Insights

Sparkworks Advisor: Ben Dickey Type of Engagement: Advisory Many startups struggle early on with identifying and refining their ICP, or ideal client profile . The ICP is a description of who makes for the best customer — who gains the most value from the product or service, who will buy more easily and consistently, and who is most aligned with the startup’s values and strengths. GrantExec was no exception. Faced with a constant threat of running out of runway, keeping s

Raising a seed round is one of the most misunderstood phases of building a startup. Many founders start fundraising too early, before they’ve pressure-tested whether their company is actually ready. The result is usually the same: lots of meetings, lots of “great conversation, stay in touch,” and very little progress. Over time, I’ve come to rely on a simple mental model I call the 7 T’s of Seed-Stage Investing . It’s a way to sanity-check readiness before you ever send that