02.1
Startups and early-stage companies
You need first customers, market validation, and a path from prototype to revenue, without burning all of the founder's time.
Delivering the
Signal in a
World of Noise.
Strategic commercial leadership and hands-on business development for technical B2B companies.
01Differentiators
We are simply cooler, more in tune, and more empathetic to the buyer than anybody else.
We are in the top 1% of people skills, meaning we can connect with anybody, whether they're a CEO, a degenerate drug addict, a teacher, an engineer, or a dishwasher. We can connect with anybody's background instantly.
We build trust through subtle nonverbal communication. And this is just who we are. We are not faking it.
It cannot be taught. It cannot be faked. It cannot be learned. You either have it or you do not. And we have it.
This has translated into success in creating new relationships, maintaining long-term relationships, and delivering on our promises.
We do this in the following ways:
- 01
Underpromise and over deliver.
- 02
Keep our commitments. We follow through.
- 03
Be very reasonable and look at things from the other person's point of view first. We seek to understand first before suggesting a course of action.
- 04
Use technology smartly. Only if it saves time and money will we use it. Otherwise, we stick to old-school tactics.
- 05
Know when to adapt. Be chill — when it's appropriate. Be aggressive — when it's appropriate. Be soft — when it's appropriate. Be rigid — when it's appropriate. The key is knowing when to do these things and when not. And we are experts at this, having spent over 25 years coaching, building relationships, teams, and businesses.
02Who We Help
For CEOs, founders, and owners with a real product and an execution gap.
You have something credible to sell and the ambition to grow. What's missing is senior commercial capacity, a clear plan, or the hands to carry it out. That's where we come in.
02.2
Growing small businesses
You need steady pipeline, consistent marketing, new partnerships, and commercial leadership, without hiring a full-time executive yet.
02.3
Established small and mid-sized companies
You need executive capacity to enter new markets, modernize how you sell, and take on new technology initiatives with discipline.
Where we lead: science, technology, and specialized B2B.
- 01Medical devices
- 02Healthcare technology
- 03Scientific and laboratory solutions
- 04Biotechnology and life sciences
- 05Production, manufacturing, engineering, and industrial technology
- 06Specialized technical services and software
03What We Do
From Strategy to Customers.
Workhorse provides the commercial direction and hands-on execution needed to turn technical expertise into business opportunities.
Pre-Product-Market Fit
Find the Signal
Identify promising markets, segments, and buyer problems. Test ideal customer profiles, value propositions, and positioning through real conversations. Explore pricing, buying triggers, and willingness to pay. Design and pursue pilots or early commercial engagements. Translate market feedback into product and go-to-market decisions.
Post-Product-Market Fit
Preferred
Exploit the Signal
Prioritize qualified accounts, decision-makers, and buying signals. Lead targeted outreach, introductions, demos, and strategic relationships. Build pipeline discipline, sales processes, and channel partnerships. Support negotiation, opportunity progression, and expansion. Develop internal commercial capabilities alongside the client team.
Core Services
Workhorse provides fractional commercial leadership and hands-on business development—from identifying the right opportunities to executing strategic outreach and building meaningful relationships.
01
Fractional Commercial Leadership
- Business development strategy
- Market and opportunity identification
- Ideal customer profile development
- Go-to-market planning
- Commercial positioning and sales processes
02
Strategic Business Development
- Targeted prospect research
- Strategic cold calling and email outreach
- Prospect qualification
- Relationship and partnership development
- Pipeline and opportunity development
- Market expansion initiatives
Supporting Capabilities
Marketing & Commercial Enablement
- Brand positioning and messaging
- Sales collateral and content development
- Digital presence and website support
- CRM and workflow optimization
- Marketing initiatives aligned with sales objectives
Commercial Intelligence & Selective Technology
- Research market shifts and emerging buying signals, including second- and third-order opportunities
- Use AI, automation, and custom tools selectively when they save time or money or improve decision quality
- Keep human judgment, originality, and relationships at the center of commercial execution
04Case Studies
The kind of problems we solve.
