Alexander Estner

I help early-stage SaaS founders build & execute their Go-to-market foundation to grow from €0 to €1 million ARR 🚀

3 WAYS I CAN HELP YOU 👇
1️⃣ GTM Advisory - Work 1-on-1 with me in bi-weekly GTM sprints
2️⃣ GTM Audit - Get a 360° assessment of your current GTM status quo + custom action plan
3️⃣ GTM Content - Bi-weekly newsletter +  Daily LinkedIn posts + Free GTM Library

P.S. You will find the links to all 3 in the featured section.

Among other things, I help you with:
👉 Creating your early/ideal customer profile (ICP)
👉 Working on positioning, messaging & value proposition 
👉 Choosing the right pricing for your business (pricing model, value metric & packaging)
👉 Implementing the right sales strategy (sales-led vs. product-led)
👉 Mastering 2-3 growth channels to continuously generate new deals/trials
👉 Setting up the right tech stack in sales, marketing & customer success
👉 Building your commercial teams.

Send me a DM on LinkedIn or book a free 15-minute intro call to learn more about my offering.

Startup Consultant for B2B SaaS

As a freelance startup consultant, I help early-stage B2B SaaS Startups quickly grow their business with a powerful Growth Strategy 🚀


I work on both, strategic and operational, levels and help you with the following topics.

► For Founders (Launch to Seed Stage):
- Clarify, validate and stress test your business idea
- Win first paying customers and kickstart growth for your SaaS
- Develop and implement a powerful B2B SaaS Growth strategy
- Find product-market fit and close your first funding (business angels & seed)

► For Startups (Seed to Series A Stage):
- Accelerate your growth to 5M€+ ARR
- Review or implement a powerful B2B SaaS growth strategy
- Optimization of direct & indirect growth channels
- Create a growth team mentality, track the right KPIs, and set OKRs

► For more information:
- check out my website (www.alexestner.com)
- subscribe to my FREE weekly newsletter for founders & early-stage startups (https://startupbusinesstips.substack.com/)

► Interested?
- Send me a DM on Linkedin

GTM is overwhelming, but this checklist will change how you think about it.

This checklist is your roadmap from €0 to €1M ARR.

90% founders start with tactics, skip the foundations. Then wonder why nothing sticks.

But GTM isn't just "getting customers". It's a systematic approach with 10 interconnected foundations.

1️⃣ Ideal Customer Profile
2️⃣ Positioning
3️⃣ Value Proposition & Messaging
4️⃣ GTM Collaterals
5️⃣ Pricing
6️⃣ Sales Motion
7️⃣ Channels
8️⃣ Forecasting & Planning
9️⃣ Internal Operating Systems
🔟 CRM & Tracking

Use this checklist to see what's lacking in your GTM Foundations right now, and start working on it to scale from 0-1mil ARR. 

PS: A few months ago I did my GTM Foundations series, go check it out at MRR Unlocked if you need help with your foundations. 

Link in the comments.

alex-estner

JSESSIONID

li_at

Talks about #saas, #b2bsales, #saassales, #saasgrowth, and #saasmarketing

'Hands-on’ GTM Advisor | Helping SaaS & AI founders build and execute their GTM foundation to grow from €0 to €1 million ARR with less trial and error👇

If you're stuck and don't know what kind of content to create, 

Use this hack to get content ideas immediately..

It's simple - create content based on the stages of awareness 

𝗠𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁 → 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁 𝗔𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁

In this case, multiple competitors already exist for your product. Also, your ICP knows the category. They're comparing solutions.

Focus on creating content like:

-> Comparison pages (You vs. Competitor X)
-> Alternative pages (Best alternative to X)
-> Why you're superior for specific segments
-> Head-to-head feature breakdowns

You're not explaining the problem. You're helping them decide the best solution.

𝗘𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁 → 𝗖𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗔𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁

Your category is rising but not yet standard. Your ICP is evaluating different approaches.

Focus on creating content like:

-> Why your category beats alternatives 
-> Category education ("What is X and why it matters")
-> ROI comparisons across approaches
-> Case studies showing category wins

You're not proving you're best. You're proving your category is the future.

𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁 → 𝗨𝘀𝗲 𝗖𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗔𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁

You're building something new. Your biggest goal is to make the audience problem-aware.

Focus your content on:

-> Customer outcomes and pain points
-> Use case education ("Why doing X manually is costing you")
-> "New way vs. old way" breakdowns
-> Problem amplification before solution

You're educating the audience about the problem they are facing and how it is impacting them. 

Match your content to where your market actually is.

What stage is your market in?

P.S. Want to deep dive into content marketing. Check out the guide I've created with Matteo Tittarelli ⚡️ on mrrunlocked

B2B positioning, websites, launches & content | Duolingo streak keeper 🇯🇵

Let’s hear it from the founders who have successfully scaled their company from €0 to the 1€ million ARR and beyond.

In the latest mrrunlocked.com newsletter, 
I've asked 6 founders to share

❌ What went wrong and
✅ what worked

I asked each founder to share:

1️⃣ The painful mistake(s) they made in the 0-1 stage (that others should not make)

2️⃣ The best tips/things that worked for them.

You will learn from the insights of 6 amazing founders.

