Contents• • • • • • • • • • • • • W&W Associates: Success Indicators
🌟 SUMMARY (TL;DR)
Success Indicators connects middle market companies (typically growth startups and SMEs) with top-tier freelance professionals, providing affordable yet comprehensive business evaluations with extreme efficiency to optimize resources and accelerate growth.
Like a trusted medical practice for your business, we bring together a network of multi-disciplinary, fractional executives at accessible prices to diagnose, maintain, and identify problems and opportunities that would impact long-term success.
Success Indicators evaluates and draws recommendations based on a company’s performance and prospects in the following key areas:
Organizational Culture and Communication
Business Strategy and Growth
Operations, Systems, and Processes
Leadership Development
Talent Management and Skill Development
Marketing Strategy and Brand Presence
Financial Management and Risk Assessment
Customer Engagement and Relationship Management
Innovation and Business Adaptability
Product Development and Management
✔️ HIGHLIGHTS
Consultants struggle to identify and close new client leads Startups/SMEs need expertise to grow but have limited budgets Disconnect between top consultants and growth-stage companies High-level consulting unaffordable for most startups/SMEs Independent consultants work alone to find and close leads Connect consultants to companies needing expertise Provide fractional executive services - "health checkup for business" Leverage network effects for matched discovery and bundling services Platform for fractional consultants to focus on expertise and generate hot leads Advisory talent engine for clients seeking relevant, trusted, affordable guidance Comprehensive analysis of key growth indicators (productizeable) Community connecting boutique consultants with emerging companies Access top-tier insight at fractional cost Diagnose issues and opportunities across business functions Get objective audit and recommendations Tap network of vetted specialists on demand Targeting mid-market opportunities that connect growth startup and SMEs with consultants Global startup consulting market expected to reach $11.35 billion by 2025 SME consulting market is projected to reach $198.85 billion by 2028 Shift towards remote work and the need for specialized skills have led to an increase in freelance consulting for mid-market segment W&W Associates - "Win-Win for Consultants and Clients" Overlapping W logo signifying alignment between network of experts and client companies Shepherd and flock visual metaphor conveying guidance and stewardship Professional yet approachable tone and visual identity What's launching
Success Indicators is a leads engine for select, top-tier freelance consultants.
We are launching a service delivering fractional executives who are experienced masters at their craft. We bring together their gift for quickly identifying and evaluating key indicators to gauge the health and viability of a core business domain.
Our platform will bring incredible value for growing companies, by streamlining problem and opportunity diagnosis through a network of trusted, multi-disciplinary experts.
Our goal is to empower freelance former executives with a trusted brand and leads, along with administrative and account services so they can spend their time focusing on serving clients.
By bundling expertise, we can reduce costs and quickly align skills with needs, delivering top tier consulting for budget-minded, growing companies.
Who is the intended audience?
The intended audience for a 360-degree evaluation and fractional consulting services are mid-market companies, defined as growth-stage startups and small to medium enterprises (SMEs) with 10-500 employees and $1M-$50M in revenue. This dynamic segment faces distinct challenges in identifying high-level expertise that will drive long-term value and fit budget and needs.
Early & Growth Stage Startups
Expert Guidance: Startups need seasoned advice across key domains but have constraints on hiring full-time executives. Fractional services provide targeted insights from leading experts. Cost Efficiency: Hiring full-time C-suite executives can be prohibitively costly for startups. Fractional consulting delivers executive-level guidance at a fraction of the cost. Flexibility: Startups operate in dynamic environments with rapidly changing needs. On-demand fractional consulting provides targeted help while adapting to evolving priorities. Market Conditions: Despite slowing VC funding, the pace of startups continues growing. This creates a gap in expertise needed to guide lean, capital-efficient growth. Global startup consulting market: $5.3 billion in 2020, projected to reach $8.4 billion by 2025, CAGR of 9.7%. The market growth is driven by the increasing number of startups worldwide and the growing need for consulting services to effectively manage financials, improve operational efficiency, and strategize business growth plans.
