Your positioning could be
more compelling.

Tailwinds helps AI startup founders nail message-market fit by uncovering the right story and making it understandable to ideal buyers.

Book a call

Book a call

"We had a consumer app with 1M+ users and developer infrastructure that could transform AI, but needed a more unified way to frame the connection on our company site. Tailwinds’ excavation process helped us connect the dots between our consumer success and our emergent developer platform and tied them together as chapters of the same story.”

"We had a consumer app with 1M+ users and developer infrastructure that could transform AI, but needed a more unified way to frame the connection on our company site. Tailwinds’ excavation process helped us connect the dots between our consumer success and our emergent developer platform and tied them together as chapters of the same story.”

Jad Esber

Co-Founder & CEO, koodos labs (First Round- and M13-backed)

What do we do?

We solve 3 key problems facing AI startups

Your genius is trapped in a 10-minute explanation. In 2 weeks, we excavate the brilliant story you've been trying to tell. Then we operationalize it with thought leadership that educates the market.

You can't explain what you do in one sentence

Your 10-minute pitch makes investors' eyes glaze over. In 2 weeks, we'll nail your elevator pitch, equipping you with a one-liner and product blurb everyone understands.

You can't explain what you do in one sentence

Your 10-minute pitch makes investors' eyes glaze over. In 2 weeks, we'll nail your elevator pitch, equipping you with a one-liner and product blurb everyone understands.

You sound like every other AI company

In a market where everyone claims "AI-powered," you need to own your category—not drown in it. We help founders differentiate in saturated markets or build new ones.

You sound like every other AI company

In a market where everyone claims "AI-powered," you need to own your category—not drown in it. We help founders differentiate in saturated markets or build new ones.

Only you can sell your product

Your genius founder explanations don't scale. We'll build messaging that enables your colleagues to sell as effectively as you.

Only you can sell your product

Your genius founder explanations don't scale. We'll build messaging that enables your colleagues to sell as effectively as you.

Who do we work with?

We support leaders building and selling into
highly regulated industries

Tailwinds helps founders and emerging managers sharpen their GTM approach while deftly navigating policy and media sensitivities

AI infrastructure and governance
AI infrastructure and governance
Security, privacy, and defense tech
Security, privacy, and defense tech
Deep tech
Deep tech
Health tech & life sciences
Health tech & life sciences
Fintech
Fintech

What services do we provide?

Our service offerings

We primarily focus on Seed to Series A companies, but occasionally
work with later and earlier businesses.

Message-Market Fit Sprint

Stop explaining. Start converting. In two weeks. Priced and scoped for early-stage technical founders:

Review of internal and external GTM collateral

Deep-dive sessions to uncover your core story

Reverse market map showing your unique position

One-sentence breakthrough workshop

Outcome: Finally explain what you do in one sentence that makes people lean in, not glaze over.

Message-Market Fit Sprint

Stop explaining. Start converting. In two weeks. Priced and scoped for early-stage technical founders:

Review of internal and external GTM collateral

Deep-dive sessions to uncover your core story

Reverse market map showing your unique position

One-sentence breakthrough workshop

Outcome: Finally explain what you do in one sentence that makes people lean in, not glaze over.

Full Messaging Architecture

In four weeks, get everything in the Sprint, plus:

Complete messaging that scales beyond founder-led sales

Website messaging overhaul with conversion-focused copy across core pages

Sales enablement toolkit (emails, social post angles, pitch deck narrative, objection handlers)

Weekly excavation sessions to extract founder insights; Slack integration for real-time refinement

Optional thought leadership ghostwriting and calendaring

Market Education

In four weeks, get everything in the Sprint, plus:

Build and launch assets that educate your market on what you do

Website messaging overhaul with conversion-focused copy across core pages

Sales enablement toolkit (emails, social post angles, pitch deck narrative, objection handlers)

Weekly excavation sessions to extract founder insights; Slack integration for real-time refinement

Optional thought leadership ghostwriting and calendaring

Full Messaging Architecture

In four weeks, get everything in the Sprint, plus:

Complete messaging that scales beyond founder-led sales

Website messaging overhaul with conversion-focused copy across core pages

Sales enablement toolkit (emails, social post angles, pitch deck narrative, objection handlers)

Weekly excavation sessions to extract founder insights; Slack integration for real-time refinement

Optional thought leadership ghostwriting and calendaring

Category Leadership

Everything in Architecture, plus:

Extended 1:1 coaching sessions

Deep positioning recommendations based on buyer interviews

ICP deep dive, including customer calls/pain point review, early GTM segmentation analysis, and core persona development

Three custom services (Investor narrative development and list-building, landing page copy overhaul, white paper, blogs, editorial calendaring, gated e-book, product one-pagers, decks, etc.)

