Founder and Small Team GTM

Name: Founder and Small Team GTM
Author: Mike Sullivan

A practical, research-backed go-to-market guide for founders and small teams. Master the psychology, frameworks, and systems that turn your product into a business, without becoming "that salesperson."

By Mike Sullivan · 15-chapter read + 6-chapter reference · ~92,000 words· Free to read online

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Customer acquisition moves fast. Tactics that worked six months ago are already outdated. Unlike a static print book, this online edition is updated quarterly with new frameworks, tools, and real-world case studies as trends emerge.

RAG search enabledUpdated as new trends emergeAudio version coming soon

~How to Use This Book ~The Solo Founder's Dilemma

Part 1: Psychology & Positioning

Most founders struggle with go-to-market not because they lack skills, but because they're fighting their own psychology. Part I gives you the mindset and positioning foundation everything else builds on.

01Why You Hate Selling (And Why That's Actually Good News)02Finding the Right People to Talk To 03Cutting Through the Noise

Part 2: Conversations & Conversion

Turn interest into revenue. From discovery calls to retention, learn the conversation frameworks that close deals without feeling pushy.

04The Discovery Call That Actually Works 05Presenting Your Solution (And Talking About Money)06After the Sale: Retention, Referrals, and Growing Revenue 07Using AI and Automation Without Losing the Human Touch

Part 3: Systems, Metrics & Playbooks

Systematize everything. Measure what matters, handle objections, and build playbooks that keep your go-to-market engine running on autopilot.

08Measuring What Matters: Metrics for Founders and Small Teams 09Handling Obstacles: Objections, Rejection, and the Psychology of Selling 10Playbooks for Different Starting Points AComplete Playbook Examples 11The Diagnosis Framework: When Your Acquisition System Breaks 12Maintaining Momentum: Building Sustainable Habits

Part 4: Your Playbook & The Future

Bring it all together. Build your personal go-to-market playbook, understand where customer acquisition is heading, and leverage community for growth.

13Your Personal Acquisition Playbook: Bringing It All Together 14The Future of Customer Acquisition: Getting Found When Search Changes Everything 15Community and Social Proof: Building Trust That Sells for You ~Your Next 30 Days

Expanded GTM Reference

You have finished the cover-to-cover read. The six chapters below are the expanded reference volume: a deeper look at GTM strategy and scaling. Read them when you need them, not necessarily in order.

Part 5: GTM Strategy

Zoom out from the deal to the system. Choose the motion that fits how your buyers actually buy, price and package for the value you create, and build a demand engine on the one or two channels that work. This is the strategic layer that decides whether the founder-led skills in Parts I to IV compound or stall.

16What Go-to-Market Really Is: Choosing Your Motion 17Pricing, Packaging, and Monetization 18Channel Strategy: Building Your Demand Engine

Part 6: Scaling the Machine

Turn a working motion into a repeatable business. Activate new customers in their first 90 days, run pipeline and forecasting with a tiny team, and make your first GTM hires without handing off a motion you have not yet proven.

19Onboarding and Activation: The First 90 Days 20GTM Operations and Forecasting: Running the Machine 21Building Your GTM Team: First Hires and the Founder Handoff

Appendices & Resources

AFramework Index AGlossary ASources & Citations

Ready to put this into practice?

The book gives you the frameworks. The OS gives you the reps: AI roleplay, artifact builders, and 21 interactive courses that turn knowledge into muscle memory.

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