The Missing Half Podcast

In this week's episode, Bill breaks down a critical issue inside private equity–backed companies: the absence of a real go-to-market strategy. Too often, post-acquisition growth plans rely on increased budgets, headcount, and activity without a defined, repeatable system for creating real growth.
This episode explores the difference between spend-driven growth and system-driven go-to-market strategy, why expansion is often mistaken for scale, and how misaligned incentives quietly erode performance over time. You’ll learn what a true GTM system includes—from ICP clarity and defined sales motion to channel discipline and economic accountability—and how PE operators and leadership teams can shift from reactive spending to predictable, efficient growth.
Connect with Bill on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bill-woods-i/Follow 50 Marketing: https://www.linkedin.com/company/50-marketing/
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Marketing doesn’t create enterprise value by accident—it has to be engineered, governed, and aligned to the deal thesis. In this week's episode, Bill breaks down the model we use at 50 Capital Growth to turn marketing from a collection of activities into a governed asset that creates measurable enterprise value.
This episode is built for owners, executives, private equity operators, and leadership teams in B2B and industrial companies navigating growth, acquisition, or exit. Bill walks through how to align marketing directly to a deal thesis, protect revenue, unlock expansion inside existing accounts, systematize referrals, and scale into new markets with speed and confidence. The result is marketing that behaves like capital—predictable, defensible, and trusted by boards, lenders, and buyers.
Connect with Bill on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bill-woods-i/Follow 50 Marketing: https://www.linkedin.com/company/50-marketing/Follow 50 Capital Growth: https://www.linkedin.com/company/50-capital-growth/
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In this episode, Bill sits down with Chris Riemer, U.S. President of Process Combustion Corporation (PCC), a global engineering and manufacturing organization specializing in process heating and emissions control systems. With 30+ years of engineering and military leadership experience, Chris shares how PCC has transformed from a conservative legacy business into a forward-focused, diversified global competitor.
Chris discusses the company’s management buyout, the cultural shift toward innovation and smart risk-taking, the challenges of multi-year sales cycles, and the growing impact of professional buying environments on engineering-driven manufacturing companies. The conversation also explores global expansion, the rise of new markets such as biochar and carbon reduction technologies, the role of disciplined organizational frameworks, and how modern marketing has become an essential growth lever for PCC.
Connect with Chris on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christopher-riemer-7481046/Learn more about PCC: www.pcc-group.comConnect with Bill on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bill-woods-i/Follow 50 Marketing: https://www.linkedin.com/company/50-marketing/
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In this episode, Bill talks with Brian Gustason, a growth-focused operator and advisor with deep experience accelerating revenue and EBITDA across lower and middle-market B2B and technology companies. Brian has built a career transforming private equity portfolio companies through disciplined leadership, integrated revenue systems, and clear go-to-market strategy.
Together, they explore how today’s private equity landscape has shifted, highlighting why capital efficiency, longer hold periods, and increased competition for higher multiples necessitate a more strategic approach to marketing, sales, and customer success. Brian outlines the patterns he sees across portfolio companies, the risks of founder-led sales, the importance of buyer clarity and differentiation, and how a strong GTM engine both fuels growth and de-risks an investment. This conversation provides practical insights for PE operators, CEOs, and those leading B2B and manufacturing organizations through value creation.
Connect with Brian on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-gustason/Learn more about Craig Group: https://www.craiggroup.io/Connect with Bill on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bill-woods-i/Follow 50 Marketing: https://www.linkedin.com/company/50-marketing/
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This week, Bill talks with Colson Steber, co-CEO and founder of Qlarity Access, a market research consulting firm guiding companies through high-stakes decisions with clarity and confidence. With experience leading five acquisitions and supporting organizations across agriculture, SaaS, private equity, and more, Colson brings a refreshing perspective on how research truly shapes strategic direction. 
Bill and Colson unpack why many mid-market B2B and manufacturing companies skip research too early, and the costly risks that follow. From pricing strategy and product-market fit to private equity due diligence and AI’s impact on SaaS value, this conversation provides insights for leaders who need better information to guide growth. Colson also shares memorable examples where research fundamentally changed a company’s trajectory and offers first steps for organizations considering market research for the first time. 
Connect with Colson on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/colsonsteber/Learn more about Qlarity Access: https://qlarityaccess.com/Connect with Bill on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bill-woods-i/Follow 50 Marketing: https://www.linkedin.com/company/50-marketing/

“Random acts of marketing don’t work. They create chaos, inefficiency, and confusion.” This week, Bill explores what’s truly missing in most marketing plans for manufacturers and B2B companies as planning season for 2026 ramps up. 
