Workshop Recording

Join Labs* Product-Market Fit for Pre-seed Startups

Make Your Startup Idea a Reality

With me, Lindsay T., Lady Engineer®, you’ll hone in on the problem, the customers that want your solution, and focus on the core product you must deliver.

We start June 1st. Doors close May 31st.

Do you want to...

  • Confidently navigate the startup landscape?
  • Execute user interviews & well-constructed surveys?
  • Improve an existing prototype or create a new one?
  • Develop a product roadmap?
  • Move out of analysis paralysis and make your app idea a startup reality?

Maybe you don’t know where to start, or you’re feeling overwhelmed. You know you have a great idea, but you’re feeling stuck.

Now is your time.

“Labs* is a great way for startup founders to learn the ropes on how to truly do market research to validate that the idea they have is the one their target customers want solved and are willing to pay for. It really opened my eyes to how much one can get clouded by the excitement of their own idea and lose track of the customer’s pain points that need to be addressed. 

– Regina Jaslow, Founder, GriffinHub.com

Rose kept moving even when her developer stopped responding

Jess has 65 people to pilot her dating app

Lisa confidently launched a suite of tools to help contemporary art buyers

Dan Jacob looks off to the right

“By honing in on our core offering (photography services) we were able to land a new customer that gave a much-needed testimonial that we’ll now proudly display on our pitch decks & website. The vote of confidence from the customer-validated our concept & did wonders for me as a founder since COVID had derailed much of our momentum; it was great to get back on the right path, this time with more focus thanks to Lindsay & Labs!

– Dan Jacob, CEO & Founder, Versa 

Meet Labs*: Product-Market Fit for Pre-Seed Startups

 

It’s a 12-week guided upskilling and training program designed to teach you the skills to move confidently from idea-to-traction. I’ve taken 6 years of technology and engineering education from the US’s top public universities combined with a 15-year career to simplify complex know-how in an easy to understand way.

Labs* is the startup program where you’ll actually learn how to target your early adopters, matching the customer base to the right messaging and the best solutions that resonate.

Self-Paced Modules

Micro learning video lessons include everything you need to know to move your company forward as a lean, customer-centric startup. Modules are delivered across 12 weeks, you retain access for the life of the program and go at your own pace.

Individual Assessment

An upfront Individual Assessment helps you understand how to adapt the product-market fit framework to your specific needs. Add on a private call to review your assessment and identify specific, personal adjustments.

Tools, Guides, Templates & Resources

When you invest in Labs*, you have access to tools like research scripts, strategy templates, and marketing guides. Get the exact, explicit steps to execute product management and marketing for a startup at your stage.

Community

Labs* members get exclusive access to a private Facebook group for real-time support.

Labs* Q&A Calls

Ask me anything in our weekly calls! I’m here to support you as you move through the program, helping remove any challenges or roadblocks along the way.

1-on-1 Support

Add on private consulting and strategy sessions with me to tailor your work towards Product-Market Fit for your unique goals. We’ll meet for 1 hour per month for 3 months.

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Starting June 2021, join this unique 12-week lab to establish a strong product-market fit baseline from early customer research, led by me, Lindsay T., Lady Engineer®. I’m a Product-Market Fit Expert & Startup Tech Advisor. 

Join Labs* Now!

Labs logo is a beaker drawn with red liquid inside

Here's what happens when you are part of Labs*: Product-Market Fit for Pre-Seed Startups

Erin Chen and Marzia Mura collected 240+ survey responses, captured 100+ emails, held over 60 phone calls, and reached more husbands than they were ever able to do before!

“Labs was amazing to dig deeper into validating the pain points, identify early evangelists, getting into the beginnings of a product (i.e., filling in the details between all the concept / theory that we just blindly execute on and hope for the best)... BEFORE sinking a bunch of $ or giving away equity to end up not truly creating something that the market wants.”

Erin ChenFounder, GetGilly.com

Rose Herr collected 300+ responses to her customer research survey, validating new features, and picking up 246 email addresses to add to her launch list. She said:

“I had an idea I'm passionate about but didn't know how to move things forward. The course helped me focus, and provided me with clear steps. Being able to say that I was taking concrete steps to work on my idea gave me more confidence in telling people about it.”