👉 Stefan Bader Co-Founder of Cello (Referral Software for SaaS)

👉 Andreas Michel Co-Founder of Ayunis / Locaboo (Software for municipalities)

👉 Hanno Lippitsch Co-Founder of Eversports (Software for sports venues)

👉 Simo Lemhandez Co-Founder of folk (The next gen of CRM)

👉 Adam Cleland Founder of asora (Software for modern family offices)

👉 Brice Maurln Founder of LGM For Sales & GTM (Software for Multi-Channel Outbound)

👇 What's your mistake or tip you wanna share?

P.S. The link to the full guide with all the insights is in the comments below.

CEO @ Cello | Referrals on Autopilot

Cello

Co-Founder & CEO bei Ayunis / Locaboo | SaaS 👨🏻‍💻 | GovTech 🚀

Ayunis / Locaboo

CEO at Eversports

Eversports

Co-founder @ folk CRM | Forbes 30U30

folk

CEO at asora | Software for the modern family office

asora

CEO chez LGM | Get more Replies with Multichannel Outbound.

LGM For Sales & GTM

I've asked 20+ experts on their best GTM advice for 0->1€ M ARR

We cover positioning, ICP, messaging, content, pricing, CRM/KPIs.

You will hear the best tips from experts, including

Anthony Pierri 
Jon Itkin 
Andrej Persolja 
Talya Heller G. 💡 
Matteo Tittarelli ⚡️ 
Toni Hopponen 
Douwe Wester 🟢 👉  
Björn W. Schäfer 
Ashley Herbert Popa 
Sara Stella Lattanzio
Romana Kuts  
Krzysztof Szyszkiewicz 
Rob Litterst 
Arnaud Belinga 🧊🔨 
Dirk Sahlmer 

And the best tips from founders, including
Andreas Michel 
Stefan Bader 
Adam Cleland 
Hanno Lippitsch 
Simo Lemhandez 
Brice Maurln 

The episode goes lives this sunday. 

👇 So sign up on mrrunlocked.com to get all tips in your inbox + a free gift: 50 top GTM infographics for free.

If you're struggling to find your ICP or 

don't know how to really go about it, 

Here's my 5-step process to find your actual ICP:

Step 1: Define "Winning Indicators"

Higher product engagement, better commercial health. strategic alignment. lower churn, higher NPS

Step 2: Collect Customer Data

Gather persona data, firmographics, product usage data. 

Step 3: First-Pass Segmentation

Start with obvious filters: industry, company size, geography.

Step 4: Deep-Dive Segmentation

Look for hidden patterns:

How different verticals use your product, who are the actual users vs. decision makers, and what are their main challenges 

Step 5: Pattern Recognition

Analyze segments against winning indicators using Excel/Sheets.

Your data doesn't lie. Your assumptions might.

Use the data you already have from your early customers to identify your ideal customers. 

Check out the whole process below 

If you want to understnad this in detail, check out our episode from MRR unlocked, link in the comments.

Most GTM playbooks are written for VC-backed startups.
So I asked Zdenko Zvada about underrated GTM tactics for bootstrapped founders

He's sharing the insights from 300+ conversations with bootstrapped founders.

My personal opinion: 
Most VC-backed startups should do the same - especially social listening, outreach to negative reviews, and staying longer in founder selling mode are key too.

When I work with founders, we mostly do this too.

But I'm curious: What other tactics work for you?

P.S. On Sunday, we're launching a full episode on mrrunlocked about GTM tactics for bootstrapped founders.

Bootstrapped GTM Tactics

If you're a first-time founder, GTM is tough. 

To help you, I have compiled 9 of my TOP Infographics that are most important for your GTM when you're going from 0 to mil ARR⬇️

1) GTM Myths 

-> You need to unlearn what you're doing wrong, before you even get started in the right direction!

2) 360-degree GTM audit

-> Use it to understand the current state of your GTM - to identify your starting point. 

3) 3 stages till 1 mil ARR

-> 0 to 1 mil ARR is not one, but three stages. Understand each stage to know what to expect in your GTM journey. 

4) GTM Foundations for SaaS

-> This is like a beginner's overview of everything that makes up GTM. Refresh your GTM concepts.

5) GTM Foundations Checklist 

-> This is where things start getting real. Keep this checklist in hand to track everything you need, to build your GTM Foundations.

6) Your ICP changes over time 

-> ICP is one of the most misunderstood concepts in GTM. Understand the nuances related to your ICP thoroughly. 

7) The Power of Niching Down

-> If you don't niche down right now, you won't be able to scale tomorrow.

8) How to find your ICP

-> Once you know that it is important to have 1 ICP, use these 3 steps to actually find your ICP.

9) 6 phases of founder-led sales 

-> Through this entire journey of 0 to 1mil ARR, know that you (the founder) have to be involved in sales. Learn it through the 6 stages of founder-led sales. 

Hopefully, these 9 will give you a headstart in your GTM. 

---
You can access all of these Infographics for free on https://lnkd.in/eKJXxGzE

I've asked 16 experts to share their best tip for 0-1€ million ARR

So let's hear what they recommend founders👇

 🎯 Positioning & Messaging

Anthony Pierri 
Nobody will care about your outcomes if they don’t know what product category you fit into. Choose one clear category or use case as your anchor and you’re already 80% ahead.

Jon Itkin 
Assess your market’s maturity before positioning. Early markets reward bold vision, mature ones need precision. Match strategy to reality, not someone else’s playbook.

Andrej Persolja 
Stay close to power users through a private channel like Slack. Their feedback shapes your roadmap, messaging, and what to double down on.

Talya Heller G. 💡  
Test your sales story before scaling; story-market fit comes first. Test with first 3–5 customers, pick a villain, frame the struggle, paint the payoff. Rewrite if it doesn’t close.

