Background

Arist is an innovative text-message learning platform that enables Fortune 500 companies, governments, and nonprofits to rapidly deploy training and course content via SMS and messaging apps. Founded with a mission to break through the limitations of traditional LMSs and video-based courses, Arist was already proving its value by dramatically reducing training launch timelines and increasing engagement. However, despite its superior product offering, Arist faced challenges scaling its sales efforts as its technical founders—while experts in product innovation—lacked formal sales training and a structured process for reaching enterprise prospects.

Founderled.io, a full-stack GTM partner specializing in guiding pre-seed and seed-stage startups through founder-led sales, stepped in to help Arist harness its inherent strengths and build a scalable, repeatable sales motion from the top down.

The Challenge

Sales Readiness Gap

• Founder-Led Sales Limitations: Although Arist’s co-founders were passionate about their product and well-versed in its technical aspects, they had limited experience with targeted enterprise sales. Their pitch, while authentic, suffered from inconsistent messaging and lacked the finesse required to handle complex buyer objections.

• Lack of a Structured Framework: Arist’s existing approach was largely reactive. They had been practicing sales through “on-the-fly” demos and ad hoc calls, which did not provide sufficient feedback loops or measurable data to refine their sales process.

• Rapid Scaling Needs: With an increasing demand for microlearning solutions, Arist needed to transition from pilot accounts to securing large-scale contracts with enterprise customers. This required a robust, repeatable sales strategy that could reduce the sales cycle and ensure the founders could confidently represent the product in high-stakes negotiations.

The Solution

Founderled.io designed a tailored engagement for Arist that encompassed strategic sales coaching, an AI-enabled sales practice framework, and process optimization. The engagement comprised three key phases:

1. Sales Playbook Development

• Custom Messaging Framework: Founderled.io worked closely with Arist’s leadership to develop a structured sales playbook that distilled the product’s unique value proposition into clear, concise, and customer-centric messages. The messaging was refined to address key pain points of enterprise buyers in training, compliance, and remote workforce enablement.

• Objection Handling and Value Articulation: A section of the playbook included detailed objection-handling scripts and real-life case examples. This enabled the founders to anticipate common concerns from prospects and articulate the long-term value and ROI of deploying Arist’s microlearning platform.

2. Intensive Sales Coaching & Simulation

• One-on-One Coaching Sessions: Over a 90-day period, Founderled.io provided personalized coaching sessions with Arist’s founders. These sessions involved role-playing exercises, analysis of live call recordings, and direct feedback designed to build the founders’ confidence and refine their pitch.

• AI-Based Sales Simulations: Utilizing a simulation tool developed by Founderled.io, the Arist team practiced their sales presentations with AI “prospects” modeled after their ideal customer profiles (ICPs). This allowed the founders to repeatedly fine-tune their approach in a risk-free environment and receive quantitative feedback on tone, pacing, and clarity.

3. Implementation and Continuous Improvement

• Feedback Loop Integration: Founderled.io helped Arist embed a continuous feedback system by utilizing call recording analysis and outcome tracking (using tools similar to Gong or Chorus). This structured loop ensured that every pitch provided data that could be used to further tweak messaging and approach.

• GTM Execution Strategy: Beyond coaching, Founderled.io assisted with the rollout of a new GTM motion. This included segmentation strategies, establishing email/nurture sequences, and creating a scalable outreach plan that allowed Arist to transition from founder-led demos to a more formalized sales process.

Results

After the three-month engagement with Founderled.io, Arist experienced significant improvements across multiple sales metrics:

• Enhanced Sales Conversion: The refined sales playbook and coaching regimen resulted in a 40% increase in meeting-to-deal conversion rates compared to the previous quarter.

• Shorter Sales Cycles: By preparing for objections in advance and building a structured feedback loop, the average sales cycle was reduced by 35%, enabling Arist to move prospects from initial contact to signed contracts more quickly.

• Accelerated Revenue Growth: With a more consistent and confident sales approach, Arist secured multiple enterprise accounts, boosting its quarterly ARR by an estimated 50%.

• Scalable Sales Process: The newly implemented GTM strategy laid the groundwork for future hires and the gradual transition from founder-led sales to an expanding dedicated sales team, ensuring that growth could continue as Arist scaled its platform globally.

Conclusion

By partnering with Founderled.io, Arist transformed its sales process from an unstructured, founder-dependent model into a data-driven, repeatable GTM strategy. The hands-on coaching, tailored playbook, and innovative AI simulation tools not only built the founders’ confidence but also enabled Arist to effectively translate its technical brilliance into compelling sales narratives. This case study highlights the power of specialized GTM support in bridging the gap between product innovation and market adoption—a crucial lesson for any early-stage startup striving to achieve scalable, sustainable growth.