Rose HerrFounder of NailedIt

Santha Gokul signed a new customer after only 2 weeks in Labs*.

“For 3 years, I did several accelerator programs where there were only stories and I struggled to transition the learning into my startup. When I took Labs*, I quickly realized Labs* is not just about stories but taking founders on the journey of making it work for their startups. Being in Labs* is by far the most valuable journey for my startup and our team.”

Santha GokulFounder, Be@FourFront
Join Labs* Now
Labs* begins June 1st. Doors close May 31st. Joining is easy. The world can’t wait for your innovations. Let’s get going!

Your expert guide…Lindsay T, Lady Engineer®

Hi, there! I help founders design & sell the right product before spending too much (more!) time and money building the wrong one.

I started designing and developing software in 2002 while studying engineering at the University of Virginia. Over 15 years, I’ve worked with over 100 startups & investors, as well as teams across Fortune 500 firms. My education is in human-computer interaction, my profession is digital product development, and my persistent passion will always be to design technology for people.

Recently, I’ve led workshops for Chloe Capital, Founder.University (twice!), EdTechWeek, HopperX, and Venture Cafe. I’ve also had my work featured in Forbes, 500Startups and Business Insider.

I created Labs*: Product-Market Fit for Pre-Seed Startups to help founders like you masterfully piece together the entire process – from research through building the product and starting your business – in a format that excites you with the structure you need.

Awesome brands I've worked with:

What You'll Learn

While you are in Labs*, you will master the skills needed to confidently (1) know which customers to talk to, (2) ask the right questions to get substantial feedback, and (3) analyze the findings to identify the insights that actually matter, right now.

Customer Base
You’ll learn how to identify the audiences that feel the most pain. These are the people willing and able to pay you time and money just at the idea that you could solve their problem. And, they’ll tell you they want your product when it launches

Right Messaging
You’ll learn how to consistently identify customers’ values, perceptions and pains in their own words. Then, you can use those insights to connect, build relationships, and, eventually, sell to them.

Best Solution
You’ll apply all of these learnings to develop the product vision for the next 12-18 months, the immediate first offer for you to launch, and the exact features for your minimal viable product.

Jessica SEepersad

“The way Lindsay explains things and her vision also really resonates with me. It’s an approach that I’m a lot more comfortable with than the “build it and they may come” or ” just pitch something/raise money” approach.”

– Jessica Seepersad, Founder, Klouf

Through Labs*, you will walk away with:

  • A reliable system for connecting with customers
  • Validated market & customer research
  • Multiple rounds of testing that prove fundamental hypotheses
  • Clear list of features that appeal to customers
  • Map of the revenue-generating features you still need to build
  • Customer-driven content to use in your marketing
  • Updated UX designs
  • Strong pre-seed fundraising deck & well-explained answers to accelerator application questions

…and you’ll have me as your dedicated guide, creative companion, and strategic thought partner.

I'm In!
Labs* begins June 1st. Doors close May 31st. Joining is easy. The world can’t wait for your innovations. Let’s get going!

Before Labs*, my elevator pitch and marketing sounded generic and canned. Through Lindsay's exercises and lessons, I found an authentic voice to describe my idea and app. Also, Labs* helped me hone in on the MVP rather than some ambiguous, unformed concept.

Lori M.Founder, ISeeBingo (EdTech)

How Labs* Works

Class Access

Our class is fully online. All lessons, resources, guides, and templates can be found in our private membership portal. Our live weekly Q&A calls happen on Zoom and the call recordings will be added to the portal. Our private discussion and support group is on Facebook. You have access to these materials for the life of the program, so you can return to the material anytime you need.

New Topics & Lessons Weekly

Your modules with video micro-learning lessons and many additional resources will be accessible in a private online membership portal. Starting June 1st, new course modules and topics will be released on a weekly basis for 12-weeks. However, you can go at your own pace and take the time you need (take as long as you need to move through!).

