Sales Navigator — Search for “Operating Partner” or “VP Operations” at PE firms
  • SEC EDGAR — Form D filings show recent fund raises
  • Private Equity Info (PEI) — Directory of PE firms by strategy and geography
  • PrivateEquityList.com — Free rankings and profiles of PE firms by segment

Paid Resources (if budget allows later):

  • PitchBook ($20K+/year) — The definitive database
  • Preqin — Strong for fund-level data
  • SourceScrub — Deal-sourcing intelligence for lower middle market

Pro Tip: The simplest free hack: Go to a PE firm’s website → click “Portfolio” → look at how many companies they own. If they own 10-20 SMBs across fragmented industries, they almost certainly have IT/cybersecurity gaps across that portfolio. These are your dream targets.

4. The Outreach Playbook (Step by Step)

Phase 1: Build Your Target List (Week 1)

Goal: Identify 30-50 lower-middle-market PE firms where you have the highest probability of getting in the door.

Steps:

  1. Start on LinkedIn Sales Navigator — Search for:

    • Title: “Operating Partner” OR “VP Operations” OR “Value Creation” OR “Portfolio Operations”
    • Industry: Investment Management
    • Company size: 11-200 (this filters out mega-funds)
    • Geography: Start with Colorado/Mountain West, then expand nationally

  2. Research each firm’s portfolio — Visit their website and note:

    • How many portfolio companies do they have?
    • What industries? (Services, healthcare, manufacturing = high IT need)
    • Any recent acquisitions? (Recent = active 100-day plan = immediate need)
    • Do they have a dedicated technology operating partner? (If no = bigger gap for you to fill)

  3. Score and prioritize — Rate each firm:

    • A-tier: Recent acquisition + no tech operating partner + services/healthcare focus + regional
    • B-tier: Meets 2-3 criteria
    • C-tier: Large but might have entry points

  4. Build a spreadsheet with:

    • Firm name, website, AUM (Assets Under Management), deal size range

    • of portfolio companies

    • Key contact name, title, LinkedIn URL
    • Recent deals/acquisitions
    • Any mutual connections

Phase 2: Warm Up Before Outreach (Weeks 2-3)

Do NOT cold message immediately. PE operating partners get bombarded by consultants. You need to be a recognizable name before you reach out.

Warm-Up Tactics:

  1. Engage on LinkedIn — For each target contact:

    • Follow them
    • Like and comment thoughtfully on 2-3 of their posts over 2 weeks
    • Share content relevant to their portfolio (e.g., an article about cybersecurity in healthcare if they invest in healthcare)
    • Comment on their portfolio company news (“Congrats on the XYZ acquisition — exciting space”)

  2. Create “PE-Bait” Content — Publish 2-3 LinkedIn posts specifically designed to catch operating partners’ attention:

    • “The 5 IT Red Flags I See in Every Lower-Middle-Market Acquisition” (shows you understand their world)
    • “Why Your Portfolio Company’s Disaster Recovery Plan Probably Doesn’t Work” (creates urgency)
    • “What I Learned Doing Security Assessments for PE-Backed SMBs” (social proof, even if based on non-PE work initially)
    • Tag the post with privateequity valuecreation portfoliooperations

  3. Find Mutual Connections — For each target, check:

    • Do you share any LinkedIn connections?
    • Are they in any LinkedIn groups you’re in?
    • Have they attended any conferences you’ve been to?
    • Can someone from your network introduce you?

Pro Tip: Operating Partners are often former consultants or corporate executives who became operators. They respect competence and directness. Don’t try to “sell” them — try to be genuinely useful and insightful. They will recognize quality fast because they’re trained to evaluate people.

Phase 3: The Outreach Sequence (Weeks 3-6)

Touch 1: LinkedIn Connection Request (Day 1)

Keep it short, specific, and relevant to them — NOT about you.

“Hi [Name], I noticed [Firm] recently acquired [Company Name] — exciting add-on to your [sector] portfolio. I focus on IT security assessments and operational resilience for PE-backed SMBs and thought it’d be worth connecting. — Dmitri”

Why this works:

  • Shows you did research (specific deal reference)
  • Mentions their firm and sector (personalized)
  • Establishes your relevance in one line
  • Zero ask — just connecting

Touch 2: Value-First Follow-Up Message (Day 3-5 after accepting)

Do NOT pitch services. Instead, offer something valuable for free.

