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

Your ICP must define your daily GTM work.

If it doesn’t, you’re not enforcing your ICP.
You just have one on paper.

If the ICP is real, it shows up everywhere 👇

• Hero section of your website
• Customers you choose for case studies and logo carousels
• Your LinkedIn post themes
• Upcoming blog articles
• The dropdowns in your product onboarding
• Mandatory CRM fields that define ICP fit
• Filters you use for outbound list building
• Keywords you monitor on Reddit and LinkedIn
• Industry influencers you follow
• Events and conferences you participate in
• Which features you show first in a sales demo
• The examples you use in sales calls
• The objection handling scripts you prepare
• The integrations highlighted on your homepage
• The use cases shown in product screenshots
• The pricing page structure and plan names
• The success metrics you track post-onboarding
• The landing pages you build (or don’t build)
• The partners you co-market with
• The communities you spend time in

And that’s just the obvious layer.

👉 What else is defined by your ICP?

P.S. This post is part of a short LK series: 6 most common GTM problems I see working with early-stage founders. 
Check out mrrunlocked.com for all 6 and follow for tomorrow's post.

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

You’ve defined your ICP, worked on positioning + messaging.
Now it’s time to show your work to buyers.

That means updating your:
- Website
- LinkedIn profile
- Ads
- Outbound messages

…and your sales deck.

Because here’s the uncomfortable truth I've found from working with 30+ startups over the last few years:

Most B2B SaaS decks are either…
- a feature dump, or
- a random collection of slides that don’t build conviction.

But a high-converting sales deck has one job:
Tell a buyer a story they can repeat internally.

In a nutshell, your deck should walk them through:
✅ how they currently handle [use case]
✅ what breaks / why it matters (limitations + cost of doing nothing)
✅ what changes with your product (new way)
✅ what they’ll achieve (results)
✅ why they can trust you (proof + “you’re not alone”)

I put together a slide-by-slide structure + a ready-to-use template built in Pitch.

If you want it, comment “sales deck” and I’ll DM you the link.

Most founders choose their positioning anchor randomly.

They don’t decide it. They drift into it.

And that’s dangerous.

Because your primary positioning anchor determines:

→ How buyers search
→ What they compare you against
→ Who owns the budget
→ What proof you need

Here’s the simplified breakdown of the 4 primary anchors:

1️⃣ Activity Positioning
“We help you do X.”
→ You’re replacing manual workflows
→ No category exists
→ Goal: Create awareness

2️⃣ Use Case Positioning
“We help you do X without Y.”
→ You’re fixing broken workflows
→ Category is emerging
→ Goal: Own the use case

3️⃣ Product Category Positioning
“We are a X.”
→ Buyers already compare vendors
→ Clear budget line exists
→ Goal: Win comparisons

4️⃣ Competitive Alternative Positioning
“We’re a [Leader] alternative.”
→ Market leader dominates
→ Budget already allocated
→ Goal: Steal demand

The mistake I see?

Founders choose Category positioning...
...when there is no defined category. So they invent 'new categories'.

Or they try Competitive positioning…
…without a strong enough wedge.

Positioning must match buyer awareness and market maturity.

Quick test:

When buyers evaluate you, are they:

A) Comparing vendors and search for specific categories?
B) Comparing you to a specific leader?
C) Describing what they want to achieve, even if they don’t know what type of software solves it?

Your answer tells you your anchor.

If you want the full guide (incl. the decision tree + worksheet), comment “positioning” and I’ll send it over.

---
P.S. Follow Anthony Pierri, Rob Kaminski, and April Dunford to dive deeper into positioning.

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Digital Nudging: User Experience positiv beeinflussen

Climate Change, Risks and Challenges

Digital Advertising

The Complete Digital Marketing Course

'Hands-on’ GTM Advisor || I help SaaS founders build & execute their Go-to-market and go from €0 to €1 million ARR with less trial & error || Join 4000+ SaaS leaders & get my free SaaS GTM tactics in your inbox👇

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

3 WAYS I CAN HELP YOU
1️⃣ GTM advisory - Work with me 1-on-1 in weekly or bi-weekly deep-dive working sessions to build and execute your powerful GTM strategy.
2️⃣ List of 90+ actionable SaaS Growth Tactics and Free SaaS Growth Strategy Worksheet (Links are in the Highlight section).
3️⃣ Free actionable SaaS growth tips: Daily on LinkedIn and bi-weekly in my newsletter (read by 2300+ SaaS leaders)

Bonus: Sponsor my newsletter & reach 2300+ early-stage SaaS founders/leaders/decision makers.

Among other things, I help you with:
- Creating your 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 or/and 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 15min virtual coffee to learn more about my offering.

------------
ABOUT ME:

Hi, I'm Alexander Estner - but please just call me Alex.

I'm based in Munich, Germany 🇩🇪 and I've spent my whole career in the startup environment with now more than 10 years of experience in SaaS and marketplaces from being the first commercial employee of a fast-growing SaaS-enabled-marketplace to being a Co-founder of a SaaS startup and now supporting other early-stage founders on their journey from pre-revenue to the first €1 million ARR.

