You’re the founder. You wear 12 hats. One of them says “Head of Sales & Marketing”—and it’s probably the one you never wanted.
But here’s the truth: until you build a predictable lead engine, you don’t have a business. You have a product… and a prayer.
This guide is your escape hatch from inconsistent growth. Over the next 90 days, you’ll go from scattered outreach to a repeatable system that delivers warm, qualified leads—without burning you out or blowing your budget.
Let’s dig in.
Why Founders Struggle with Lead Gen (It’s Not Just You)
Most founders aren’t marketers. And even the ones who are get it wrong early because:
- You’re too close to the product—you pitch features instead of outcomes.
- You try to be everywhere at once, spreading too thin across every channel.
- You delegate too early, expecting a freelancer or agency to “just make leads happen.”
- You don’t define your ICP tightly enough to hit a repeatable motion.
What you need is founder-led sales fuel—built on what your best buyers actually respond to.
The 90-Day Lead Machine Framework
We’re going to break your first 90 days into three distinct phases:
PHASE 1 (Days 1–30): Clarify and Construct
PHASE 2 (Days 31–60): Launch and Learn
PHASE 3 (Days 61–90): Refine and Ramp
Let’s go step-by-step.
📅 PHASE 1: Clarify and Construct (Days 1–30)
1. Lock in Your ICP
No, not a “B2B tech company.” Your Ideal Customer Profile should name names: job title, pain points, decision-making power, and what causes them to search for a solution.
Action Step:
- Interview 3 customers or warm prospects.
- Ask: “What triggered your search?” and “What almost made you say no?”
Document their words. You’ll use them in your messaging later.
2. Reverse Engineer Your Funnel
Map out the path people took to find you. Ask:
- Where did they hear about you?
- What was the first action they took?
- What made them finally book a call?
Draw this out—your goal is to identify signals, not stages.
3. Choose 1 Channel and 1 Offer
Simplify early. Pick one traffic source and one irresistible offer.
Examples:
- Channel: LinkedIn content, outbound DMs, cold email
- Offer: “Free strategy call,” “Quick audit,” “Notion template”
Your goal here isn’t scale—it’s signal. Will they bite?
📅 PHASE 2: Launch and Learn (Days 31–60)
4. Publish Signal-Driven Content
Post 2–3 times per week on LinkedIn or wherever your buyers spend time.
Focus on:
- Pain → Outcome storytelling
- Screenshots of your product or process
- Direct CTA: “DM me if this sounds like you”
Use your ICP interviews to echo their language.
5. Start Founder-Led Outreach
Reach out to 50–100 people weekly using DMs or cold email.
Tips:
- Use first lines that mention them, not you
- Keep it conversational
- Always offer value, never pitch blind
Track opens, clicks, replies, and most of all—booked calls.
6. Automate Only the Basics
You don’t need a full tech stack. Just enough to avoid manual headaches.
Minimum setup:
- Calendly (for scheduling)
- Notion or Airtable (to track leads)
- A follow-up reminder system
Automation should support human conversations, not replace them.
📅 PHASE 3: Refine and Ramp (Days 61–90)
7. Build a Mini Playbook
Now that you know what works, capture it.
Document:
- Best-performing subject lines and messages
- Top objections and your best replies
- Booking funnel steps that get the most conversions
Turn this into a Notion doc you can hand off later.
8. Delegate Without Dropping the Ball
Bring in a VA or SDR only once you’ve proven the system.
Train them using:
- Loom walkthroughs
- Templates with proven scripts
- Weekly 15-minute syncs for QA
You’re not outsourcing strategy—you’re scaling execution.
9. Lock in a Weekly Growth Rhythm
Every Monday:
- Review your lead metrics
- Identify what’s working
- Post new content
- Launch 1 small test (new CTA, different subject line, etc.)
This rhythm keeps your lead machine improving, not just running.
The Results You Can Expect
If you follow this system, here’s what 90 days typically delivers:
- 20–40 booked calls/month with qualified leads
- 10–15% cold outreach reply rates
- $25K–$75K in qualified pipeline
- A repeatable playbook that works even if you’re not in the DMs
And best of all? You’re in control. Not guessing. Not dependent on ad spend.
What to Do This Week
- Write your 1-page ICP using real customer language
- Create a simple offer page or landing page
- Send your first 25–50 outreach messages
- Post 2 LinkedIn updates based on your ICP’s biggest frustrations
- Book at least 3 calls—and treat each one like a discovery goldmine
Related Articles
- How AI Is Changing B2B Lead Generation in 2025
- How to Build a Consistent Lead Generation System for Your B2B Startup
- 12 Lead Generation Strategies for B2B Success
Stay focused. Stay productive. Keep building.
—Bill
