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Month: June 2025

Why Family Offices Feel Right at Home in the York IE Ecosystem

Posted on by Kyle York

Earlier this month, I had the opportunity to attend the Align Family Office Conference, hosted by Family Business Magazine. For me, this wasn’t just another event on the calendar. It was personal. As someone who grew up in a family business, this room full of legacy builders and stewards of generational wealth felt like home.

I know firsthand what it means to carry forward the values of a family enterprise. Mission. Loyalty. Work ethic. Customer obsession. Community giveback. These are the cornerstones I learned from my family’s business, and they have shaped everything I have done since, especially as I moved into the world of innovation and technology.

When I entered the tech industry, I brought those values with me. I saw a landscape that often prioritized speed and greed over substance and sustainability. I believed there had to be a better way to build. That belief is exactly why York IE exists today.

The Third Generation Moment

The third generation is a turning point in any family enterprise. It is often the generation that asks: How can I evolve our legacy into something new? I have lived that question, and I see it reflected in the next wave of family office leaders.

At York IE, we love working with these next-generation leaders because we speak the same language. We understand the responsibility of stewardship, the pride in continuity, and the drive to modernize while honoring the past.

Legacy Over Hype

The Align Conference reinforced what we have long believed at York IE. Family offices are not passively chasing unicorns. They are focused on legacy. And they want to pursue that legacy with thoughtfulness and involvement, not absenteeism and hype.

That is why our model resonates. We are not just another venture capital or growth equity firm. We are building a value creation engine for the startup and tech ecosystem focused on sustainable returns, access to quality deals, and reducing risk through value-added services.

We have built a strong brand and mousetrap that drives a diverse pipeline of early-stage companies, many of which are a great fit for family offices seeking co-investment or direct investment opportunities. These are businesses grounded in real value and solving real world problems. Many focus on vertical SaaS and specific use cases of AI, two sectors that family offices can relate to and feel confident supporting.

A Platform That Aligns

York IE’s end-to-end platform is intentionally designed to support the kind of founder and family office alignment that leads to long-term success:

  • We pair capital with care and treat founders as partners, not lottery tickets
  • Our advisory services model allows us to reduce risk and increase outcomes
  • We build relationships for the long term, not just for the next round of funding
  • We foster a robust ecosystem that drives deal flow, insights and deep operational learning

It is this approach that has also resonated so well with our growth equity and private equity partners who care deeply about measurable outcomes, de-risked bets, and scalable businesses. 

From the beginning, we have quietly worked with family offices, often before they formally defined themselves that way. We’re not reaching a new scale of opportunity and need the scale of partnerships to follow suit. We don’t just want our founders to succeed in building strong companies. We want them to create lasting impact. Our goal is to help them build generational wealth so they can one day start family offices of their own. 

That is why being in the room at the Align Conference felt so natural. These are the kinds of legacies we are working to help create every day.

Doing Things Differently

Our work at York IE is deeply personal. We built this company with the people we trust, in a place we care about, because we believe in doing things differently. We believe that when you give great entrepreneurs the right platform, they can build something extraordinary.

Family offices understand that mindset. They have lived it in the businesses they have started, built, scaled and maintained for generations. I am excited to continue building these relationships and to help define what legacy looks like in today’s innovation economy.

If you are part of a family office looking to get closer to what is happening in startups, innovation, technology, software, SaaS and AI… or if you are simply looking for a strategic partner who shares your values, let’s talk.

This is not just business. It is legacy. And it is worth building with care.

York IE Expands GTM and RevOps Advisory with Key New Hire

Posted on by York IE News

York IE, a vertically integrated strategic growth and investment firm, today announced the hiring of Michael Schumann as Director, Go-to-Market (GTM) Strategy and Revenue Operations. This hire reflects York IE’s continued investment in helping startups build durable revenue engines through its hands-on advisory services.

Schumann brings over 15 years of experience leading and operationalizing high-growth revenue teams, with a specialty in supporting early- and growth-stage B2B SaaS companies. Throughout his career, Michael has worked across the GTM spectrum – from building RevOps infrastructure and pipeline strategy to aligning sales, marketing, and customer success teams for predictable, scalable growth.

“Michael has a proven track record of helping companies move from go-to-market chaos to revenue clarity,” said Mike Veilleux, Managing Director, Advisory at York IE. “His ability to understand both the high-level strategy and the operational detail makes him a perfect fit for our mission of supporting startups in building more resilient and scalable businesses.”