Over the last 2 years, I've helped 25+ SaaS companies grow their business faster with a powerful GTM strategy - as a growth advisor, consultant, or interim manager.

What I care about: 

- Brainstorming new business ideas 💡
- Sustainability, healthy food, and barista coffee ☕.
- Traveling, well-being, and all kinds of sports like skiing, beach volleyball, yoga, and fitness 🧘‍♂️
- Books & podcasts about startups, leadership, personal development, & positive mindset 📚

------------
💡 Currently getting inspired for a new startup

Go-to-market in 2024 is tough.

My best SaaS GTM Guides help you master GTM in 2024.

1️⃣ The Ultimate Ideal Customer Profile Framework
2️⃣ The Ultimate SaaS Messaging Framework
3️⃣ High-converting SaaS Homepage template
4️⃣ The perfect Sales Deck template
5️⃣ The Ultimate SaaS Pricing Guide
6️⃣ The Best Outbound Tech Stack for SaaS
7️⃣ The Ultimate Content Marketing Guide for SaaS

The 7 Best SaaS GTM Guides 2024

The free Workbook helped 3000+ SaaS leaders build their SaaS GTM Strategy.

The Ultimate SaaS GTM Strategy Workbook [Free]

Grow faster from 0€ to 3€ million ARR with 100+ actionable & proven SaaS Growth Tactics (helped 200+ SaaS leaders)

100+ actionable SaaS growth tactics

Get weekly 3 actionable SaaS GTM strategies and tactics to grow your B2B SaaS business from €0 to €1 million ARR 🚀.

MRR Unlocked 🚀 | Alexander Estner | Substack

RevGenius is a group of revenue-generating sales and marketing professionals brought together to learn, share, support, and grow with each other. You can consider us your alt work family!

The Mentoring Club is a pro bono platform where mentors and mentees meet and can schedule mentoring sessions. You can schedule a free mentoring session with me here: https://www.mentoring-club.com/the-mentors/alexander-estner

When I work with AI & SaaS founders, the GTM problem is rarely obvious at first.

On the surface, things look “busy”:
– Content is going out
– Demos are happening
– Tools are in place
– Pipeline exists

But momentum is missing.

When I audit the GTM, it almost always comes down to the same 6 things 👇

1️⃣ ICP exists, but isn’t enforced in decisions
2️⃣ Buyers don’t know what to compare the product against
3️⃣ Demos are feature tours, not a structured narrative
4️⃣ Every deal follows a different sales process
5️⃣ Website, decks, and case studies sound like everyone else
6️⃣ Content is vague and generic

None of this is a “talent” problem.
And it’s rarely a “more effort” problem.

It’s a foundation problem.

How we usually fix it:
– Make the ICP operational (not just a doc)
– Define positioning (what do we replace, how are we different)
– Design a demo structure that guides buyers, not just shows features
– Lock a default sales process with clear next steps
– Align assets around one positioning story

Especially in AI & SaaS, this matters.

Foundations first.
Everything else compounds on top of that.

👉 This post is part of a short LK series: 6 most common GTM problems I see working with early-stage founders. 
Check out mrrunlocked.com for all 6 and follow for tomorrow's post.

Your positioning statement gives your entire team clarity on why you exist.

When it’s missing, you see it immediately:

• Marketing talks about features
• Sales talks about benefits
• Product talks about roadmap
• Founders talk about vision

But no one tells the same story.

A real positioning statement answers:

• Who is your ICP?
• What core problem do they face?
• How do they solve it today?
• What limitations does that create?
• What did you build instead?
• Why are you meaningfully different?

Strong positioning is structured reasoning.

If your team can’t clearly articulate:

• Why you exist
• Why current solutions fall short
• Why you win

Your messaging will always feel inconsistent.

Below you find 4 templates for the different positioning anchors.

👇 Comment your positioning statement below. I will give feedback to every single one.

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When I review early-stage GTM setups, I often see:

– 4 channels running “a bit”
– Positioning that tries to do everything
– No anti-ICP
– Demo calls that are product tours
– CRM data that no one reviews

And when things are not moving, founders ask:

“Should we try more channels?”
“Should we pivot positioning?”
“Should we hire outbound?”

Most of the time, it's not about doing more.
It's about focus and clarity on the foundation.

So before adding anything new, fix what's already there.

Here are 10 GTM fixes you can ship this week 👇

• Define your ICP + Anti-ICP in 5 bullets
• Pick ONE positioning anchor (category OR use case)
• Kill one weak channel
• Add proper attribution (“How did you hear about us?”)
• Push your best case studies everywhere
• Make your LinkedIn profile crystal clear
• Systematize referrals
• Track lost reasons (mandatory field)
• Define when a deal opens & closes
• Review your last 3 demos critically

Choose 2 for your next week.

👇 What's on your list?

If you can’t explain what you do in one sentence...

