Venture capital
Make the runway count.
The next milestone: repeatable sales, less dependence on the founder, or customers in a new market. I help test those assumptions and build the sales process.
Can the next hire repeat what's working?
You've seen this before
The plan made sense.
Then the same deals slipped. Again.
A strong demo. A busy team. Another quarter below plan. The founder is back in every deal. The sales leader wants more people.
Before spending more, find out what needs to change. I look at the customers, offer and deals, then help the team fix what's holding growth back.
A good product still needs a business
The product can work.
The economics might not.
Buyers, pricing and retention matter alongside the product.
43%Poor product market fit.
19%Unsustainable unit economics.
70%Ran out of capital.
Reported reasons among failed companies. CB Insights, March 2026: 385 failed companies backed by venture capital, with identified causes, from 431 that closed since 2023. Causes overlap. These shares describe this sample, not startup or PE portfolio failure rates. Product market fit includes product and commercial choices. Read the research ↗
The investment
Make the next decision a better one.
Private equity
Get the revenue plan back on track.
The plan depends on bigger accounts, new markets or a stronger sales team. I help management find what's stuck and put the changes into practice.
Why is the current plan falling short?
The GTM OS “five valleys of death”
Where good businesses lose their way.
From first interest to renewal, each step can stop growth.
GTM Partners' framework; questions and work adapted by Bernardo. These are places to investigate, not funding stages or failure probabilities. More than one can apply. The official framework ↗
Create → Market → Sell → Deliver → Renew → Expand
01 · Create → MarketA product buyers don't understand.
Buyers don't see why they need it or why now.
What I look at: the buyer, the problem, the offer and the message.
Why would the right customer buy?
02 · Market → SellInterest that never becomes revenue.
Meetings happen. Deals keep slipping.
What I look at: buyer readiness, sales conversations, pricing and follow up.
Why aren't buyers saying yes?
03 · Sell → DeliverThe sale promises more than the team delivers.
What customers get differs from what they bought.
What I look at: sales promises, handoff, onboarding and the first customer result.
Does the customer get what they bought?
04 · Deliver → RenewCustomers use it. Then they leave.
Customers use the product but can't justify renewing.
What I look at: expected results, actual results and why accounts leave.
Can customers see enough value to stay?
05 · Renew → ExpandCustomers stay. The accounts don't grow.
Every dollar of growth needs a new customer.
What I look at: other needs, new users and reasons to buy more.
Is there a good reason to buy more?
When to introduce us
Think of the company you're worried about.
The founder is still closing everything.
The sales team still needs the founder on every call.
The forecast keeps moving to next quarter.
More meetings. Too few signed customers.
The expansion plan hasn't found its buyers.
The offer, pricing or sales approach needs to change.
New sales keep replacing lost customers.
Find the gap between expectations and results.
I work with the founder and the team.
I've built teams and sold across the U.S. and Latin America, including five years at Salesforce selling AI and technology to U.S. enterprises.
See the work I've done →What happens after the introduction
Start with one company.
And the problem in front of it.
01The diagnosis is free
Make the introduction.
Email me with the founder or CEO copied in. Tell me what's worrying you.
I prepare a preliminary market report, then speak with the team.
02Fixed fee and scope
Agree on what needs doing.
We decide what needs attention and where I can help.
If there's a fit, we agree on the scope and fixed fee before paid work begins.
03With the team
Work through it with the team.
I build and run the agreed plan with the team. They keep the process, playbook and assets.
We can also agree on ongoing leadership, part time.
Let's talk about that company
One introduction.
Let's find out what needs fixing.
Tell me what you're seeing. You don't need the diagnosis before the introduction.
Or write to bernardo@galapago.io