Is your startup stuck?

The team isn't aligned
The product isn't getting traction
You aren't achieving your outcomes
You aren't sure where to focus

Hi

I'm Isaac

I've spent the last 15 years working in and leading early-stage startups. From bootstrapped teams to VC-backed Y-Combinator hypergrowth, I've seen it all.Now I'm working with first-time founders to help them get unstuck.

The pitch

The only goal for an early-stage startup is finding product-market fit. One mistake many startups make is viewing that as a product challenge, when in fact it’s a full-team multidisciplinary effort.You have to find and persuade users to use your product, which itself has to be a complete experience that solves a complete problem. And your technology must be nimble enough to allow for speedy iteration on features and go-to-market strategies, all while giving you the data you need to make good decisions.Ways I've seen it go wrong:

  • products finished and launched before being validated with users

  • leaders focusing on problems they feel comfortable with instead of those that must be solved

  • tech stacks that prevent iteration due to long shipping cycles

  • teams ‘hedging’ by working on multiple products at once

  • founding teams that can’t clearly articulate their target customer nor their value proposition

  • founders delegating critical learning opportunities like sales, user research, and marketing

  • leaders pinning their hopes on one great hire that’ll fix everything

  • pre-product-market fit teams with 3 main goals

  • see the full list

What’s the solve?A small team, biased towards action & singularly focused on achieving one critical measurable outcome.I work with founders to help them get there; ruthlessly prioritize, focus on the right things, delegate what they can, and iterate fast enough to find product-market fit.

Let's chat

No obligations, no hard sell.I'll be as helpful as I can for 45 minutes.

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How to work with me

As a coach

We meet regularly and identify the most impactful things you can do to lead your company to product-market fit.$150 // hour session
(discounts for pre-booking multiple sessions)

In a workshop

One 3-hour session with you and your key team members. By the end you have a new plan to get to product-market fit. I write you a report with actionable next steps.$300 // workshop

As a fractional / interim leader

I come on board as a fractional or interim leader in your company. We get shit done together.Subject to availability. Ask for rates.

Interested in any of these? Grab some time on my calendar, or find my email below

Reviews

“I cannot say enough amazing things about Isaac. He has McKinsey consultant levels of problem solving ability, without the ego. He is great with people (he provides a steady stream of amazing dad jokes) and can learn virtually anything.”

“He is one of the strongest systems thinkers I have worked with. He has a unique ability to see the big picture of how things fit together and dig into the details.”

“Isaac is an amazing person to work with. He is personable, caring, and always has on point jokes.”

Publications

The Dawn Chorus

My blog. Thoughts on startups, products, teams, and more.

Six for Startups

Six actionable reads for startup founders and leaders, every week.

My story

Armed with nothing more than a liberal arts degree and a strong desire to build cool stuff, I found a way onto the day 1 team at my first startup. I was quickly smitten with the organized chaos.Since then, I've been the first product hire, built countless MVPs, scaled products and teams, found product-market fit, implemented company goal setting and tracking, built hiring processes, run the booth at trade shows, and so much more. I've run product, operations, marketing, and tech teams.I've done this at B2B and B2C tech startups in HR tech, talent tech, health tech, healthcare, ecommerce, & death tech. I've been on teams from day 1 -> exit, helped raise $40MM+ in venture capital, and even made some good friends along the way.

The Blunder List

  • products finished and launched before being validated with users

  • leaders focusing on problems they feel comfortable with instead of those that must be solved

  • tech stacks that prevent iteration due to long shipping cycles

  • teams ‘hedging’ by working on multiple products at once

  • founding teams that can’t clearly articulate their target customer nor their value proposition

  • founders delegating critical learning opportunities like sales, user research, and marketing

  • leaders pinning their hopes on one great hire that’ll fix everything

  • pre-product-market fit teams with 3 main goals

  • products released with no plan or consideration for how their success will be measured

  • OKRs & goals built around the needs of the team instead of the needs of the business

  • team members who don’t know what their jobs are and what success looks like

  • products launched with go-to-market plan

  • entire products based on a good idea with no problem validation

  • endless meetings, presentations, and good ideas with no progress to show for it

  • small teams that act like big teams, negating their advantage