Your buyers won’t understand it either.

Here are the 4 clean templates 👇

1️⃣ Activity Positioning

Template:
We help [ICP] [manual activity they currently do] so they can [outcome].

Example:
We help B2B SaaS founders track all their customer information in one place so they never lose deal context.

2️⃣ Use Case Positioning

Template:
We help [ICP] [clear job-to-be-done] without [limitations of the status quo].

Example:
We help B2B SaaS founders manage their prospects without juggling spreadsheets and scattered notes.

3️⃣ Product Category Positioning

Template:
We are a [product category] for [ICP].
We are a [product category] with [unique differentiator].

Example:
We are a CRM software for early-stage SaaS founders.
We are a lightweight CRM built for startups.

4️⃣ Competitive Alternative Positioning

Template:
We are a [product category] alternative to [leader] built for [ICP] with [unique differentiator].

Example:
We are a CRM alternative to HubSpot built for early-stage SaaS founders with simpler setup.

👇 Let's drop yours in the comments.

P.S. If you want the full positioning guide + worksheet, send me a DM and I will send it over.

Whenever I start working with a new founder, I don’t start with tactics.

No growth hacks.
No outbound playbooks.
No content strategy.

Instead, I ask questions.

Because after working with 30+ SaaS startups, I’ve learned something:

Most growth problems are actually clarity problems.

Here are a few of the questions I ask early on.

Customers & ICP

• Who specifically is your product built for today?
• Who are your best-fit customers?
• Who should you not target right now?
• What triggers someone to start looking for a solution like yours?

Positioning

• What is your primary positioning anchor?
• What alternatives are customers using today?
• What makes you meaningfully different?

Messaging

• What’s the core message on your homepage hero?
• What objections do you hear all the time?
• What proof do you communicate?

GTM Execution

• What stage of GTM are you currently in?
• What is your primary acquisition channel?
• What sales motion fits your product best?

If founders struggle to answer several of these questions clearly...

We don’t optimize tactics.

We fix the GTM foundation first.

Because once the foundation becomes clear:

• messaging improves
• sales conversations get easier
• pipeline quality increases

GTM suddenly feels much simpler.

Curious:
Which of these questions would be hardest for you to answer today?

---
On Sunday, I published a new newsletter episode on mrrunlocked.com where we deep dive into all 17 questions.

If buyers don’t know what to compare you against, fix this first 👇

1. Decide your anchor

Category positioning (default)
Use-case positioning (if no category exists)

2. Write one clear sentence

We’re a [category] for [use case + ICP]

If you can’t say this cleanly, nothing downstream will work.

3. Name the real alternative you replace today
Not your dream competitor.

The status quo:
-Excel
-Manual workflows
-Agencies
-Internal hacks

4. Define 2–3 competitive buckets

-Status quo
-Incumbents
-Direct competitors

5. Differentiate with sharp contrasts

- Unlike incumbent tools, we...
-Unlike point solutions, we...
-Unlike the status quo, we…

This is GTM foundation work.
Get this wrong and everything slows down:
website, sales, outbound, demos, pricing.

Get it right, and buyers finally know:
“Ah, this is what I should compare you against.”

👉 What's part of your positioning?

P.S. This post is part of a short LK series: 6 most common GTM problems I see working with early-stage founders. 
Check out mrrunlocked.com for all 6 and follow for tomorrow's post.

Most founders don’t have a product problem.
They have a positioning problem.
Last month I had 8 intro calls.

More than half needed 3+ minutes to explain what they’re building.
If I can’t repeat it back in 30 seconds, your buyers won’t either.

So here’s the simple 3-step framework I use with early-stage SaaS founders:

Step 1: Choose your Primary Anchor (What are you?)

When buyers ask:
“What is your product?”

You must answer in one sentence.

You have 4 options:

1️⃣ Activity Positioning
“We help you do X”

2️⃣ Use Case Positioning
“We help you do X without Y”

3️⃣ Product Category Positioning
“We are a X”

4️⃣ Competitive Alternative
“We are a [Leader] alternative”

Choose based on how buyers think today, not how you want them to think.

Step 2: Add a Secondary Anchor (Why you?)

Inside that primary anchor, differentiate:

• Niche down
• Low-cost
• Premium
• Unique attribute
• Lite version

Max 2. Not 5.

Step 3: Combine both into a clear statement

Strong positioning =
Primary Anchor + Secondary Anchor

Example:

(Product Category + Lite + Niche)
“We are a lightweight CRM built for startups.”

Positioning is a bet.
But no positioning is worse than wrong positioning.

If I asked you right now:
“What are you?”

Could you answer in one sentence without rambling?

P.S. I've launched my new positioning guide on mrrunlocked.com You will find the link in the comments.

One GTM problem that keeps repeating:

The GTM assets don’t reflect the 'internal strategy'.

I often review a team’s ICP, positioning, and messaging docs and think:
“This is actually very good.”

