Starting from today's reality

• Tell me your current annual recurring revenue and the fastest-growing revenue channel over the last 12 months Options: $1M - $2M, $2M - $5M, $5M - $10M, Above $10M
• How many full-time customer-facing hires did your company add in the last 12 months Options: 0, 1-2, 3-5, 6-10, 10+
• When was the last time you shifted your target customer profile or ideal customer profile, and what triggered that change
• Which sales motion drives most of your closed deals today, self-serve, inside sales, field sales, channel partnerships, or enterprise-led Options: Self-serve, Inside sales, Field sales, Channel partnerships, Enterprise-led
• Describe the board composition you expect after this round and the specific role you want a lead investor to play in monthly board meetings

Growth assumptions that might be holding you back

• If doubling ARR in the next 18 months required narrowing target accounts to one segment, which segment would you pick and why Options: SMB, Mid-market, Enterprise, Healthcare, Financial services, Other
• Who on your leadership team would be accountable for making that segment the priority, and do they have prior success selling into it Options: CEO, Head of Sales, VP Sales, Head of Marketing, Other
• What forecast error or missed milestone in the last year most changed your hiring or GTM plans
• How would missing your next milestone by 20 percent affect runway, board confidence, or hiring plans Options: Pause hiring, Seek bridge financing, Reduce operating spend, Change GTM focus, Other
• If you had to name the single metric the investor and the platform must move within six months for you to continue, what is it

Hiring and talent gaps that slow scaling

• Which senior hire, if it fell through, would force you to delay go-to-market expansion Options: Head of Sales, VP Marketing, Head of Customer Success, CFO, Head of Talent, Other
• Walk me through your current recruiting pipeline for that role, including active candidates and expected close date
• How many director-level or above hires do you plan in the next 12 months Options: 0, 1-2, 3-4, 5-9, 10+
• Who currently owns executive hiring and do they have dedicated support from an internal recruiter or an external partner Options: CEO, Head of People, Hiring manager, External recruiter partner, Combined approach
• What internal process or approval step most often delays offers or candidate acceptance
• Would deploying the platform's dedicated talent team most likely shorten time-to-hire, improve candidate fit, or reduce hiring cost Options: Shorten time-to-hire, Improve candidate fit, Reduce hiring cost, All of the above, None of the above

Where the go-to-market engine stumbles

• Point to the step in your sales cycle that most often delays closing: lead qualification, product demo, pricing approval, procurement, or legal Options: Lead qualification, Product demo / evaluation, Pricing approval, Procurement, Legal
• How long does that step typically take compared with the target window you expect Options: Less than 2 weeks, 2-4 weeks, 1-3 months, More than 3 months
• When deals stall, which external stakeholder or gatekeeper usually causes the hold up Options: Prospect procurement, Prospect legal, Customer technical evaluation, Internal pricing committee, Other
• Describe the tools and integrations your sales team relies on to run forecasts and handoffs to customer success
• Name the objection that most often requires an executive to step in to close a deal
• How would removing the need for executive intervention change your sales velocity or average deal size

Finance, valuation, and board expectations

• List the three board-level responsibilities you expect a lead investor to take and the two you want management to retain
• Pick the single financial metric that will most influence your next valuation: ARR growth, gross margin, net revenue retention, or cash burn Options: ARR growth, Gross margin, Net revenue retention, Cash burn
• Tell me which party approves option pool size increases today and how negotiable that is with existing investors Options: Board approval required, Existing lead investor approval, Unilateral founder decision, Negotiable case-by-case, Other
• State the months of runway you require after closing to reach your next key milestone Options: 3 months, 6 months, 9 months, 12 months, 18+ months
• Name the governance condition that would make you walk away from a term sheet