Matteo Tittarelli ⚡️  ️ 
Build a Messaging & Positioning Library early. It becomes the context engine for every campaign and asset.

Toni Hopponen 
Design your homepage like a traffic controller: green light for best-fit users, stop sign for others.

💬 ICP (Ideal Customer Profile)

Douwe Wester 🟢 👉  
Start with early customers and watch what they *do*, not what they *say*. Cluster high-signal users, define ICP from results, and update quarterly.

Björn W. Schäfer 
Treat ICP as an ongoing discipline. Segment by ROI, validate with data, and build an anti-ICP list.

Ashley Popa 
Niche down. Broad targeting kills traction. Focus on customers who upgrade and stay, then expand using the bowling-pin approach.

Alexander Estner (me)
Focus on your GTM foundation before scaling: know who benefits most, clarify how you’re different, and master turning pipeline into predictable, repeatable revenue.

✍️ Content Marketing

Sara Lattanzio 
Shape one sharp narrative tied to audience pain. Build in public, pick channels intentionally, and stay consistent. Distribution matters more than production.

 Romana Kuts 
Interview customers. Five calls beat fifty brainstorms. Start with one pain point, turn it into five angles and ten content pieces, reuse relentlessly, and track revenue impact.

💰 Pricing

Krzysztof Szyszkiewicz 
Treat pricing as a process. Set its purpose, differentiate by value metrics, and review quarterly.

Rob Litterst 
Keep pricing simple early. Validation > Perfection. Start with value-hacking to learn what people will pay, then move to growth- and profit-hacking.

📊 CRM & Tracking

Arnaud Belinga 
Before €50–100k ARR, just sell. After micro-PMF, pick a simple CRM tied to your channels and follow up relentlessly.

Dirk Sahlmer 
Track 3–5 metrics that drive better decisions. Focus on leading indicators like activation and CAC payback.

Bonus tip by Rob Kaminski 
1 product, 1 avatar, 1 channel, 1 tactic, for 1 year gives early founders the focus they need.

--
Want to deep dive into each tip? Check out the latest mrrunlocked episode. Link is in the comments.

Here's a list of partners, agencies, and consultants whom I’d highly recommend to every early-stage SaaS founder.

Over the past few years, I’ve built relationships with these amazing service providers.

If you’re a SaaS founder and need help with:

✅ Content & SEO
✅ Recruiting
✅ Paid Marketing (Google, LinkedIn)
✅ Design
✅ Sales
✅ Pricing

I’ll connect you with the right people.

You don't need to do a cold outreach, I'll help you with warm intros to vetted experts.

Content & SEO
--> Talk to Romana Kuts  and Ugljesa D. 

Website & Design
--> Talk to Florian Goertzen Tarik Yayla Tobias Giesen or Maximilian Fleitmann

Recruiting
--> Talk to Elvin Kingma Jan Mark Lingthaler Miguel Marques Dominic Blank 

Sales
--> Talk to Manuel Hartmann (post 1€ million) and Julius Dany (for SDR/cold calling)

LinkedIn & Google Ads
--> Talk to Christoph Schachner and Agata Krzysztofik 

Pricing Consulting (post 1€ million ARR)
--> Talk to Rob Litterst and Krzysztof Szyszkiewicz 

GTM advisory (post 1€ million ARR)
--> Talk to Björn W. Schäfer Daniel Zsolt Rényi  and Matteo Tittarelli ⚡️ 

Check the link in the comments to see the entire list of partners.

Btw, who am I missing on the list?

17 experts' tips turned into a 39-slide GTM masterclass for 0->1€ M ARR 👇 

You learn about:
✅ Positioning & Messaging
✅ Ideal Customer Profile
✅ Content Marketing
✅ Pricing
✅ CRM & KPI Tracking

Including tips from experts, including

Anthony Pierri
Jon Itkin 
Andrej Persolja
Talya Heller G. 💡
Matteo Tittarelli ⚡️ 
Toni Hopponen 
Douwe Wester 🟢 👉 
Björn W. Schäfer
Ashley Herbert Popa
Sara Stella Lattanzio
Romana Kuts
Krzysztof Szyszkiewicz
Rob Litterst 
Arnaud Belinga
Dirk Sahlmer
Rob Kaminski

👉 What tip can you share?

17 expert tips for 0 to 1€M ARR

For your content to work, 

you need 3 types of content to be in sync

TOFU → To get attention
MOFU → To build trust
BOFU → To convert

Most founders live in TOFU, which helps you get likes, but not so many conversions. 

Let's how each layer works:

1️⃣ TOFU (Top of Funnel) → Awareness content

-> This isn't about your product. It's about topics your audience actually cares about.

-> This builds your audience, helps you get reach, and generate engagement. 

Eg - The 5 biggest productivity myths that are slowing your team down”

2️⃣ MOFU (Middle of Funnel) → Consideration content

-> This is where you go deep. Real frameworks. Actual insights.

-> Content only you could write. Battle-tested stuff.

-> This is where trust happens. Your ICP thinks: "This person actually knows their shit."

Eg - How to reduce project delays by 30%, a step-by-step breakdown”

3️⃣ BOFU (Bottom of Funnel) → Conversion content

-> Show proof. Share results. Remove objections.

-> Social proof. Real outcomes. Clear next step.