Live Q&A Sessions

From June 3rd to August 26th, we will meet live on Zoom once a week on Thursday at 11 a.m EST. Recordings will also be shared if you can’t join at that time (and you can submit your questions in advance for me to answer live). During these sessions, we’ll cover highlights from that week’s modules plus work through any challenges you are experiencing as you grow your startup. The insights you get from hearing other founders’ questions are invaluable.

See the full schedule here.

The Lady Engineer® Resource Library

Get tools, guides, templates & resources with clear steps laid out to streamline your work and focus you on tangible outcomes. These powerful companion guides offer you the concrete details you need to execute.

Sample resources include:

  • Customer Research Interview Scripts
  • Market Survey Templates
  • Framework for Product Iterations
  • Product Roadmap Primer
  • Chart of Your Early User Acquisition Strategy
  • Customer-driven Content Marketing

When you sit down each day to put in the work, you will not waste a second wondering what you should be doing and where you should focus.

The Inner Circle on Facebook

You’ll join an exclusive private Facebook group where you’ll be able to get support from current and past founders who have done Labs* or worked with me 1-on-1.  I’ll be able to answer your questions there (daily!) as you move through the program. Additionally, many of the micro-learning modules link to relevant discussions in the group so you can contribute and learn from past discussions.

I will also have a secondary means for Q&A on Google Groups for those of you who prefer that.

Carmela Abraham Looks straightahead

“The classes are engaging and the homework has clear steps, templates, processes, and feedback specific to my startup. Lindsay has amazing insight into simplification and organization.”

– Carmela Abraham, Founder of Xiggit (FinTech)

Deirdre Horan smiling for the camera

“The Labs* curriculum covers product-market fit and various other topics that ensure our products fulfill the needs and wants of the customer. We gathered that intel, then Lindsay gave us the tools to digest the findings in clear, concise, and actionable steps”

– Deirdre Horan, Founder of Dri (CPG)

Labs* at a Glance

Start Talking to Customers on Day One

In order to track towards product-market fit in the long-term, we have to get closer to our ideal customer. You will start customer research activities right out of the gate.

In the beginning of Labs* we will cover:

  • Product-Management Concepts for Early-Stage Startups
  • Customer Segmentation Including Personas & the Early-vangelist
  • Customer Research & Discovery Tools
  • Customer Interviews & Asking the Right Questions
  • Connecting with Customers
  • Research Analysis & Tracking Insights

Guides

  • Big Book of Interview Questions
  • How Startup Innovation Works
  • Observing: Facebook Groups, Reddit, and Other Forums

Templates

  • Defining Your Early-Vangelist
  • Industry & Customer Research Tracking Spreadsheet

Resources

  • Facebook Groups to Share Surveys & Request Feedback

Unpacking What the Customer Says

Getting a lot of feedback from a variety of people can be overwhelming. With Labs* you get the frameworks and templates to qualify everything you hear people say in your interviews and online. As you rapidly collect new insights and analyze your findings,  you will refine your observation and interviewing strategy and start consolidating your insights into actionable next steps.

Some of the activities we will do:

  • Harness Facebook Audience Insights for Market Sizing
  • Identify Your Customer’s “Why”
  • Use the “Why” to Drive Early Marketing & Product
  • Leverage Competitive Website Analytics for Your Marketing Strategy
  • Update and Integrate Competitive Research into the Process

Guides

  • Market Sizing & Facebook Audience Insights
  • Customer Goals, Needs, and Profiles
  • Competitors’ Channels & Similar Web
  • Branding

Templates

  • Environmental Scan (Competition + Partners)
  • Voice of the Customer

Resources

  • Landing Page Template

Pin Down the Problem to Nail the Solution

After expanding and gathering more information and insights from customers than you ever imagined, we will consolidate and validate all that you found. In this phase of Labs* we will start rapidly iterating on ideas, features & solutions that you can offer your budding audience.

