ARISE GTM vs Kalungi: Which Go-To-Market Partner is Right For You?

Comprehensive FAQs: ARISE vs Kalungi

Check out our deep dive comparison questions to help you make the right decision between ARISE GTM and Kalungi.

General Comparison Questions

What is the main difference between ARISE and Kalungi?

The fundamental difference is scope and focus. Kalungi provides fractional CMO leadership and full-service marketing execution exclusively for B2B SaaS companies using their T2D3 methodology. They run your marketing department.

ARISE delivers complete go-to-market transformation through the ARISE GTM Methodology and Revenue OS framework across all industries. We align marketing, sales, and customer success into a unified revenue engine and build the operational infrastructure to execute your GTM strategy systematically.

Simple test: If you need someone to execute marketing campaigns and manage your marketing team, that's Kalungi. If you need to rebuild how your entire commercial organisation works together, that's ARISE.

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Can I use both ARISE and Kalungi together?

Yes, absolutely. About 20% of the companies we work with use both partners strategically, and this combination can be powerful.

How it typically works:

• ARISE implements the GTM Methodology and Revenue OS framework first (3-6 months)
• This creates the strategic foundation, cross-functional alignment, and operational systems
• Kalungi then executes marketing campaigns within that framework
• ARISE provides ongoing strategic guidance while Kalungi handles day-to-day marketing execution

Think of it as layers:

• ARISE = The operating system and architecture
• Kalungi = The applications running on that OS

This isn't failure to choose, it's smart organisational design. Many growth-stage companies need both strategic transformation and execution horsepower.

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Which is better for B2B SaaS companies?

Neither is universally "better"; it depends on what your SaaS company actually needs.

Choose Kalungi if:

• Your GTM strategy is sound; you just need execution
• You need marketing department leadership (fractional CMO)
• You want deep SaaS vertical expertise and pattern recognition
• Your challenge is generating demand, not organisational alignment
• You're comfortable with the established SaaS playbook

Choose ARISE if:

• Your marketing, sales, and CS aren't aligned on the buyer journey
• You're experiencing revenue leakage between departments
• You need to build or rebuild your complete GTM motion
• Your SaaS has unique characteristics that don't fit standard playbooks
• You need revenue operations infrastructure, not just marketing tactics

Real example: One Series B SaaS company had strong product-market fit, but 40% of marketing-generated leads never got contacted by sales, and CS wasn't involved until after purchase. That's not a marketing execution problem (Kalungi)... it's a GTM systems problem (ARISE).

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How do I know if I need a GTM strategy or marketing execution?

Ask yourself these diagnostic questions:

Marketing Execution Signals (→ Kalungi):

• "We know what we need to do, we just don't have the people to do it"
• "Our marketing is understaffed and overwhelmed"
• "We need someone to run demand gen campaigns"
• "We're looking for a fractional CMO to lead our marketing team"
• Marketing is your primary challenge

GTM Systems Signals (→ ARISE):

• "Marketing generates leads but sales doesn't follow up properly"
• "Our win rates are inconsistent and we don't know why"
• "Customer success has insights marketing doesn't know about"
• "Different departments have different definitions of our ICP"
• "We've tried multiple marketing tactics but results are unpredictable"
• Cross-functional alignment is your primary challenge

Both Signals (→ Consider both partners):

• "We need strategy AND we don't have the team to execute it"
• "Everything is broken, alignment and execution"
• Budget allows for comprehensive support

Still unsure? A 20-minute diagnostic conversation usually reveals which problem you're actually trying to solve.

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Pricing & Investment Questions

What does ARISE cost compared to Kalungi?

Both represent significant investments for growth-stage companies, but the pricing models differ because you're buying different things.

