Deciding which market to enter, and on what terms.
Market sizing, account scoring and territory mapping so an agency enters a market on evidence rather than instinct.
Where this sits.
Most founder-led agencies enter a new market because a single deal pulled them there. There is no sizing, no view of who already owns the lanes, and no scoring of which accounts fit what the delivery team actually wins.
MandateEstablish, in writing, whether a market is worth entering, which segment to enter through, and which accounts to approach first.
What the team is handed.
New-market entry diagnostic
A sizing of the market under consideration, with conservative, expected and aggressive revenue scenarios.
Outcome. The entry decision is made against numbers.
Tier account scoring
A scoring model that ranks prospects by fit against what the delivery team wins and retains.
Outcome. Selling time concentrates on winnable accounts.
Territory whitespace map
A map of which competitors own which lanes in the market and where the gaps sit.
Outcome. The firm competes where it can win.
Account strategy memo
A written read on a target account: how the market sees it, where its operations are strong or exposed.
Outcome. The first conversation starts ahead.
How the work runs.
- 01
Frame
Set the entry question precisely: which market, which segment, on what timeline, against what capital.
- 02
Size
Build the demand picture from public filings, hiring signals, procurement patterns and competitor coverage.
- 03
Score
Rank the account universe against delivery fit, not headcount, and set the approach sequence.
- 04
Hand over
Deliver the memo, the scoring model and the map as working files the team maintains.
When this is the right first move.
- —A market has been discussed for two quarters without a decision.
- —Growth in the home market has flattened and the next lane is unclear.
- —A single client relationship is pulling the firm into a geography it has not sized.
Common questions.
How long does a market-entry diagnostic take?
Ten working days from kickoff to the written read, with the scoring model and territory map delivered in the same package.
Do you recommend against entry?
Frequently. The diagnostic is written to support a no as clearly as a yes; a defensible no is worth the fee.
Terms used in this practice.
ICP (ideal customer profile)
An ICP, or ideal customer profile, is a written description of the type of account an agency wins most often and retains longest, used to prioritize outreach.
Keiretsu introductions
Keiretsu introductions are warm referrals routed through Japan's traditional corporate group networks, still a significant channel into large Japanese enterprises.
Revenue concentration
Revenue concentration measures what share of total revenue comes from the single largest client, a key risk indicator for founder-led agencies.
Ringi decision-making (稟議)
Ringi is a Japanese consensus-based approval process in which a written proposal circulates for sign-off across multiple departments and levels before a decision is finalized.
Tier account scoring
Tier account scoring is a ranking system that scores prospect accounts against an agency's actual delivery fit, not proxy signals like headcount or funding.
What else gets built.
Start with the founder-dependency audit.
Ten working days, fixed fee, a written read your team owns. The fee credits against the build that follows.