Step 2: Playbook Selection

Based on the Valven Scorecard results, we determine which of our two operational playbooks is the right fit for the partnership. This decision defines our role, the core prerequisites for engagement, and the strategic approach we’ll take to maximize value creation.

Our Playbook Philosophy

Each playbook represents a different strategic approach based on the startup’s strengths and primary growth bottlenecks. By matching the right playbook to the right opportunity, we ensure our resources are deployed effectively and our intervention provides maximum impact.

Playbook A: Strong Product, Weak Distribution

This playbook is designed for startups with solid product-market fit and technical foundations but lacking effective customer acquisition capabilities.

Target Profile

Strong Product Foundation: Validated product with clear market demand
Solid Technical Team: Capable development team and scalable architecture
Distribution Gap: Limited or ineffective customer acquisition strategies
Growth Potential: Clear opportunity for rapid customer acquisition

Crucial Prerequisite

The startup must have a credible Distribution Engine, meaning the founder has either:

Option A: Founder-Led Growth Capability

Powerful personal brand or established audience
Willingness to execute a founder-led growth strategy
Content creation and thought leadership capabilities
Active engagement with target customer community

Option B: Paid Growth Budget

Credible plan to fund initial customer acquisition campaigns
Understanding of target customer acquisition costs
Budget sufficient for meaningful growth experimentation
Willingness to invest in performance marketing

The absence of either capability is a disqualifying factor for this playbook.

Our Strategic Role

GTM Partner Leadership

Founder-Led Growth: Help leverage and monetize founder’s audience and expertise
Paid Growth: Deploy budget effectively and build repeatable growth engines
Growth Team Building: Assist in hiring and managing growth leadership
Channel Optimization: Optimize customer acquisition channels for efficiency

Technical Partner Support

Strategic Tech Leadership: Act as interim or strategic tech lead
Scaling Architecture: Ensure technical infrastructure supports growth
Engineering Processes: Establish robust development and deployment practices
Team Development: Mentor technical team and establish engineering standards

Success Metrics

Customer acquisition cost (CAC) optimization
Monthly recurring revenue (MRR) growth
Customer lifetime value (LTV) improvement
Marketing channel performance and scalability

Playbook B: Strong Distribution, Weak Product

This playbook targets startups with proven customer acquisition capabilities but lacking technical execution or product development strength.

Target Profile

Strong Distribution Channel: Proven ability to acquire and retain customers
Market Access: Established relationships and customer base
Product/Technical Gap: Weak product development or technical execution
Monetization Opportunity: Clear path to monetize existing distribution

Crucial Prerequisite

The startup must have a credible plan to fund the hiring of their founding engineering team (1-2 developers). This includes:

Funding Sources

Existing company capital earmarked for technical hiring
Secured pre-seed or seed funding specifically for team building
Revenue from existing operations sufficient for technical salaries
Clear timeline for accessing required capital

The funding plan must be realistic and executable within our engagement timeline.

Our Strategic Role

Technical Partner Leadership

Interim Head of Engineering: Define technical roadmap and architecture
Team Building: Lead hiring and management of the new technical team
Product Development: Guide product development strategy and execution
Technical Strategy: Establish long-term technical vision and roadmap

GTM Partner Support

Distribution Optimization: Maximize existing distribution channels
Revenue Optimization: Implement strategies to monetize current customer base
Customer Success: Ensure strong customer retention and expansion
Market Expansion: Explore additional distribution opportunities

Success Metrics

Technical team hiring and productivity
Product development milestone achievement
Revenue per customer optimization
Distribution channel efficiency and expansion

Playbook Selection Criteria

Assessment Framework

We evaluate several key factors to determine the optimal playbook:

Technical Strength Assessment

Current product quality and market fit
Technical team capability and capacity
Architecture scalability and maintainability
Development processes and practices

Distribution Capability Analysis

Current customer acquisition effectiveness
Founder’s personal brand and audience
Available marketing budget and resources
Existing customer base and retention

Resource Requirements

Technical development needs and timeline
Marketing and growth resource requirements
Team building and hiring priorities
Capital requirements for execution

Strategic Fit

Alignment with Valven’s core competencies
Opportunity for maximum value creation
Risk profile and resource commitment
Long-term partnership potential

Prerequisite Validation

Critical Funding Gate

The “credible plan to fund” is a critical gate in our process:

Not Required: Cash must be in bank account on day one of diligence Required: Funding must be secured before main engagement begins Acceptable Sources: Company capital, GP angel investment, or orchestrated angel round

Execution Readiness

Beyond funding, we assess:

Team Readiness: Existing team’s ability to execute alongside Valven
Market Timing: Optimal timing for intensive growth or development push
Competitive Landscape: Market conditions that support rapid execution
Operational Capacity: Founder’s bandwidth for intensive collaboration

Risk Mitigation

Playbook A Risks

Distribution Execution: Founder’s ability to execute growth strategies
Channel Saturation: Limited scalability of chosen distribution channels
Competition: Increased competition in customer acquisition
Budget Management: Efficient use of limited acquisition budget

Playbook B Risks

Technical Hiring: Difficulty finding and hiring quality technical talent
Product Development: Delays in product development and feature delivery
Technical Debt: Accumulation of technical debt during rapid development
Team Integration: Challenges integrating new technical team members

Next Steps

Once the appropriate playbook is selected, we advance to Step 3: Funding Plan Architecture, where we work with founders to secure the necessary capital for successful execution.

This is part 2 of our Partnership Evaluation series. Read about The Valven Scorecard and continue to Funding Plan Architecture to understand the complete evaluation process.