Startup Consulting Built On One Question: What Are You Really Selling?
Every engagement begins with an A.I.M.S. Analysis™, so you know what you’re selling, who will buy it and where to find them before you spend money building the business.
Created by Herman Garner, MBA — Bachelor of Accounting · 25+ years in business ownership, marketing, sales and strategy
Who This Is For
For entrepreneurs who need clarity, structure and practical guidance before making their next investment.
Aspiring Entrepreneurs
You have an idea and need help determining whether it can become a practical business.
Pre-Launch Startups
You are preparing to launch and want your customer, offer, pricing and marketing aligned first.
Early-Stage Businesses
You have launched but need stronger direction or more customers.
Businesses Changing Direction
You are introducing a new product, entering a new market or repositioning the company.
Understand What You’re Selling Before You Do Anything.
The A.I.M.S. Analysis™ is Herman Garner’s proprietary method for finding what customers really value about your product, who wants it most, where to find them and how to get them to buy.
Attribute
What is the customer really buying?
Prestige, sex, convenience, health, vanity, safety, save time, save money, etc.
What are they really buying?
Prestige, sex, convenience, safety, save time or money
Impact
Who cares about the benefits of your product, and why?
The demographic and psychographic profile of the people impacted by your Attributes.
Who cares, and why?
The people your benefits move
Market
Where are your customers, and what kind of content are they consuming?
Walmart, Saks Fifth Avenue, Facebook, LinkedIn, suburbs, inner city, sporting events, movies, etc.
Where are they?
Stores, sites, neighborhoods, events
Strategy
Use the information developed to create a strategy aimed directly at your target market.
How do we reach them?
A strategy aimed at your target
From Business Idea to Focused Action Plan
Every engagement begins with the A.I.M.S. Analysis. Each step after it builds on what the analysis finds.
A.I.M.S. Analysis
Complete all four A.I.M.S. quadrants for your business.
Focus the Business
Use the analysis to define the offer, business model, pricing, competitive position and priorities.
Build the Foundation
Identify the marketing assets, sales systems and tools needed to reach your customers.
Launch and Improve
Create the action plan, enter the market, measure the response and make informed adjustments.
What You Walk Away With
You leave with all four A.I.M.S. quadrants completed for your business: four working documents you can use to make sales and marketing decisions, not paperwork that sits on a shelf.
Every Giant Started as a Startup
FUBU, Nike and Starbucks each began small. Each grew because it understood what customers were really buying, and each stumbled when it lost sight of it. These analyses show what that question looked like for them, so you can answer it for your business before you launch.
FUBU: From Selling Hats in Queens to a $350 Million BrandFour friends started out of a family home and grew by selling something no competitor could copy. Then growth outran the benefit. The founder lesson: know what you’re really selling before you scale it.
Nike: The Track-Shoe Startup That Sold InspirationNike started with better shoes for runners and grew by selling athletic achievement. When it drifted from that, rivals took its customers. The founder lesson: protect the reason your first customers chose you.
Starbucks: A Small Seattle Coffee Shop That Wasn’t Selling CoffeeIt grew into a global brand by selling connection and a place between home and work. The founder lesson: your product may only be the vehicle for what customers are really buying.Choose the Format That Fits Where You Are
Work with Herman one-on-one, learn the method in a room with other entrepreneurs, or learn it on your own.
Startup Consulting
One-on-one guidance tailored to your business, your stage and the decisions in front of you. Scope and time frame are set in the initial conversation, based on your stage and needs.
Startup Workshop
Herman guides a room of entrepreneurs through the A.I.M.S. process, applying each step to their own business ideas.
Take the Course
Work through the complete A.I.M.S. process at your own pace and build a focused strategy for your business.
Book Herman to Speak
Give your incubator, accelerator, chamber or entrepreneur group a practical framework they can use.
Business Experience That Connects Strategy With Execution
Herman Garner is a Strategic Business Analyst and the creator of the A.I.M.S. Analysis™. He holds an MBA and a Bachelor of Accounting and brings more than 25 years of experience in business ownership, marketing, sales, strategy and business development to the decisions startup founders face.
His approach is practical: identify the real opportunity, focus limited resources and build the business around customers and actions that can move it forward.
Startup Consulting Questions
Do I need to have a completed business plan?
No. Consulting can begin with an early idea, an incomplete plan or a business that has already launched. The starting point is determined by what you have and what decisions must be made next.
Can you help after the business has launched?
Yes. Early-stage companies often need help refining the offer, identifying the right customer, improving marketing, organizing follow-up or building systems for growth.
Does this cover forming the business?
No. Entity choice, banking and taxes belong with your attorney and accountant. This work focuses on what you are selling, who will buy it, where to find them and how to reach them, along with the sales and marketing systems that carry the strategy out.
How long does it take?
It depends on the number of founders involved, the stage of the business and how much material there is to review. One founder with an early idea is a different engagement than a team preparing to launch. Scope and time frame are agreed in the initial conversation, before any commitment.
Which option is right for me?
If you want to learn the method on your own schedule, start with the course. If you learn best in a room with other entrepreneurs, join a workshop. If you need guidance on your specific business, schedule a consultation.
How do we begin?
Schedule an initial conversation to discuss your idea, the current stage of the business, the decisions you are facing and the type of support that would be most useful.
Do Not Build the Business on Guesswork.
Start with the question that decides everything else: what are you really selling?
Or call or text 216-798-6416