Eg - “What happens when you ditch spreadsheets and manage projects the smart way”

Here's the ideal mix:
20% TOFU – Reach plays that pull in new eyes
60% MOFU – Deep, educational, ICP-focused
20% BOFU – Case studies, results, CTAs

Ivan Peric and I have created this framework to help you build your founder brand on LinkedIn. Use it the next time you're creating your content strategy.

Content Strategist & Founder @contentmotion.io | Ich baue eine Content-Agentur für B2B Tech

To optimize your SEO, use these high-intent keywords ⬇️

1. Pain Point/Problem Keyword
Example: “How to export contacts from LinkedIn” 

2. Pricing & Cost Keywords
Example: “Affordable CRM for solopreneurs”

3. Comparison Keywords
Example: “Notion vs. Asana” | “Best alternatives for HubSpot”

4. Competitor-Specific Keywords
Example: “HubSpot CRM vs. Salesforce”

5. Feature-Specific Keywords
Example: “CRM with VOIP calling”

6. Integration Keywords
Example: “Best payroll software that integrates with QuickBooks”

7. Product Category + Audience Keywords
Example: “Project Management software for law firms”

8. Benefit-Driven Keywords
Example: “How much time can I save with a virtual assistant?”

9. Educational Keywords
Example: “How to create a high-converting SaaS homepage”

10. Location-Based Keywords
Example: “Best invoicing software for German freelancers”

11. Template-Based Keywords
Example: “Best LinkedIn post templates for SaaS founders”

These money keywords focus on users who are already very much aware and ‘in the market’ and will help you make the most of your SEO investment.

I’ve been calling myself a solopreneur for over 4 years now.

So I was super excited when Stephanie Sgura asked me to be part of her solopreneurship movement.

In May 2026: Solopreneur Revolution - Live on Tour

The first Summit, that's 100% focused on Solopreneurship:
- Business, Marketing, Sales, AI...

(it's for the German-speaking community)

And I'm part of it 🎉

The best part:

You get early access to the secret pre-sale (4.-7. 12.)

🔹 lowest ticket prices ever

🔹 early Access to all Workshops (limited to 30 seats)

📍 I will be in Vienna myself. 

What you can expect from the summit:

→ Content & Insights for solopreneurs

→ Transformational workshops of successful solopreneurs

→ Networking with peers

→ Roasting Area to get feedback on your business

→ Limited to 200 tickets per event (Vienna & Berlin)

Who's interested in joining and meeting in Vienna?

🎟️ Comment or just send me a DM and I will send you the link to the secret pre-sale.

Over the last 12 months, I've created 50+ infographics on SaaS GTM.

The beauty of them is that they visually communicate the core concept.

Here are my top 10 on go-to-market for SaaS/AI founders 👇

Top GTM Infografics

3 massively underrated GTM tactics for bootstrapped founders⬇️

1. Mine negative reviews for leads

Every 1-star review tells you who is unhappy and if they'd pay to fix.

-> Search G2/Capterra/Reddit for competitors
-> Filter for 1-2 star reviews
-> Build a lead list from reviewer names
-> Reach out: "Saw you struggled with X. We built Y to solve it. Want a demo?"

2. Go where micro-communities live

Your first 100 customers won't come from ads. They'll come from Reddit, Slack groups, Discord.

-> Join 3-5 communities your ICP hangs in
-> Help for a week, share free resources
-> Mention your product when it fits
-> DM engaged members with trial invites

3. Get listed in directories

Capterra, G2, Product Hunt, AppSumo, get in front of buyers with intent. You can even build your own. They rank on Google, attract your ICP, and drive traffic to your product.

—
If you want to learn how to execute each of these tactics, check out the latest episode of MRR Unlocked where Zdenko Zvada talks about these in detail. Link in the comments.

Lead magnets are evolving from traditional whitepapers and e-books.

Here's a list of different formats you can use to create high-quality lead magnets for your SaaS 

𝟭. 𝗧𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀, 𝗚𝘂𝗶𝗱𝗲𝘀 & 𝗘-𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸𝘀
Instant utility. Copy-paste and go.

- Email templates (lemlist )
- Sales coaching guides (Grain )
- Website optimization e-books (Webflow)

𝟮. 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲𝘀 & 𝗠𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗰𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀
Higher commitment = higher intent leads.

- Video selling masterclass (Vidyard )
- Video creation course (Tella )

𝟯. 𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 & 𝗪𝗲𝗯𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗿𝘀
Live interaction builds stronger relationships.

- Sculpt Conference (Clay )
- SaaS Happy Hour (Paddle )

𝟰. 𝗖𝗮𝗹𝗰𝘂𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀
Quantify the problem. Make the pain tangible.

- Webinar ROI calculator (Livestorm )
- Equity dilution calculator (Cake Equity)

𝟱. 𝗠𝗶𝗻𝗶 𝗧𝗼𝗼𝗹𝘀
Quick wins. Solve one micro-problem fast.

- LinkedIn headline generator (@Taplio)
- Webcam test (Livestorm)
- AI conversation rank checker (Octolens)

𝟲. 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘆 𝗥𝗲𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘀 & 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵
Original data = credibility + shareability.

- State of Meetings (Calendly)
- SaaS Pricing Report (Valueships)
- GTM Benchmarks (ChartMogul )

All these companies have amazing lead magnets you can take inspiration from. 

Keep in mind, though, different formats solve different problems at different buyer stages. 

Match format to your ICP's most urgent need.