Then I look at:

- the website
-the sales deck
-the demos
- the LinkedIn profiles
- the outbound messages

...and the clarity disappears.

What this looks like in practice:

--> ICP and messaging frameworks live in Notion or Miro only
--> Sales decks are 80% product features
--> Homepage copy is fuzzy or overly technical
--> LinkedIn profiles don’t explain what the product is and for whom
--> No clear callout of ICP, category, or status quo problem
--> Strong insights exist, but prospects never see them

This is painful because the thinking is usually solid.

It’s not a strategy problem.
It’s a translation problem.

👇 What's your take?

P.S. This post is part of a short LK series: 6 most common GTM problems I see working with early-stage founders. 
Check out mrrunlocked.com for all 6 and follow for tomorrow's post.

Most startups waste time on growth channels before they’ve even tightened the basics.

Here’s a simple rule: Before adding anything new, fix 2 things you already have. 

Here are 10 quick fixes you can ship this week:

✔ Write your ICP + Anti-ICP in 5 bullets
✔ Choose one positioning anchor
--> product category OR use case. Don’t mix.
✔ Pause your weakest channel
✔ Add "how did you hear about us?" in your signup & demo flow.
✔ Share your best case studies everywhere.
✔ Revamp your LinkedIn profile for ICP clarity
✔ Ask your customers for referrals/warm intros.
✔ Track lost reasons in CRM (mandatory) + review weekly.
✔ Set hard rules for when to open/close deals.
✔ Coach yourself: Review your last 3 demo calls

None of these requires a strategy or expensive experiments.
They just reduce noise, clarify motion, and accelerate pipeline.

Start by simplifying what you already do. Then expand.

👇 What’s that for you?

P.S. For me, long hikes are where most of my GTM simplifications happen.
Distance creates clarity.

Most founders think positioning is about being clever.

It’s not.

It’s about clarity and choosing the right anchor.

There are only 4 real types of positioning in B2B SaaS:
(credits to Anthony Pierri  and Rob Kaminski )

1️⃣ Activity Positioning

“We help you do X.”

You frame your product around a manual activity.

Example (Scheduling):
“Send emails back and forth to find a time.”

You’re replacing spreadsheets, Slack, email.

Best when:
• Market is early
• No clear software category exists
• Buyers still do it manually

GTM goal: Create awareness.

2️⃣ Use Case Positioning

“We help you do X without Y.”

You anchor around a clear job-to-be-done.

Example (Product Analytics):
“Understand how users behave inside your product.”

Buyers know the problem.
They may not think in category terms yet.

GTM goal: Own the use case.

3️⃣ Product Category Positioning

“We are a X.”

Example:
CRM software
Scheduling software
Product Analytics software

Buyers:
• Google the category
• Compare vendors
• Check G2

GTM goal: Win comparisons.

4️⃣ Competitive Alternative Positioning

“We are a [Leader] alternative.”

Example:
HubSpot alternative
Calendly alternative
Mixpanel alternative

Best when:
• A dominant leader exists
• Budget already exists
• You have a strong wedge

GTM goal: Steal demand.

Important:

The same product can be positioned in all 4 ways.
But only ONE anchor should lead your narrative.

Choose based on:

→ Buyer awareness
→ Market maturity
→ What they compare you against

Not based on what sounds cooler.

If you want the full positioning framework + worksheet, head over to mrrunlocked.com

B2B Homepage Positioning // I play 🎸 in the band Good Hangs

Co-Founder @ Fletch | Positioning & Messaging for B2B Startups

Quick test: Can you answer these 4 ICP questions?

Most GTM problems actually start with a bad ICP.

You rarely struggle with tactics.
You struggle with who you should actually target.

Many teams define their ICP like this:

❌ “Mid-sized companies”
❌ “HR teams”
❌ “Any company that wants to automate X”

Which usually means...
the ICP is still too broad.

Before optimizing messaging, content, or outbound, I ask founders four simple questions:

1️⃣ Who specifically is your product built for today?
Not your TAM.

Your actual ICP.

Can you clearly define it with 4–6 attributes like:

• firmographics
• technographics
• persona attributes
• use case

Early-stage startups usually need one segment and one use case.

2️⃣ Who are your best-fit customers?

Look at your existing customers.

Who has:

• the highest usage
• the lowest churn
• the fastest sales cycle

These signals often reveal your real ICP.

3️⃣ What type of customers should you not target right now?

Define your Anti-ICP.

Companies that:

• don’t value your product
• don’t have the pain you solve
• don’t fit strategically

GTM becomes repeatable once you narrow your focus.

4️⃣ What triggers someone to start looking for a solution like yours?

Every purchase has a trigger.

For example:

• a new hire
• a new regulation
• a broken tech stack

Understanding this moment is critical for messaging and demand generation.

Can you answer these four questions today?

Writing blog posts and LinkedIn posts, but still 0 Inbounds.

I call it: "Content is done, but without a strategy"

I mean, the content isn’t designed to support real sales conversations or capture existing demand. 