Kalungi pricing structure:

• Fractional CMO coaching: ~$6,500/month (10-20 hours/week)
• Full CMO + agency team: Typically $15,000-$30,000+/month depending on scope
• Engagements usually 6-12+ months minimum
• You're paying for ongoing marketing leadership and execution

ARISE pricing structure:

• Varies based on organisational complexity and Revenue OS implementation depth, but listed from £7,500/month sprint
• Typically project-based or retained strategic advisory
• Implementation projects: Often 6-36 months, depending on GTM maturity
• You're paying for transformation and ongoing execution

Better comparison: Don't compare monthly retainer to monthly retainer. Compare:

• Kalungi: Cost per month × 12 months = your marketing department cost
• ARISE: Implementation investment = your GTM transformation cost

ROI perspective: If GTM misalignment is costing you $200K+/month in revenue leakage (common at $10M+ ARR), ARISE's investment pays for itself quickly. If you just need marketing campaigns executed efficiently, Kalungi's model makes more sense.

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Is there a cheaper alternative to both?

"Cheaper" and "right" aren't the same thing. Here are the actual alternatives:

Cheaper than Kalungi for marketing execution:

• Hire in-house marketing manager ($80-120K + overhead)
• Work with smaller boutique agencies ($5-10K/month)
• Use freelance marketers ($50-150/hour)
• Tradeoff: Less SaaS expertise, no fractional CMO strategic leadership

Cheaper than ARISE for GTM transformation:

• Management consulting firms (often more expensive, actually)
• DIY with GTM frameworks and books
• Hire a strategic advisor/fractional executive
• Tradeoff: No proprietary methodology, no Revenue OS implementation, slower results

The real question: What's the cost of not solving your problem?

• If GTM misalignment costs $2M/year in lost revenue, spending $200K to fix it is cheap
• If you just need marketing execution, spending $300K on transformation consulting is wasteful

Choose based on the problem, not the price tag.

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Do you offer payment plans or flexible pricing?

We structure engagements based on your specific situation and goals. Some companies engage ARISE for:

Full GTM Transformation: Complete Revenue OS implementation across the organisation

Targeted Initiatives: Specific GTM challenges like sales/marketing alignment or ICP refinement

Strategic Advisory: Ongoing guidance as you scale

The best way to understand investment and structure is a 30-minute strategy call where we can assess your situation and recommend the right scope. No pressure, no obligation, just honest guidance about what you actually need.

Schedule Consultation →

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Service & Methodology Questions

What exactly is the ARISE GTM Methodology?

The ARISE GTM Methodology is our proprietary framework for building systematic, repeatable go-to-market engines. It stands for:

A - Assess current state and GTM maturity
R - Research ICP, positioning, and messaging
I - Ideate marketing, sales, and CS processes
S - Strategise with Revenue OS infrastructure
E - Execute and optimise continuously

Unlike generic "best practices" or one-size-fits-all playbooks, ARISE is customised to your business model, market dynamics, and organisational structure. We're not implementing someone else's GTM strategy; we're building yours.

What you get:

• Complete GTM strategy documentation
• Revenue OS operational framework
• Cross-functional process maps
• Enablement materials for each team
• Metrics and reporting infrastructure
• Change management and training

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What is Revenue OS, and why do I need it?

Revenue OS is the operational infrastructure that makes your GTM strategy executable and scalable.

Think of it like this:

• GTM Strategy = What you're going to do
• Revenue OS = How you're going to do it systematically

Revenue OS includes:

• Process Architecture: How leads flow from marketing → sales → CS
• Data Infrastructure: What you track, how you track it, and what it means
• Enablement Systems: How each team knows what to do and when
• Alignment Mechanisms: How departments stay synced
• Optimisation Frameworks: How you continuously improve

Why you need it: Without Revenue OS, your GTM strategy lives in slide decks but doesn't get executed consistently. Marketing does its thing, sales does theirs, CS does theirs, and you get revenue chaos instead of a revenue engine.

With Revenue OS, everyone works from the same playbook, using the same definitions, following the same processes, and optimising toward the same goals.

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Does ARISE handle marketing execution like Kalungi?

Yes, but only as part of the Revenue OS,  and that's intentional. We focus on strategy, systems, and transformation first—not campaign execution.