01
W. L. Gore & Associates
Product Market Fit & Product Management
- Situation
- Gore developed a breakthrough submicron nanofiltration membrane with exceptional filtration performance and low pressure drop and decided to forward integrate and manufacture cartridge filters, not just membranes. They also would now compete with their customers.
- Commitment
- Led application engineering commercialization efforts, supported launch of new production line and clean room. Established new relationships and provided technical proposals to chemical engineers. Coordinated cross-functional teams across engineering, manufacturing, sales, and product development.
- Result
- Helped launch a new nanofiltration business generating over $4 million in revenue within two years on approximately $1 million in capital investment. Secured business with major technology companies, including Intel and Freescale, at unit price of 82% greater than competition.
- Impact
- Secured initial customers (0 to 1) for new business unit at Gore. Validated market demand for new technology and reduced risk for future investment in submicron filtration market.
02
Vault 44.01 / Carbon Capture Solutions
BD, Brand Building & Market Strategy
- Situation
- Tied to the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018, Federal changes to 45Q carbon tax credits enabled carbon capture and storage to become an economically viable business opportunity. Vault 44.01 had the technical team, but no BD channels in Midwest.
- Commitment
- Identified attractive market prospects, established relationships with major industrial companies, and developed commercial partnerships.
- Result
- Secured relationships with major industrial organizations, including POET and Mosaic. Grew sales funnel to secure first customers (0 to 1).
- Impact
- BD activities, market intelligence and strategic direction helped Vault raise $150M in private equity investment within 24 months of partnering.
04
iConnect
Founder-Led Sales Transition & Pipeline Growth
- Situation
- iConnect had an established public health laboratory technology platform and strong existing customer relationships, but little growth. The firm need to grow new business in a scalable and repeatable fashion.
- Commitment
- Established sales processes, implemented CRM and pipeline management, and developed targeted outreach strategies for public health laboratories. Directly engaged laboratory prospects through cold outreach. Provided strategic marketing guidance.
- Result
- Developed an approximately $8.5 million new-business pipeline, representing 200% growth potential. Established sales infrastructure and greater visibility into prospective business.
- Impact
- Created a measurable commercial growth engine where no formal new-business pipeline previously existed. Provided leadership with improved forecasting, opportunity prioritization, and a foundation for sustained business development.
More results
03
SynapticSci
BD & Brand Building
05
EPIC / NanoVision
Product-Market Fit & Product Management
06
Townhall.pro
Market Strategy, Patent & Brand Development
07
New Generation Properties
Market Strategy & Capital Deployment
See all results Show fewer results
03
SynapticSci
BD & Brand Building
- Situation
- SynapticSci possessed best in-class lab information management software (LIMS), but was a start-up and did not have an established brand. The firm targeted veterinary diagnostics labs (VDLs) and materials testing markets that are very niche and technically challenging. One (1) prior sales resources failed to deliver.
- Commitment
- Refined target customer profiles, evaluated market opportunities, and established relationships with laboratory executives and technical decision-makers. Provided commercial leadership, performed cold outreach and built reputation in markets mentioned.
- Result
- Identified more than $30 million in potential LIMS opportunities in under 18 months. Established an enterprise pipeline and developed relationships with prospective customers across veterinary diagnostics and other laboratory markets.
- Impact
- Created greater visibility into market demand and the company’s commercial potential. Established a foundation for more focused sales execution, product positioning, and future growth.
05
EPIC / NanoVision
Product-Market Fit & Product Management
- Situation
- NanoVision developed advanced AI-powered image analysis software but struggled to convert technical capabilities into meaningful commercial engagement. Two (2) prior sales resources failed to deliver.
- Commitment
- Repositioned the business around specific customer applications, and unmet needs, while identifying critical buying criteria. Developed pilot structures, proof-of-concept pricing, and commercial strategies to evaluate demand.