Bill outlines five critical strategies to transform marketing from reactive to repeatable:Building a written, documented marketing strategy aligned with business goals.Leveraging voice of customer research to drive smarter decisions.Harvesting your existing customer base to increase share of wallet.Creating and distributing content that actually works in an AI-driven landscape.Strengthening your data foundation to unlock the potential of automation and intelligence in marketing.
Whether leading a B2B organization or a manufacturing firm, this episode provides a practical roadmap for scalable, predictable marketing success in 2026 and beyond.
Connect with Bill on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bill-woods-i/Follow 50 Marketing: https://www.linkedin.com/company/50-marketing/
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This week, Bill is joined by Chris Miller, Ph.D., P.E., Vice President of Digital Services at USALCO and founder of Fontus Blue, a company that transformed the water treatment industry through data-driven optimization software and cloud technology. Chris shares his journey from civil engineering and academia to entrepreneurship, explaining how Fontus Blue evolved from a startup spreadsheet model into a scalable, high-value business that attracted acquisition by USALCO.
This episode explores how to move from “pretend mode” to profitable, sustainable growth, the pivotal role of strategic marketing in building enterprise value, and why founders who act like big companies early create better outcomes during due diligence and exit. From EBITDA growth and digital transformation to mentorship, funding, and scaling for private equity buyers, this discussion delivers insights for leaders in B2B, SaaS, and industrial markets who want to build companies that are ready to scale, attract investors, and command higher exit multiples.
Learn how investing in marketing early can drive valuation growth, build investor confidence, and turn innovation into lasting equity.
Connect with Chris on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrismillerphdpe/ Learn more about USALCO: http://usalco.com Connect with Bill on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bill-woods-i/Follow 50 Marketing: https://www.linkedin.com/company/50-marketing/
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Ready to align your marketing strategy with business goals? Connect with 50 Marketing to discover how our proven roadmaps help manufacturers and B2B companies drive measurable growth. https://www.50marketing.com/contact/
In this week's episode, Bill is joined by Carlos Hidalgo, co-founder and CEO of Digital Exhaust, a B2B growth partner that helps organizations make growth simple. 
Together, Bill and Carlos explore the truth about the fractional CMO role, the difference between strategic leadership and tactical execution, and why so many manufacturers and B2B companies waste money on marketing that doesn’t connect with customers. They dig deep into voice-of-customer research, brand alignment, and the importance of marketing accountability in driving measurable business growth.
Connect with Carlos on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carlosahidalgo/Learn more about Digital Exhaust: https://digitalexhaust.co/
Connect with Bill on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bill-woods-i/Hire Bill as a Fractional CMO: https://www.xbillwoods.com/Follow 50 Marketing: https://www.linkedin.com/company/50-marketing/
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This week, Bill sits down with Megan Casey Glover, founder of 120Water, a nationally recognized leader in water compliance technology. Megan shares her entrepreneurial journey, from starting as a direct-to-consumer water testing service during the Flint water crisis to scaling into a SaaS platform supporting governments and utilities across the country.
The conversation covers the realities of customer acquisition costs, private equity, building brands that add enterprise value, and navigating long B2B and government sales cycles. Megan also provides candid insights into startup life, what it takes to grow through “white-knuckle moments,” and why marketing should be part of the growth plan from day zero, not year three.
Connect with Megan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/megancglover/Follow Megan's podcast: https://makewaterwork.podbean.com/Connect with Bill on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bill-woods-i/Follow 50 Marketing: https://www.linkedin.com/company/50-marketing/
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This week, Bill talks with Sam Dunning, founder of Breaking B2B and host of the Breaking B2B Podcast. Sam is a leading expert in B2B SEO, websites that convert, and customer research-driven strategies.
Together, they explore how AI search, LLMs, and SEO are converging to disrupt the way B2B companies and manufacturers compete online. The conversation covers the impact of ChatGPT on visibility, why content fundamentals still win, the critical role of pricing transparency, and how customer research drives effective marketing strategies. Whether you’re a manufacturer, service provider, or tech company, this episode delivers the insights you need to build visibility, credibility, and inbound leads in today’s rapidly changing digital landscape.
Connect with Sam on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samdunning/ Follow Sam's podcast: https://www.breakingb2b.com/blog Connect with Bill on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bill-woods-i/Follow 50 Marketing: https://www.linkedin.com/company/50-marketing/
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