Check out how to create and distribute your lead magnets: https://lnkd.in/ePHrCjDE

---
P.S. Want my best lead magnet? Get 50+ free GTM assets on https://lnkd.in/exxgARTi

How to create a GTM slide for your pitch deck

Investors can smell fluff from a mile away; you can't woo them with fancy GTM channels. They need real proof of 

✅ What has worked in the past 
✅ How do you plan to scale it 

Include these 2 sections in your GTM slide to make it foolproof 

1️⃣ Current scenario

- Show how you've built a repeatable growth engine 
- Mention how you've been acquiring customers today

2️⃣ Plan to scale 

- Chart out your exact plan to scale the engine you've built currently 
- Show how you'll acquire the next set of customers

Basically, reassure investors that 

✅ You've got the blueprint to utilize the funding 
✅ You're ready for growth

---
Majd Alaily has written an entire guest post about how to make the best pitch deck (11 slides) for your startup. This is only 1 slide of the deck. Check out the whole episode at MRR Unlocked. Link in the comments.

3x Founder | ex-Google | Design Thinking | Let's Launch, Grow, Fundraise For Your Startup Together.

11 slides of a winning pitch deck👇

If you're struggling to get funded, you can start by redoing your pitch deck

Here are the 11 most important slides of a pitch deck - 

(in the right order)

1️⃣ Problem 
2️⃣ Solution
3️⃣ Unique Value 
4️⃣ Traction
5️⃣ Competition
6️⃣ Market
7️⃣ Revenue Model
8️⃣ Ambition
9️⃣ Team 
🔟 GTM
1️⃣1️⃣ Ask

If you're skipping any of these slides, you're not giving investors all the information they need to make a decision. 

Check out the carousel below to see the summary of each slide. 

---
Majd Alaily has written an entire episode on "Why pitches fail" for MRR Unlocked. Check the link in the comments to see the full episode.

This week, I've worked with a founder on case studies for their SaaS.

I took some notes on the key points 👇

We all know that social proof is key.

But to get the most out of social proof, I recommend to apply these 5 core principles.

1️⃣ Follow a structure

👉 Your case study should follow a clear structure.

I like this one:
✅ The Customer’s Story – who they are & what they do.
✅ The Challenge – what problem they faced before using your SaaS.
✅ The Solution – how your product helped solve that problem.
✅ The Results – quantifiable impact (metrics, revenue growth, time saved, etc.).
✅ Quote & Image – a strong testimonial (quote + image)
✅ Call-to-Action – Clear next steps for readers.

2️⃣ Customer Interview questions

You get a good case study if you ask the right questions.

- What challenges did you face before working with X?
- Why did you decide to search for a solution?
- Have you tried other solutions before X?
- What was your experience with X?
- What has changed since you implemented X?
- Would you recommend X to others? If yes, why, and to whom?

3️⃣ Each case study = 1 angle

Before you write the case study, think about the 'narrative'.

Do you want to write about the impact of your solution.

Or how easy the onboarding is?

Or how company type X benefis from it. 

Over time you're building a library of different case study types.

This makes them super powerful.

👉 Example:
- A new prospect has concerns on migration --> Share them a case study on how easy the migration was.
- A prospect is unsure if your product is a good fit, as they fear they are too small --> Share how another client (same size) benefits from using it

4️⃣ Create multiple assets

👉 Turn your customer interview in multiple assets.

This can be a video case study, written case study, quotes, snippets...

5️⃣ Distribute your assets

Don't make the mistake to create nice case studies and then forget about using them.

Few tactics: 
👉 Dedicated case study page
👉 Wall of love
👉 Featured Section of your Linkedin
👉 Linkedin posts
👉 Sharing in your outbound messages
👉 Part of your demo follow-up email

How do you think about case studies?

P.S. Want to deep dive into case studies? Together with Romana Kuts I wrote a full guide on mrrunlocked

Founder @ SaaStorm + B2B SaaS SEO, LLMO & Content Advisor + Certified Content Engineer (@ AirOps’25)

5 recommendations to better organize your pricing page menu 👇

1️⃣ Keep Plan Names Simple
Don’t overthink naming.
Clarity beats creativity. 

Start with what people expect to see:
Free, Basic, Starter, Standard, Pro, Premium, Plus, Teams, Business, Enterprise.

2️⃣ Show the Monthly Cost
Display the monthly cost right below the plan name (even for annual billing). 

Tie it clearly to your pricing metric so users immediately understand how cost scales.

3️⃣ Include the Billing Period
Always indicate how billing works. 

A toggle above the pricing grid (monthly ↔ yearly) is the standard and most intuitive approach.

4️⃣ Highlight Key Features and Usage Limits
After naming and pricing, call out the core features and usage thresholds for each plan. 

Keep it concise — aim for about five items max. Focus on what truly drives pricing or differentiates plans.

5️⃣ Add Clear CTAs
Every plan needs a specific next step.

For free or PLG plans: “Get Started.”

For sales-led motions: “Request a Demo” or “Contact Sales.”
Different plans can have unique CTAs depending on your GTM model.

These are the essentials. If you can convey all key details across these elements, you don’t need anything extra. Keep it focused and simple.

Ranked #1 Global Positioning | Founder of Beyond Brilliant ™ | Award-Winning Founder & Speaker | Ex-U.S. Congress Comms Director | 35M +Views

Iza Montalvo is an award-winning founder, journalist, and former political communications strategist. For two decades, she has shaped public narratives for elected officials, crafted messaging for high-stakes campaigns, and trained executives to command any stage.

