What is the Foundations Playbook?

A 60–90 day sprint that helps early-stage B2B teams clarify positioning, messaging, and go-to-market basics so every marketing dollar works harder.

Who should use this playbook?

Seed to Series A B2B startups with a working product but unclear positioning, inconsistent messaging, or no structured go-to-market plan.

What's the difference between B2B and B2C Foundations Playbooks?

The B2B version focuses on buyer personas, sales enablement, and longer consideration cycles. The B2C version focuses on consumer psychology, brand identity, and faster conversion paths.

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Foundations
Playbook

Get your GTM, messaging, and growth basics right in 60–90 days.

Help early-stage B2B teams build clear positioning, a simple go-to-market plan, and a usable analytics foundation—so your next growth moves are deliberate, not random experiments.

Request scopeSee the Sprint

Who This Playbook Is For

Ideal for early-stage teams:

Pre-revenue to ~$3–5M ARR
B2B SaaS or high-consideration services
Some customers or users, but growth is inconsistent
Not fully sure which segment/channel is 'the one'
Messaging, website, and sales conversations feel scattered

Core stakeholders:

Founder / CEOProduct LeadFirst Marketing / Growth HireSales / Revenue Lead (if in place)

Outcomes AAJ Aims to Deliver

By the end of the Foundations sprint, you have:

Clear ICP & Problem Definition

Who you're for, who you're not for, and what urgent problem you solve.

Positioning & Messaging Basics

A simple, sharp narrative founders and sales can repeat consistently.

Focused Go-to-Market Plan (Next 90 Days)

1–2 primary segments, 1–2 core channels, and realistic activities.

Website & Conversion Foundation

A homepage/landing structure and CTAs that match your strategy.

Analytics & Feedback Loops That Don't Break

Basic tracking, simple dashboards, and a cadence to review what's working.

Sprint Structure (60–90 Days)

AAJ can compress or extend based on your stage and urgency.

Phase 1 — Clarity

Weeks 1–3

ICP, problem, positioning, and messaging.

Phase 2 — GTM Plan

Weeks 4–6

Channels, offers, website & funnel basics.

Phase 3 — Execution

Weeks 7–9/12

Light campaigns, feedback loops, and refinement.

Phase 1 — Clarity

Weeks 1–3: ICP, problem, positioning, and messaging.

1. Customer & Problem Clarity

2. Positioning & Narrative

3. Early-Stage Offer Design

Phase 2 — GTM Plan & Funnel Basics

Weeks 4–6: Channels, offers, website & funnel basics.

4. Channel & Activity Focus

5. Website & Funnel Foundations

6. Simple Nurture & Follow-Up

Phase 3 — Execution, Feedback & Refinement

Weeks 7–9/12: Light campaigns, feedback loops, and refinement.

7. Execution Support (Lightweight)

8. Analytics & Feedback Loops (Simple, Not Overbuilt)

9. Foundations Retrospective & Next 90-Day Roadmap

AAJ vs. Client Responsibilities

Clear ownership ensures nothing falls through the cracks.

Client Typically Owns	AAJ Typically Owns
Product and roadmap decisions	Structured process and facilitation
Access to customers/prospects for interviews	ICP & problem synthesis from your data
Final decisions on ICP focus and offers	Positioning & messaging framework
Implementation of website changes (with AAJ guidance)	Website/landing structure & copy recommendations
Day-to-day outreach and sales activity	Simple GTM plan & activity calendar
	Basic analytics framework and templates
	Sprint summary and next-90-day roadmap

How to Engage AAJ

Three simple steps from intro call to focused roadmap.

Step 1

Foundations Intro Call (30 min)

Learn where you are today (idea, MVP, or early customers). Clarify goals for the next 6–12 months.

Step 2

Foundations Sprint Proposal

60–90 day scope mapped to this playbook: clarity → GTM → execution support.

Step 3

Work the Plan Together

Weekly/bi-weekly working sessions. Clear decisions, simple execution, and a focused roadmap when you finish.

Ready to Build Your Foundation?

Send a short brief and we'll scope your Foundations Sprint.

Request scope