YAML
---
name: initiating-client-discovery
description: Researches prospects and drafts personalized outreach emails to CEOs for climate/biotech consulting discovery calls. Use when reaching out to potential new clients.
---

Initiating Client Discovery

Research → Draft → Send sequence for CEO outreach:

1. Company: [Target Company]
2. CEO: [Name] 
3. Key insight: [Specific challenge/opportunity found]
4. Value prop: [How your expertise applies]
5. CTA: 15-min discovery call

Research Phase:

• Company website: business model, recent initiatives, team
• News articles: funding, partnerships, regulatory changes
• LinkedIn/social: CEO background, company updates
• Industry context: market pressures, compliance requirements

Email Drafting:

• Personalized subject line referencing specific company context
• Opening with relevant insight about their business
• Brief credibility statement (relevant client/outcome)
• Specific value hypothesis for their situation
• Low-friction meeting request (15 mins)

Quality Check:

• No generic language or templates
• Demonstrates actual research
• Clear connection between their need and your expertise
• Easy calendar scheduling mechanism

Example 1: Input: Algae biofuel startup, Series A, CEO with oil & gas background Output:

Subject: Carbon intensity reduction for [Company] biofuels

Hi [CEO Name],

Saw your recent partnership with [Refinery Co] - smart move given the new LCFS credit structures in California. The margin compression you're likely seeing on traditional pathways creates a real opportunity for algae-based alternatives.

I've helped three biofuel companies navigate similar scaling challenges, including [Client] who improved their CI score by 40% through feedstock optimization. 

Given your oil & gas background, you're probably thinking about this differently than most biotech founders. Would be curious to hear your take on the regulatory arbitrage opportunity.

Worth a brief chat? 15 minutes to explore if there's a fit.

[Calendar link]

Best,
[Name]

Example 2: Input: Carbon capture hardware company, post-IPO, scaling manufacturing Output:

Subject: Manufacturing economics for [Company] DAC units

Hi [CEO Name],

Your Q3 earnings call mentioned the challenge of reaching $150/tonne cost targets while scaling production. This is exactly the manufacturing strategy work we do with climate hardware companies.

Just finished a similar project with [Client] where we redesigned their supply chain to reduce unit costs by 35% while maintaining quality standards for industrial-scale deployment.

The intersection of your engineering background and the current CapEx environment creates some interesting strategic options worth exploring.

15 minutes to discuss? Happy to share some initial thoughts.

[Calendar link]

Best,
[Name]

Research Quality:

• Look for recent inflection points (funding, partnerships, regulatory changes)
• Identify CEO's professional background and expertise
• Find specific operational or financial challenges mentioned publicly
• Note competitive positioning and market dynamics

Email Craft:

• Lead with business insight, not personal introduction
• Reference specific, recent company developments
• Use industry terminology they'd recognize
• Mention relevant client outcomes without violating confidentiality
• Request 15 minutes maximum (signals efficiency)

Credibility Signals:

• Name-drop relevant clients (with permission) or anonymize outcomes
• Reference specific industry knowledge (regulations, market dynamics)
• Demonstrate understanding of their business model
• Show awareness of their competitive landscape

• Generic templates that could apply to any company
• Leading with your credentials instead of their business
• Requesting 30+ minute calls (too much commitment)
• Focusing on your services rather than their challenges
• Missing recent news or developments that show lack of research
• Using buzzwords without demonstrating actual expertise
• Forgetting to include clear next steps or calendar link