From Idea to Market: Designing a GTM Strategy That Works
PLUS: Coinbase-acquired founder building in the intersection of sports + technology
Behind The Scenes
Many people often confuse GTM with a simple product launch or general marketing activities.
However, a GTM strategy encompasses a set of targeted activities designed to propel your product toward the scaling phase. The ultimate goal is to identify at least one repeatable and scalable GTM motion that drives sustainable growth.
Three Key Stages of GTM Success
The go-to-market journey consists of three critical milestones to achieve before you can scale efficiently:
Stage 1: Problem-Solution Fit
At this stage, you’ve completed the discovery process and validated that your product effectively solves a specific problem. You may have up to five paying customers—usually from your personal network or early outreach. This is the foundation of a nascent product-market fit, and you’re ready to move forward.
Stage 2: Product-Market Fit
Here, the focus shifts to building a sustainable business model. The key indicator is customer retention—ensuring users return to your product and engage with it consistently. Not only does your product deliver tangible value to customers, but it also allows you to capture enough value to support a sustainable business. Call me old-fashioned, but I believe generating revenue is crucial—especially if you’re bootstrapping or managing limited resources.
Stage 3: Go-to-Market Fit
This stage is about identifying at least one predictable and scalable go-to-market motion. A GTM motion is a reliable approach to acquiring customers that enables you to later expand into additional markets and achieve broader product-market fits. Common GTM motions in the tech and SaaS industries include various methods, but feel free to incorporate what works best for you—whether it’s retail marketing, events, or other strategies.
By understanding and addressing these three stages, you can streamline your GTM process and set your product up for long-term success.
(This article was written by Maja Voje from Growth Unhinged. For full version of this article, you can read them here)
Geeks of the Week
Startup Name: Menza
Geography: UK
One-liner: Menza delivers proactive insights and interactive dashboards in seconds.
Founder(s) Background: Founder at ShortlyAI (acquired by Jasper).
Startup Name: EMQM Group
Geography: UK
One-liner: They are building incredible digital and physical experiences for players and sports lovers across the globe.
Founder(s) Background: Co-founder and CEO of Agara (acquired by Coinbase).
Founder(s) building in stealth
Episode of the Week
In this episode, we welcome John Sleeting, Executive Partner at Clearwater Capital Partners and host of the podcast Entrepreneurial Legacies. We dive deep into the challenges and opportunities unique to entrepreneurial families, exploring topics such as pre-liquidity event planning, intergenerational wealth transfer, and the role of family offices in navigating global markets.