Advising

Founders reach out to me most often for help fundraising.

Fundraising is a user-centred problem: understanding what investors need to believe, then telling a clear story that earns trust. The same skill shows up in go-to-market and in getting alignment inside the company.

I can help you:

• sharpen your fundraising narrative and positioning
• tighten your deck and memo
• stress-test your materials and Q&A
• run practice pitches so you’re ready for tough rooms

(If you want a useful companion piece, here’s my article on building a pitch deck.)

Beyond fundraising, the work usually falls into a few familiar areas:

Product & PMF

• clarify product direction and make better bets
• speed up learning loops from real user insight
• identify what’s actually blocking traction

Product team execution

• get the product team “up to speed”
• improve decision-making, cadence, and collaboration (without process theatre)
• build a shipping rhythm that doesn’t burn people out

Go-to-market (once the foundations are there)

• positioning and messaging that match the product
• a plan that fits your capacity (repeatable, not heroic)
• founder-led sales reality checks and early traction strategy

Hiring and leadership

• role framing, scorecards, interview loops, and early leadership hires
• scaling yourself as a leader as scope expands
• avoiding “chaos as culture” as you grow

Advising is for founders who want a more continuous co-pilot relationship. It typically includes:

• a 90-minute session every other week
• ongoing ad hoc support between sessions (async feedback, reviewing materials, quick decision checks)

You’ll get fast, candid feedback and a steady sounding board between sessions, so you’re not carrying the big calls alone.

Ad hoc support often looks like:

• reviewing fundraising materials (deck, narrative, Q&A)
• sense-checking product/design decisions
• reviewing strategy docs and plans
• hiring support and org design decisions
• quick reality-checks when something urgent comes up

If you’re adding independent board members, I’ve worked as a board observer, board advisor, and non-exec director. If you’re looking for a product/growth/investor-minded independent, let’s talk.