Stakeholder Management
Strong stakeholder relationships are the backbone of every successful Venture Clienting Unit. They open doors, keep momentum, and help you navigate corporate complexity. Without them, even the best startup solutions risk getting stuck in the corporate maze.
Why it matters
- Speeds up decision-making.
- Reduces friction when challenges arise.
- Increases adoption and long-term impact.
- Turns satisfied stakeholders into ambassadors who bring you more leads.
Core principles
- Identify the key players early
- Pain point owners: Direct beneficiaries of the solution.
- Decision makers: Approve budgets and greenlight PoCs.
- Influencers: Can sway opinions, positively or negatively.
- Gatekeepers: Procurement, IT, Legal - can delay or accelerate.
- Build trust before you need it
- Don’t approach stakeholders only when you need approval - invest in regular check-ins.
- Celebrate their wins and tie them to Venture Clienting success stories.
- Communicate with purpose
- Keep updates concise, relevant, and free of jargon.
- Use visuals and business impact metrics - these stick better than long paragraphs.
- Manage expectations transparently
- Be clear about timelines, dependencies, and potential roadblocks.
- Flag risks early - stakeholders appreciate honesty over surprises.
Golden Nuggets
- Tailor your pitch: CFOs want ROI, IT cares about security, business units want ease of use.
- Create quick wins: Early successes make stakeholders more likely to back bigger projects later.
- Spot champions: People who advocate for you internally are worth their weight in gold.
- Handle resistance gracefully: Often it’s about risk perception, not rejection - listen first, then reframe.
Hi, I'm Madlen, and I lead the Venture Clienting solutions at GlassDollar. At GlassDollar, we empower corporations to quickly identify and test cutting-edge startup technology. Our outstanding team of Venture Clienting experts is committed to helping corporations harness startup innovations and drive growth at any stage. Whether you need strategic consulting, support in establishing a Venture Clienting unit, or assistance in operating and scaling it, we are your ideal partner.
The Startup Advantage: How Systematic Corporate-Startup Collaboration Drives Market Outperformance.
Collaborating With Corporations—A Startup‘s Point of View
The potential of Venture Clienting, on the one hand, is full of opportunity; it allows startups to receive direct feedback, resources, and support for their projects. On the other hand, it also contains risks, with potential for a startup to lose its way in bureaucracy or, worse, fail to meet expectations. This article shares perspectives as an startup’s experience in this way of operating and optimising for better outcomes.
Collaborating With Corporations—A Startup‘s Point of View
The potential of Venture Clienting, on the one hand, is full of opportunity; it allows startups to receive direct feedback, resources, and support for their projects. On the other hand, it also contains risks, with potential for a startup to lose its way in bureaucracy or, worse, fail to meet expectations. This article shares perspectives as an startup’s experience in this way of operating and optimising for better outcomes.
Collaborating With Corporations—A Startup‘s Point of View
The potential of Venture Clienting, on the one hand, is full of opportunity; it allows startups to receive direct feedback, resources, and support for their projects. On the other hand, it also contains risks, with potential for a startup to lose its way in bureaucracy or, worse, fail to meet expectations. This article shares perspectives as an startup’s experience in this way of operating and optimising for better outcomes.
Collaborating With Corporations—A Startup‘s Point of View
The potential of Venture Clienting, on the one hand, is full of opportunity; it allows startups to receive direct feedback, resources, and support for their projects. On the other hand, it also contains risks, with potential for a startup to lose its way in bureaucracy or, worse, fail to meet expectations. This article shares perspectives as an startup’s experience in this way of operating and optimising for better outcomes.