Together, we will:

  • Identify the Most Valuable Problem (the one that makes everyone nod their head)
  • Map Out the Existing & Ideal Customer Journeys
  • Align Your Company’s Personality (a.k.a. Your Brand) with Your Customer Profile
  • Brainstorm BIG and small Products & Features
  • Establish Initial Value Propositions & Differentiators

Guides

  • Mapping Customer Journeys
  • Nailing the Most Valuable Problem
  • Survey Development Guide

Templates

  • Survey Planning Workbook

Resources

  • Brand Archetype Pinterest Boards
  • Introductions/Pitch Mad Libs
  • Sample Visual and Content Inspiration Boards

Co-Design with Your Customers

To continue partnering with ideal customers as you update an existing solution or create a new one, we will take everything you’ve uncovered and package it into a well-constructed survey. Launching a survey and collecting responses is exactly like executing a marketing campaign, so we’ll double-dip on learnings and outcomes.

Some other topics we’ll cover:

  • User Testing
  • Marketing Funnel Stages
  • Design Basics
  • Landing Page Templates
  • Immediate Offer
  • Content Strategy

Guides

  • Design Layout Basics
  • Creating a Customer Advisory Board
  • Intro to Product Management
  • Building Marketing Awareness

Templates

  • Creative Brief: Brand Positioning & Marketing Inputs
  • Business Information: Executive Summary & Pitch Deck Inputs

Jump the Code-Speak Chasm to Prototype

You started Labs* with an idea or existing product. That was your first creation, your starting point. Your second creation is to craft something new into reality. You have gotten a lot of insights into the big product vision, and now we will move forward with the next iteration of your solution and offer it to your audience.

In this stage of Labs*, you will:

  • Determine the Best Marketing Tactics for YOU
  • Select the (right!) Social Media Platform(s)
  • Begin Analysis of Survey Findings
  • Perform a Needs & Task Analysis as Part of Product Development
  • Learn Sprint Planning Basics
  • Cover Fundamental Business Planning, Including Revenue Streams & Pricing

Guides

  • Product Management: Sprint Planning & Backlog Grooming

Templates

  • Design Your Solution
  • Monthly Marketing Tracking Report

Resources

  • Collection of Free Opt-Ins (for inspiration)

Put You and Your Solution Out There

You’ve been iterating and refining your process to solve a problem customers will pay you to solve for them. The truth is, optimization never ends. In the final weeks of Labs*, you will gain the tools to continually iterate on customer insights and product development.

We will:

  • Map Survey Findings to Both Content (Marketing) and Product
  • Develop a Product Vision
  • Create a Product Roadmap with Milestones
  • Gain a List of Product Iterations from a Simple Opt-in to a Product
  • Learn to Paper Prototype, Sketch, and Wireframe

Guides

  • Initial Prototyping
  • Tasks & User Flows
  • Quick & Dirty User Testing
  • Leveraging Customer Quotes for Marketing

Templates

  • Product Canvas
  • Survey Results Reporting

Resources

  • Library of No Code Tools
  • Library of Product Management Templates

Past Labs* Startups Include

The Investment

12 Weeks to Never Asking Whether the Product Aligns With What End Users Want and Expect

How much is it worth? Past Labs* participants have:

  • Acquired 200+ paying subscribers organically in the first 3 months after launch from following my product-market fit framework
  • Won $65K in non-equity funding from Uber x GirlBoss Pitch Competition after two pitch working sessions
  • Received $25K in funding from a local accelerator before having a product in the market
  • Accepted into top accelerators like ERA, LAUNCH’s Founder University, B2B Accelerator Accelprise.vc, Nasdaq Milestone Makers, Leap Ventures Startup Bootcamp, Ready Set Raise, and more
  • Mentioned by large media outlets like the NYTimes, CB Insights, ABC/Good Morning America, to name a few
  • Got enough encouragement from me to stick out the hard pandemic then get acquired (with money to spare!) one year later
Total Value: $9,546
Your Price: $995
Or 3 Payments of $400
Choose Your Payment Option:

One Easy Payment (Save $205)

$ 995

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3 Monthly Payments

$ 400

per month
* Have cofounders? Please refer to the FAQ for more information.