What ARISE does: ✓ Design your complete GTM strategy
✓ Build your Revenue OS framework
✓ Align marketing, sales, and CS
✓ Create process documentation
✓ Enable your teams to execute
✓ Provide strategic ongoing guidance

What ARISE doesn't do: ✗ Write your blog posts
✗ Manage your ad campaigns
✗ Design your landing pages
✗ Run your marketing automation
✗ Create your social content

Why this matters: We build the engine and run the campaigns; we don't solely run campaigns; you (or partners like Kalungi) provide campaign-only services. This division of labour is actually more effective because:

1. We focus on what we're best at (GTM transformation)
2. You get execution partners who specialise explicitly in tactics
3. The strategy doesn't get diluted by day-to-day execution needs

What if you need both? We often work alongside campaign execution partners. ARISE designs the GTM strategy and Revenue OS, then execution partners (agencies, in-house teams, or consultants) operate within that framework. But remember, we do it all, or we only do the strategy; we are not campaign-only execution partners.

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Can Kalungi provide GTM strategy like ARISE?

Kalungi's fractional CMOs provide marketing strategy within the context of their T2D3 methodology. This is valuable strategic leadership, but it's focused on the marketing function, not a complete GTM transformation.

Kalungi provides:

• Marketing strategy and planning
• Campaign strategy
• Demand gen strategy
• Brand positioning
• Marketing team leadership

What's different from ARISE:

• Scope is marketing-focused vs. full commercial motion
• T2D3 playbook vs. custom methodology
• CMO-level guidance vs. cross-functional transformation
• Execution-oriented vs. systems-oriented

When Kalungi's strategy is enough: If your sales and CS functions are solid, and you just need marketing to perform better, Kalungi's strategic leadership is likely sufficient.

When you need ARISE instead: If marketing, sales, and CS need to be fundamentally realigned with new processes, systems, frameworks and strategy, that's ARISE territory.

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Industry & Specialisation Questions

I'm not a SaaS company. Can I work with Kalungi?

No. Kalungi works exclusively with B2B SaaS companies. This is a firm requirement; they've built their entire methodology, team expertise, and service model around SaaS.

If you're in professional services, hardware, manufacturing, or any non-SaaS industry, Kalungi isn't an option for you.

This is where ARISE differs: we can work across B2B SaaS and Fintech industries. Our GTM Methodology and Revenue OS framework can be applied to any complex B2B sale, whether you're selling software, services, hardware, or hybrid offerings.

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I AM a SaaS company. Why wouldn't I just choose Kalungi's SaaS expertise?

Great question. Kalungi's SaaS specialisation is genuinely valuable;  they've seen your exact challenges before and know what works in SaaS.

When Kalungi's SaaS focus is an advantage:

• You have a fairly standard SaaS business model
• The SaaS playbook approaches apply to your situation
• You value pattern recognition from 100+ similar engagements
• You want execution partners who "get" SaaS intuitively

When ARISE's industry-agnostic approach is better:

• Your SaaS has unique characteristics (hybrid model, usage-based pricing, complex implementations)
• You're in a new category, and established playbooks don't apply
• You want cross-industry innovation, not just SaaS best practices
• Your GTM challenge is organisational, not tactical

Real example: A vertical SaaS company (healthcare) needed GTM transformation that blended software sales with healthcare compliance, services delivery, and long implementation cycles. The standard SaaS playbook didn't fit. ARISE brought broad GTM expertise plus software expertise to create a custom methodology.

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What industries does ARISE specialise in?

We work across B2B SaaS and Fintech industries with complex sales motions:

Primary industries:

• Technology & Software (SaaS, enterprise software, infrastructure, and govtech)
• Financial Services (fintech, banking, insurance B2B)

What makes a good fit:

• Complex, multi-stakeholder buying process
• B2B sales model
• Sales cycles longer than a single touch
• Multiple touchpoints across the buyer journey
• Need for cross-functional alignment

What doesn't fit as well:

• B2C sales
• Pure e-commerce/D2C

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Engagement & Process Questions

How long does it take to see results with each?

