Frequently Asked Questions

While accelerators like Y Combinator take 7% equity and AngelPad takes equity for $120K, StartupStage takes 0% equity. Instead of 3-month cohort programs with standardized advice, we provide systematic implementation tailored to your specific MRR stage—whether you're at $0, $10K, or $500K monthly revenue. You keep 100% ownership while getting expert guidance that other founders pay equity for.

Accelerators give you advice you could Google. We give you systematic implementation. Our clients say "I learned more in this 15-minute call than my entire year trying alone." Plus, the average founder spends 7 hours weekly in 6.5 free communities that cost them $1,200/week in lost focus vs our $200/month structured approach. We focus on execution, not education.

That equity compounds. YC's 7% becomes 15-20% dilution by Series B. On a $50M company, that's $7.5-10M in lost ownership. Our highest plan costs under $10K annually—a fraction of your equity value. You're not just giving up current equity; you're giving up future wealth.

Zero equity. Zero hidden fees. We charge transparent monthly fees starting at $200/month. No board seats, no ownership dilution, no complicated term sheets. You pay for systematic implementation and keep 100% of your company.

We don't just tell you what to do—we help you execute. Clients go "from distracted to extremely focused on the right processes and KPIs that yield the greatest ROI." We provide detailed structural plans, connect you with our Chief Revenue Officer for go-to-market strategy, and help secure funding when needed. Implementation, not education.

Unlike accelerators' one-size-fits-all approach, we match strategies to your MRR stage. Pre-revenue companies get validation frameworks. $10K MRR companies get growth systems. $100K+ MRR companies get scaling playbooks. Each approach is systematic and specific to your current challenges, not generic advice.

Immediately. No 6-month application cycles, no waiting for cohort start dates, no demo day preparation. Most founders underestimate how fast their MRR can improve with just a couple small fixes we identify in week one. We start when you're ready, not when a program batch begins.

Access to systematic implementation frameworks, stage-specific playbooks, our Chief Revenue Officer for go-to-market strategy, funding connections when needed, and a community of founders who've chosen implementation over dilution. Everything accelerators provide, minus the equity cost.

Clients say: "StartupStage helped us systematically scale from $12K to $87K MRR in 8 months. No equity given up, just results delivered." We focus on revenue improvements, not vanity metrics that accelerators optimize for demo days. Our success is measured in your MRR growth, not pitch quality.

Accelerators measure by fundraising and demo day performance. We measure by actual revenue growth and sustainable systems that work after our engagement ends. Our success metric is your MRR growth, not your ability to raise another round or impress investors with presentations.

Most founders see improvements within the first month. Many underestimate how fast their MRR can improve with just a couple small fixes we identify immediately. Unlike accelerators that take 3-6 months for generic programming, we focus on immediate, systematic implementation of revenue-driving activities.

Yes, but differently. Instead of optimizing for demo days, we help you determine what funding you actually need (often much less than founders think) and connect you with the right individuals on our team. Many founders discover they can achieve their goals with better systems rather than more capital.

For equity-conscious founders: StartupStage (0% equity consulting), revenue-based financing, corporate accelerators, or European programs like Entrepreneur First. The key is keeping ownership while getting expert guidance. Each option has different trade-offs, but all preserve more value than traditional 6-15% equity accelerators.

For founders who want to keep 100% equity and get personalized implementation vs standardized education, yes. Consulting gives you immediate start capability, stage-specific expertise, and no equity dilution. The trade-off is you don't get the cohort peer network, but you get focused execution instead of generic programming.

Look for implementation-focused consulting (like StartupStage), revenue-based financing, government-backed programs, or corporate partnerships. Avoid programs that take 6-15% equity for advice you can get elsewhere. The key is finding systematic support that charges fees instead of taking ownership.

Hampton costs $8,500/year and requires $3M+ revenue for peer networking. We start at $200/month with systematic implementation regardless of your current stage. Peak focuses on marketing leaders, not startup founders. We provide actionable execution frameworks, not just networking and advice-sharing.

AngelPad is still an accelerator that takes equity for $120K and requires 3-month program commitment. We're actually anti-accelerator: zero equity, immediate start, systematic implementation vs cohort-based education. They're the #1 accelerator by MIT rankings, but they still follow the accelerator model of equity-for-advice.