“Thanks for connecting, [Name]. I just put together a quick checklist we use when evaluating IT infrastructure for PE portfolio companies — it covers the top 10 things that usually get missed during tech due diligence. Happy to share if it would be useful for your team. Either way, glad to be in your network.”

Why this works:

  • Positions you as someone with domain expertise specific to their work
  • The “checklist” is a lead magnet — shows you have systematized knowledge
  • Zero pressure, high credibility

Touch 3: Direct Value Delivery (Day 7-10)

Send the checklist or a short insight — whether they asked for it or not.

“[Name] — Quick thought based on a pattern I keep seeing across PE-backed SMBs in [sector]: most have disaster recovery plans on paper, but when we actually test failover, about 70% fail. The biggest culprit is untested backup restoration. If [Firm] ever wants a quick ‘trust but verify’ assessment on any portfolio companies, that’s exactly what we do at Solanasis. Happy to share more details if timing ever works out.”

Why this works:

  • Leads with a concrete, alarming insight (70% fail rate)
  • Connects it to their portfolio
  • Introduces your service naturally
  • Light CTA (Call to Action) — “if timing works out” removes pressure

Touch 4: The Ask (Day 14-21)

Only after 3 value touches, make a specific, low-commitment ask.

“[Name] — I’ve been thinking about how we could help PE firms reduce risk across their portfolios more efficiently. Would you have 20 minutes for a quick call? I’d love to learn how [Firm] currently handles IT/cyber assessment for new acquisitions and share what we’re seeing in the lower-middle-market. No pitch — genuinely curious about your process.”

Why this works:

  • Time-bounded (20 minutes)
  • Frames it as mutual learning, not a sales pitch
  • Shows genuine curiosity about their process
  • “No pitch” lowers their guard

If No Response: The Breakup Email (Day 30)

“[Name] — I know you’re busy, so I’ll keep this short. If IT/cybersecurity assessment isn’t a current priority for your portfolio, totally understand. I’ll keep sharing insights in our shared network. If the need ever comes up — or if one of your portfolio company CEOs flags an IT concern — I’m an easy call away. Best, Dmitri”

Why this works:

  • Graceful exit preserves the relationship
  • Plants a seed for future need
  • Positions you as the “easy call” option

Phase 4: The Discovery Call (When They Say Yes)

Structure for a 20-30 minute PE operating partner call:

First 5 minutes — Their world:

  • “How many portfolio companies are you currently overseeing?”
  • “What’s your typical approach to IT and cybersecurity when you close a new deal?”
  • “Do you have a standardized 100-day plan, or does it vary by company?”

Next 10 minutes — The pain:

  • “What are the most common IT surprises you encounter post-acquisition?”
  • “How do your portfolio company CEOs typically handle cybersecurity? Do they have internal IT, or is it mostly outsourced?”
  • “Have you had any situations where IT issues impacted a deal valuation or exit?”

Next 5 minutes — Your positioning:

  • “Here’s what we typically do: We come in, do a structured security assessment and disaster recovery verification, and give you a clear report within 2-3 weeks. Think of it as the IT equivalent of a financial audit. We’ve systematized it so it’s fast and repeatable across your whole portfolio.”
  • “Most of our clients start with one company and then roll it out across 3-5 more.”

Last 5 minutes — Next steps:

  • “Would it make sense to do a pilot with one portfolio company? We could do a quick-scope security assessment so you can see our process and output quality before committing to anything larger.”
  • “Who on your team or at a portfolio company would be the right person to coordinate with?”

Pro Tip: PE people are allergic to vague proposals. Come with a clear scope, timeline, and price. “We’ll do a security assessment of Company X in 2-3 weeks for $X. You’ll get a prioritized risk report and a 90-day remediation roadmap.” That’s the language they respect.

5. The Pilot-to-Portfolio Expansion Strategy

The “Land and Expand” Model

This is your highest-leverage growth strategy and it maps perfectly to Solanasis’s wedge model:

PILOT (1 company)
  → EXPAND (2-3 more at same firm)
    → DEEPEN (ongoing operational resilience retainer)
      → REFER (Operating Partner introduces you to other PE firms)

Step 1: The Pilot — Nail It

Scope: Security assessment + disaster recovery verification for one portfolio company.