- Result
- Established active pilots with clients in pharma, nanomaterials, semiconductor and battery markets and secured first client (0 to 1) within 12 months. Created a scalable, structured approach to customer acquisition.
- Impact
- Validated business concept through new client acquisition. This confirmed platform demand, and led to an additional $4M invested in NanoVision.
06
Townhall.pro
Market Strategy, Patent & Brand Development
- Situation
- COVID hit and traditional virtual meetings suffered from Zoom fatigue and poor audience engagement, while existing tools only recorded verbal and audio signals. Thus, no value or feedback was generated while cameras were off.
- Commitment
- Co-founded Townhall.pro, assembled and managed an international development team, and directed product development, commercialization, and fundraising. Commercialized application on Zoom marketplace.
- Result
- Launched a commercial SaaS application, #2 on Zoom app marketplace under ‘Learning & Education’ category, generating ~500 organic new users per year, raised approximately $100,000 in early-stage capital, and secured U.S. Patent 12,602,704 B2.
- Impact
- The business has not yet achieved product market fit. However, this business reinforced some critical lessons – do NOT trust market research or customer feedback. Only trust market pull, and customer commitment through payment. The patent validated the technical gap in society, but lack of paying customers proved that technical merit does not relate to economic viability.
07
New Generation Properties
Market Strategy & Capital Deployment
- Situation
- The real estate market in Ames, Iowa was saturated with apartments or outdated housing several miles away from campus. Thus, working professionals relocating from more progressive areas (NY, CA, TX, etc.) did not have housing options to meet their demand. This business was launched without prior direct experience in the industry.
- Commitment
- Co-founded New Generation Properties after researching market opportunities, capital strategies and RE management best practices having never worked in this industry. Financed, upgraded, managed, and eventually exited the business with significant returns.
- Result
- Scaled business to four properties across multiple states over approximately nine years. Successfully exited the investment portfolio, achieving a 22% internal rate of return.
- Impact
- Demonstrated the ability to enter an unfamiliar market, evaluate opportunities, deploy capital, and execute a profitable long-term strategy. Established a track record of entrepreneurial leadership and disciplined investment decision-making while maximizing ROI.
05How We Work
Strategic Thinking. Practical Execution.
We help technical B2B companies identify the right opportunities and turn them into customers.
Workhorse combines experienced commercial leadership and hands-on business development through a Player / Coach model: we set commercial direction, engage buyers ourselves, and work alongside client teams to turn opportunities into customers.
01
Set commercial direction
02
Engage buyers ourselves
03
Work alongside client teams
Slop, noise, and garbage outreach are everywhere. And AI is making the problem worse.
At Workhorse, we cut through the noise by thinking independently and connecting with people, not blasting them with recycled messages. We help emerging companies find product-market fit and established technical businesses turn proven offerings into more customers.
Through our Player / Coach model, we bring strategic direction, execute alongside your team, and build the commercial capabilities to drive meaningful growth.
Our Belief About AI and Originality
AI can quickly reproduce what is already common. But genuinely great sales and marketing require original ideas, sound instincts, and an understanding of people that does not come from a prompt. We use tools when they help, but we do not outsource judgment, empathy, or creativity.
The human side of selling cannot be automated away. We rely on empathy, instinct, reading the room, subtle nonverbal communication, and the ability to build genuine trust. We would rather make the right personal connection than automate a thousand forgettable touches.
We turn business potential into real customer opportunities.
06About
Again, we focus on the signal-to-noise. So if you don't have a signal, we help you find it. If you do have a signal, we help you exploit it. And we do it in a way that's savvy and smooth. We just like talking to people and helping out. If we see a signal, we help them with it. If not, we don't waste their time.
Led by an operator, not an observer.
- 1.Underpromise and over deliver.
- 2.Keep our commitments.
- 3.Be very reasonable and look at things from the other person's point of view first.
- 4.Use technology smartly.
- 5.Know when to adapt.
07Contact
Tell us what you're working on.
Have a problem worth solving? Let's talk.