Prior to joining York IE, Schumann held key GTM and RevOps leadership roles at companies including Salsify, Cumulus Digital System and LoJack, where he helped streamline operations, drive cross-functional alignment, and build the systems that power consistent revenue growth. He is also the founder of Concivi Growth, which will remain his primary vehicle for fractional CRO engagements. Schumann recently helped York IE portfolio company, PeakMetrics, achieve its ambitious sales milestones. 

York IE’s GTM and RevOps services are built to meet startups at any stage of their revenue journey. No matter where a company is – early traction, scaling mode, or preparing for acquisition – York IE helps align buyer journeys with sales motions, optimize CRM workflows, improve pipeline visibility, and create integrated dashboards and forecasting models.

In his new role, Schumann will help York IE advisory clients develop and execute go-to-market strategies while implementing the operational infrastructure necessary for long-term success. 

“Whether you’re going from 0 to 1, $10 to $50, or aiming for $100 million, the key to sustainable growth is aligning your people, processes, data, and technology,” said Schumann. “York IE not only helps growing GTM teams bring that alignment together, but also has the execution muscle to turn strategy into reality. That’s what makes this opportunity so exciting.”

With Schumann’s addition, York IE further strengthens its commitment to providing hands-on, operator-led advisory services that enable tech companies to grow smarter.

Learn more at: https://york.ie/go-to-market-strategy-and-revenue-operations

5 GTM Insights for B2B SaaS from Level Equity’s Amy Kramer

Posted on by Adam Coughlin

At York IE, we’re committed to giving our portfolio companies access to the best minds in the industry. That’s why we regularly bring in top-tier speakers such as Amy Kramer, Level Equity’s GTM Operating Group, to share real-world insights on what is working for B2B tech companies in today’s market.

Amy leads GTM strategy for dozens of growth-stage companies and recently analyzed survey data across 28 startups for. Her insights, which appear in Level Equity’s annual Go-to-Market Report for 2025, are part benchmark, part playbook, and 100% relevant for early- and growth-stage operators trying to make smart decisions with lean resources.

Here’s our favorite five things we learned:

Outbound Is Getting Harder: Here’s What Still Works

According to the data, it now takes twice as many prospects to book a meeting as it did in previous years. The reason? Buyers are overwhelmed by outbound noise, especially now that AI has made mass outreach easier. But the solution might not be more tools. It might be fewer.

Amy’s tip: Companies that continue to use cold calling as part of their outreach cadence consistently book more meetings, even if those meetings ultimately convert over email. Human connection still matters, especially in a sea of automation.

Multi-Channel Nurture Drives Results

Companies using multi-touch nurture programs such as email, paid ads, in-app prompts, and self-guided demos saw:

  • More web traffic
  • 28% more meetings booked
  • Shorter sales cycles
  • Twice as many reps hitting quota

Personalization by persona and vertical is key. With AI, you can now customize and scale content faster than ever.

Retention Wins Start with Customer Tiers

Companies that used multiple customer engagement models (dedicated, pooled, reactive, and scalable) saw higher gross and net retention. Amy recommends:

  • Tiering customers based on spend and growth potential
  • Offering more frequent, dedicated support to high-value customers
  • Using pooled or reactive models for lower-spend customers to conserve resources

Price Increases Are More Effective with the Right Role

Companies that used dedicated account managers to handle renewals and expansions achieved average price increases of 9%, compared to 4% when handled by CS or AEs.

Why?

  • CS leaders often focus on value delivery rather than commercial conversations
  • AEs should prioritize net-new revenue instead of renewals
  • Dedicated AMs can specialize in expansion strategy

Maximize Your Existing Tech Stack

Amy advised against adding new technology too early or without a clear plan.

  • Many companies invest in tools they don’t fully use
  • A CRM alone isn’t enough if it’s not integrated into workflows
  • Build manual processes and segmentation frameworks before investing in platforms like CSM tools
  • Take advantage of AI features already built into platforms like HubSpot and Salesforce before adding new solutions

Final Bonus Thought: Align Your Message to Your ICP

Your Ideal Customer Profile should influence everything, from sales targeting to customer success. Poor-fit customers often lead to churn, while a strong ICP match leads to higher lifetime value and smoother onboarding.

Why a Strong Public Relations Plan Matters More Than Ever (+ template)

Posted on by Cassandra Cattabriga Livingstone

Public relations has changed dramatically over the years. Once defined by press releases and newsroom contacts, today’s PR is an integrated, multi-channel discipline that plays a critical role in brand building, market visibility, and customer trust.

In a world where news travels fast (and attention spans are short), having a thoughtful, organized public relations plan is no longer a nice-to-have but a strategic imperative.

