Every hero needs

a sidekick

The Founder’s Sidekick is a hands-on consultancy that helps startups go from zero to one .

The Founder’s Sidekick supports entrepreneurs as they transition from stealth mode to market success, making sure their product or service is positioned and presented for investors and customers alike. With experience as an entrepreneur, marketer, and product inventor—and five startup exits under her belt—Laurie Peterson brings a unique mix of creative insight and business strategy. Whether it's branding, storytelling, product planning, go-to-market strategy, or fundraising, The Founder’s Sidekick prepares clients to shine when they step into the spotlight.

Meet your Sidekick

Laurie Peterson is an entrepreneur, patented inventor, and silicon-valley trained marketer with a Berkeley/Haas MBA. Laurie has twenty years of experience developing and promoting award-winning digital and physical products. With experience in software, hardware, and consumer products, Laurie assists venture-backed startups as The Founder’s Sidekick.

”I’m the ideal partner for technical or consumer product startups looking to attract their first customers, break into new markets, or refine their positioning for growth.”

After several decades in the San Francisco Bay Area startup scene, Laurie currently resides in Santa Fe New Mexico where she enjoys outdoor time with her friends and family. In addition to consulting work, Laurie is an award-winning toy and game inventor via her studio Rebel Play.

Heroes Served

  • “Laurie is the ultimate founder’s sidekick.”

    As a solo entrepreneur, it can be daunting to have everything on my plate. Laurie jumped in wherever needed—refining our brand story, refreshing our website, launching on Amazon, setting up a reseller program, and even creating a strategy to grow our brand through YouTube. She has a rare ability to think big-picture while also rolling up her sleeves to get things done.

    Dr. Kanika Kadakia
    Founder of Teddy in Trouble

  • “Laurie transformed our positioning and created a great-looking pitch deck.”

    When my Web Operations agency aimed to secure a major new client, we realized our messaging required a refresh to enhance our chances. Laurie quickly transformed our service list into a customer-centric value proposition that underscored the benefits of our WebOps subscription model. Within just three working days, she delivered an impressive 15 page pitch deck that positioned us to win new business.

    André Langlois
    Founder of Marvel & Snap

  • “Laurie translated complex technical details into a compelling narrative.”

    As a hardware startup emerging from stealth mode, we required expert assistance with our branding and messaging. Referred by an investor, we partnered with Laurie to create our pitch deck and website. This pivotal support helped us secure investment and equipped us to engage customers. Impressed by the results, we’ve continued our partnership with Laurie to develop marketing materials and product plans to license our IP across various industries."

    Dr. Jeff Yen
    Co-founder of Etherdyne Technologies

  • “I value Laurie's startup savvy perspective greatly.”

    Laurie is an energetic and dedicated marketing professional with an entrepreneurial mindset. She understands how changes in strategy will affect the business as a whole. This ability allows her to build marketing programs that support the startup’s high-level goals, even as strategy and competitive landscape change.

    Dr. David Merrill
    Co-founder of Elroy Air

  • "Our rebranding has been well received, making our purpose clearer to both employees and clients."

    Our wellness business offers a diverse range of services and products, which can be challenging for clients to fully understand. Laurie expertly crafted a new mission and tagline to unify our offerings. She seamlessly integrated this mission across our marketing materials, job descriptions, and employee handbook.

    Lori Parrish
    Founder of BODY

How it Works

Super Sidekick

$5000 / month retainer

Laurie becomes an integral member of your leadership team, driving initiatives forward that we collectively define.

✓ Flexible block of hours to use however you direct
✓ Recommended for early-stage startups
✓ Seamlessly integrated into your team
✓ Cancel anytime

Special Ops Sidekick

$3000 / month retainer

Laurie works on select projects with a clear scope.

✓ Flexible block of hours to use towards the mission
✓ Recommended when you have a specific focus in mind, versus needing help across many initiatives
✓ Cancel anytime