Risks that could stop momentum

• Identify the operational risk that would force you to pause hiring or expansion immediately
• How frequently have risks like that surfaced in the past 18 months and what was the typical consequence Options: Never, Once, Occasionally, Frequently
• Point to the team member responsible for mitigation and tell me whether they can execute the plan within 30 days
• Select the third-party dependencies most likely to extend your timeline beyond six months Options: Data integrations, Partner approvals, Regulatory reviews, Hiring delays, Vendor contract negotiations, Other
• Given those dependencies, would you plan to delay closing, reduce scope, or cancel the initiative entirely Options: Delay closing, Reduce scope, Cancel initiative, Unsure

The other paths on your table

• List the other investors, firms, or internal solutions you are actively considering as the lead investor or a replacement for outside capital
• Assuming price and timeline were identical, which of those alternatives would you choose and why
• Explain what would have to be true about your current internal approach for you to decide against external investment
• Has anyone on your board or leadership proposed solving this without an outside partner, and who made that suggestion Options: Yes, a board member, Yes, the CFO, Yes, Head of People, No, Other
• Pick the alternative that, if chosen, would allow you to sign within 30 days and tell me why

Operational readiness and integration constraints

• Confirm whether your CRM and finance systems provide API access and name who controls the credentials Options: APIs available and internal owner, APIs available but vendor controls, Partial APIs available, No APIs available
• How clean and centralized is the customer data needed to run a sales playbook: single source, multiple systems with sync, or fragmented and manual Options: Single source of truth, Multiple systems with regular sync, Fragmented and manual, Unknown
• Identify the person who would act as the day-to-day integration owner and confirm whether they can deliver within six weeks
• Select the compliance or approval steps that could require legal or audit review before data sharing Options: Privacy sign-off, SOC or audit reports, Regulatory notification, Vendor agreements, Other
• Assuming integration cannot start within four weeks, would you block the engagement, accept a reduced scope, or push timelines Options: Block engagement, Accept reduced scope, Push timelines, Require phased plan

Decisive next steps and acceptance criteria

• Detail the specific deliverables from the seller you would need in the next 14 days to feel confident moving to a term sheet
• On a scale where 1 is no confidence and 5 is ready to sign, how ready is your team to move forward after those deliverables Options: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
• Specify the ultimate decision maker for accepting terms and list the internal approval steps that remain
• Should the pilot meet your success signals, which actions would allow you to sign within the same week Options: Immediate board approval, Pre-authorized legal terms, Confirm funding availability, Other
• Are there any deal-breakers we have not yet discussed that would stop you from closing Options: Yes, please describe below, No
• When can we schedule the next alignment meeting to review deliverables and who will attend from your side Options: Within 3 days, Within 1 week, Within 2 weeks, More than 2 weeks

• Investor Value Experience Session

• Confirm the current state and its cost
• You confirm that the proposed capital plus platform allocation directly eliminates the GTM conversion and hiring constraints described in Discovery.
• Deliver a tailored 12-month capital and platform deployment plan with milestones, role descriptions for prioritized hires, and expected KPI impact.
• Provide current ARR by segment, pipeline conversion rates by stage, and hiring constraints or timelines for GTM and finance leadership.
• Prioritize growth objectives and constraints
• You agree on prioritized hires, service bundles, and the key KPIs and milestones that will demonstrate progress over 12 months.
• Map capital plus platform services to your problems
• You validate the remaining risks and accept the next evidence items required to reach a commercial decision.
• Confirm preferred board governance and option pool flexibility parameters for inclusion in the investment sizing discussion.
• Run a scenario-based 12-month operating plan
• Evidence review and remaining risk
• Validate alignment explicitly

• Investor Value Experience Session
• Investor Value Experience Deck
• Investor Value Plan - Solution Brief