Small & Medium Enterprises
Strategic Insights: SMEs need high-level expertise across domains to optimize operations and capitalize on untapped opportunities. Fractional consulting delivers targeted executive guidance tailored to their strategic needs and growth objectives. Objective Assessment: Our holistic business evaluations provide an unbiased perspective to SMEs, identifying blind spots and areas needing improvement. This enables data-driven decision making. Growth Acceleration: The recommendations derived from our expert analyses help SMEs rapidly accelerate business growth and performance improvement. Global SME consulting market: $150 billion in 2020, projected to reach $223 billion by 2028, CAGR of 8.2%. The growth in this market is attributed to the increasing need for business process optimization, strategic planning, and operational improvements among SMEs.
Freelance & Boutique Services
Business Development: Freelancers and boutique firms often struggle to find clients consistently. Our platform helps them connect with ideal prospects, reducing time spent on sales. Focus on Expertise: Consultants can focus purely on service delivery. We handle administrative, marketing, and sales aspects. Credibility: Inclusion in our selective network lends credibility and authority, making it easier to win new business. Global mid-market consulting market: $200 billion in 2020, projected to reach $340 billion by 2025, CAGR of 11.2%. Mid-market companies account for approximately 35% of the total consulting market. Key drivers include digital transformation and data analytics needs. The rise of on-demand fractional consulting presents an opportunity given underserved demand for flexible expertise delivery models tailored to mid-sized firms.
Launch date
One-line pitch
Trusted and affordable fractional executive expertise for growing companies.
Brown M&Ms?
The derives from rock band Van Halen's unique contract clause, signifying that small oversights can hint at larger issues. Spotting brown M&Ms backstage warned the band of potential neglect in crucial technical and safety areas.
See also
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Partners & Prospecting
How does it work? 🔧
Success Indicators offers a list of services to accommodate a wide range of companies and budgets. Our goal is to offer accessible pricing with minimal overhead that overdelivers on value.
Transparent and tiered pricing includes quarterly check-ups, evaluations, specialized services, trusted referrals, and more.
Listed below are descriptions of core services:
Expert Consultation: Engage trusted advisors across domains including Strategy, Operations, Finance, Marketing, Innovation and more Business Evaluation: Comprehensive audit focused on key performance indicators tied to growth objectives Diagnostic Reporting: Data-driven analysis of problems, opportunities, and blind spots with clear prioritized recommendations Ongoing Advisory: Strategic advice and coaching to implement recommendations and develop leadership capabilities Referral Network: Curated connections to specialized experts tailored to specific needs Fractional Services: On-demand access to fractional executives across essential business domains Problem-Solution Mapping: Identify the optimal type of solution for each business challenge using a proprietary methodology that balances practical and innovative approaches to generate appropriately calibrated methods (see below).
Go-to-market strategy
Our GTM will center around three pillars to establish thought leadership and drive leads
Webinar Series
Host monthly webinars featuring our vetted experts providing proprietary frameworks on diagnosing and improving business health. Promote webinars through owned channels and partnerships to attract target persona audiences. Develop engaging, educational webinar content highlighting our methodology. Cultivate relationships with attendees through personalized, high-touch follow-up. Strategic Partnerships
Forge partnerships with influencers, thought leaders, and complementary businesses to expand credibility and reach. Pursue co-marketing opportunities, cross-promotions, and guest content collaborations with partners. Join key industry associations as corporate sponsor to gain visibility and networking. Partner with accelerators/incubators to offer discounted services to their portfolio companies. Events
Host quarterly 1-day unconferences in different cities to directly engage local consultant and business communities. Organize an annual 2-3 day hybrid conference to bring together networks and individuals. Use both regional and annual events as platforms to announce new partnerships, launch collaborative initiatives, and offer exclusive benefits for attendees. Use in-person events to strengthen relationships, foster group problem-solving, and build a more engaged community. We will complement these core pillars with:
Targeted content creation and distribution to establish thought leadership Multi-channel paid ad campaigns focused on our differentiators Social media and PR efforts to engage our audience and grow awareness Customer success stories showcasing impact and ROI across channels Timeline
0-3 Months
Finalize positioning and messaging Develop webinar series curriculum and promote first 2 webinars Build initial prospect list for webinar promotion Create website and collateral to support GTM 3-6 Months
Host first 2 webinars and analyze engagement data Refine webinar promotion and follow-up strategy Develop content strategy and publish first 2 thought leadership pieces Identify and initiate conversations with 2-3 potential partner targets 6-12 Months
Host 4 more webinars, continuing to refine format and promotion Formalize strategic partnerships Create and distribute 8+ thought leadership articles/analyses Run targeted paid ad campaigns focused on differentiators Post and promote consistent social media and PR content Develop processes to systematically generate customer success stories By focusing on high-impact webinars and strategic partnerships, we will cost-effectively build authority and leads for our differentiated offering. We will refine our approach over time based on data and feedback.
