Virtual CMO Real Output — Marketing Budget Allocation · Demo Case: IndieSaaS

This is a real run of the Virtual CMO skill: revenue target → funnel math → channel CAC benchmarks → 3 budget scenarios → channel recommendations. Calculations executed by the built-in Python tool — not simulated.

🔴 Demo case · Real computation

Company: IndieSaaS (demo case) One-person SaaS, solo founder + AI agent team. Annual new ARR target $60K · ACV $600/yr · Gross margin 75% · Annual churn 30% · Funnel MQL→close 5%.

📊 CMO Metrics Dashboard

Organic SEO

12.5x

🟢 LTV:CAC · Scale — improving

Community

10.0x

🟢 LTV:CAC · Scale — improving

Content

8.3x

🟢 LTV:CAC · Scale — improving

Google Ads

3.6x

🟢 LTV:CAC healthy

LinkedIn Ads

2.1x

🟡 Marginal — declining

Outbound SDR

1.0x

🔴 Cut — declining

Blended Payback

84-173 mo

🔴 All-channels budget breaks unit economics

Funnel Need

2,000 MQL

🟡 100 customers ÷ 5% close

📐 vs 2026 Benchmarks UnbuiltLab / Sotros / Foundry

Channel	2026 SMB CAC (median)	IndieSaaS LTV:CAC	Verdict
Organic SEO	$120	12.5x	🟢 Scale
Community	$150	10.0x	🟢 Scale
Content	$180	8.3x	🟢 Scale
Google Ads	$420	3.6x	🟢 Hold
LinkedIn Ads	$700	2.1x	🟡 Reduce
Outbound SDR	$1,500	1.0x	🔴 Cut

Sources: UnbuiltLab SaaS CAC Benchmarks 2026 · Sotros Infotech 2026 · Foundry CRO 2026. Full table with source links ships in references/marketing-benchmarks-2026.md.

🚨 Red Flags (auto-triggered)

🔴 2 red flags fired

$600 ACV can't sustain paid-heavy growth — all-channels budget: LTV:CAC 0.2-0.5x, payback 84-173 months vs 12-month ceiling for solo founders.
High-CAC channels are declining — LinkedIn $700, Outbound $1,500: marginal LTV:CAC AND worsening trend. Spending here burns cash.

📈 Growth Model Projection (script-computed, 12 months)

Model	Month-12 MRR	Net Growth	× Start	Verdict
PLG	$17.9K	$7.9K	1.79x	🟡 Strong compounding but needs true self-serve
Sales-led	$28.1K	$18.1K	2.81x	🔴 Highest short-term but not sustainable solo
Community-led	$26.6K	$16.6K	2.66x	🟢 Recommended for solo founders — strongest compounding
Hybrid	$25.8K	$15.8K	2.58x	🟢 Balanced pick

Computed by scripts/growth_projector.py --starting-mrr 10000 · Community-led 8%/mo acceleration. Budget allocation run by scripts/budget_allocator.py (LTV:CAC above is its real output).

✅ Channel Recommendations

🟢 SCALE

Organic SEO — 12.5x, improving

Community10x, improving

Content — 8.3x, improving

🟡 HOLD

Google Ads — 3.6x, stable

Partnerships — 6.8x, stable

🔴 CUT

LinkedIn Ads — 2.1x, declining

Outbound SDR — 1.0x, marginal