• meeting
• slides
• document

• Recruit Head of Sales
• Recruit Head of Marketing
• Place Interim or Permanent CFO
• Recruit Sales Managers and Account Executives
• Configure CRM Pipeline and Executive Reporting
• Implement Sales Compensation and Quota Plans
• Deploy 90‑Day Sales Onboarding Program
• Create Sales Enablement Kit (battlecards, decks)
• Launch Demand‑Generation Campaign
• Deliver Strategic Customer and Partner Introductions
• Implement Monthly Financial Close and Board Pack
• Establish Board Governance and Meeting Cadence
• Produce Investor Package and Roadshow Support

Recruit Head of Sales

• For the Head of Sales role, who will own the hiring decision and final offer approval (title)?
• Regarding target experience, how many years of enterprise sales leadership and proven scaling from $1M to $10M+ ARR should the candidate have? Options: 3-5 years, 5-8 years, 8+ years
• For territory focus, which buyer segments should the Head of Sales prioritize in the first 12 months (select all that apply)? Options: SMB, Mid-market, Enterprise, Vertical-specific accounts
• In hiring timing, when do you need the Head of Sales to be quota-bearing (weeks from offer)? Options: 4 weeks, 8 weeks, 12 weeks, Custom timeline
• Describe the acceptance criteria for a successful Head of Sales hire including ramp-to-quota timeline, target ARR influence, and required reference outcomes.
• About compensation, what base and on-target earnings (OTE) band and equity percentage range are approved for offers? Options: Base range + OTE band (provide numbers), Equity range (% of company), Unsure — need recommendation

Recruit Head of Marketing

• For the Head of Marketing role, who will be the hiring owner and final approver (title)?
• About go-to-market experience, how many years and what category expertise should the candidate have (product-led, enterprise SaaS, vertical SaaS)? Options: Product-led growth, Enterprise SaaS, Vertical SaaS, Other
• Regarding channel priorities, which demand channels should be launched in the first 90 days (select up to 3)? Options: Content/SEO, Paid search / PPC, Account‑Based Marketing (ABM), Partnerships / BD, Events
• In org design, to whom should the Head of Marketing report (CEO, CRO, Head of Revenue)? Options: CEO, CRO/Head of Revenue, COO, Other
• Describe the acceptance criteria you will use to confirm the Head of Marketing has delivered initial pipeline lift (MQL to SQL conversion, marketing-sourced ARR targets).
• List the marketing stack integrations the hire must be familiar with (marketing automation, analytics, CRM source) and any mandatory platforms.

Place Interim or Permanent CFO

• Identify whether you require an interim CFO, a permanent hire, or an interim-to-permanent transition and the target duration (months). Options: Interim (3-6 months), Permanent hire, Interim to permanent
• Provide the top three finance gaps the CFO must address in first 90 days (examples: month-end close cadence, ASC 606 revenue recognition, unit economics model).
• Outline the acceptance criteria that will validate the CFO has delivered board-ready monthly close and a reproducible board pack process.
• Estimate current monthly close time and the target close time (days) after engagement. Options: >15 days, 8-15 days, <8 days
• Confirm whether the CFO must own cap table modeling and option pool sizing for the next fundraising round. Options: Yes, No, Partial (advisory only)
• List preferred accounting systems and the source bookkeeping workflow that will need integration (examples: general ledger, payroll provider, expense system).

Recruit Sales Managers and Account Executives

• State the number of Account Executives and Sales Managers you plan to hire in the next 6 months. Options: 1-3, 4-6, 7-10, 10+
• Provide the target quota per AE expressed in annual recurring revenue (ARR) and the expected ramp schedule (months).
• Choose the preferred territory model for the team: named accounts, industry vertical pods, or geo-based coverage. Options: Named accounts, Vertical pods, Geographic regions
• Estimate AE ramp time to reach 70% of quota and the coaching cadence required from managers (weekly, biweekly). Options: 4-8 weeks, 9-16 weeks, 17+ weeks
• Outline the success signals you expect from new managers during the first 6 months (team attainment %, ramp rate improvements, forecast accuracy).
• Supply the interview stages and assessment artifacts you want used for AEs and managers (example: recorded role-play, case study, reference checklist).