The Evolution of Public Relations

Gone are the days when PR simply meant getting your name in a newspaper. The rise of digital media, social platforms, and always-on audiences has expanded what PR looks like and what it demands.

Today, a strong public relations plan must include:

  • Content strategy across owned, earned, and shared channels
  • Media relations that go beyond distribution to relationship building
  • Social media amplification via employees, partners, and customers
  • Real-time engagement and storytelling
  • Post-launch momentum through thought leadership and strategic follow-up

Why PR Is a Startup and Scaleup Superpower

For early-stage and growth-stage companies, PR is one of the most cost-effective tools for building credibility and awareness. A well-executed public relations plan can:

  • Establish your team as thought leaders
  • Drive traffic to your website and blog
  • Attract talent, investors, and customers
  • Help you own your narrative before others shape it for you

But to unlock this value, you need more than a press release. You need a clear plan.

What Makes a Great Public Relations Plan?

A great public relations plan is structured, proactive, and cross-functional. That’s why we created the Public Relations Plan Template: to give you a framework that works, whether you’re launching a product, raising a round, or sharing a milestone.

Key Components of the Public Relations Plan Template:

  • Goals & KPIs: Define your purpose and what success looks like
  • Target Audience: Understand who your news impacts and why
  • Core Assets: From press releases to blog posts and social graphics
  • Media Targets: Identify and rank the reporters and publications that matter most
  • Timeline: A week-by-week breakdown of everything from drafting the press release to coordinating social media and thought leadership content

Here’s a sample of what you’ll plan for:

  • Drafting your press release two weeks ahead
  • Securing customer or analyst quotes to add credibility
  • Creating social content for employees and partners to amplify your message
  • Pre-pitching media under embargo the day before launch
  • Using newsletters, blog posts, and exec LinkedIn posts to extend reach

And most importantly, continuing the conversation after the announcement through thoughtful, value-driven content.

Tips for Navigating PR in 2025 and Beyond

  • Start early: Last-minute PR rarely gets results
  • Tell a real story: Not just what you’re doing, but why it matters
  • Think multi-channel: Your press release is just one piece of the puzzle
  • Make it easy to share: Equip employees and partners with templated copy
  • Measure and learn: Track metrics like coverage, engagement, and referral traffic

Rethinking Analyst Relations: A Startup’s Guide to Strategic Partnerships

Posted on by Adam Coughlin

For a long time, analyst relations has been viewed as something reserved for big, established enterprise companies. I believe it’s time startups challenge that thinking.

Startups have just as much to gain, if not more, by engaging with analysts early. When done right, this relationship can help shape your market positioning, strengthen your messaging, and drive smarter, faster growth.

Analyst Relations Is About Relationships, Not Transactions

One of the biggest misconceptions I see is that analyst relations is a box you check when you’re ready to go big. That’s backward. You don’t need to wait until your company is fully formed to talk to analysts. In fact, the earlier you bring them into your thinking, the better.

Analysts talk to hundreds of companies every year. If you treat them like strategic partners instead of gatekeepers, they are much more likely to become advocates rather than just observers.

Think Beyond the Magic Quadrant

Too often, analyst relations is seen as a visibility play. While recognition in a well-known report can be helpful, that’s only a small part of the value.

Analysts can help with things like:

  • Understanding market and buyer trends
  • Refining your messaging
  • Identifying competitor gaps
  • Validating new categories

For startups making dozens of product and positioning decisions every week, getting this feedback early is critical.

Make Analyst Insights a Habit

I often compare analyst access to a gym membership or a daily vitamin. Just having it won’t move the needle. You have to use it.

Don’t wait until you have a polished deck or press release. Get feedback along the way. Share your ideas. And most importantly, follow up to let analysts know what you learned or changed based on their input. That kind of follow-through builds trust and shows that you take the relationship seriously.

Help Analysts Help You

It’s also important to remember that not all analysts are the same. Some are fixed in their thinking. Others are genuinely excited about new ideas and emerging companies.

Do your research. Learn who is open to rethinking old categories and tailor your approach accordingly. Analyst relations, like any partnership, takes time, trust, and consistency.

A Great Example: Auditoria

One of our portfolio companies, Auditoria, embraced this mindset beautifully. They engaged with analysts early, received recognition as a “Cool Vendor,” and used that momentum to launch their own State of Automation report. Their success was driven by building relationships and using external insights to inform internal strategy, not just chasing a logo or headline.

Analyst relations is no longer a luxury for the Fortune 500. It’s a strategic advantage for startups that are willing to engage early, often, and with authenticity.