Financial projections
Key Assumptions
10 experts in Year 1, scaling up to 30 by Year 5 Each expert handles 2 engagements per month on average Engagements generate $10k revenue each Experts receive 50% of engagement revenue $1k monthly membership fee per expert $5k monthly revenue from company retainer service 5 support staff in Year 1, growing by 2 annually Other expenses estimated at $200k for Year 1, growing by 10% Year 1
Revenue - Cost of Services: $1.38M Gross Profit - Expenses: $880k Year 2
Operating Expenses: $605k Year 3
Operating Expenses: $726k Year 4
Operating Expenses: $871k Year 5
Operating Expenses: $1.042M 🗣️ Brand development
W&W Associates: Shepherding Businesses to Success
Brand Positioning
W&W Associates is founded on the principle of creating "Win-Win" solutions for both consultants and client businesses. Our name signifies this focus - the two W's represent consultants and businesses winning together.
This principle is reflected in the name itself, W&W, which is a playful twist on the "M&M" principle, turning it upside down to symbolize a fresh, innovative approach.
The overall brand concept for W&W Associates is one of guidance, collaboration, and mutual success, with a touch of playfulness and creativity. It's a brand that speaks to the innovative and dynamic nature of the middle market landscape, and the essential role that seasoned expertise and providential guidance can play.
Planning & discovery
As a service business, the company can begin testing out services and pricing without investing heavily in teams or technology.
Roadmap Outline
Project Brief: Articulate concept, positioning, branding, marketing strategy Customer Validation: Test assumptions through prospect interviews Expertise Onboarding: Identify and engage advisors across core domains Communication Strategy: Create messaging to share vision with network MVP Launch & GTM: Release initial offering and onboard initial clients Client Success: Deliver value, capture feedback, refine processes Growth: Expand network reach and capabilities to scale impact Customer Validation
Testable assumptions
Domain Expertise: Advisors can reliably evaluate businesses in their specialty areas Demand: Startups/SMEs need high-level fractional expertise and are open to engaging a third-party provider Value: Our diagnostic evaluation and recommendations will provide significant value Willingness to Pay: Companies will pay for different tiers of advisory services at various price points Network Appeal: Top consultants are seeking platforms to access leads and focus on their craft Growth Potential: Favorable market trends provide a sizable opportunity to scale the network The goal is to validate that our positioning, offerings, and pricing align with the needs and perspectives of target customer segments.
Online Discovery Messaging & Questionnaires
Social Media Post
Over the last few months, I've spoken with dozens of consultants and business owners about their biggest challenges.
One thing I heard repeatedly was the need for more affordable resources tailored to their unique needs.
So I'm working on a new initiative aiming to help both consultants AND businesses win bigger together.
But first, I need your insights! If you're a consultant or business owner, take 1-2 minutes to take our discovery survey and share your experiences.
In return, you'll get access to some exciting perks and resources before our official launch. Let's build this community!