Risk-Free Guarantee

If you make the decision to invest in yourself and your business via LABS, I promise that it will pay off now and for the long term. But, I want to make this a completely risk-free decision for you. If after 14 days you haven’t gotten any value from the program whatsoever, simply contact team@tabasconsulting.com with a link to your Industry & Customer Research Tracking worksheet and I’ll provide a full refund.

This is an investment well spent. With Labs*, you’ll be engaging real people and real potential customers in the first week. You’ll have a peer group to lean on for support or call on to bounce ideas off of. Plus, you’ll be in the Private Facebook Group for free for an additional 6 months after Labs*, reaping the benefits of my monthly and quarterly programming. I’ll be here to give you support as you grow your startup.

Add on a Personal Upfront Individual Assessment

Want me to weigh in on how you can effectively map the Labs* framework to your startup? Let’s partner together in the first month on your Individual Assessment.

At the onset of Labs*, every participant has access to two surveys and two scorecards that comprise a self-assessment.

With this add-on, I will analyze your answers, create a 2-3 page report, and share my analysis with you.

Then, we will meet one-on-one privately for 30 minutes to discuss what I shared and for you to ask questions.

In our private call,  we will collaborate on your strategy and step-by-step plan so you know exactly what to focus on to get the best outcomes.

For access to Labs* plus the Individual Assessment:

Add on Monthly 1-hour Private Working Sessions

With the addition of monthly private whiteboarding and working sessions, you’ll have me as your thought partner throughout Labs*, pushing you to expand your audience, identify revenue streams, and continue to grow.

With this add-on, we begin with the Personal Upfront Individual Assessment as described above and then meet each of the 3 months of Labs* for one hour.

In that hour, we’ll have whiteboards to collaborate, and you will walk away with a video recording to go back and review.

This is an invaluable opportunity to dig deeper with me and have me weigh in on other parts of your business or opportunities that arise outside of Labs* focus.

For Labs* plus the Individual Assessment and Monthly Private Working Sessions:

Labs logo is a beaker drawn with red liquid inside

How Labs* Helped Them...

“Labs* gave me extremely thorough tools to qualify and test my ideas. Before, I was uncertain about so many aspects of my new business. However, the unprecedented leve of concrete detail in Lindsay's program obliterated all uncertainty and revealed a clear path forward.”

Lisa CooleyFounder, Art Advisor & Founder of Oko (Modern Art Education)

“Labs was amazing to dig deeper into validating the pain points, identify early evangelists, getting into the beginnings of a product (i.e., filling in the details between all the concept / theory that we just blindly execute on and hope for the best)... BEFORE sinking a bunch of $ or giving away equity to end up not truly creating something that the market wants.”

Erin ChenCo-Founder of Gilly (Relationship Tech)
I'm In!
Labs* begins June 1st. Doors close May 31st. Joining is easy. The world can’t wait for your innovations. Let’s get going!

Frequently Asked Questions

How is Labs* different from other accelerators?

In most startup accelerators and new business programs, you’ll learn the fundamentals of being a business owner like a business plan, financials, and legal framework. Those are all defensive tactics when you’re starting out.

Playing offense means putting yourself out there, talking to real customers, and experimenting with products and offers that will actually make your audience open their wallets.

Unlike other programs out there, by the end of Labs*, you’ll have a real framework for handling future product concerns, and the tools to continually quantify and test your ideas with actual people. These are the skills you need to scale for the long-term.

What are the signs that Labs* is right for me?

Labs* is for you if:

  • You are a non-technical founder blocked in building the product because you are struggling to find a co-founder or CTO to bring the product to life
  • You are either non-technical or technical and have a product or prototype, but do not know how to find and test your potential early-adopter segments
  • You’re an aspiring founder looking for concrete steps on what to do next with your app or product idea
  • You are a CPG founder looking to develop your website and build an audience to, possibly, leverage for crowdfunding production in the future.

How will I get the type of customer information I need to discover my relevant marketing segments?

I love this question because this is where Labs* shines, and I know your family and friends are a bit exhausted from all of your inquiries.

In the first 4 weeks, we aggressively go after customer insights and discovery. That includes recruiting for interviews, as well as leveraging different technology platforms and communities to gather more intel and recruit people we do not yet know.

