Location & setup
We find the market and location. We set up the business and the practical infrastructure it needs.
For hardware, AI & software founders
Test your product with a fully-managed ghost company
We run the ops, sell to customers and capture authentic product and GTM feedback so you can scale faster
FROM THE FIELD / INDUSTRIAL QUALITY CONTROL
Built to learn by doing.Real operations. Direct customer feedback.
YC S19 founder-ledBuilt a blue-collar business to ~$5m annual sales
Hardware · AI · Industrial softwareFour operating businesses featured below
$500k revenue in 5 monthsHeat pump case study, plus a $6m sales pipeline
01 - What we do
Get real feedback
and revenue, fast
Contractors, manufacturer reps, architects, engineers and service companies can stand between your product and its users. Their priorities shape what gets sold and what you hear back. We build and run a discreet brand around your product, giving you direct customer access, clear feedback and control over the test.
People & licences
We recruit the team and source qualified, licensed operators where the work requires them.
Sales & marketing
We define and test your ideal customer profiles. We run ads and outreach, close sales and build partnerships.
Daily management
We run the operation, manage the team and deal with the issues that come with serving customers.
Product feedback
We record and transcribe customer conversations, track the results and feed the learning back to you. Each test informs the next.
A separate brand
We operate under a different name when needed. We keep the test discreet and separate from your main customer-facing brand.
02 - Case studies
From market questions
to paying customers
Four businesses built around startup technology. The companies behind them raised $3m to $20m. Client names are withheld; funding describes the client, not our results.
01 - Quality control hardware & software
$20m raised
Quality control technology
We took it onto the shop floor
We set up a quality control consultancy using the software and hardware created by our client.
We fully managed sales, marketing and operations, helping them get real product feedback and revenue within a few months.
02 - Field services AI
$3m raised
HVAC contracting business set up to test field services AI
A company funded by Stanford alumni needed a real business to test its field services technology.
We helped set up an HVAC contracting business, sourcing the technician, warehouse lease and operating license.
We run the GTM playbook for consumers and B2B partners.
03 - Heat pump startup
$6m raised
Residential or commercial?
Testing both markets
A startup developing new heat pump technology needed to work out which market to serve.
- Company setup and customer profile testing.
- Sales and marketing across residential and commercial buyers.
Secured three of the top 10 US general contractors and the first direct-to-consumer customers.
$500kRevenue generated
$6mSales pipeline built
Delivered in 5 months.
Revenue and pipeline are separate measures. Pipeline is potential sales, not booked revenue. Results shown are from this engagement.
04 - Solar battery
$4m raised
Home backup power
A route to market
A solar battery startup was bringing home backup power to market.
- Business setup, customer profile testing, sales and marketing.
- Customers among the top 10 US general contractors and the first 50 direct-to-consumer customers.
- Rapid testing to identify promising customer profiles and rule out poor fits.
- Partnerships with energy efficiency and utility companies.
WE'RE AN ALTERNATIVE TO:
A faster route to
real-world learning
You need a focused test of your product and business. We handle the operation, give you the data and keep your team free to act on it.
Your product gets our full attention
Reps can carry competing lines and give you limited visibility into customer data. We run a dedicated test business with direct access to sales and operating feedback.
Keep your team informed
Keep them focused
We focus 100% on running the test business. Your team gets the learning without the operating distraction. We can locate it wherever the test needs to happen.
04 - How it works
A focused test.
A clear next decision.
A learning machine for your product and business. We record and transcribe customer conversations, track every test and sale, and constantly feed the learning back to you.
Choose what to learn
Define the ideal customer, the markets to test and the questions the business needs to answer about your product and sales.
Put the business in place
We handle the location, staffing, required licences, brand, sales and marketing setup.
Operate, learn, improve
We record, transcribe and review the feedback. We share what customers say and what the data shows, then test the next iteration.
Terry Clarke Founder, OnHand · YC S19
05 - We’ve done the work
A founder who has
done the fieldwork.
I’m Terry Clarke, a YC S19 founder. I built a blue-collar recruitment business to approximately $5m in annual sales.
I also worked inside Rollins and Pella to learn how traditional businesses sell and operate. I obtained a pest control license myself.
Today, that experience goes into building businesses around heat pumps, batteries, field services AI and industrial quality control. You work directly with me.
A separate brand. A deliberate test.We agree the operating structure and what stays private before launch.
Schedule a consult ↗06 - A few practical questions
Before we talk
Who is this for?
Founders building industrial software, hardware or tools for field operations who need a real business to use their product. We start by checking whether the operating model is practical.
What will we learn?
Which customers buy, what stops a sale, and how your product performs in daily work. We track sales and operating feedback so your team can decide what to change or scale.
Can the business use a different name?
Yes. We can operate under a separate brand to reduce exposure for your main brand while you learn. The operating structure is agreed as part of setup.
Do you run the business after launch?
Yes. This is a fully managed service, from initial setup through sales, marketing, staffing and ongoing management.
How quickly can we start, and what does it cost?
That depends on the location, staffing, equipment and licensing requirements. We define the scope, launch plan, operating budget and management fee with you before work begins.
Who owns the business and the product?
We agree the ownership structure, product access, feedback arrangements and exit plan before setup. Those terms depend on the business you need to test.