Think you're ready to scale? Try this simple ICP test first
From a VC firm managing 80+ startups (and winning big).
I enjoyed hosting A.J. Rounds, co-founder of RevRoad, on the Predictable B2B Success Podcast. RevRoad—a venture firm supporting startups with fractional expertise before capital—manages over 80 companies and has driven significant revenue growth for its portfolio.
During our conversation, A.J. shared a critical insight about revenue focus that struck me as universally applicable, especially for businesses leveraging educational content to nurture clients.
"Once you have your ICP [Ideal Customer Profile] dialed in, don’t deviate from it. Go with that and focus on that until you’ve created significant amounts of revenue from that, and then branch out from there. The problem is a lot of companies… think they can tackle multiple industries on multiple fronts. To do that takes millions… and they just don’t have that. So focus on a network that you really think would gravitate towards your product… test it, see if they really go for it."
Why This Matters for Lead Generation:
A.J.’s emphasis on hyper-focused ICP alignment mirrors the power of educational email courses in B2B growth. Here’s the connection:
1. Trust Through Expertise: Just as A.J. advises startups to dominate a niche before scaling, educational email courses let you demonstrate deep expertise to a tightly defined audience. By solving their specific pain points over time, you build credibility.
2. Revenue Through Relevance: An email course isn’t a sales pitch—it’s a value-first dialogue. For example, a SaaS company targeting logistics teams could design a five-day course on “Reducing Last-Mile Delivery Costs.” By addressing their ICP’s exact needs (like A.J.’s revenue-focused strategy), you prime leads for high-intent sales conversations.
3. Scalable Validation: Testing messaging with a small, focused audience (as RevRoad does) is low-risk. An email course lets you validate demand, refine your ICP, and then scale—just as A.J.’s portfolio companies do.
Takeaway:
Educational content isn’t just about “giving away free stuff.” It’s about strategically aligning with your ICP, building trust through actionable insights, and creating a runway for revenue—exactly the discipline A.J. champions.
Your Turn:
How are you using education to deepen client relationships?
In my chat with A.J. Rounds on the Predictable B2B Success podcast, we talked about sustainable revenue growth strategies and the power of educational marketing.
Our conversation explored how businesses can transform their sales approach by prioritizing relationship-building over transactional selling. We discussed how establishing yourself as a trusted advisor through consistent value delivery creates a foundation where prospects come to you pre-convinced of your expertise. This relationship-first approach leads to more predictable revenue growth and longer-lasting client partnerships.
Key Takeaways:
Trust precedes transactions: Revenue growth isn't about generating more leads but building meaningful relationships through educational touchpoints before asking for the sale.
Position as an advisor, not a vendor: When consistently providing value and insights, you transition from "just another service provider" to a trusted authority in your field.
Educational content creates qualified leads: By delivering valuable information that solves specific problems, you naturally attract and qualify prospects who genuinely need your solutions.
Consistency builds credibility: Regular touchpoints through channels like email courses establish reliability and demonstrate your ongoing commitment to your audience's success.
The selling shift: When you've properly educated and built trust with prospects, selling becomes less about persuasion tactics and more about confirming the right fit for an already-convinced buyer.
I'd love to hear from you. Let me know if you found this helpful.
Till next time,
Cheers,
Vinay.