Formerly SpinOut Advisory
Keeping the whole venture in view
Early-stage companies can become consumed by the immediate challenge — product development, customers, funding or operations — while other critical areas receive too little attention.
I provide an experienced, independent second pair of eyes across the venture, helping ensure that decisions, responsibilities, cash, market progress, risks and funding priorities remain visible and actively managed.
The Seven Touchstones provide the framework for identifying what is working, what is drifting and where attention is needed.
Seven Venture Touchstones
A practical framework for keeping the critical areas of an early-stage venture visible, actively managed and moving forward.
Touchstone 1:
Leadership and Decision-Making
What we keep sight of
How effectively important decisions are being made, communicated and followed through, and whether the founder has the structures needed to lead with clarity.
Why it matters
Clear decisions and consistent follow-through keep the venture moving and prevent avoidable confusion.
Touchstone 2:
Roles & Responsibilities
What we keep sight of
Are the roles of the founder, executive team, board and shareholders clear, and are agreed priorities owned, tracked and completed?
Why it matters
Clear ownership reduces founder overload and makes sure important work does not fall between the cracks.
Touchstone 3: Market Demand
What we keep sight of
Is the venture converting its technology, product or business concept into credible evidence of market demand and is competitive activity and market dynamics being interrogated?
Why it matters
Evidence of real customer demand helps distinguish a promising idea from a sustainable business opportunity.
Touchstone 4: Cash & Financial Visibility
What we keep sight of
Does the founder have a clear enough view of cash, runway and upcoming funding needs to make decisions early rather than react when options have narrowed?
Why it matters
Knowing the cash position and runway early gives founders more options and fewer unpleasant surprises.
Touchstone 5: Funding and Investor Readiness
What we keep sight of
Has the venture built a comprehensive data bank and can it withstand investor scrutiny and support a credible funding process?
Why it matters
Being prepared before funding is needed makes investor discussions more credible and reduces avoidable delays.
Touchstone 6: Risks & Emerging Issues
What we keep sight of
Have material risks been identified early, assigned to responsible owners and actively managed?
Why it matters
Identifying problems early creates time to respond before they become more difficult or expensive to solve.
Scope note: This service supports oversight and coordination. It does not replace patent, legal or technology-transfer advice.
Touchstone 7: Funding Raise & Capital Support
Funding strategy → investment case → investor materials → pitch preparation → funding process support
A clear investment case helps founders communicate why the venture is worth backing and what the capital will achieve.
Support can include funding strategy, investment case development, pitch decks, financial and milestone narratives, presentation preparation and assistance through the funding process.
TouchstoneFlow™
TouchstoneFlow™ brings the Seven Touchstones together into a single, consolidated view of the venture.
It captures priorities, decisions, risks, milestones, actions and progress across the key areas of the business, giving all stakeholders a clearer understanding of where the venture stands. It creates continuity across the business and makes emerging issues easier to identify and address early.