Ex-founder with time out - thinking of offering free founder sessions. Sensible?
Summary: Louise Purvis has recently sold a business and is considering offering free monthly "founder office hours" to stay engaged with early-stage business ideas. These sessions would focus on providing support in areas like business idea validation, positioning, marketing strategy, and growth planning. However, Louise Purvis would not be offering advice in technical, legal, or financial areas. They are seeking feedback on the demand for such services and any advice or similar experiences.
I’m in a slightly unusual situation and would appreciate some founder perspective.
I recently sold the business I co-founded 10 years ago and have to take around six months+ out before starting anything new. I’d still like to keep my brain engaged with early-stage ideas during that time.
I’m considering running monthly “founder office hours” locally - essentially offering a few free 45-minute sessions where people starting businesses can sense-check ideas, positioning, or early marketing.
My background is running a marketing and communications consultancy, so the areas I’d likely be most useful in are things like:
• validating a business idea
• early positioning and messaging
• marketing strategy / finding first customers
• sanity-checking business models and growth plans
• building a team
I wouldn’t be the right person for things like tax/accounting advice, legal questions, technical product building, or fundraising mechanics - more the commercial and strategic side of starting something.
Does this sound useful/something there could be demand for? Has anyone seen anything similar? Any advice? It's intended to be a low-level way to keep that part of my brain engaged.
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