Her purpose is to help brilliant leaders move past modesty to master the art of what she calls "Graceful Self-Promotion."

Montalvo has observed that for two decades, natural modesty, the belief that "work should speak for itself" can hold back the most talented women from promotions, stages, and deals. 

She argues that this is not about imposter syndrome, but a strategic blind spot where brilliant women mistake necessary visibility for arrogance.

As the founder of the Beyond Brilliant movement, Montalvo teaches a strategic approach to visibility rooted in the invisible mechanics of perception to ensure her clients' brilliance is seen and rewarded. 

Her mission is to help leaders stop underselling themselves and start reclaiming their narrative to reach their fullest potential.

Montalvo's work on influence and messaging has been formally recognized on the floor of the U.S. Congress and permanently archived in the Library of Congress.

Connect with Iza: She is available for keynote speaking engagements (including her talk, "Why Brilliant Women Undersell Themselves"), media commentary, and strategic consulting on influence and visibility.

Iza Montalvo 🧲

The first hour of your day is prime real estate.
Spend it on work that moves you forward.

I see the same pattern in almost every leader and operator I work with:

They open the day with tasks that look productive, but don’t change anything.

Email.
Admin.
Quick replies.
Low-stakes work.

It feels safe.
It feels tidy.
But it doesn’t shift the needle.

The important work, the one task that demands focus or courage
gets pushed to the afternoon.

Then the afternoon fills up.
Then the task gets carried to the next day.
And the cycle repeats.

Morning is the one window where your mind is clear.
No demands.
No fires.

Use that block for the work with weight.

A project that moves the business forward.
A decision you’ve delayed.
A problem that needs thought, not speed.
A task that shapes the week, not one that fills an hour.

Block your first hour.
Protect it.

You end the day lighter.
You end the week with momentum.

If this lands, try it tomorrow: give your first hour to the task you’ve been avoiding.

Watch what shifts.

♻️Repost if you agree 
➕Follow Iza Montalvo 🧲 for more

Founder Authority Lab Open Enrollment | Personal Brand Growth for Founders | 35M+ Reach | 3M+ Media Impact 💎

You don’t need to reinvent yourself.
You just need to remember who you are.

We all reach a point in our careers where the version that got us here can’t take us where we are going next. 

For years, you built a name by persevering.
Now it’s time to be seen for leading.

That earlier version of you 

→ said yes out of loyalty, not alignment
→ stayed in rooms you’d already outgrown
→ mistook peacekeeping for professionalism
→ treated ambition like a secret

That version built safety.
But safety and visibility rarely coexist.

The next version of you demands:

• Precision over people-pleasing
• Proof over perfection
• Presence over performance

You don’t need a new story.
You just need to stop hiding inside the old one.

You can’t attract aligned opportunities
while introducing yourself as who you used to be.

If your brand voice still sounds like yesterday’s credibility,
start with your LinkedIn audit
it’s your mirror, not your résumé.

PS: The voice that built your career
isn’t the one that will build your legacy.

Video credit: SM

♻️ Repost if you’re leading your next chapter
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Ranked #1 in Global Branding & Comms | Refining Narrative, Authority & Market Expansion For Visionaries | Ex–US Congress Comms Director

Your product is strong.
Your message isn’t and that’s what’s costing you.

You use AI to work faster.
To fix your deck.
To shape your pitch.

I use it too.

But here’s the issue in this economy:

If your message isn’t clear or unique,
AI will make you sound even more like everyone else.
The problem isn’t the tool.

It’s how you explain:

✅ the problem you solve
✅ the answer you built
✅ and who you are as a founder

Right now, the market can’t feel any of that.

Anyone can say they fix a pain point.
Anyone can claim innovation.
Anyone can show a roadmap.

But very few founders can talk about their idea in a way that makes people think:

“I haven’t heard it said like that before.”

That’s what creates separation.
And separation is what gets you meetings, partners, and funding.

Let me give you a simple example:

I worked with a tech founder last month who kept pitching with heavy jargon.
Only people in his field understood him
but the people who needed his product the most didn’t get it.

So we refined his message.

We stripped out the “company mission” no one reads anymore.
We rewrote how he explained the problem and the solution in plain language anyone could follow.

In 30 days:

🔥 he closed 2 deals
🔥 booked a big presentation
🔥 and landed media

Nothing in his product changed.
Only the way he talked about it.

Here’s the part most don’t want to admit:

You’re not showing up as the founder people expect behind a company like yours, not in panels, not in industry talks, not in the rooms where decisions get made.

This isn’t about visibility.
It’s about positioning.

The founders who rise right now do 3 things well:

👉🏽They explain the problem in a way the market sees itself in.
👉🏽They describe the solution in a way only they can.
👉🏽They show they can move the space forward not just sit in it.
👉🏽They lead conversations others avoid 

And it’s why some founders jump ahead
while others keep waiting to be noticed.

PS: If you want to stand apart from your category,
send me one sentence: your biggest messaging challenge.

♻️ Repost to help others in your network
➕ Follow me Iza Montalvo 🧲 for more

Iza Montalvo 

Ranked #1 in Global Branding | 35M+ Reach | 3M+ Media For Clients | Advisor To Fortune 500 & Public Figures | Ask Me About My 6-Week Accelerator For More Clients, Stages & Press 💫

Everyone says “know your worth.”
Few say “ask for it.”

Negotiation isn’t conflict.
It’s collaboration done right. 