Kalungi timeline:

• Month 1-2: Onboarding, strategy development, campaign setup
• Month 3-4: First campaigns running, early data coming in
• Month 5-6: Optimisation based on data, improving results
• Month 6+: Sustained marketing performance improvement

You're seeing marketing metrics improve (pipeline, MQLs, brand awareness) within 90-180 days.

ARISE timeline:

• Month 1-2: Assessment, strategy design, Revenue OS framework
• Month 3-4: Implementation begins, early process changes
• Month 5-6: Systems going live, teams adapting
• Month 6-12: Full transformation taking hold, measurable impact
• Month 12+: Optimised revenue engine showing sustained results

You're seeing systemic changes (win rates, sales velocity, revenue predictability) within 6-12 months.

Why the difference? Kalungi is optimising what exists (faster results). ARISE is rebuilding the foundation (deeper results, longer timeline).

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What does the engagement process look like with ARISE?

Phase 1: Discovery & Assessment (Weeks 1-4)

• Deep dive into the current GTM motion
• Interview key stakeholders across functions
• Analyse existing processes, data, and systems
• Identify gaps, inefficiencies, and opportunities
• Deliverable: GTM Assessment Report

Phase 2: Strategy Design (Weeks 5-10)

• Design ARISE GTM Methodology for your business
• Build Revenue OS framework
• Create process maps and alignment mechanisms
• Define metrics and reporting structure
• Deliverable: Complete GTM Strategy & Revenue OS Documentation

Phase 3: Implementation (Weeks 11-40)

• Deploy Revenue OS infrastructure
• Implement new processes across teams
• Enable marketing, sales, and CS with new frameworks
• Install measurement and reporting systems
• Conduct training and change management
• Deliverable: Operational Revenue Engine

Phase 4: Optimisation (Ongoing)

• Monitor performance metrics
• Identify optimisation opportunities
• Continuous improvement of processes
• Strategic guidance as you scale
• Deliverable: Quarterly optimisation recommendations

Level of involvement: High-touch during implementation (weekly working sessions), then transitions to strategic advisory as systems mature.

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What does the engagement process look like with Kalungi?

Phase 1: Onboarding (Weeks 1-2)

• Meet your fractional CMO
• Marketing assessment and audit
• Set goals and KPIs
• Align on the T2D3 approach

Phase 2: Strategy Development (Weeks 3-4)

• Marketing strategy creation
• Campaign planning
• Channel selection
• Budget allocation

Phase 3: Execution Launch (Weeks 5-8)

• Campaign builds
• Content creation
• Marketing automation setup
• First campaigns launch

Phase 4: Ongoing Execution (Month 3+)

• Weekly/bi-weekly CMO check-ins
• Continuous campaign management
• Monthly reporting and optimisation
• Quarterly strategy reviews

Level of involvement: Your fractional CMO is involved 10-20 hours/week, agency team handles day-to-day execution.

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Decision-Making Questions

We're talking to both ARISE and Kalungi. How do we decide?

Great position to be in. Here's a framework:

Step 1: Define your actual problem

• Write down the specific challenge you're trying to solve
• Is it execution, alignment, or both?

Step 2: Assess internal capabilities

• Do you have a marketing team that needs leadership? (→ Kalungi)
• Do you have misalignment across departments? (→ ARISE)

Step 3: Evaluate timeline needs

• Need results in 3-6 months? (→ Kalungi likely better)
• Can invest 6-12 months for foundational change? (→ ARISE makes sense)

Step 4: Consider budget allocation

• Monthly budget for ongoing marketing? (→ Kalungi)
• One-time transformation budget? (→ ARISE)

Step 5: The decisive question "If we gave you the perfect marketing team tomorrow, would that solve your growth challenge?"

• YES → Kalungi
• NO → ARISE
• PARTIALLY → Consider both

Pro tip: Talk to both companies honestly about your situation. Good partners will tell you if you're not a fit.

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What if we choose wrong?