This usually means teams are creating a lot of TOFU blog posts and random LinkedIn posts.

Results are usually 0 Inbounds.

What this looks like in practice:

- Random LinkedIn posts (or disconnected from ICP pain points)
- No repeatable content format (every post is a different topic)
- No Inbound generating lead magnet
- TOFU blog posts that don’t attract buyers
- Content optimized for likes, not ICP engagements
- No measurement of pipeline influence

How to fix:

- Prioritize BOFU content
alternatives, comparisons, “best X for Y”, use-case pages

- Focus early on the 5% of buyers who are already *in the market*

- Build a content map based on ICP questions by awareness stage
from problem-unaware → problem aware —> solution aware —> product (category) aware —> purchase-decision

- Build a high-performing lead magnet

- Turn real sales objections into posts and articles

- Record customer calls and use insights for your content roadmap (objections, pains, desired outcomes...)

- Measure content by meetings influenced, not impressions
e.g. via self-reported attribution (How did you hear about us?)

👉 What's missing? 

P.S. This post is part of a short LK series: 6 most common GTM problems I see working with early-stage founders. 
Check out the other 5 on mrrunlocked.com and follow for tomorrows post.

graphical user interface, text, application

Whenever I ask founders to walk me through their sales process, this is where it breaks.

Sales is a set of calls, but not a designed journey.
They don’t guide prospects through a set of clearly defined steps.
 So they can’t describe what should happen after each step.

What this looks like in practice:

- Buyers decide on next steps at the end of the call
- 10 demos, 10 different next steps 'agreed'
- Unclear what the goal of each call is
- Deals are created without a clear definition
- Trials are offered without commitment or success criteria
- Deals stall because the next steps were never designed

The root cause. No 'designed' process. 
Meaning no repeatability.

And as it's not repeatable, it's also hard to measure and optimize.

So here's my recommendation: How to fix:

- Define a simple, explicit sales process 
 e.g., Disco → Demo → Trial/Pilot → Close
- Assign a clear goal and exit criteria to each stage
- Define when a trial is “earned” (qualification threshold)
- Create standard follow-ups for each stage (post-demo, trial kickoff, recap)
- Enforce pipeline hygiene: every deal needs a next step and a close date

Ofc, if you're advanced, implement a methodology like SPICED, SPIN, or MEDDIC.

👉 This post is part of a short LK series: 6 most common GTM problems I see working with early-stage founders. 
Check out the other 5 on mrrunlocked.com and follow for tomorrows post.

Most SaaS/AI positioning fails for one simple reason:

Buyers don’t know what you are.

So they also don't know what you replace.
They can't mentally classify you.

So your differentiation becomes useless.

When that happens:

• your messaging feels vague
• demos take too long to explain
• sales conversations become harder

So before improving messaging, I ask founders three positioning questions.

1️⃣ What is your primary positioning anchor?

How should buyers mentally classify your product?

Product category = CRM
Use case = We help you do X

2️⃣ What alternatives are customers using today?

Spreadsheets.
Manual processes.
Internal tools.
Other SaaS products/categories.

Every product replaces something.

3️⃣ What makes you meaningfully different?

Your differentiation needs to be:

clear, believable, and relevant.

Quick check: Could a new visitor understand what your product is in <30 seconds?

Most founders choose their positioning anchor based on opinion.

Here’s a better way:

Choose your primary anchor based on how buyers think today, not how you want them to think.

No strategy debates.
No branding workshops.
Just yes / no.

Use this simple decision tree 👇

Step 0: Leader Dominance Test (Check First)

Q0: Is there a dominant, well-known market leader that:

- Almost every buyer already knows?
- Owns most of the category mindshare?
- Is frequently referenced in conversations?
- Is the default comparison point?

If yes, and you have a clear wedge:
→ Consider Competitive Alternative Positioning

If no, continue below.
(If you choose Competitive Alternative, still validate Category Awareness below.)

Step 1: Category Awareness Test

Q1: When buyers start evaluating solutions, do they:

- Google a specific software category?
- Compare vendors on G2 or Capterra?
- Ask for demos of multiple vendors in the same category?

Examples:

- CRM software
- Scheduling software
- Product analytics software

If buyers already think in category terms:
✅ Yes → Product Category Positioning
❌ No → Go to Step 2

Step 2: Problem Articulation Test

Q2: Can buyers clearly describe what they want to achieve, even if they don’t know what type of software solves it?

Examples:

- “We need to schedule interviews faster.”
- “We need better onboarding walkthroughs.”
- “We need to coordinate approvals more easily.”

If they articulate the job, but not the category:
✅ Yes → Use Case Positioning
❌ No → Go to Step 3

Step 3: Manual Behavior Test

Q3: Is the dominant solution still manual? When you talk to potential customers, do most of them say:

- “We just use spreadsheets.”
- “We handle this in Slack/email.”
- “We don’t really have a tool for this.”

If yes:
✅ Activity Positioning
If no → Re-evaluate your market understanding.

That’s it.
Answer top to bottom.