Steal these 7 strategies to ask for more and get it:

1/ 𝗕𝗔𝗧𝗡𝗔 (Best Alternative to a Negotiated Agreement)

🟢 Always know your fallback plan.
When you have a solid backup, 
you can negotiate from a place of confidence.

2/ Anchoring Effect

🟢 Lead with a strong number.
The first figure frames the entire discussion 
it’s your chance to set the tone.

3/ 𝗭𝗢𝗣𝗔 (Zone of Possible Agreement)

🟢 Find the overlap between what you want 
and what they can offer.
That’s where deals actually happen.

4/ Win-Win Agreement

🟢 Ask questions.
Find out what matters most to them.
Focus on building an outcome that works for both sides.

5/ The Power of Silence 

🟢  After you make your offer, stop talking.
Let the other person fill the silence.
It’s uncomfortable, but it shifts the momentum.

6/ Value-Based Negotiation

🟢 Talk about outcomes, not costs.
Show them how working with you solves their problems.

7/ Scarcity and Urgency 

🟢 Use time limits or exclusivity to motivate action.
Deadlines aren’t pushy, they create focus.

→You’re not squeezing the other side.
→You’re advocating for what’s fair.

PS: Which of these strategies will you try next?

♻️ Share to help your network 
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Ranked #1 in Global Branding | Turn Your LinkedIn Into a Deal-Flow Engine | Ex–US Congress Comms Director | I Fix The Gap Between Who You Are & How You’re Seen

I spoke with a founder who’d been in his field for almost 20 years.
Not the “social media expert” kind of experience.

The real kind.

The kind that holds companies together when everything feels like it’s falling apart.

👉 He led teams.
👉 Handled crises.
👉 Built things people relied on.

But when he tried to build something for himself, a side income, a little freedom, nothing moved.

He spent months trying to understand how others were using LinkedIn and AI to make a steady income, book stages and get featured as experts in top-tier media.

As someone who has ran campaigns for big names, and learned how to leverage LinkedIn in 1 year, I understand the pain too well. 

Then he confessed…

“I’ve signed up for webinars”
“I’ve tried posting more”
“I’ve tried writing in the right tone.”
“I’ve tried figuring out personal branding”

Every attempt ended the same way:

🚫 No traction.
🚫 No interest.
🚫 No real path forward.
🚫 Less money in the bank.

One night, he told me he sat in his car after work for almost an hour.
He didn’t want to walk into his house and pretend he wasn’t disappointed.
He said, in a quiet voice:

“I feel like I did everything right. And it still didn’t turn into anything for me.”
That’s the part most founders never share.
That’s what I call “The Hamster Wheel Trap.”

You’re not stuck because you lack experience.
You’re stuck because you think: 

I need to post more motivational content.
Which is getting you messages like: 
"You're so inspiring"
but not DMs asking for your help. 

You wait for something to click.
You spend hours prompting ChatGpt.
And none of it works.

That weekend, I showed him the part he’d been missing:

✅ How to package what he already knows.
✅ How to use AI to reduce the time it takes.
✅ How to build a simple machine that brings clients, media and stages
to him.

He didn’t expect much.
Not after months of quiet failure.

But he tried anyway.
Eleven days later, he brought in $12,400.

He didn’t cry because of the money.
He cried because something finally worked.

He said, “I just needed someone to show me the part nobody ever showed me.”
If you’re in "The Hamster Wheel Trap", era read this:

Your experience isn’t the issue.
The missing system is.
And that can be fixed.

PS: If any of this felt too familiar, that’s not failure.
It’s a sign you have been carrying everything alone. 

I speak about these topics in my newsletter: 
Sign up here: izamontalvo.com/joinnow

📸 Hotel Catalonia, Santo Domingo, November 2025

♻️Repost to help others in your network 
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Ranked #1 in Global Branding | 35M+ Reach | 3M+ Media For Clients | Advisor To Fortune 500 & Public Figures | I Reengineer How You’re Seen For More Clients, Stages & Press 💫

Being the best isn’t enough.
Being seen as the best is.

For years, you won the same way:

✨ Referrals.
✨ Reputation.
✨ Relationships.
✨ Time in the field.

Do solid work.
Stay steady.
The next client shows up.
That pattern broke.
Attention shifted.

Here's what I've learned:

Decision-makers changed how they hire.
They search first.
They follow the ones who teach in public.
They stick with the voices they see often.

Familiarity moves faster than introductions.
This shift is shaking entire industries.

1/ A consultant with decades of wins loses a client to someone posting insights.
2/ An attorney with a track record gets replaced by someone explaining hard topics in simple language.
3/ An advisor with a full résumé gets overlooked because their thinking never shows up online.

This is the real risk:

If people can’t see how you think,
they assume someone else is a better fit.

🤚🏽 This isn’t age.
🤚🏽 This is access.
🤚🏽 This is presence.

Legacy trust still holds with the people who know you.
Everyone else meets their next expert on a screen.

If your voice isn’t there, the contract goes to the one who is.
Invisibility kills deals faster than lack of skill.

🔥 The experts who stay chosen do this:

They show their work.
They explain their point of view.
They build trust before the first meeting.

This isn’t ego.
This is staying in the deal flow.

If you want clients to think of you first and if you want new buyers to find you without a warm intro, your brand has to travel.

PS: If you’re ready for that shift,
DM me "TRANSFER".

🔁 Repost to help others in your network
➕ Follow me Iza Montalvo for more

You didn’t outgrow your life.
You just got used to the desert.