The cost of choosing wrong is real, but it's fixable:

If you hire Kalungi when you needed ARISE:

• You'll get great marketing execution
• But systemic alignment issues will persist
• Revenue leakage continues
• Marketing ROI won't meet expectations despite good work
• Fix: Bring in ARISE for GTM transformation, keep Kalungi for execution

If you hire ARISE when you needed Kalungi:

• You'll get great strategy and frameworks
• The marketing team needed execution only
• Strategy sits on the shelf
• Frustrated because you see the path but can't walk it
• Fix: Add execution partner (Kalungi or in-house build)

The costliest mistake: Hiring neither and continuing with broken GTM systems or under-resourced marketing. The opportunity cost of inaction is almost always higher than the risk of a wrong choice.

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Can you help us decide which we need?

Yes. We offer complimentary 30-minute GTM diagnostic sessions where we:

1. Understand your specific situation
2. Identify whether you have an execution or systems problem
3. Recommend the right solution (even if it's not us)
4. Provide a framework for making the decision

No pressure, no obligation. Sometimes the answer is Kalungi. Sometimes it's ARISE. Sometimes it's both. Sometimes it's neither (maybe you need to build in-house).

Our goal is to point you in the right direction, not to close a deal.

Schedule Diagnostic Session →

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Competitive & Alternative Questions

What about other alternatives beyond ARISE and Kalungi?

There are many good options depending on your needs:

For marketing execution:

• Kalungi - Best for B2B SaaS specifically
• Full-service B2B agencies - Broader than Kalungi but less SaaS-focused
• Specialist agencies - Demand gen focused, content focused, etc.
• In-house marketing team - Full control, but expensive to build

For GTM strategy:

• ARISE - Complete GTM transformation + Revenue OS
• Management consulting firms - Strategic but expensive, less implementation-focused
• Fractional CRO/CGO - Individual executive vs. complete framework
• DIY with frameworks - Cheapest but slowest, requires internal expertise

Hybrid options:

• Growth agencies - Some strategy + execution (less depth in strategy)
• Revenue operations consultancies - Process-focused, less GTM strategy
• Industry-specific consultants - Vertical expertise but often less methodology-driven

How to choose: Match the solution type to your problem type. Don't hire a strategy firm if you need execution, and don't hire an execution agency if you need strategy.

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How do ARISE and Kalungi compare to management consulting firms?

Traditional management consulting (McKinsey, Bain, etc.):

• Pros: Prestigious, rigorous, data-driven, enterprise experience
• Cons: Extremely expensive ($500K-$2M+ projects), less implementation-focused, generalist vs. GTM specialist
• Best for: Enterprise companies, major transformations, board-level strategic initiatives

Kalungi vs. Management consulting:

• Kalungi is way more affordable and execution-focused
• Management consulting provides strategy, but rarely executes marketing
• Kalungi is a SaaS specialist; management consulting is a generalist

ARISE vs. Management consulting:

• ARISE is a GTM specialist with a proprietary methodology
• More affordable (typically 50-70% less expensive)
• More implementation-focused (we don't just create slide decks)
• Focused on growth-stage companies, not Fortune 500
• Hands-on vs. recommendations and execution

When management consulting makes sense:

• Enterprise-scale transformations ($100M+ revenue)
• Board-driven initiatives
• Multiple workstreams beyond GTM
• Budget isn't a constraint

When ARISE makes more sense:

• Growth-stage companies ($5M-$100M)
• GTM-specific transformation
• Want implementation support, not just strategy
• Budget-conscious but want proprietary methodology

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We already have an in-house team. Do we still need ARISE or Kalungi?

Having an in-house team doesn't preclude needing outside support:

You might still need Kalungi if:

• Your marketing team lacks strategic CMO leadership
• They're overwhelmed and need execution support
• You want to scale faster than you can hire
• You want SaaS-specific expertise they don't have

You might still need ARISE if:

• Your teams are working hard, but not aligned
• You have marketing, sales, and CS, but they operate in silos
• You lack systematic GTM processes
• Nobody owns the full buyer journey
• Your team knows what to do, but not how to coordinate

You might not need either if:

• You have strong leadership across all functions
• Teams are aligned with clear processes
• You just need specific skill gaps filled (hire for those)
• You're happy with the current growth trajectory

Common scenario: Companies have strong in-house teams but bring in ARISE to design the GTM architecture and Revenue OS that the team then operates. Think of it as hiring an architect before you have your team build the house.