One of the beauties of being in Labs* is that your cohort can make introductions, and you can also leverage the extended community in the Facebook group.

I got great tips about finding information about potential customers through unconventional channels, like asking questions in reddit, Facebook groups, etc. Doing this type of research was extremely valuable and helped me immerse myself in my customer's needs.

Lori M.Founder, ISeeBingo (EdTech)

Is Labs* all strategy or is there actually tangible, results-oriented work?

Labs* covers both strategy and tactics so that you are empowered to face product and marketing iterations long after the program ends. There are very specific, tangible outcomes that are detailed in the Labs* At a Glance section.

Here are some quick hits I’ve been asked before:

Does Labs* help with content creation? 

We go through the steps for you to build a content strategy that makes sense for YOU and your audience, and that includes putting together an inspiration board of the types of content you want to create and share based on your brand personality/archetype.
The Lady Engineer® Tools Library has additional resources I can share, upon request, when it comes to Instagram hashtags and quickly/efficiently making lots of social media images.
Would you assist with finding features/publicity opportunities?
PR is not a core offering of Labs*, but again, I have resources and intel t offer you. I’m also capable of pointing you in the right direction.
From time to time, I and other members will share features & publicity opportunities in the private Facebook group.
Does Labs* help with a launch plan?
Your launch plan is fundamentally built into what we are doing. Throughout Labs*, we are identifying the right marketing tactics, the right distribution channels, and the right messaging and content for you to find and connect with your customers.
Throughout the program, if there is something you feel you are missing or need, use the private Facebook with questions and myself or other members will share what we know.

When does Labs* begin? What is the pace?

Labs* begins June 1st. Labs* Q&A is weekly on Thursday at 11 am EST from June 3rd – August 26th. In case you miss Q&A, the recordings will be available to you to watch on your own.

Additional Q&A time slots may be offered based on a survey of the cohort.

New lessons and resources are added weekly through August 16th.

Does my access to program materials expire?

Once you’re part of Labs*, you have access to all of the course content as long as the course and website live on. I want to see you succeed for the long term!

You will also remain a member of the private Facebook group for  6 months after the program.

What will my interaction with the other participants in the program be like?

Throughout the 12 weeks, in the private Facebook Group and weekly Q&A, we are building an innovation/creative brain trust. One of the things I enjoy doing is looking for synchronous and mutually beneficial opportunities amongst the cohort. You will 100% feel that you have a peer group to bounce ideas off of and lean on for support.

Additionally, I will be hosting 2-3 interactive events this summer to facilitate 1-on-1 connections with other startups in the program.

Is there any accountability?

Each weekly Labs* Q&A builds on the previous Q&As and that week’s content. You will want to keep pace. While I’m not personally reviewing all of your individual materials, (1) in the Facebook group, I will be checking in with the cohort on milestones, and (2) if I don’t hear from you, believe, you will hear from me!

Is this program just for women, or is it designed for men, too?

Labs* is open to all genders and is definitely not designed exclusively for women. I have had men go through Labs* and get a lot out of it!

“It's great to be around talented founders & I love the course material.”

Dan JacobFounder & CEO of Versa (Marketplace to Find Photographers)

Should I just do private coaching with you instead?

I take on a limited number of private, 1-on-1 coaching clients that start with a 3-month commitment. Schedule a call with me, and we’ll talk about whether (1) Labs* + a monthly 1-hour private session or (2) exclusively 1-on-1 is a better fit for you.

How can I add my co-founder?

Have cofounders? There is a 1-time fee of $300 for each additional founder who would like to attend Labs* Q&A and join the Facebook Group. Contact team@tabasconsulting.com after your purchase to let us know you would like to add on a founder.

We need technology that truly supports people.

Join me in designing ourselves into the future.

Join Labs* Now
Labs* begins June 1st. Doors close May 31st.  The world can’t wait for your innovations! You should join me.

“It was an amazing experience both with Lindsay but also with the other founders - especially at office hours. Listening to Lindsay answer their questions has really sparked great progress for me.”

Carmela A.Co-Founder, Xiggit & Former Sr. Director of Digital Solutions at Visa