The ICP map

Who this is for.

Stage and problem matter more than headcount. Five tiers across the venture-stage spectrum — with the two axes that actually decide whether operator-led advisory compounds (employees and ARR) plus where each tier is and what the work tends to look like inside it.

Primary fit: Series B Scaleup companies (75–200 employees · $10–30M ARR). Secondary fit: Series A PMF companies (25–75 employees · $2–10M ARR). Selective surge: Series C Growth · Enterprise companies (200–500 employees · $30–75M ARR).

Take the scorecard → See the engagements →
THE ICP MAP Employees ARR → Secondary fit — adjacent stages (Growth); selective engagements where one problem is acute. SECONDARY Primary fit — Series A–B scaleups; the operating model is forming and operator-led advisory compounds fastest. PRIMARY FIT Pre-Series A — too early; the operating model isn’t formed yet. Pre-A Series A — first real scaling pressure; this is where operator-led advisory starts to compound. Series A Series B — the sweet spot; problems are concrete and the team can act on them. Series B Growth — adjacent fit; selective engagements where a specific problem is acute. Growth Late / Pre-IPO — selective surge work, not the core fit. Pre-IPO Surge — selective late-stage / Pre-IPO work; high-leverage, not the core fit. SURGE Stage and problem, not headcount.
  1. 01Not core
    Pre-Series A<25 employees · <$2M ARR · Pre-PMF / founder

    Pre-Series A

    <25 employees<$2M ARRPre-PMF / founder
    Where they are

    Founder still selling. Product-market fit not yet proven. Operating system is the founder.

    What advisory looks like

    Usually too early for senior advisory leverage. Exception: real revenue + enterprise buyer problem + budget to act on a specific scoped mandate.

    What usually matters
    • Product-market fit
    • First 10–30 customers
    • Founder selling
    Exceptions — book a fit call →
  2. 02Secondary fit

    Series A

    25–75 employees$2–10M ARRPMF
    Where they are

    PMF proven. Founder-led GTM still working but starting to strain. First commercial hires landing.

    What advisory looks like

    Fit when there is a specific scoped problem — US market entry, first US hire mandate, partner sequencing, data-product packaging, or a focused GTM sprint. Audit-first is usually the right entry; Sprint follows when execution is the gap.

    What usually matters
    • GTM repeatability
    • ICP clarity
    • First commercial hires
    • Sales efficiency
    Start with the Market Entry Audit →
  3. 03Primary fit

    Series B

    75–200 employees$10–30M ARRScaleup
    Where they are

    Strong PMF. Founder-led GTM is starting to break. Board wants commercial outcomes, not roadmap optimism. No fractional CMO/CRO in seat yet.

    What advisory looks like

    Strongest fit for the full engagement triangle (Audit → Sprint → Retainer) and all seven operating playbooks (Growth Operating System, Org Design, Enterprise Data Collaboration, Retention & Expansion, Agentic Transformation, Commercial Productization, Commercial Architecture). Where operator-led advisory compounds the fastest.

    What usually matters
    • Operating system behind growth
    • Capacity-to-revenue
    • RACI · decision rights
    • Partner motion sequencing
    • NDR + post-sale design
    See the engagement triangle →
  4. 04Selective surge

    Series C

    200–500 employees$30–75M ARRGrowth · Enterprise
    Where they are

    Multiple regions, multiple motions. CRO / CMO / Head of Data in seat. Board narrative is board-grade. Specific high-stakes decisions in flight.

    What advisory looks like

    Selective surge / specialist engagements only — board-deck pressure-testing, regional GM model, M&A or partnership pressure-testing, pricing reset, enterprise data-collaboration strategy, agentic-advertising standards work. Not a full operating-system rebuild.

    What usually matters
    • Board narrative
    • Regional operating model
    • M&A + partnership readiness
    • Enterprise credibility
    • Category positioning
    Talk about a specific decision →
  5. 05Not core
    Late-stage / Pre-IPO500–2,000 employees · $75–250M+ ARR · IPO candidate

    Late-stage / Pre-IPO

    500–2,000 employees$75–250M+ ARRIPO candidate
    Where they are

    Multi-product suite. Global scale. Internal advisory bench. Strong CRO / CFO / Head of Strategy already in seat.

    What advisory looks like

    Usually has the people in-house. Selective fit only — agentic-advertising standards (AdCP / UCP) work, specific category-positioning bets, or board-grade industry / regulatory narrative.

    What usually matters
    • Rule of 40
    • NRR
    • Margin profile
    • Durable moat
    Standards / board-grade work — book a fit call →
Why these zones

The thesis behind the map.

Why Series B is primary

Strongest PMF, founder-led GTM hitting its operating ceiling, board wants commercial outcomes (not roadmap optimism), no fractional CMO/CRO in seat yet. Operator-led advisory has the most leverage here because the company has the traction to change anything and the operating system to change everything.

Why Series A is secondary

PMF is real but the commercial system is still founder-shaped. A full operating-system rebuild is premature; a scoped problem (US market entry, first commercial hire, partner sequencing, data-product packaging) is the right shape. Audit-first is usually the right entry, with optional Sprint on the execution side.

Why Series C is selective

Multiple regions, multiple motions, CRO/CMO/Head of Data already in seat. The work shape changes — not "build the operating system" but "pressure-test specific bets": board-deck narrative, regional GM model, M&A or partnership pressure-testing, pricing reset, category positioning, agentic-advertising standards. Usually shaped as Advisory Retainer surge capacity, not a full mandate.

Why Pre-A and Late-stage are not core

Pre-A is usually too early for senior advisory leverage — founder still selling, PMF unproven, capital is the constraint. Late-stage / Pre-IPO usually has the people in-house — strong CRO, CFO, Head of Strategy, internal advisory bench. Selective fit only on agentic-advertising standards (AdCP / UCP) work or board-grade industry/regulatory narrative.

Sit in the primary or secondary zone?

Start with the readiness scorecard — six paths, ~6–8 minutes, no email, browser-stored. Or scope a Market Entry Audit directly if you already know which conversation you're trying to have.

Take the scorecard → Book a fit call →