Timeline: 2-3 weeks

Deliverable: A polished, board-ready report that the Operating Partner can present to their investment committee. This is critical — the quality of your report is what sells the next engagement.

Your report should include:

  • Executive summary (1 page — PE partners will only read this)
  • Risk heat map (visual, Red/Yellow/Green scoring by category)
  • Prioritized remediation roadmap with estimated costs
  • Benchmark comparison (how this company compares to industry standards)
  • Quick wins vs. strategic investments (they love this framing)

Step 2: The Expansion Conversation

After delivering the pilot report, schedule a debrief with the Operating Partner:

“Now that you’ve seen our process and output, here’s a thought: we could run the same assessment across your other portfolio companies in [sector]. Since we’ve already calibrated our methodology to your standards, each additional assessment takes less time and costs less. Want me to scope out a portfolio-wide program?”

Key pricing insight: Offer a portfolio discount. If one assessment is 35K, or 5 for $50K. The Operating Partner will love this because they can show their investment committee they’re getting bulk value.

Step 3: The Retainer Conversation

After assessing 3+ companies at a firm, you have deep knowledge of their portfolio’s IT landscape. Now pitch the recurring relationship:

“At this point, we know your portfolio’s IT environment better than anyone outside your firm. Rather than re-engaging us ad hoc for each new acquisition or issue, what if we set up a lightweight retainer? We’d handle IT due diligence on new acquisitions, quarterly security check-ins on existing portfolio companies, and be on-call for any IT emergencies. It standardizes your approach and costs less per company than one-off engagements.”

Retainer pricing models:

  • Per-portfolio-company fee: 5K/month per company, depending on size and scope
  • Firm-level retainer: 15K/month for a set number of hours/assessments
  • Hybrid: Small monthly retainer + discounted project fees

Pro Tip: The retainer is where the real money is AND where real value gets delivered. A PE firm with 12 portfolio companies paying 36K/month = $432K/year in recurring revenue from ONE PE relationship. This is the operational resilience partnership you’re building toward.

6. Specific Outreach Channels (Beyond LinkedIn)

Channel 1: PE Industry Events and Conferences

Tier 1 Events (highest value):

  • ACG (Association for Corporate Growth) — The #1 networking org for middle-market PE. They have a Denver chapter. Monthly events, regional conferences. This is where Operating Partners and deal teams network.
  • PEI Operating Partners Forum — Annual conference specifically for PE operating teams. Expensive but incredibly high-signal networking.
  • Axial Forum — Lower-middle-market focused events connecting service providers with PE firms.

Tier 2 Events:

  • SCORE / SBA events — Less PE-specific but you may meet PE-backed company executives
  • Local CPA firm events — CPAs often refer work to PE firms and vice versa
  • Industry-specific conferences (healthcare, manufacturing, etc.) where PE firms send operating partners

The Event Strategy:

  • Don’t sell at events. Ask questions, listen, collect business cards.
  • Follow up within 48 hours with a personalized LinkedIn connection + reference to your conversation.
  • Your goal is to be remembered as “the cybersecurity/IT guy who actually understood PE” — NOT as someone who pitched you.

Channel 2: Referral Partnerships

Who refers work to PE firms (and can refer YOU to PE firms):

  1. M&A attorneys — They’re in every deal. If they know you do IT due diligence, they can recommend you during the diligence process.
  2. Transaction advisory CPAs — Same dynamic. They’re doing financial due diligence and can flag IT risks that require your expertise.
  3. Management consultants — Operating partners often use strategy consultants who don’t have IT/cyber depth. You can be their “IT bench.”
  4. MSPs (Managed Service Providers) — Many MSPs already work with PE portfolio companies but don’t offer strategic assessment services. You can partner with them.
  5. Fractional CFOs — They’re often deployed into PE portfolio companies and encounter IT issues they can’t solve. Refer each other.

Pro Tip: The strongest referral play: Find 2-3 fractional CFOs who work with PE-backed companies. Take them to lunch. Offer a reciprocal referral arrangement. They encounter IT/security issues constantly and don’t know who to call. You encounter companies that need financial help and can refer back. This is a “wedge partnership” that bypasses the need to reach the Operating Partner directly.

