Startups Are Leaving Money on the Table. The Company Advice is Here to Fix That.

Startups love to talk about disruption, but too many founders are blind to the fact that their biggest risk isn't competition- it's irrelevance.

According to Carta's State of Startups 2024, venture capital isn't drying up, but shifting: Al companies are swallowing funding rounds, and valuations outside of hot sectors are contracting.

Meanwhile, talent is consolidating in fewer markets, and exit strategies are murkier than ever.

Yet, despite these market shifts, most startups still treat marketing as an afterthought. They pour resources into product development, hoping "if we build it, they will come."

But in my experience, they won't-- they never do. (insert ominous music) 

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VC Funding Isn’t the Real Challenge. Standing Out Is.

According to Carta’s data, venture funding is still tough. But getting funding is only half the battle. The real challenge? Making sure your startup actually justifies its valuation through strong growth and market differentiation.

Founders obsess over equity splits and dilution, yet the bigger mistake is failing to establish a brand that attracts high-value customers early. The best way to defend against future down rounds is to nail your marketing and positioning so that when you do raise, it’s on your terms—not out of desperation.

At The Company Advice, we’ve built a marketing playbook that turns shaky early-stage traction into real, defensible growth. Founders come to us when they realize that great products alone don’t win markets: great execution does.

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Why Startups Can’t Afford to Wing it

Carta’s report makes one thing painfully clear: the early-stage startup game is won or lost in the first few years.

• Over 45,000 venture-backed companies use Carta, yet most will struggle to secure a follow-on round because they don’t have repeatable marketing and growth strategies in place.
• The “lead” founder often holds significantly more equity than their cofounders, meaning one person is taking on a disproportionate amount of risk. If that’s you, do you really want to gamble your future on marketing that’s an afterthought?

We see this all the time. Founders think they can hack their way to growth with a few PR hits, a nice-looking website, or a half-hearted attempt at running social media accounts. Meanwhile, competitors with strong brand positioning and clear messaging are eating their lunch. Nom 🍔.

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The Company Advice: Not Your Average Agency ✨

We’re not another marketing firm that churns out generic content or bloated branding exercises. We bridge the gap between technical founders and hte market, ensuring that great products don't die in obscurity.

Our approach is built on:
--> Positioning that actually resonates. (If your customers don’t understand why you exist, nothing else matters.)
--> A repeatable marketing playbook. (Don't get stuck reinventing the wheel every quarter.)
--> Tactical execution that drives results. (We don’t stop at high-level strategy, we build the systems that get you the foundation you need!)

In a nutshell 🥜: We're the strategic marketing + design partner that gives startups the tools to grow without wasting time or burning cash.

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Startups That Get It Are Already Winning 🏆

The best founders understand that marketing isn’t a cost—it’s an investment in survival. The ones who work with us aren’t just growing their companies; they’re increasing their valuations, attracting better investors, and setting themselves up for long-term success.

Carta’s data shows that most startups don’t make it.

Our question is this: will yours?

If you’re ready to stop guessing and start executing, let’s talk! 

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