Before you book a 1:1 call on Zoom: a 15 minute prep sheet for Indian founders

The short version

A 1:1 call is a meeting with someone who can see your business from outside. It works well when you arrive with a clear problem and a clear decision. Most calls that disappoint start with questions the founder could have answered in advance, such as what the business does, who buys and how big the team is. The prep sheet answers those questions on one page, so the call can start where it should.

Fill it in 15 minutes. Send it before the call, or read it aloud at the start. Either way, the expert gets to the useful part sooner.

Why founders skip the prep

Founders are busy and the call feels like a favour to themselves. It seems easier to talk and see what comes up. That works for a casual chat with a friend. It does not work for a paid plan, because the plan will be built from whatever you said in the early ten minutes.

There is also a quiet reason. Writing the problem down can be uncomfortable. It shows you what you do not know. That discomfort is useful. It tells you whether you are ready to buy help, or whether you need to think a bit more.

The prep sheet, part by part

Keep each part short. If you need a page for one part, the part is too big for this call.

1. Your business in three lines. What you sell, to whom and roughly how many customers or enquiries you handle in a week. Mark any estimate as an estimate.
2. The one problem. One sentence that names the problem as your customer would feel it, such as, people ask about delivery on WhatsApp and wait a day for a reply.
3. The numbers you have. Just the numbers you can check, with the period and the source. Write unknown for the rest and say who will find out.
4. What you tried. Two or three things you already did, and what happened in plain words. This saves the expert from suggesting the same steps.
5. The decision you need. Choose one. Do you need a yes or no on working together, a scoped plan with a price, a diagnosis of the problem or a list of tools to try yourself?
6. Who else decides. Name any partner, business partner or manager who must agree before you buy.
7. Your budget range. Optional, but helpful. A range lets the expert propose the right size of work.

A filled example, illustrative

This example is illustrative and uses a made up business. A founder runs a home fitness equipment brand. Orders come in on the website, and questions come on WhatsApp and Instagram messages.

Look at what this sheet does. The founder marks the one estimate as an estimate, admits the unknown weekend number and names the decision. The expert can now ask smart questions in the early five minutes.

The 15 minute agenda for the call

Ask the expert to follow a rough agenda. A good one does not need to be formal, but it should cover five things.

• Minutes 0 to 2: Read the sheet together, or confirm the sheet was read.
• Minutes 2 to 6: The expert asks questions about the problem and the numbers. You answer briefly.
• Minutes 6 to 10: The expert shares what they would test or check, and why. You ask about cost, time and what you will own.
• Minutes 10 to 13: You agree the decision. Yes, no, or a plan to write.
• Minutes 13 to 15: Summarise the next step in one sentence each, and agree who sends what, and when.

What you should leave with

Before the call ends, you should have three things. A clear statement of the problem in the expert's words, which tells you they understood it. A proposed next step with a date, such as a written plan by a set day. And a list of what you will own, such as the chat data, the scripts and any accounts.

If you leave with a vague promise to talk again, you have not had a useful call. Say so kindly and ask for the plan in writing.

Signs that a call will not help

• The expert talks for most of the call. Good advisers ask more questions than they answer in the early half.
• No question about your numbers. A plan without numbers is a plan built on hope.
• A promise of a result without a test. Ask how they would measure it, and what would make them stop.
• Pressure to decide on the call. You can say you need a day to think, and ask for the plan in writing.
• No written scope. Ask what is included, what is not, and how changes are priced.

Mistakes founders make on these calls

• Arriving with no problem. Ask for a call to talk about what is going on, and you will get a sales pitch.
• Bringing too many problems. Pick one. Parking the rest for later keeps the call useful.
• Hiding the numbers. If the numbers look bad, the expert can still help. If you hide them, the plan will be wrong.
• Deciding in the call because you feel guilty. You are allowed to take time.

Frequently asked questions

Is the call free or paid?

Some providers offer a free introductory conversation and others charge for a diagnosis. Ask before you book, and ask what you get in writing.

How much detail should I give?

Enough for the expert to see the problem, the numbers you have and the decision you need. A page is usually plenty.

What if I do not know my numbers?

Write unknown, and say who will find out and by when. An honest unknown is more useful than a guess.

Should I record the call?

Ask before you start. Recording is fine with consent, and a written summary is better than a recording for most founders.

What if the call goes badly?

Thank the person, ask for the summary in writing, and decide later. You do not owe a yes on the call.

Can you read my sheet before I book?

Yes. Send the sheet on WhatsApp, and I will tell you which part is weakest before you book the call.

Your next step

Fill the sheet today. It takes 15 minutes. Then book a 1:1 call on Zoom and send the sheet beforehand. If you want us to read the sheet with you before the call, send it on WhatsApp.

Written by Madhur Tyagi, founder of The Human Algorithm. 8+ years, 25+ brands, since 2017.

Scope note: Examples are illustrative, not client results. Numbers are marked with their source or as unverified. Nothing on this page is sent unless you press the WhatsApp button.