I guide HRTECH founders
to build and grow successful product businesses

Challenges HRTECH founders are facing

  • Understanding how large enterprises buy software from start-ups like yours

  • Developing an exit plan that is ready and waiting when large vendors come knocking

  • Gaining a clear understanding of HR leaders’ needs and challenges

  • Creating a pitch that really resonates with potential customers

  • Developing an adjacent product that is more successful than your first big hit
  • Setting up a product function and roadmap that can scale effectively

  • Accepting your first investment from a venture capitalist

  • Setting up a satellite office in the United States (or another region)

  • Determining how much you should spend on sales & marketing and where to focus your efforts

  • Improving your sales cycle times and win rate

Do some of these sound familiar?

Deeply understanding the customers purchasing your HR product, achieving the ultimate product-market fit, scaling up smoothly, pitching effectively and managing investors: how well you perform in these five areas will make or break your business.

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I’m here to help you thrive

With the goal of guiding HRTECH company leaders to build better, more successful businesses, I offer my deep market knowledge and the advantages of an experienced sounding board, and sparring partner.

In addition to providing proven techniques to assist in the effective development, positioning and marketing of products, I work closely with you to help you define the optimal path toward serious scale.

As a trusted advisor to a number of leading-edge businesses, I am uniquely positioned to offer your start-up or scale-up the guidance you need not only to survive but thrive in this dynamic environment. All services are tailored to suit your company’s needs, goals and budget.

 

Build and scale your product business

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Foundational package

Starting with a briefing meeting, we discuss your business and the issues that require the most attention. During a workshop split over two 3-hour sessions, we collaborate to develop a concrete roadmap towards a successful product and/or business approach. Together, we set measurable targets, and schedule regular check-ins over the following months to drive execution.

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otter

Mentorship package

Expert advice is just an e-mail or a call away. Do you need support in making a hiring decision or reviewing a sales pitch, or an introduction to a mega-vendor? Take advantage of a year-long, ad hoc advisory service provided at a cadence that suits your schedule and budget.

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otter

Customized package

Reap the benefits of services tailored precisely to your needs, such as focused workshops covering concrete topics, either with me alone or in partnership with other colleagues in the collective. Some examples of workshop topics include:

- Working with analysts
- Running an advisory board session
- Strategic investment, fundraising, or exit approaches

Request a meeting with Thomas

I empower HRTECH founders in building and scaling great product businesses with incisive, actionable, expert advice.

What founders say

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Having known Thomas for several years, I recognise him to be exceptionally reliable, straight-forward, and focused, both personally and professionally. As a customer, we at Ingentis feel we are in excellent hands. From the perspective of a globally active software provider in the HR sector, we highly value the extent of Thomas’s knowledge and network.

Michael Grimm

Managing director & founder Ingentis

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icims-s

Thomas worked closely with our Product and Sales team to streamline our positioning and go-to-market. His advice was really effective and helped us to adapt our offer quicker than expected!

Also, Thomas was closely involved during our M&A process, alongside our financial advisors. His market knowledge and extended network within the HR tech industry was really helpful to target the right strategic parties and build relationships with C Level decision-makers.

Mickaël Cabrol

Managing Director, iCIMS

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resourcesful-humans-s

Thomas nearly fell asleep during our very first meeting very late on a hot Berlin evening. That told me two things. First, he is a hard-working SOB, and second, you better make your point quickly because he is likely ahead of you anyways.

Since our initial meeting, Thomas' support has been profound, both on a business and human level. You feel his interest is genuine, and his feedback always candid. The executive experience and personal insights he brings to the table are always relevant and push the team forward.

I appreciate that he isn’t always politically correct and will often go to a painful area, the elephant in the room, or plainly provoke a reaction. However, it always remains clear he does so in the interest of enabling us to make a better contribution. Team Otter has a distinct advantage in its deep technical understanding of the product and how to relate it to business strategy. RH is becoming stronger through each iteration with Team Otter, that’s the best I can say about any supporter of our mission to evolve the human condition through work technology.

Heiko Fischer

CEO, Resourceful Humans

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clustree

Thomas Otter first assisted Clustree from an operational perspective for several weeks, helping our VP Product and myself with our strategic positioning and roadmap, our product marketing, and our product organization & methodologies. He came across as extremely knowledgeable (thanks to his experience working with large software vendors, startups, and large corporates), well-rounded and pragmatic.

We subsequently hired Thomas to help us during our M&A process, which enabled us to leverage his unparalleled network and credibility in the HR industry.

Bénédicte de Raphélis Soissan

Founder & CEO, Clustree (member of the Cornerstone family of companies)

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Thomas is advising us on product and business related topics and is probably the best-informed HR tech market person one could find. Always a big pleasure working with him!

Jana Tepe and Anna Kaiser

CEOs, Tandemploy

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beqom-s

Throughout our journey from a start-up to a global Enterprise Software provider in the Total Compensation & Rewards Management space, we received valuable support from Otter Advisory at each critical stage of our company's growth.

The advice given was specific to our needs as an HR Tech solution provider and at the same time covered product, positioning, partnerships as well as marketing aspects with a very positive impact on our business. 

Fabio Ronga

CEO, Beqom

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Looking for more insights?

I advise leading and emerging HRTECH vendors and their investors, guiding them to build better products and be more successful. In helping my customers achieve their goals, I rely on the wisdom of my past experience, my network, and my relentless curiosity.

 
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