Beyond the Obvious: Challenging Assumptions to Unlock Market Growth
Testing what’s true, surfacing what’s hidden for a seed-stage life sciences company
A CEO of a seed-stage life sciences company was looking for guidance and support as the company explored expansion into new markets and revenue growth opportunities. The CEO sought a strategic sounding board to challenge assumptions, offer creative thinking, and bring a commercially focused lens.
How do you critically evaluate where to grow next, when your strategy is being built on technical innovation in the fluid market?
I served as a fractional Chief of Staff, thought partner and strategic advisor across 10 weeks of nimble, real-time collaboration. I brought an external lens to internal assumptions, a sharp and objective perspective to test hypotheses, interrogate market-entry logic, and push toward broader thinking. My role was to synthesize current technology and market state, pressure-test possible pricing and market assumptions.
Actions and Initiatives:
Guided real-time working sessions with the CEO to vet product positioning and customer profiles.
Pressure-tested pricing strategy and underlying assumptions to reflect value perception, competitor landscape, and buyer archetypes.
Uncovered and contextualized hidden industry trends influencing demand signals and adoption risks.
Outcomes:
Strategic confidence to defer lower-priority markets and concentrate commercial energy on highest-potential bets.
Sharper view of expansion strategy grounded in data and industry insights.
Disciplined expansion narrative with strategic clarity and rigor.
The engagement was not just about answers, but it was about helping an executive leader to sharpen their lens. A fractional Chief of Staff can bring objectivity and strategic tension to pressure-test assumptions to support a stronger foundation for market execution.
Curious if a fractional Chief of Staff could help you pressure-test your next move? Let’s explore what a 6–12 week engagement could unlock. Rethinking your market-entry strategy, pricing model, or product-market fit? Let’s bring the structure, speed, and strategic clarity to accelerate confident decisions. Let's Connect!