If you want the full guide + worksheet, send me a DM and I will send it over

One thing I’ve learned working with 30+ early-stage SaaS founders:

Positioning debates don’t end after choosing the anchor.

That’s just the beginning.

Because you can choose the “right” anchor...

...and still lose buyers with the wrong level of specificity.

Here’s what I see all the time.

Founders avoid competition by inventing new categories.

“We’re a Revenue Intelligence platform.”
“We’re a Workflow Orchestration Engine.”

Sounds strategic.

But buyers don’t think that way.

Or they go too high-level on the use case:

“We help companies increase revenue.”
“We improve productivity.”

Technically true.
Practically useless.

Buyers don’t buy “increase revenue.”

They buy:

• Manage pipeline
• Schedule meetings
• Guide onboarding
• Understand user behavior

Clear jobs. Clear boxes.

The opposite mistake also happens:

Founders get so feature-driven that their positioning sounds like a Jira ticket.
That’s too narrow.

Strong positioning lives in the tension between:

Too vague → confusing
Too specific → limiting

When we fix positioning specificity in my GTM audit, something interesting happens:

• The homepage headline gets simpler
• Sales calls get shorter
• Prospects “get it” faster

Positioning isn’t about sounding sophisticated.

It’s about being understood.

If you want me to get your positioning right, send me a DM. I have 1 free spot available starting in April.

Last weekend my wife and I escaped to the Alps for a few days.
One of the first sunny spring weekends after a long winter.

Hiking, fresh air, no Slack notifications. 
Just mountains.

And somewhere between the trails and the views, I realized something again that I tend to forget during busy weeks.

I need these breaks.

Every few weeks.

Being a solopreneur means wearing a lot of hats.
And working very hands-on with founders on their GTM means being fully present, focused, and sharp.

Right now I’m working closely with 6 startups.
Positioning, messaging, content, outbound, go-to-market foundations.

Work I genuinely love.
But it also requires a lot of energy and attention.

These few days in the mountains reminded me that recharging isn’t a luxury.

It’s part of doing great work.

So one of my big focuses for 2026 is simple:
Finding the right balance between deep work and quality time.

Time with family.
Time with friends.
Time away from screens.

Because the goal isn’t just building a business.
It’s building a life that actually feels good to live.

That's the real challenge of solopreneurship.

Personal Branding Strategist | Social Media Manager | LinkedIn Ghostwriter | Tech | Finance | Marketing | DM for LinkedIn Profile Management

We live in a digital age where your online presence and reputation matter more than ever.

Hi there 👋 I’m Naman. I’m a Personal Branding Strategist.

I love to help people shine online and become their own brands. The power of social media is undeniable.

Building your personal brand is like planting a seed today that will grow into a fruitful tree tomorrow.

You might be wondering how can I help you grow your personal brand online. I can help you in following ways:-

👉 Content Marketing
👉 LinkedIn Marketing
👉 Social Media Marketing
👉 Marketing Consultation

If you are someone who wants to harness the power and potential of branding the right way online, let’s connect.

For Services Related Inquiry & brand collaborations DM me or drop a mail at n.toshniwal2828@gmail.com

Naman Toshniwal

Idea → Working App → Live on Phone
All in 5 minutes.

I didn’t know mobile dev.
I didn’t hire anyone.
I didn’t touch Xcode or APIs.

Here’s what I did:

1️⃣ Open Replit.
2️⃣ Type one sentence: “Build me a project tracker app with reminders and dashboards.”
3️⃣ Scan the QR code. App works on my phone.

3 clicks later → App Store ready.

No backend headaches.
No auth nightmares.
No wasted months.

Start building here 👉 https://lnkd.in/gn3SR3gn
Get $10 Replit Core credit when you upgrade through this link!

The lesson: you don’t need to know everything to ship.
You just need to start.

Cancel your AI subscriptions.

I know that sounds dramatic. But I actually did it after 2 years of paying for almost every AI tool out there.

I was opening ChatGPT for writing, research, and summaries.
Gemini for images.
Kling for videos.
Another tool for vibe-coding apps.
Another one for presentations.

Nothing was wrong with the tools. The problem was fragmentation.

Then I moved everything into ChatLLM by Abacus hi AI. - 

One place for all major AI models
GPT-5.2, Claude 4.6, Gemini 3 Pro, Grok 4.1 Fast, DeepSeek, LLaMA, same workspace, same context.


Images and videos without switching products
Nano Banana Pro, FLUX, Seedream, Ideogram for images.
Sora, VEO, Kling, Runway, Luma, Grok Imagine for videos.


Full-stack apps, websites, and SaaS from prompts
Type an idea and see it live. Layout, colors, copy, and logic all editable.


Presentations that don’t feel empty
Simple inputs turn into structured decks with research, charts, and flow.


An assistant who keeps working in the background
Tasks, searches, and workflows progress even when I’m not active.


PDFs become interactive
Upload documents, ask questions, and extract notes instead of reading line by line.


