If you’re a technical founder building a startup without a marketing background, I’ve got good news: you’re not alone, and you’re asking smart questions.

Over the past four years, I’ve worked with hundreds of early stage startups (many B2B, others marketplace and B2C). Most have founders with deep product and technical expertise but limited marketing experience. They come to me when they’re stuck, trying to connect the dots across key parts of their marketing strategy: sales enablement, pipeline generation, and brand-building.

They know the outcomes they want (plenty of leads, strong brand awareness, A+ hires), but they’re unclear about how to get there.

That’s where I come in. I help founders zoom out and get clarity on business priorities. Then we build a focused, effective marketing strategy that drives results. I draw on my two decades of experience across GTM, product marketing, brand, and team-building at Thumbtack, Intuit, Handshake, and BCG.

Here’s what I see: five core marketing questions come up for nearly every founder.

I’ll walk through each one and then explain how to solve it.

1) HOW DO I GET MY MESSAGING RIGHT?

Founders usually feel the problem before they can name it: their website is outdated, the sales deck isn’t landing, or what they say in live conversations doesn’t match what’s on paper. 

The problem: the startup’s messaging is off.

Why this matters: If your messaging is unclear or outdated, customers won’t understand the value of your product (which means they probably won’t buy it). You’ll burn leads, waste sales time, and miss growth opportunities.

Here’s what to do:

• Define your ICP and competitive differentiators, then sharpen your positioning
• Create a strong messaging framework to guide your homepage, sales deck, and more
• Align your brand personality and voice so every touchpoint speaks the same language
  

Real result: I worked with a fintech startup to clarify their ideal customer and positioning, then we rewrote their value props and proof points. We refreshed their homepage, sales deck, and one-pagers. What happened? More prospects said yes to a sales call. Deals closed faster.

Here’s more on how to create powerful product messaging.

2) HOW DO WE GENERATE PIPELINE AND BUILD DEMAND?

This is a BIG one. You’ve been scrappy, and founder-led sales likely closed your first significant customers. But now momentum is slowing, or you need new, scalable ways to generate leads.

Why this matters: No pipeline = no growth. Without a strategy, jumping straight to top of funnel tactics (ads, cold email, events) leads to wasted time and budget.

Here’s what to do:

• Choose the best-fit GTM motion (inbound, outbound, product-led, ABM, or hybrid)
• Test the right channels and build a repeatable demand generation engine
• Clarify roles and coordinate touchpoints across marketing, sales, and product
   

Real result: I advised an HR management startup as they tested ABM, events, and referrals to generate new leads. In parallel, they built out middle of funnel content that helped prospects evaluate, trust, and choose their product.

3) WHAT CONTENT DO WE ACTUALLY NEED?

Content creation often feels like an overwhelming hamster wheel. Founders say, “We know we need content… but what kind? How much? And why aren’t our blog posts getting us anywhere?”

Why this matters: Content isn’t just a nice-to-have. It’s the fuel that attracts buyers, builds trust, and enables sales. It drives engagement and pipeline momentum without relying entirely on sales conversations.

Here’s what to do:

• Prioritize content that supports your goals at each stage of the buyer journey
• Plan a content calendar and a process to produce content efficiently
• Distribute content across multiple channels (email, LinkedIn, sales, and more) to maximize reach

Real result: A vertical SaaS platform launched blog articles and guides to help prospects evaluate their solution. They used earned media (like guesting on podcasts and contributing articles to newsletters) to attract new users and educate them. This content strategy drove inbound demo requests, so they could move away from outbound cold emails.

Here’s more on a strong content strategy that drives sales.

4) HOW DO WE MAKE OUR NEXT LAUNCH A SUCCESS?

You’ve shipped a new product, feature, or integration. Now what? How do you make it matter to both prospects and your current customers?

Why this matters: A great launch involves more than an announcement. Done well, it’s an opportunity to attract new customers, re-engage pipeline, and drive retention or expansion.

Here’s what to do:

• Prioritize which features are launch-worthy and plan smart timing and positioning
• Craft a GTM plan with the right messaging, channels, and campaign content
• Engage both prospects and existing users so they understand and use the new features
  

Real result: I partnered with a mental health platform to launch a major new feature set. The full-funnel campaign reactivated pipeline and drove more product usage, resulting in both new and upsell revenue.

5) WHO SHOULD I HIRE FOR MY MARKETING TEAM

This always comes up. Many technical founders must act as interim CMOs, and at some point, they realize that’s not sustainable. Whether founders are hiring freelancers, agencies, or their first full-time marketer, they want to bring in the right people.

Why this matters: Hiring the wrong person, or hiring marketers in the wrong order, can stall the company’s momentum. The right marketing hire depends on your company’s goals and the skill sets you need to achieve them.

Here’s what to do:

• Define the business outcomes and goals you need marketing to drive
• Identify the roles that can achieve those goals, and plan who to hire now vs. later
• Plan effective interviews and onboarding to help new hires succeed
   

Real result: After a CMO left, I helped the founder of a sales productivity platform restructure their marketing org, define role scopes, and hire a new CMO. Their business priorities had shifted, so I also coached current team members to pivot to new goals.

WHY FOUNDERS ALWAYS HAVE THESE QUESTIONS

If you’re a technical founder, these five questions probably sound familiar. They show up at inflection points—when you’re scaling sales, launching something new, raising a round, or building your team.

These questions impact more than marketing. They shape how your startup grows.

When you get the answers right, the impact is significant:

• Better messaging → faster sales cycles
• Effective GTM motion → efficient growth
• Smart content → reliable pipeline and scalable sales
• Strategic launches → more new customers and higher retention
• Thoughtful hiring → a team that drives results

AS A FOUNDER, WHERE DO I FOCUS NEXT?

Chances are you’re facing at least one of these questions right now. Use this quick gut check to prioritize:

• Is our messaging clear, differentiated, and consistent?
• Do we have a repeatable way to generate pipeline beyond founder-led sales?
• Is our content driving sales, or just sitting on our blog?
• Do we know how to make our next launch count?
• Are we hiring the right marketers to achieve our most important company goals?
  

If any of those sparked a “not yet,” that’s your signal to dig in and get the right answers. That’s how you build the foundation for a highly effective marketing engine and set your team up to scale.