Go-to-Market

Definition

The strategy for launching a product to customers, which in startup land typically involves a 90-slide deck, a Slack channel called launch-war-room, and a blog post nobody reads. It's called go-to-market because go-to-three-customers-who-are-your-friends doesn't sound as impressive.

Example Usage

"Our go-to-market strategy leverages thought leadership, strategic partnerships, and a prayer, which are listed in decreasing order of effectiveness."

Related Terms

Beginner

Scale

The startup obsession with growing bigger, faster, and more unsustainably, as if a company were a goldfish and the market were an ocean. Everyone wants to scale, few know how, and most just end up spending more money to lose money at an impressive rate.

🚀 Startup / VC

Intermediate

observer rights

The privilege to attend board meetings without voting power, typically granted to smaller investors or advisors. All the tedious meetings with none of the actual authority—basically a corporate internship.

🚀 Startup / VC

Beginner

outbound sales

A proactive sales approach where the company reaches out to potential customers rather than waiting for inbound interest. It's the difference between fishing with a net and hoping fish jump into your boat.

🚀 Startup / VC

Intermediate

Stock Options

The right to buy company shares at a set price in the future, given to employees as compensation for the salary they're not getting. They're worth millions on paper and nothing in reality, making them the participation trophies of startup compensation.

🚀 Startup / VC

Advanced

co-investment rights

Special privileges allowing certain LPs to invest additional money directly into specific portfolio companies alongside the fund, usually with lower or no fees. The VIP backstage pass of venture investing.

🚀 Startup / VC

Advanced

washout round

A financing so dilutive that existing shareholders are essentially wiped out, often following multiple bridge rounds and broken promises. The financial equivalent of starting over but with more emotional baggage.

🚀 Startup / VC

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