This video reminded me how many people 
stay in places that no longer fit
simply because they’re familiar.

Take Lena.
She worked in corporate HR for nine years.
Good title. Steady paycheck.

Everyone assumed she had it figured out.
But at night, she restored old furniture in her garage
pieces people rushed to buy.

She kept saying she wasn’t “ready” to open a store.
Then one afternoon she heard herself repeat it
and felt the gap between her words and her truth.

Three months later, she rented a small workshop.
Now there’s a waiting list.

Then there’s Jordan.
He stayed close to friends who pulled him down
because it felt easier than walking away.
He wasn’t choosing connection.
He was choosing habit.

When he stepped back, his days grew quiet
and light.

Maybe you’re here too:

💫 A job that pays you but drains you
💫 An idea you keep pushing aside
💫 A version of yourself you keep delaying

Here’s something simple:

You can change your direction when the path stops matching who you’re becoming.

You didn’t outgrow your life.
You just got used to the desert.

And like that camel, you might shock yourself
when you step toward your ocean.
Not with a leap.
With one honest move.

PS: Leaving the desert for good in 2026?
Let’s talk in the comments.

♻️ Repost if this hits home
➕ Follow me, Iza Montalvo for more
🎥 Video credit: ytinopp34/X

If your private success is bigger than your public presence…
this isn’t your fault.

(It’s your system)

Influence isn’t built from occasional brilliance.
It’s built from the signals you repeat,
the perceptions you reinforce,
and the identity you make your digital footprint.

There are only 3 things people use to judge your influence:

1️⃣ What they see you talk about
If your expertise isn’t visible, it isn’t perceived.
People assume you’re an authority when they can predict your point of view on a topic.

2️⃣ How consistently you show up
Repetition builds recognition.
Recognition builds trust.
Trust builds demand.
You aren’t under-valued, you’re under-seen.

3️⃣ The proof you make public
Wins. Lessons. Patterns.
Not to brag, but to signal what you know, how you think, and why you’re credible.
Private success only matters publicly when you translate it into visible evidence.

And here’s the part most people miss:

Your reputation doesn’t grow because you’re good.
It grows because you make your value unmistakable.

Influence grows when your signals become a system:
a repeatable rhythm that teaches people who you are,
what you stand for, and why your voice carries weight.

When you control the signals,
you control the perception.

When you control the perception,
you control the opportunity.

And the real shift is this:

You don’t need to become someone different to grow your influence.
Make the real you, the skilled, proven, exceptional you, the version people recognize.

Influence isn’t a spotlight.
It’s an operating system.

Build the system,
and the visibility follows.

PS: I talk about these topics every week in my free newsletter.
Sign up here and get 74 high-performing hooks: izamontalvo.com/joinnow

♻️ Repost to help others in your network
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Chief Executive Officer | Ranked #1 Global Positioning | Ex-U.S. Congress Comms Director | 35M+ Reach | 3M+ Media

Staying in a place you’ve outgrown isn’t loyalty.
It’s a slow kind of shrinking.

Most people don’t stay because they’re fulfilled.
They stay because it’s familiar.

Because it’s quiet.
Because it asks nothing new of them.
But there’s a cost to that kind of comfort:

💔 Your skills level off
💔 Your ideas stay small
💔 Your drive dims

Your network stays narrow
Your confidence stalls
You feel it long before you name it.

The meetings get predictable.
The work stops teaching you anything.
The ceiling lowers a little more each week.

You’re not dramatic.
You’re not impatient.
You’ve simply outgrown the room.

The people who move forward don’t wait for a crisis.
They pay attention to the early signs.
They choose places that stretch them.

They leave before their talent goes quiet.
You don’t need permission to want more space.
You only need to trust the part of you that knows when the season has ended.

Staying small isn’t stability.
It’s delay.
Leaving isn’t chaos.
It’s courage.

Your life expands the moment you do.

♻️ Repost if someone you know is staying somewhere they’ve outgrown
 👉 Follow me, Iza Montalvo, for more

The struggle isn’t blocking your rise, it’s shaping you for it.

Ever feel like every step forward comes with another test?
You’re not the only one.

But what if the leaders you admire didn’t rise despite their hurdles…
but because they stayed long enough to learn what those hurdles were trying to teach?

You treat this challenge like a glitch, like life dropped the wrong assignment on your desk.

But you know this pattern.

The moment you avoid is the moment that forces the shift you’ve delayed.
Not fate.
Not a lesson wrapped in a bow.
Just pressure pointing at what needs your attention.

Try this: 

1/ Take one breath before you respond.
It gives you space to see the situation, not your fear.
2/ Ask a clear question:
“What does this open right now?”
The answer often sits in plain sight.
3/ Change the method, not the aim.
If the straight line fails, use the turn.
The target stays the same.
4/ Look at what the moment exposes.
A gap.
A habit.
A truth.

Treat it as information, not judgment.
If you’re carrying something heavy today, don’t rush past it.
Stay with it long enough to understand it.

There’s direction inside it…
And once you see it, the next step becomes obvious.

PS: What is the obstacle in front of you trying to tell you?

🔁 Repost to help others 
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The Battle

Alexander Estner

Iza Montalvo 🧲

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taplio

The Battle

Alexander Estner

Iza Montalvo 🧲

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}Alexander Estner's LinkedIn Performance

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Performance ScoreAlexander Estner's LinkedIn Performance