Configure CRM Pipeline and Executive Reporting

• Identify the source CRM and number of custom pipeline stages you are currently using that will require mapping.
• What pipeline stages must be standardized for forecasting accuracy (examples: MQL, SQL, Demo, Proposal, Contract, Closed Won)? Options: Standardize to recommended set, Keep custom stages, Hybrid approach
• How should you record ARR versus one-time professional services revenue on the deal record to align with finance reporting?
• Select the executive reporting cadence you need for the CEO, CRO, and finance: weekly snapshot, monthly board pack, or quarterly strategy review. Options: Weekly snapshot, Monthly board pack, Quarterly review
• Detail the dashboards required for CEO, CRO, and CFO and the three KPIs each dashboard must display (examples: ARR growth, pipeline coverage, churn rate).
• State the acceptable data sync latency between source systems and CRM for executive reporting (minutes, hourly batches, daily). Options: Near real-time (minutes), Hourly, Daily batch

Implement Sales Compensation and Quota Plans

• Confirm who must sign off on final compensation plans and quota allocations (title or role).
• How should on-target earnings (OTE) be structured between base and variable pay for AEs and for Sales Managers (percent split)?
• Choose the quota cadence you prefer: monthly, quarterly, or annual quotas. Options: Monthly, Quarterly, Annual
• Specify threshold, attainment tiers, and accelerators for overachievement as percentages of quota (example: accelerator at 110%+).
• What acceptance criteria will confirm the compensation and quota plans are ready for rollout (legal review complete, payroll integration, manager training completed)?
• Project the financial impact of the proposed comp plan at target attainment and at 120% attainment on gross margin and CAC payback period.

Deploy 90‑Day Sales Onboarding Program

• Assign who on your team will own delivery and measurement of the 90-day onboarding (title).
• Define which learning modules are required in the first 90 days (product training, discovery framework, CRM hygiene, competitive positioning).
• Indicate the planned start date for the first onboarding cohort and any blackout dates for training.
• Specify the onboarding success metrics you will track (examples: % of quota achieved at 90 days, demo-to-win conversion improvement, pipeline coverage per rep).
• How will role-plays and manager calibration be delivered: live virtual instructor‑led, recorded sessions, or in-person workshops? Options: Live virtual, Recorded, In-person, Blended
• Detail the enablement artifacts required for Day 1 and Week 1 (first-30/60/90 plans, call scripts, objection-handling battlecards).

Create Sales Enablement Kit (battlecards, decks)

• Name the approver for final battlecard messaging and competitor positioning (title).
• Enumerate the top competitor profiles you require in battlecards and the key differentiators to call out for each.
• Indicate how many sales decks you need (company overview, product demo, technical detailed review, pricing) and the intended audience for each.
• Set the delivery deadline for the enablement kit relative to the first AE start date (weeks before start). Options: 4 weeks before, 2 weeks before, On hire date
• Name the content repository type where artifacts will be stored (shared drive, content management system) and the access owners. Options: Shared drive, Content management system, CRM library
• Detail any localization needs such as languages or region-specific product messaging required for decks and battlecards.

Launch Demand‑Generation Campaign

• For campaign objectives, which primary goal do you want to prioritize: pipeline creation, lead quality improvement, or brand awareness? Options: Pipeline creation, Lead quality, Brand awareness
• Specify the target ICP (ideal customer profile) attributes for the campaign such as company size by ARR, industry vertical, and buyer persona.
• Select the initial demand channels to deploy: organic content, paid search, ABM outreach, partner co-marketing. Options: Organic content, Paid search, ABM, Partner co-marketing
• Estimate the campaign budget range for the first 90 days and any channel-specific minimums. Options: <$10k, $10k-$50k, $50k-$150k, $150k+
• How will you measure campaign success: pipeline sourced ARR, marketing qualified leads (MQLs) to SQL conversion, or cost per SQL? Options: Pipeline ARR, MQL->SQL conversion, Cost per SQL
• Provide any regulatory or compliance constraints that affect campaign content or targeting (examples: GDPR, industry-specific rules). Options: GDPR, Industry compliance, None

