OUR THESIS
Strategy is more critical for the solopreneur, not less. Business model design is higher stakes for the solopreneur, not less. Customer acquisition cost is everything to the solopreneur.
At Big Lever, we drive the success of solopreneurs by adding value in the three areas that matter most:
We believe that solopreneur ventures are at greater risk for failure or the quiet death of failure to scale -AKA buying a job– than are more traditional startups funded by venture capital due to their structure.
And, although solopreneur founders are typically competent multi-function executives, they have core expertise that may only encompass some of the needs of the business. Operators need marketers, product people need operators, and so on.
One person rarely excels at all of strategy, operations, marketing, customer service, and legal/compliance, which means that solopreneurs benefit more from expert guidance and can add neurodiversity to their team by working with us.
- Setting business-level strategy.
- Establishing growth strategy and the tactics to support it.
- Providing support and accountability to the founder.
We believe that solopreneur ventures are at greater risk for failure or the quiet death of failure to scale -AKA buying a job– than are more traditional startups funded by venture capital due to their structure.
And, although solopreneur founders are typically competent multi-function executives, they have core expertise that may only encompass some of the needs of the business. Operators need marketers, product people need operators, and so on.
One person rarely excels at all of strategy, operations, marketing, customer service, and legal/compliance, which means that solopreneurs benefit more from expert guidance and can add neurodiversity to their team by working with us.
BUSINESS LEVEL STRATEGY
Strategy Matters: Right-sizing the value chain by selecting the best activities to deliver customer value is even more crucial for solopreneurs because wasted effort and operational inefficiency take an outsized toll on small teams. Big Lever excels at business strategy and knows how to stress-test the value chain before you launch.
Business Model: Your business model should be elegant, self-reinforcing, and scalable. A well-designed business model is usually the difference between startups that scale seamlessly and those that struggle to grow. We have helped launch many startups, are experts at business model design, and know what works (and doesn't). Our experience means you learn from others' successes and mistakes, not just your own.
Capital and Resources: Access to capital is often less critical for solopreneurs than is access to resources - and our knowledge of the solopreneur landscape is second to none, spanning technology selection, marketing support, customer acquisition, and partner selection.
Business Model: Your business model should be elegant, self-reinforcing, and scalable. A well-designed business model is usually the difference between startups that scale seamlessly and those that struggle to grow. We have helped launch many startups, are experts at business model design, and know what works (and doesn't). Our experience means you learn from others' successes and mistakes, not just your own.
Capital and Resources: Access to capital is often less critical for solopreneurs than is access to resources - and our knowledge of the solopreneur landscape is second to none, spanning technology selection, marketing support, customer acquisition, and partner selection.
GROWTH STRATEGY/TACTICS
Customer Acquisition: Startups that do an exceptional job optimizing customer acquisition costs will establish a solid customer base, generate consistent revenue streams, and create a foundation for long-term success while outperforming rivals. The team at Big Lever has run customer acquisition for some of the largest brands in the world, including Hewlett Packard, Debeers, Nordstrom, and Yahoo, consistently delivering top decile returns on ad spend by category.
Network Expansion: Solopreneurs often face the challenge of limited networks. Big Lever opens doors to a vast network of industry contacts, potential clients, and like-minded entrepreneurs, creating opportunities that add value and scale.
Network Expansion: Solopreneurs often face the challenge of limited networks. Big Lever opens doors to a vast network of industry contacts, potential clients, and like-minded entrepreneurs, creating opportunities that add value and scale.
SUPPORT AND ACCOUNTABILITY
Support: Solopreneurship can be a particularly lonely journey. Having a team that believes in your vision and supports you can be incredibly empowering. We know what's so hard about the hard things you're doing because we've taken the journey ourselves. We keep you positive, focused, and honest about the business.
Caucusing: The most significant risk for solopreneurs is a need for neurodiversity in decision-making and problem-solving, compounded by a slower learning curve in areas outside the founder's core expertise. We amplify your vision and your experience with our own, bringing the resources of a team that's been there and done that to your venture. This touches all areas of the business from setting meaningful KPI to offering different perspectives on decision trees and risk mitigation.
Accountability: Having an accountability partner can be highly beneficial, primarily because it introduces a level of external motivation and perspective that is often missing in solo ventures. We encourage you to commit to your plans and take consistent action, knowing that you will need to report progress and challenges. This external input is invaluable for staying focused, overcoming obstacles, and making better-informed decisions.
Caucusing: The most significant risk for solopreneurs is a need for neurodiversity in decision-making and problem-solving, compounded by a slower learning curve in areas outside the founder's core expertise. We amplify your vision and your experience with our own, bringing the resources of a team that's been there and done that to your venture. This touches all areas of the business from setting meaningful KPI to offering different perspectives on decision trees and risk mitigation.
Accountability: Having an accountability partner can be highly beneficial, primarily because it introduces a level of external motivation and perspective that is often missing in solo ventures. We encourage you to commit to your plans and take consistent action, knowing that you will need to report progress and challenges. This external input is invaluable for staying focused, overcoming obstacles, and making better-informed decisions.