Deal one: the embarrassed SF team
A team in SF was building an app from zero, and they had experienced founders, a good idea, and a prototype-level product, but they were a bit embarrassed by how rough everything looked.
We had one call. They walked me through where they were stuck, what they’d tried, and what “good” looked like in their heads.
After the call, I didn’t open Keynote, and I didn’t open Notion, and I didn’t record a Loom.
I opened a blank email instead.
The email:
“Here’s what we discussed: you have a solid idea, some rough product, and no real brand or story yet. Over the next 90 days, I’ll help you get to a place where you have (1) a clear product direction we’re confident in, (2) a brand and visual identity that feels like you, and (3) an app experience that doesn’t feel like a prototype.Month 1: align on priorities, map the current experience, and decide what we’re not doing.
Month 2: tighten product flows, design core screens, and lock the visual direction.
Month 3: polish, edge cases, and assets so you can actually talk about this thing.I’ll need you, or another decision-maker, for one working session a week. Investment is [X] per month for three months. If this sounds good, I’ll put together an SOW, and we can get started fine-tuning the scope.”
They replied yes immediately, so it took fifteen minutes, one email, and it was done.
Deal two: the brand with no story
A consumer startup had a decent product, but they had zero brand cohesion, and every touchpoint looked like a different company. On the call, the founder said this part out loud: “We’re a little ashamed of how this looks next to our competitors.”
The email:
“TL;DR: you have real traction and a product people like, but no visual identity or story that matches it. Over 6 weeks, we’ll go from ‘inconsistent and generic’ to ‘a brand that feels as sharp as the product.’Week 1 to 2: audit every touchpoint and agree on positioning and tone.
Week 3 to 4: build the visual identity, including logo, type, color, and core templates.
Week 5 to 6: roll it out across your top five surfaces and hand off a system your team can run with.One working session a week, plus access to current assets. Investment is [X] for the 6 weeks. If this sounds good, I’ll put together an SOW, and we can get started fine-tuning the scope.”
The reply came back in under an hour: “Yes, let’s go.”
Deal three: the app that felt like a prototype
A B2B tool worked fine, but it looked unfinished, and the founder’s words were almost identical to deal one: “We know it works, we’re just embarrassed to demo it.”
The email:
“TL;DR: the product works, but it doesn’t look like something you’d be proud to demo to investors or customers. Over 30 days, we’ll get you to a version that feels finished end to end.Week 1: map current flows and flag what’s actively hurting the demo.
Week 2 to 3: redesign core screens and fix the worst friction points.
Week 4: polish, edge cases, and a clickable version you can actually show.One working session a week, and everything in a shared doc. Investment is [X] for 30 days. If this sounds good, I’ll put together an SOW, and we can get started fine-tuning the scope.”
Yes, within the day.
Why the email worked every time
All three founders had the same undertone, some version of “we’re a little ashamed of how this looks right now.” They’d already met me and knew I was capable, so they wanted one thing: a clear path from “this isn’t ready” to “we’re proud to show this,” plus how long it would take and how much it would cost.