AI text that sounds human
Generate, humanize, choose a tone, and use it as-is.


Real-time web research
Answers come with sources, visuals, and context.


Deep Agent for real outputs
Apps, reports, dashboards, workflows, micro-SaaS.


A code editor that actually supports building
Write, run, debug, and improve without chaos.
At some point, it stopped feeling like using tools.
It felt like working inside one system.

That’s why I cancelled everything else.  Try it now, it’s only $10 a month - http://chatllm.abacus.ai

I thought people were exaggerating when they said “AI agents change everything.”

Then I watched one quietly build an app from scratch.

In a few minutes, it had the frontend, backend, database, and logic in place.
Nothing fancy on the surface - it just… worked.

This is Abacus AI Deep Agent 
An AI agent that handles execution the way a small engineering team would.

👉 http://deepagent.abacus.ai

Here’s what really stood out:

➡️ FULL-STACK APPS FROM ONE PROMPT
UI, backend, databases, and forms created together in one flow.
And now mobile apps too. Describe what you want, and Deep Agent builds a full app you can publish.

➡️ LAUNCH AN ONLINE STARTUP IN MINUTES
Landing pages, login systems, payments, and data storage are handled together instead of pieced apart.

➡️ COMPLEX SOFTWARE & SAAS USING SIMPLE TEXT
You explain how it should look and work.
Deep Agent figures out the structure and builds it.

CRMs, internal tools, Notion-style systems, HR software built for real usage.

➡️ MICRO-SAAS IDEAS THAT FEEL POSSIBLE
Resume tools, niche utilities, and lead magnets ideas that used to feel heavy now feel worth trying.

➡️ APPS & GAMES GENERATED QUICKLY
Sudoku, Minecraft-style games, Conway’s Game of Life, and interactive tools - ready to use as soon as they’re created.

➡️ BUILD YOUR OWN CHATGPT-STYLE APPS
Founder assistants, workout planners, diet tools, research helpers, domain-specific AI tools.

➡️ REPORTS, DECKS & PRESENTATIONS
Charts, visuals, and structured insights put together in minutes.

➡️ SPREADSHEETS → INTERACTIVE DASHBOARDS
Upload Excel or CSV files and get metrics, explanations, and visuals automatically.

➡️ IMAGE & VIDEO GENERATION BUILT IN
Work with text, PDFs, images, videos, and code in the same place.

➡️ TURN RESEARCH PAPERS INTO AUDIO
Deep Agent turns long papers into audio conversations you can actually listen to.

➡️ DEEP AGENT BROWSER EXTENSION
Describe a workflow, and it executes each step automatically with no manual setup.

For founders, this changes how fast ideas can be tested.
For teams, it changes how work gets distributed.

Worth keeping an eye on.
👉 Abacus AI Deep Agent
http://deepagent.abacus.ai

A pattern I’ve noticed in high performers:

They never stop being students.

No matter their title.
No matter how busy their schedule is.

Because they understand one thing:

The world rewards people who keep upgrading.

Not the ones who stay comfortable.

Today, learning a new skill doesn’t require a classroom.
It just requires the decision to start.

And sometimes the right opportunity makes that decision easier.

For the Holi season, Coursera Plus Annual is available at ₹7,499 instead of ₹13,999 (till 9th March).

With one subscription you get access to:

➡️ 10,000+ programs
➡️ Courses from leading universities
➡️ Practical skills in AI, business, technology, leadership and more

Think about it.

One new skill can change how you work.

Two can change how you earn.
A few more can completely change your career path.

Holi is about bringing new colours into life.

Maybe this year, one of those colours could be learning something that moves you forward. 🎨

If you want to explore it, here’s the link:
https://lnkd.in/gx7WMKs7

Keep growing. Keep learning. 🚀

I think we’re underestimating what AI agents can actually do.

I watched Abacus AI Deep Agent take a simple prompt and build a full working app in minutes.

Not slides. Not concepts.
An actual product with frontend, backend, database, and logic already connected.

That’s when it clicked for me.
👉 http://deepagent.abacus.ai

Here’s what stood out:

• FULL-STACK APPS FROM ONE PROMPT
UI, backend, databases, and forms built together in one flow.
And now mobile apps too. Describe your idea, and Deep Agent builds a full app ready to publish.

• LAUNCH AN ONLINE STARTUP IN MINUTES
Landing pages, login systems, payments, and data storage created in the same build.

• COMPLEX SOFTWARE & SAAS WITH SIMPLE TEXT
You explain how it should work.
Deep Agent handles the structure and builds it.
CRMs, internal tools, Notion-style systems, and HR software usable tools.

• MICRO-SAAS IDEAS THAT FEEL REALISTIC
Resume tools, niche utilities, and lead magnets are easier to test and launch.

• APPS & GAMES CREATION
Sudoku, Minecraft-style builds, Conway’s Game of Life, and interactive tools.

• CREATE YOUR OWN CHATGPT-STYLE APPS
Founder assistants, workout planners, research helpers, and domain-specific AI apps.

