John Jarosz, a Partner & cofounder at Sightglass, is responsible for overseeing experience design, brand collaboration, and experience strategy. Leading a fast-growing, funded tech startup can be exhilarating, exciting, and exhausting. After securing funding, founders often find themselves overwhelmed by the high expectations of investors. Engaging a management or technology consultant can be a smart strategy to accelerate progress and make the right long-term decisions, helping founders push beyond their internal capacity until their team is built out.
Despite the benefits of engaging outside help, many portfolio companies hesitate to do so. Founders often feel the need to focus on building their team and may struggle to find a partner who understands their distinct needs. Building capabilities is often viewed as only possible through full-time hires, but the right technology partners do exist for startups. Jarosz offers advice on how to find the right partner, urging founders to ditch skepticism and consider boutique and niche consultancies that offer personalized, outcome-focused services.
Jarosz advises founders to prioritize partnerships over transactional relationships with technology consulting firms. It is essential to seek firms genuinely interested in collaborating as partners rather than just vendors. These boutique firms may offer to co-market the startup’s brand for free, align culturally with the company, and be willing to provide assistance when needed. Negotiation strategies should focus on more than just price, considering factors such as payment terms, project advances, and co-marketing rights to ensure a mutually beneficial partnership.
As projects progress challenges may arise, and founders should establish regular communication to address issues as they arise. Creating a safe and trusting environment where both sides can share feedback and correct course will strengthen the partnership. Thinking long-term, startups should aim to cultivate a relationship with their technology consultants to access a network of expertise, referrals, and support. This long-term relationship can help startups hit milestones, find better revenue paths, and keep teams running smoothly while they search for the right hires or develop internal capacity.
In conclusion, every founder cannot do everything, and engaging a technology consultant can be a valuable tool for achieving the desired outcomes. By prioritizing partnerships, negotiating effectively, and thinking long-term, founders can leverage the expertise of consultants to accelerate progress and meet the expectations of investors. Jarosz’s advice emphasizes the importance of finding the right technology partner to support startups in their growth and development efforts.