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Success & Results Questions

What results can I expect from ARISE?

GTM transformation results show up in systemic improvements:

Typical outcomes within 12 months:

• 15-30% improvement in win rates: Better targeting and processes
• 20-40% reduction in sales cycle length: Streamlined handoffs and qualification
• 25-50% improvement in forecast accuracy: Better pipeline management and metrics
• 30-60% reduction in customer acquisition costs: More efficient funnel, less waste
• Improved team alignment: Measurable through surveys and retention

What we measure:

• Revenue velocity (how fast deals move through the pipeline)
• Conversion rates at each stage (marketing → sales → customer)
• Revenue predictability (variance between forecast and actual)
• Customer lifetime value growth
• Cross-functional collaboration metrics

What's different from Kalungi's metrics: Kalungi measures marketing performance (MQLs, pipeline, brand awareness). ARISE measures revenue engine performance (velocity, predictability, efficiency).

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What results can I expect from Kalungi?

Marketing execution results show up in campaign performance:

Typical outcomes:

• Increased marketing qualified leads (MQLs)
• Improved pipeline contribution from marketing
• Better brand positioning and awareness
• More consistent content production
• Optimised marketing spend efficiency
• Stronger demand generation performance

What Kalungi measures:

• Lead volume and quality
• Pipeline generated
• Marketing-influenced revenue
• Campaign ROI
• Channel performance
• Brand metrics

Important note: These are marketing results, not necessarily revenue results. You can have great marketing performance but still struggle with revenue if sales execution or customer success has issues.

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How long until we're self-sufficient without ARISE or Kalungi?

With Kalungi: The relationship is typically ongoing. They function as your marketing department or marketing leadership, so "self-sufficient" means building your own in-house team to replace them.

Timeline to transition off Kalungi:

• 12+ months to build comparable in-house capability
• Need to hire CMO + marketing team
• Investment often exceeds the Kalungi cost in the short term
• Many companies continue a long-term relationship instead

With ARISE: The goal is to build the capability you own. Revenue OS becomes your system, operated by your team.

Timeline to self-sufficiency:

• 6-9 months: You can operate Revenue OS with guidance
• 12-18 months: Fully self-sufficient in operations
• Ongoing strategic advisory is optional, not required

Key difference:

• Kalungi replaces/augments your marketing team (ongoing need)
• ARISE builds your systems, then transfers ownership (defined endpoint)

Think Kalungi = ongoing service; ARISE = transformation project with optional ongoing advisory and execution.

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Still Have Questions?

I have a unique situation that doesn't fit these FAQs

That's common; every company's GTM situation is different. The best way to get specific guidance is through a conversation.

We offer 30-minute diagnostic sessions where we can:

• Understand your specific circumstances
• Identify your actual challenge (execution vs. systems vs. both)
• Recommend the right path forward (even if it's not us)
• Provide a decision framework customised to your needs

No pressure to buy anything. Sometimes we tell people they don't need us yet. Sometimes we recommend Kalungi or another partner. The goal is to point you toward the right solution.

Schedule Diagnostic Call →

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How do I get started with ARISE?

Step 1: Schedule intro call (30 minutes)

• We learn about your business and challenges
• You learn about the ARISE Methodology and Revenue OS
• We determine if there's a fit

Step 2: GTM Assessment (If we both agree there's potential fit)

• 2-3 hour working session with your leadership team
• We dig deep into your current GTM motion
• Identify specific gaps and opportunities
• No cost for this assessment

Step 3: Proposal & Scope (Within 1 week of assessment)

• We provide a detailed proposal outlining:
  • Recommended scope and timeline
  • Investment structure
  • Expected outcomes
  • Implementation approach

Step 4: Kickoff (Within 2 weeks of agreement)

• Begin ARISE Methodology implementation
• Start building your Revenue OS

Total time from first call to kickoff: Typically 3-4 weeks

Start with Intro Call →