Startup Corporate Development and Strategic Advisory Services

In addition to developing a strong business plan and pitch, we frequently engage in ongoing consulting,
advisory board, or interim management roles with our clients. These relationships are typically structured around specific business development goals, and often run for three months up to two years.

Our mission is to build the next generation of startup successes. Our startup consulting services include:

Business and Financial Strategy

For most startups, surviving and thriving during the first few years is incredibly challenging. The market is
changing rapidly, new competitors are emerging, and technology is evolving quickly. Further, human dynamics within the founding team often make or break a company. Startups must move quickly and decisively, on limited resources and with little margin for error.

Based on our experience advising more than 70 companies, we have become adept at "pattern recognition," and are able to identify key strategic elements that lead to success, as well as the common pitfalls that many startups succumb to. From this, we have derived a line of consulting services, CFO services, analytical tools and strategic decision-making frameworks that we offer our clients, including:

» Go-To-Market and Product Launch: Identification, analysis and refinement of commercial launch
   strategies
» Revenue and Pricing Model Analysis: Qualitative and quantitative analysis of potential business /
   revenue models, including analysis of various pricing, cost, and unit forecast scenarios
» Business Operations: Assistance with forming operating goals and roadmap; Assistance with forming
   solid tactical plans (e.g. “next steps”) given the company’s current resources
» Business Expansion: Identification of methods to extend or “productize” existing product platform; Also
   used to expand into secondary or tertiary market segments
» Feasibility Analysis: Qualitative and quantitative research and analysis of a new opportunity; Typically
   used to make go / no-go decisions regarding the launch of a new business or product line
» Competitive Strategy: Competitor research and profiles; Typically includes positioning strategy within
   the context of competitive and market dynamics

Marketing Strategy

Customers are the life-blood of any company. Customer acquisition begins with marketing— creating
awareness of your offering-- and ends with closing sales. Through our own resources and through trusted affiliates, we provide creative solutions along this entire spectrum. Offerings include:

» Refinement and conversion of core value proposition into effective strategic marketing plans.
» Creation of marketing collateral: presentations, data sheets, white papers, demo scripts, speeches,
   letters, technical documentation, and Web copy.
» Manage the execution of marketing programs through contracted service providers (PR, advertising,
   etc.)
» Serve as "interpreter" between engineering and marketing to define product features, functions,
   and customer benefits.
» Market validation, including customer and partner primary research calling plan formulation.
» Market research and segmentation, including SWOT, C3E, and "Four P's" analysis work.

Sales Strategy

Nothing validates your business idea like actual sales. We help you put strategies into action to develop beta trials, gain early customer traction, and manage an aggressive sales ramp. Offerings include:

» Customer qualification program including target customer screening/database, calling scripts,
   and results tracking.
» Composition of direct marketing and sales materials for mail, email, Internet, phone and fax.
» Networking and "guerilla marketing" strategies for trade shows, events, and conferences.
» Pricing strategy and initial market entry strategies.

Advisory Board Services

Advisors extend the startup's reach through contacts, domain expertise, and entrée to new customers. We are skilled at: i) developing creative strategies to find high-level advisors; ii) building the value proposition and "buzz" necessary to induce advisors to extend their name, credibility, and rolodex; iii) formulating systems to effectively utilize the collective skills of the Board.

Partner Development Services

It is the rare startup that achieves success all alone. An effective way to ramp up quickly and efficiently is by partnering with established firms that provide credibility, solution components, and marketing assistance. In addition, startups need trusted legal and financial advisors before approaching the venture community and before sales start to ramp.

However, the partner search takes legwork and significant due diligence. Further, negotiating alliances often involves many nuances, and must be handled appropriately. We bring the ability to source relevant partners, get through to the key decision maker, and then apply proven negotiation techniques to craft strong "win-win" alliances. For additional detail, please see our Pitch and Presentation pages.

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