All things in moderation. Except growth.
Profitable growth is the lifeblood of any healthy business. But growth often stalls. Maybe it’s due to a major change like an acquisition, new ownership, shifts in industry dynamics, new leadership.
Sometimes you just run out of gas.
COVID.
12 Squared Growth breaks through growth barriers with a field-proven approach to maximize your top and bottom line.
What We Do
12 Squared Growth is a Business-to-Business consultancy led by Mitch Gross. We drive record-setting, profitable revenue growth for mid-sized companies, early-stage ventures and everything in between. We span all things related to increasing profitable revenue – everything that falls under a Chief Commercial Officer or CMO.
Mitch’s approach, honed at iconic global brands and tuned to the pace and culture of smaller organizations, private equity and venture capital, engineers businesses so that over-delivering for customers and financial rigor aren’t in conflict – they work together as a catalyst to breakthrough, profitable performance.
Revenue Engine Assessment
Covers all aspects of revenue, from segmentation to sales and marketing productivity, automation, compensation, close rates vs. benchmarks - the full stack.
Sales & Marketing Optimization
We develop and deploy silo-busting sales and marketing programs from positioning to funnel management, territories, segmentation, sales comp and more.
Go to Market Planning
Companies have untapped revenue in existing products due to ineffective go-to-market strategies and misalignment with sales. We get them on track.
Distribution
Strategy
Executing against opportunities across distribution channels, market segments, existing and adjacent markets, partnerships. We develop the plans and lead execution.
Existing Account Growth
We are hyper-passionate about turning client success from retention-focused firefighters to a growth engine and primary referral source.
Acquisition + Integration
A full suite of services from strategy, targeting and diligence through all elements of integration.
Board Director + Advisor
Head - In. Heart - In. Hands-On - less so. Provide strategic direction, business development support and consultative advice, including capital formation.
Our Difference
Learned from the Best
Early work for the most respected global brands provided grounding in marketing and customer experience coupled with financial and execution rigor. We combine these for the best blend of strategy, execution and financial impact.
Integrated Sales and Marketing Expertise
Leading sales teams of over 100 people coupled with CMO roles in companies up to $1.5B provides technical depth in both arenas. They add up to a well-oiled revenue machine.
CEO Perspective
Experience running P&Ls from startups to $500M means sales and marketing lines up with the full business plan. No silos, no disconnects because we’ve walked a few miles (and marathons) in the CEO’s shoes.
Operator at Heart
The job’s not done until programs and processes are implemented, proven and hardened. Most consultants deliver a plan. We deliver results.
Private Equity Pro
Leading PE-owned businesses and integrating over $5B in deals means we know the playbook that will deliver maximum enterprise value and respect financial sponsors’ priorities and concerns, moving quickly to meet aggressive timeframes.
Successes
Growth strategy for $50M Business Unit of Global Leader… Then Led Global Marketing for Parent
Turned around an underperforming $50M business unit of multi-billion B2B services firm, creating product level P&L, new positioning, marketing system, sales methodology, comp structure, hiring new business leader. Then took on interim global marketing leadership for the parent company, aligning marketing with sales, creating messaging strategy, improving acquisition and retention metrics and reducing marketing spend by 15%.
Created and Implemented Go to Market Plan to “Productize” Custom Work
Conducted profitability and growth analysis on a portfolio of custom services of publicly traded media metrics company to convert them to scalable products and prioritize roll out plan. Created phased Go-to-Market and product management infrastructure, account based targeting, new collateral, sales incentives, product training, and analytics. Drove significant growth leading to adoption of the approach across the unit.
Generated Record Growth in $100M Speciality Insurance Division of Private Equity Portfolio Company
Revitalized and reengineered sales and marketing. Shifted 20% of revenue from declining to high growth segments, resulting in 500% new business growth, implemented new sales methodology, built marketing and CRM tech stack, turned client success from a cost to a profit center, launched new B2C channel, created inside sales group to improve sales productivity. The company achieved record EBITDA the next year, setting the stage for a highly successful carve out.
Turned Around Multinational Division of Enterprise Technology Firm
Reduced expense base by 40%, headcount by 35% and consolidated operations while reversing a four-year market share decline and achieving record existing account growth. Transformed client success from cost to profit center, launch inside sales, installed full sales and marketing stack, re-energized sales with a new sales methodology, training and comp plan.
Led Integration Team to Carve Out Travel Distribution Business Resulting in $4.3B Sale to Private Equity
Prepared company for divestiture two months ahead of plan and 15% under budget, in the absence of a CEO and CIO. Created legal, SOX, tax, audit, IT and telecom infrastructures, administered $40M capital budget across 45 IT projects and disaggregated all businesses from the fourth largest data center in North America. Renegotiated 800+ third-party contracts including a $450M managed services agreement. Created a new global brand, including value story, visual identity system and multilingual websites.
Supported Startup Launch, Growth and Exit
Advised corporate services startup through sale to private equity at 11x return. Partnered to retool comprehensive business plan and launch strategy with the president of a data analytics startup incubated by a major travel company. Moved to the board of directors following high-profile launch, helping guide the company through rapid growth.
About Mitch
Mitch Gross
Managing Director
mitch@12squaredgrowth.com
linkedin.com/in/mitchgross1/
Mitch Gross is a 25+ year technology, travel and services expert specializing in breakthrough growth. His approach marries his early experience at large, iconic brands with in-the-trenches work driving record results at private equity-owned companies and startups.
Mitch got his early training in brand and customer experience as a marketer for high-growth businesses at American Express, added financial and execution rigor at GE Capital and moved to general management as head of merchandising for Staples.com’s business services venture. He served as CMO, President – Americas and Chief Integration Officer at Galileo (now Travelport), as global president of Apax-owned Travelex Insurance Services and as CEO of GTCR’s Mondee. He has held senior operating and integration roles in over $5B of transactions.
Leaders and innovators now tap Mitch’s experience through his consulting practice, 122 Growth. Mitch is proud to have served on private equity and non-profit boards and advises numerous startups.
Mitch has an MBA from Columbia University in marketing and finance and graduated cum laude from Middlebury College. He is an avid skier, passionate cook and unapologetic dog person.