Deliver Strategic Customer and Partner Introductions

• Identify the top five customer or partner target accounts you want introductions to and the desired introduction owner on your side.
• State the introduction objective for each target (reference, pilot customer, distribution partner, reseller). Options: Reference, Pilot, Distribution partner, Reseller
• Which supporting assets should accompany introductions (case studies, ROI model, technical integration brief)? Options: Case study, ROI model, Technical brief, Customer reference list
• When making partner introductions, what minimum partner readiness criteria must be met (API availability, solution docs, joint GTM plan)?
• Provide the expected handoff process and owner after an introduction results in a pilot or sales opportunity.
• Estimate the conversion expectation for introductions to pilots or opportunities within 90 days (percentage). Options: <10%, 10-25%, 25-50%, 50%+

• Final Term Sheet
• Stock Purchase Agreement
• Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation
• Investors' Rights Agreement
• Voting Agreement & Board Governance Addendum
• Right of First Refusal & Co-Sale Agreement (ROFR/Co-Sale)
• Option Pool Amendment & Allocation Schedule
• Closing Checklist & Deliverables Schedule
• Escrow and Holdback Agreement
• Investor Side Letter
• Counsel Legal Opinion
• Wire Instructions & Closing Notice

• Post-close health check (weeks 1-4)
• First outcome measurement (weeks 4-10)
• 90-day acceptance gate
• Quarterly success review (ongoing cadence)

• Log any introductions requested during the meeting in the platform's introductions channel with next steps.
• Open recruitment tracker for any critical hires blocking KPI recovery and set target time-to-fill.
• Restate acceptance criteria and targets
• Produce a documented acceptance decision with pass/fail recorded against each numeric target from Growth & Support Scope and capture the buyer's named signatory.
• For any failed criteria, agree a remediation plan with concrete deadlines and a follow-up verification date.
• Publish the acceptance record that lists each criterion, its pass/fail status, and the buyer signatory.
• When applicable, publish the remediation plan with milestones and the date of the verification checkpoint.
• Update the board reporting template to reflect accepted metrics and remediation items.
• KPI review against targets
• Confirm whether net new ARR and pipeline coverage ratio are on track against Growth & Support Scope targets and document any required adjustments.
• Ensure all persistent blockers have owners and target dates in the shared issue channel and that enhancement requests are triaged.
• Update the shared issue and enhancement channel with current blocker statuses and expected resolution dates.
• Publish the quarter's top 3 priorities with metrics and the agreed reporting cadence for board updates.
• Re-confirm success criteria and owners
• All deployment and access issues that prevent initial adoption are documented with owners and target resolution dates.
• Onboarding completion gaps are identified and a remediation plan is agreed for the next 30 days.
• Document and circulate the hypercare issue log with owners and due dates.
• Resolve critical access or integration failures with a target completion date within 7 days.
• Collect first-week usage data sources to support the first measurement meeting.
• Present first outcome data
• Decide whether current KPI trends meet the acceptance trajectory in Growth & Support Scope or require remediation.
• Agree a time-bound remediation plan with clear milestones and dates to the acceptance gate.
• Publish the metric snapshot and the agreed remediation plan with milestone dates.
• Identify data owners for each KPI and confirm the reporting source for ongoing board cadence.
• Persistent blockers and issue burn-down
• Deployment and access validation
• Root-cause diagnosis
• Present 90-day outcome data
• Enhancement requests and introductions
• Document pass/fail per criterion
• Early adoption signals
• Remediation plan with milestones
• Board cadence and reporting alignment
• Open issues and blockers
• Remediation commitments for failed criteria
• Agree next-quarter priorities and reporting
• Immediate remediation plan