Weeks 1 to 2: listen, then map the buyers
I start with the founders and the people who know the technology best. What is proven, what is not, what the next milestone is. Then I map the market from the buyer's side: which companies could use this, who inside them cares, who decides and who can block.
The buyer map is the most useful thing I produce in the first month. It turns a vague market into a list of named roles at named companies, ranked by how likely they are to say yes.
Weeks 3 to 4: rebuild the story
The pitch, the executive summary and the first proposal are usually written in the language of the lab. I rebuild them for a decision made by several people, in the words a procurement lead or an innovation head already uses.
At the end of week four there is a clear commercial case, a short list of target companies and a first outreach sequence. That is the four-week start I propose before anything larger.
Weeks 5 to 8: first conversations
Outreach starts and the conversations teach more than any desk research. Each meeting ends with a written next step. Every contact lands in a working CRM, so nothing goes quiet after a good first call.
Two things shorten the cycle most: reaching the right sponsor inside the company early, and proposing a small, staged first step instead of a large commitment.
Weeks 9 to 12: the first agreement
By now one or two companies are serious. I help shape the first agreement, often a pilot or a joint development agreement, with clear stages and a way for each side to stop. The first one at Reselo was signed in about three weeks from the first introduction.
The company ends the 90 days with a pipeline, a repeatable process and an agreement or two that investors can inspect.
What you hold at day 90
A short list of what the company owns when the first period ends:
- A buyer map with named roles and a ranking.
- A commercial story and materials built for a multi-person decision.
- A pipeline in a CRM, with a weekly review.
- One or two live agreements, or a clear reason why not and what to change.
Questions
How many days a week does a fractional CCO work?
It depends on the scope. The days are set in the proposal, with more of my time in the weeks of outreach and negotiation. The scope and the fee are fixed up front.
Do I need a product ready before starting?
No. A proven result and a team are enough. The first conversations with buyers often shape what gets built next.
What happens after the 90 days?
Either the company continues alone with the process in place, or we extend, for example as an embedded operator around Series A, or as ongoing advisory.
Want to talk it through?
Write me a few lines about the company and where it stands. If it helps, we can start with two hours on your own AI agent, which gives time back in the first week and shows how I work.
Write to me