One of the most effective and scalable ways I’ve seen for generating leads in a strategy consulting business involves a mix of: Niche positioning — Be very clear about who you help and what specific problem you solve. Generic positioning makes lead gen much harder to scale. LinkedIn content + outbound — Posting useful insights and frameworks regularly builds trust. Pair that with thoughtful outreach to people engaging with your content — works well over time. Cold email — Still works if it’s targeted and relevant. Trigger-based emails (e.g., recent funding, hiring activity, market shifts) tend to perform better than generic pitches. Webinars or roundtables — Hosting or co-hosting niche events with ecosystem partners (e.g., SaaS tools, industry orgs) helps build authority and relationships at scale. Referrals — Often overlooked, but building a structured referral system (past clients, peer consultants, complementary service providers) can be a reliable channel. Content + retargeting — Publishing detailed, helpful content and using lightweight retargeting ads keeps you top-of-mind without being pushy. No single channel is magic — the key is consistency, clear messaging, and using automation tools smartly without losing personalization.

Hire a freelance marketing expert from platforms like Upwork, Toptal, or LinkedIn by posting a clear, results-focused job description, prioritize those with startup or D2C experience, and start with a short paid trial project to assess fit before committing long-term.

To launch your eCommerce watch brand on a minimal budget, focus on creating eye-catching short-form videos (unboxings, styling reels, close-ups) for Instagram and TikTok, partner with micro-influencers for authentic content and shoutouts, use giveaways and limited-time drops to build urgency, and drive traffic to your site via a strong bio link and story highlights showcasing quality, uniqueness, and pricing.

To sell online courses successfully, identify a specific pain point your audience cares about, build trust by sharing free value (like tips, videos, or case studies), clearly communicate the outcomes your course delivers, and use testimonials, urgency, and simple checkout flows to drive conversions.

Pre-revenue startups in Vancouver can seek early support from investor-friendly groups like First Fund, Ripple Ventures, Version One Ventures, Rhino Ventures, Startup TNT, and Innovate BC, all of which actively back early-stage founders with funding and strategic guidance.

VCs evaluate a startup’s business model by assessing its scalability, recurring revenue potential, and how efficiently it can acquire and retain customers (measured by metrics like CAC, LTV, churn). They look for clear monetization strategies, strong unit economics, and whether the model can support rapid growth with healthy gross margins. Additionally, they consider how well the business model addresses a critical market need, its defensibility (e.g., IP, network effects, switching costs), and whether it can succeed in a large, growing market. The model must show a clear path to sustainable profitability or a strategic exit. Being a founder and recently raised capital, I can help with some tips - https://clarity.fm/prahaladsanthanakrishnan1

The ideal business model for a personalized online learning platform targeting business professionals combines tiered SaaS subscriptions (offering monthly or annual access with increasing levels of personalization and analytics), outcome-based pricing for career-focused certification tracks or skill milestones, and cohort-based learning with live sessions and expert support to drive engagement and perceived value. This can be further enhanced with optional upsells like 1:1 coaching, AI-powered learning assistants, and enterprise integrations (e.g., LMS plugins or white-labeled academies), allowing the platform to serve both individuals and organizations while maximizing lifetime value and scalability.