• REPORTS, DECKS & PRESENTATIONS
Charts, visuals, structured insights - ready quickly.

• SPREADSHEETS → INTERACTIVE DASHBOARDS
Upload Excel or CSV files and get metrics and visual breakdowns.

• IMAGE & VIDEO GENERATION BUILT IN
Work with text, PDFs, images, videos, and code in one place.

• TURN RESEARCH PAPERS INTO AUDIO
Deep Agent converts research into listenable conversations.

• DEEP AGENT BROWSER EXTENSION
Describe a workflow, and it executes it step by step.

For founders, this speeds up idea testing.
For teams, it changes how work gets executed.

👉 Abacus AI Deep Agent
http://deepagent.abacus.ai

Most smartphone brands promise everything… and then hide behind pages of fine print.

POCO isn’t playing that game.

With the X8 Pro Series, they’ve taken a fearless stance: All Power. No BS.

To prove it, they launched the Fastest BS Service,
India’s fastest rapper, Gaush, speed-raps competitors’ disclaimers so fast, you can’t even understand them.

It’s clever. It’s bold. It’s uncomfortable… because it’s true.

This isn’t just marketing. It’s category disruption. It’s a statement that authenticity and courage in branding get noticed.

If your product is strong enough, why dilute it? POCO just showed how you dominate with honesty, and a little swagger.

All Power. No BS. 

That’s how you challenge the status quo

▶️ https://lnkd.in/gU3h9mSy

I'm not from Mumbai. I was just there for two days for a client meeting.

And yet,  I'm writing a LinkedIn post about a bus I saw there. That should tell you everything.

A Protean Wrapped across a bus in the most confident, colourful branding I've seen in a while.

I had to look it up. PAN services, KYC solutions. eSigning solutions. Fintech APIs. & Other digital backbone.

I've been a user of these services forever. I never knew who built the rails I was running on.

That's the power of Out-of-Home done right it doesn't just reach your eyes. It reaches your curiosity.

One bus. One moment. One Google search. Now I'm writing a post about it.
Protean eGov Technologies 

#OOH #BrandAwareness #Protean #DigitalIndia #DPI #ImpactingEveryoneEveryday

Motivation is rarely the real problem in fitness.


The drive to the gym.
Crowded floors.
Waiting for your turn on machines.

By the time the workout begins…
Most of the energy is already gone.

This is why consistency breaks for so many people.

Not because they don’t want to train.
Because fitness doesn’t always fit into real life.

That’s where Portl Ultragym shifts the model.

A full workout setup that lives inside your space.

No travel time.
No queues for equipment.
No need to dedicate an entire room to fitness.

Just a compact, thoughtfully designed system that blends into modern homes while still delivering serious workouts.

Because the easier it is to start…

The easier it is to stay consistent.

And consistency is what actually builds results.

Portl 

#KoiBhiKahinBhi #PortlUltraGym

"Isko Hara Re!" - Today it’s not just a line. It’s the nation’s collective mood.

OTTplay’s latest IND vs ZIM print ads tap perfectly into the do or die T20 World Cup moment. Running across both HT and Hindustan, the idea captures one unified fan emotion while speaking to audiences in their own language. The entire nation wants this to happen!

The genius also lies in the wordplay. “Isko Hara Re!” cleverly echoes Harare, the capital of Zimbabwe, and the Hindi ad smartly anchors that context so the pun lands instantly with readers.

What stands out is how both creatives carry their own charm. One feels bold and high energy, the other feels rooted and culturally sharp. Same thought, two distinct flavours.

Smart timing. Smart writing. Smart cultural connect.

Catch the action and get 30+ OTTs in 1 App at OTTplay.

Avinash Mudaliar Amit Gupta Shruti Sen 

#IskoHaraRe #T20WorldCupOnOTTplay #INDvsZIM

I was flipping through a magazine today when a full-page ad stopped me.

“The best camera we’ve ever made.”

At first glance, I thought: Okay, another serious camera brand pushing its gear. The styling, the setup, everything screamed professional photography. I was ready to move on… until I opened the French window.

And that’s when the twist hit.

The camera… slipped into a pocket. And the line read: “It’s also a smartphone.”

In that moment, it all clicked. Xiaomi isn’t just building smartphones anymore they’re building professional camera experiences that happen to live in your pocket. Leica co-engineered imaging, 200MP continuous optical zoom, Photography Kit Pro all the tools a photographer dreams of, yet all inside a device you carry every day.

It’s simple, but brilliant. A print ad that surprises, delights, and tells a story in just two moments. One glance and you see a camera. Open it, and you see the future of smartphone photography.

This is how storytelling in print still works. Smart. Unexpected. Memorable.

#Xiaomi17Ultra #LeicaImaging #CameraFirstSmartphoneSecond #PrintDoneRight #ImagingInnovation

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The Battle

Alexander Estner

Naman Toshniwal

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The Battle

Alexander Estner

Naman Toshniwal

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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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