Take the consultant survey [Link]
Take the business owner survey [Link]
#Customer #Discovery #Consulting #SmallBusiness #Entrepreneur #Startup #Freelance #Surveys #MarketResearch #Insights #Growth #Strategy #Success #CommunityBuilding #PayItForward #ShareYourStory I’m assembling a team to crack the code for mid-market consulting.
With the growth in fractional expertise while startups and SMEs face economic uncertainty, I think there’s a really interesting opportunity that’s presenting itself in the market.
But first, I need your help! If you're a consultant or business owner, please take 1-2 mins to complete our survey and share your experiences. In return, you’ll get access to some exciting perks!
Let's build something meaningful that helps both freelance consultants and businesses succeed. Who's with me? 🙌
Consultant Survey: [Link]
Business Owner Survey: [Link] Consultant Discovery
Email
Subject: Shape the future of consulting & get early perks
Hey there,
I'm Bilaal, a former startup founder who struggled for 9 years to find affordable consulting advice. I want to change the idea that the best guidance is out of reach for most.
I'm working on something new designed to help consultants like you win bigger. But I need your insights to do it right!
Take our 1 minute survey to help shape this initiative, and you'll receive:
- Early access to exclusive tools and resources for consultants before launch
- 35% off consulting accelerator packages for early participants
Please take a couple minutes to share your perspectives - it would mean a lot.
Take the survey here: [Link]
Appreciate your time,
Bilaal
PS: If you know any fellow consultants who would appreciate getting involved, please feel free to forward this along or share my info. I'd love to speak with them! Subject: Join our exclusive network of elite consultants
Hey there,
I'm assembling a network of top consultants to connect with growing mid-market companies. As a member, you'll benefit from:
- Access to a steady stream of qualified, high-value leads
- Business development and account management support
- Visibility and credibility through a trusted platform
Please take 2 minutes to complete our survey and help shape offerings tailored for high-caliber consultants like you. Your perspectives would be invaluable.
Take the survey here: [Link]
I appreciate your time and look forward to your insights! Questionnaire
Company Discovery
Email
Subject: Win a free company evaluation with seasoned experts!
Dear [Name],
I'm Bilaal - through conversations with business owners like you, I realized there's a huge need for affordable expertise.
So I'm exploring a new "leads engine" to help emerging consultants share their gifts. But first, I need your insights!
Take our short survey (less than 2 minutes) to:
- Enter our giveaway for a FREE 1-hour evaluation session (a $2,500 value)
- Share your experiences growing and optimizing a business
Take the survey here: [Link]
Your perspectives will help shape something meaningful. Looking forward to hearing from you!
Sincerely,
Bilaal
PS: If you know any other business owners or CEOs who could provide valuable perspectives, I'd really appreciate connecting with them. Feel free to pass my info along! Subject: Give your business an expert check-up!
Dear [Name],
We're developing a service to help growing companies tackle challenges through on-demand expertise. By participating, you’ll receive:
- A comprehensive evaluation of your business
- An objective analysis of problems, blind spots and opportunities
- Clear recommendations to accelerate growth
Please take our 2 minute survey to help shape solutions tailored to your needs. We want to hear about your experiences optimizing a business.
Take the survey here: [Link]
Your insights would mean a lot to our small team! Questionnaire
Interview and pricing questions
What is the hardest part about managing and growing your business? How do you currently attempt to solve that problem? Listen for pain points in managing and growing their business. Are they struggling with strategy, operations, marketing, or something else? How are they currently addressing these issues? Tell me about the last time you encountered a significant challenge in managing or growing your business. Listen for specific instances of challenges. What was the context? How did it impact their business? How often do such challenges occur? Listen for the underlying reasons for the difficulty. Is it a lack of expertise, resources, or something else? How does this difficulty affect their business? What, if anything, have you done to try to solve this problem? Listen for their attempts to solve the problem. Have they hired consultants, sought advice, or used any tools or services? This will also give you an idea of potential competitors. What don't you love about the solutions that you've already tried? Listen for their dissatisfaction with existing solutions. What features or aspects are they missing? What would they like to see improved? 
Launch Brief: Success Indicators
