Hi Reader,

Today's startup founder lesson:

The marketing decisions that feel small now are quietly shaping your company's future.

But here's the good news — you already have everything you need to make those decisions by yourself.

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Let me tell you a story about code that reinforces everything I know about marketing.

I have worked with and for several software companies in my career.

The products they created were simple but powerful, and they solved important problems in their industries.

At first.

I say that, because in the spirit of "move fast and break things," each software company I was involved with suffered from the same fate, eventually.

They arrived at a point where simple updates would unexpectedly break seemingly unrelated functions. Developers spent more time fixing old code than writing new code. The software became bloated, slow, and impossible to fix.

All because they hadn't spent enough time at the start establishing their architecture, or setting clear boundaries about what their product would — and more importantly, would not — do.

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Here's where this connects to your marketing journey:

Your marketing architecture is as critical as software architecture.

Your marketing architecture is the foundation that determines whether your message resonates or falls flat, whether your customer acquisition costs stay manageable or spiral out of control, and whether investors immediately grasp your vision — or struggle to understand your value proposition.

Your early marketing architecture has a direct impact on your long-term success.

But here's what most founders don't realize:

Just like great software solutions are born from a deep understanding of what users need, effective marketing requires intimate knowledge of your product or service, your ideal customers and their challenges, and your unique solution.

This isn't something you can effectively outsource at the beginning, because you hold the crucial insights that should shape your marketing foundation.

Think about it. You understand:

• The exact problem your product solves (and why it matters)
• Who struggles most with this problem (and what keeps them up at night)
• Why existing solutions fall short (and how you've seen them fail)
• What makes your approach fundamentally different (and why it works)

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No marketing agency or consultant will ever understand these core truths as deeply as you do.

An agency might help you polish and amplify your message later, but...

Your marketing foundation — the architecture — needs to come from your insights.

That's why I created Minimum Viable Marketing Moves.

It's not about teaching you to become a marketer.

It's about helping you translate your deep solution knowledge into clear messaging that resonates with both prospects and investors.

Building alongside you,

Pamela

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This month’s links to explore:

1. If you have a nagging feeling your current marketing strategy isn’t quite cutting it, my newest article will help. Read 3 Signs Your Startup Has a Marketing Strategy Weak Link (and How to Fix It)​
2. LinkedIn hot take: Why your early DIY marketing decisions matter (this one is a little love note to bootstrapping founders)
3. LinkedIn tip: A framework for choosing the right customers to target (this is a choice that will make or break your business)
4. LinkedIn advice: In the early days, don’t focus on polish, focus on proof (this one saves money and builds your customer base)