Channel 3: Expert Networks (Your Existing Bridge Strategy)

Your expert network registrations (GLG, AlphaSights, Guidepoint) double as PE outreach because PE firms are the primary clients of these networks.

How to optimize for PE calls:

  • In your expert network profile, use keywords: “IT due diligence,” “cybersecurity assessment,” “PE portfolio company operations,” “post-acquisition IT integration,” “disaster recovery,” “systems consolidation”
  • When you get an expert network call from a PE firm, treat it as a 60-minute audition. Deliver massive value.
  • At the end of the call, say: “If you ever need someone to actually do this work — not just advise on a call — we do exactly this at Solanasis.”

Channel 4: Compliance Platform Partners (Vanta, Drata)

As discussed earlier, Vanta’s Service Partner Program is a direct pipeline to PE-backed companies because:

  • PE firms increasingly require portfolio companies to achieve SOC 2, ISO 27001, or HIPAA compliance
  • Vanta partners get referred by Vanta’s sales team to companies that need implementation help
  • Many of these companies are PE-backed SMBs

This is a “back door” to PE portfolio companies that doesn’t require reaching the Operating Partner first. You help the portfolio company, deliver great work, and then the Operating Partner hears about you.

7. Your Positioning and Messaging

What NOT to Say to PE Firms

❌ “We offer comprehensive IT consulting services” — Too vague ❌ “We’re a managed service provider” — They think commodity ❌ “We can help with your digital transformation” — Buzzword salad ❌ “We’ve been in business since…” — They don’t care about your company story ❌ “Our team has decades of combined experience” — Every vendor says this

What TO Say

✅ “We do three things for PE-backed SMBs: security assessments, disaster recovery verification, and post-acquisition IT integration. We deliver board-ready reports in 2-3 weeks.”

✅ “We’ve systematized our assessment process so it’s repeatable across your whole portfolio. Same methodology, consistent output, portfolio-level insights.”

✅ “Think of us as the IT equivalent of a QofE (Quality of Earnings) — except we assess technology risk and operational resilience.”

✅ “We specialize in the first 100 days post-acquisition. Most of the IT problems that blow up at Year 3 are visible at Day 30 if you know where to look.”

Pro Tip: The “QofE for IT” framing is extremely powerful. Every PE firm pays for a Quality of Earnings analysis on every deal. They understand the concept of a structured, third-party assessment. Framing your security assessment as the IT equivalent immediately creates mental equivalence with something they already buy and value.

Your One-Liner

Practice saying this until it’s natural:

“Solanasis helps PE firms reduce portfolio risk and increase exit value by assessing and strengthening the IT and cybersecurity posture of their portfolio companies.”

This one sentence hits everything a PE operating partner cares about: risk reduction, exit value, their portfolio, and a specific capability.

8. Pricing for PE Clients

Benchmark Rates

ServiceTypical Range for PE WorkYour Starting Point
Security Assessment (single company)30K18K
Disaster Recovery Verification15K12K
IT Due Diligence (pre-acquisition)50K25K
Post-Acquisition IT Integration Plan50K25K
CRM Setup / Systems Integration40K25K
Portfolio-Wide Assessment (per company)15K (discount for volume)12K
Ongoing vCISO Retainer15K/month8K/month

Pricing Strategy

  1. Value-based, not hourly: Price by deliverable, not by hour. PE firms think in terms of outcomes and deal economics, not consultant hours.
  2. The “pilot discount” play: Offer the first engagement at 15-20% below your standard rate. Make it explicit: “This is our introductory rate so you can evaluate our work. Standard rate applies on subsequent engagements.”
  3. Portfolio bundle pricing: As described above, offer volume discounts for multi-company engagements. This incentivizes the Operating Partner to deploy you broadly.
  4. Anchor to the risk: “This security assessment costs 4.88M. And the reputational damage at exit is incalculable.”

Pro Tip: Never, ever discount without getting something in return. If they push on price, ask for: (a) a testimonial you can use, (b) an introduction to another PE firm, (c) a multi-company commitment, or (d) a case study you can publish. Trading value for value, not just cutting price.

