Most early-stage founders figure out how to get their first customers by any means necessary. Maybe you hustled your way into sales, leaned on your network, or built just enough of an MVP to get early traction. That’s the hustle stage and an enormous accomplishment.
But here’s the catch: what got you from zero to one often won’t get you from one to ten. Once you’ve raised your Seed or Series A, you’ll face a new set of GTM (Go-To-Market) challenges—and this is where a lot of startups stall.
Where GTM Breaks Down
- Still relying on founder-led sales – You can’t scale if only the founder knows how to sell (although we wholeheartedly agree with the ethos of early stage founder-led sales)
- Unclear ICP (ideal customer profile) – Without a focused target, sales and marketing waste time chasing “anyone who will listen.”
- No alignment across functions – Product, sales, and marketing aren’t working from the same playbook.
- Premature scaling – Hiring salespeople before repeatability exists—or too late, missing market windows and consuming valuable time.
The Warning Signs
If you’re seeing these red flags, it’s time to revisit your GTM strategy:
- Deals are taking longer to close.
- Conversion rates are dropping.
- CAC (customer acquisition cost) is rising.
- Churn is creeping up.
- Your growth rate is out-of-synch with your next financing horizon
How to Course-Correct
- Move from intuition to process – Document your sales motion so it can be taught, not just “winged.”
- Build repeatability before scaling – Focus on a repeatable playbook in one market segment (often called “beachhead”) before expanding.
- Use the right metrics – Track velocity metrics (time-to-close, pipeline conversion, expansion rates), not just revenue.
- Get the right help – Founder-led sales are best complemented by vertical expertise (someone who knows your customer’s world) or sales know-how (someone who knows how to scale a motion). As you transition out of founder-led sales, figure out which you need.
Conclusion
The jump from Seed to Series A isn’t about doing more of the same—it’s about building the scaffolding for scale. Startups that recognize and tackle GTM breakdowns early set themselves up for faster growth, happier customers, and less painful fundraising conversations.
At BrightIron, we’ve helped dozens of founders stress-test their GTM strategies, avoid costly trial-and-error, and build motions that scale. If you want a deeper dive, feel free to reach out or download our free GTM guide for founders, packed with frameworks and practical advice we use every day.
