Introduction: When Portfolio Growth Outpaces Reporting Systems
VMG, a premier investment firm focused on high-potential consumer and tech ventures, was experiencing a growing challenge: their portfolio had expanded, but their reporting systems had not. As a result, the team struggled to gain timely, accurate visibility into the performance of their investments, particularly those in smaller, privately held companies with limited financial infrastructure.
Without access to structured systems from these portfolio companies, VMG relied heavily on manual reporting via spreadsheets and SharePoint uploads, a process that was not only time-consuming but also error-prone and difficult to audit. Portfolio performance reviews were taking up to two months to complete, limiting the firm's ability to respond quickly to changes in company performance or market conditions.
To maintain its competitive edge and better support its portfolio companies, VMG needed a scalable, efficient reporting solution, one that could work within the operational constraints of their private company partners while delivering real-time clarity for internal decision-makers.
The Challenge: Disconnected Data, Delayed Decisions
VMG’s fragmented approach to portfolio data management created multiple pain points across its investment team:
- Manual data wrangling:
Analysts were spending hours standardizing files, aggregating numbers, and rechecking formulas—leaving little time for actual analysis.
- Inefficient workflows:
With every reporting cycle requiring extensive back-and-forth and manual compilation, updates could take as long as 60 days to finalize.
- No systemized data lineage:
VMG lacked a clear trail of where numbers came from, making it difficult to validate reports and eroding stakeholder confidence.
- Inconsistent data collection:
Many portfolio companies didn’t have formal financial systems, leading to irregular formats, missing fields, and fragmented data submissions.
- Delayed insights:
VMG couldn’t react quickly to performance fluctuations, missing opportunities to provide timely support or adjust strategies.
The firm needed a solution that would not only solve these pain points but also scale with their growing portfolio.
The Solution: A Tailored Power BI Dashboard Strategy
Brewster Consulting Group was brought into design and implement a custom Power BI dashboarding solution tailored specifically for VMG’s consumer and tech investment portfolios. The goal was to introduce structure, automation, and reliability without requiring a complete overhaul of each portfolio company’s systems.
Development of Centralized Dashboards
We built a central Power BI reporting environment to aggregate performance metrics from all portfolio companies. The dashboards offered high-level summaries for executives and granular views for analysts, streamlining how data was consumed across the organization.
Integration Within Existing Constraints
Since most portfolio companies lacked formal financial systems, we worked within the existing SharePoint-based data collection workflow. Our solution included a semi-automated data ingestion process that minimized manual rework and ensured smoother uploads of financial and operational data.
Clear Data Lineage and Quality Control
To increase trust in the outputs, we implemented auditable data lineage across all metrics. This allowed VMG to trace any figure back to its source and reduced confusion during investor and board-level conversations. We also built in quality control measures to validate data on entry and improve consistency across reporting periods.
Iterative Refinement with Stakeholders
Rather than delivering a static solution, we worked collaboratively with VMG’s investment and executive teams to refine KPIs, visualizations, and report formats. This ensured the dashboard met the expectations of both internal users and external stakeholders, providing a solution that aligned with both strategic and operational goals.
Results: From Labor-Intensive to Insight-Driven
Brewster’s work transformed VMG’s approach to portfolio reporting, turning a once cumbersome and inconsistent process into a strategic business asset.
Reporting time reduced by 97%:
What previously took two months now takes just two days, dramatically accelerating decision-making cycles.
Improved visibility and responsiveness:
VMG’s investment team can now act swiftly on performance trends, backed by real-time, trustworthy insights.
Standardized, auditable data:
Stakeholders now have confidence in the numbers presented, with full transparency into the source and methodology behind every metric.
Higher reporting quality:
Built-in validation checks, and automation have reduced human error and minimized the need for time-consuming revisions.
Freed-up resources:
Analysts now spend less time cleaning data and more time driving strategic value through analysis, planning, and company support.
Conclusion: From Reactive to Proactive Portfolio Management
By building a custom Power BI solution tailored to VMG’s unique constraints and goals, Brewster Consulting Group delivered more than just a dashboard; we provided a framework for scalable, insight-driven portfolio oversight.
With faster reporting, cleaner data, and clearer insights, VMG is now positioned to support its portfolio companies more effectively, make timely investment decisions, and operate with a new level of confidence and agility.