9. Timeline and Milestones

Month 1: Foundation

  • Build target list of 30-50 PE firms
  • Optimize LinkedIn profile with PE-specific keywords
  • Publish 2-3 PE-focused LinkedIn posts
  • Create your “IT Due Diligence Checklist” lead magnet
  • Join ACG Denver chapter
  • Register for Vanta Partner Program
  • Begin LinkedIn warm-up on 10-15 Operating Partners

Month 2: Outreach

  • Send first outreach messages to 15-20 Operating Partners
  • Attend 1-2 ACG or industry events
  • Reach out to 3-5 M&A attorneys and transaction CPAs for referral partnerships
  • Continue publishing PE-relevant content weekly
  • Follow up on all expert network calls — plant seeds for Solanasis work

Month 3: Conversion

  • Conduct 3-5 discovery calls with Operating Partners
  • Propose 1-2 pilot engagements
  • Close first PE portfolio company engagement
  • Deliver exceptional work and a board-ready report
  • Ask for expansion and referrals

Months 4-6: Scale

  • Expand to 2-3 additional portfolio companies at first firm
  • Begin outreach to 2nd wave of PE firms
  • Leverage first case study in all new conversations
  • Propose retainer structure to first PE firm
  • Refine SOPs based on PE-specific learnings

Month 6+ Goal

  • 2-3 active PE firm relationships
  • 5-10 portfolio companies served
  • At least 1 retainer in place
  • Pipeline of 10+ warm PE Operating Partner contacts
  • Proven, repeatable assessment methodology documented in SOPs

10. Key Resources and Templates to Create

Must-Have Collateral for PE Outreach

  1. “IT Risk Assessment for PE Portfolios” — 1-page overview (PDF)

    • What you do, how long it takes, what they get
    • Portfolio pricing model
    • The “QofE for IT” positioning

  2. “Post-Acquisition IT Checklist” — Lead magnet (PDF)

    • 10-15 items an Operating Partner should assess in the first 100 days
    • This is what you share in your LinkedIn outreach
    • Branded but genuinely useful even if they never hire you

  3. Sample Assessment Report — Anonymized (PDF)

    • Show an Operating Partner exactly what your deliverable looks like
    • Include the executive summary, risk heat map, and remediation roadmap
    • Board-quality formatting is essential

  4. 1-Page Case Study (when available)

    • Problem → Approach → Outcome
    • Include specific metrics: “Identified 14 critical vulnerabilities, delivered remediation plan in 18 days, achieved 92% risk reduction within 90 days”

  5. Solanasis “PE Portfolio Program” — Service brief (PDF)

    • Positions your full suite as a unified offering for PE firms
    • Security assessment → DR verification → Remediation → Ongoing resilience
    • Portfolio pricing and retainer models

Pro Tip: PE Operating Partners make decisions fast and they share materials with their investment committees. Everything you create should be: (1) scannable in 60 seconds, (2) visually clean and professional, (3) data-driven with specific numbers, and (4) easy to forward as a PDF. If your materials look like a small consulting firm made them, you’ll get filtered out. If they look like Bain or McKinsey quality, you’ll get taken seriously.

Appendix: The Solanasis PE Value Chain

PRE-ACQUISITION          POST-ACQUISITION (100 Days)        ONGOING
─────────────────        ──────────────────────────        ──────────────

IT Due Diligence    →    Security Assessment          →    vCISO Retainer
Cyber Risk Scoring  →    DR Verification              →    Quarterly Reviews
Tech Debt Estimate  →    Systems Integration Plan     →    Incident Response
                         CRM Setup / Migration        →    Compliance Monitoring
                         Responsible AI Assessment     →    Board Reporting
                         
REVENUE: $15-25K         REVENUE: $30-75K                  REVENUE: $3-8K/mo
(per deal)               (per company)                     (per company, recurring)

Total potential per PE firm relationship (12 portfolio companies over 3 years):

  • Pre-acquisition work: 4 deals × 80K
  • Post-acquisition work: 12 companies × 600K
  • Ongoing retainers: 8 companies × 960K
  • Total: ~$1.6M from a single PE firm relationship

This is why PE is your highest-leverage channel and worth the patience required to build these relationships.

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