Outcomes: 3X qualified meetings and 2X close rates in 90 days

Category Leadership

Everything in Architecture, plus:

Extended 1:1 coaching sessions

Deep positioning recommendations based on buyer interviews

ICP deep dive, including customer calls/pain point review, early GTM segmentation analysis, and core persona development

Three custom services (Investor narrative development and list-building, landing page copy overhaul, white paper, blogs, editorial calendaring, gated e-book, product one-pagers, decks, etc.)

Outcomes: 3X qualified meetings and 2X close rates in 90 days

Custom Projects

From shorter sprints to longer strategic engagements, please don’t hesitate to reach out with something else in mind.

Market mapping for emerging managers

LP narrative development and talk track scripting

Building and growing an Insights function (proprietary thought leadership hub) or user education courses

Community management, including portfolio or customer support services

Product, feature, and company launches

Custom Projects

From shorter sprints to longer strategic engagements, please don’t hesitate to reach out with something else in mind.

Market mapping for emerging managers

LP narrative development and talk track scripting

Building and growing an Insights function (proprietary thought leadership hub) or user education courses

Community management, including portfolio or customer support services

Product, feature, and company launches

Who are we?

Hi, I'm Ross—founder & CEO of Tailwinds

In my career, I've learned that effective positioning separates winning companies from struggling ones. The right competitive research and market education can make a case for multi-million dollar deals and investment—and then bring that vision to life.
I have a broad understanding of what kinds of business models get traction and institutional investment, and am fascinated by the societal impacts of technology.
I used to produce Bessemer Venture Partners' investment roadmap reports and how-to guides for founders, and I built their Finance Course from the ground up. So I know my way around market maps and SaaS curricula. These modalities guide strategic pivots and major growth moments, and they're more effective and engaging (read: fun) than GPT-generated SEO blogs.

I have professional, coursework, and ecosystem-building experience in frontier AI governance and security (BlueDot Impact, the Agentic Tech movement, the AI Salon, and multiple startup and VC clients), SaaS marketing (Carta), and business journalism (The Information).

I help technical founders with early traction finally break through—with knowledge of Silicon Valley's relationship to global trends, and hybrid analytical-creative tactics that actually scale. Let's talk.

Testimonials

Kind words from leaders we've worked with

Don't take our word for it. Take theirs.

"Ross is a gifted storyteller and communicator. He has been extremely helpful for Mintaka's portfolio companies, working to help founders communicate their mission, vision, and value proposition in a way that will resonate and set them up for success. Technical founders should seek Ross out to help refine their messaging and drive clarity for customers, candidates, and investors."
Reed McBride

Managing Partner, Mintaka VC

"Ross is a gifted storyteller and communicator. He has been extremely helpful for Mintaka's portfolio companies, working to help founders communicate their mission, vision, and value proposition in a way that will resonate and set them up for success. Technical founders should seek Ross out to help refine their messaging and drive clarity for customers, candidates, and investors."
Reed McBride

Managing Partner, Mintaka VC

Want to learn more?

Book a free consultation today

Let’s discuss your specific go-to-market challenges in the current macro environment.

If you’re a frontier tech leader who believes technology can transform the world for the better—we help you explain your ideas to the market and gain traction.

Ross Matican, Founder & CEO | ross@tailwinds.pro

Copyright © Tailwinds Advisory LLC. All rights reserved

If you’re a frontier tech leader who believes technology can transform the world for the better—we help you explain your ideas to the market and gain traction.

Ross Matican, Founder & CEO | ross@tailwinds.pro

Copyright © Tailwinds Advisory LLC. All rights reserved

If you’re a frontier tech leader who believes technology can transform the world for the better—we help you explain your ideas to the market and gain traction.

Ross Matican, Founder & CEO | ross@tailwinds.pro

Copyright © Tailwinds Advisory LLC. All rights reserved