Product, pricing and growth advice from someone who runs the tests.
I build with AI every day and lead product across a portfolio of internet businesses, where decisions are made on cohort data. I bring that to a small number of early-stage and AI-native startups at a time.
What I help with
Product
- Roadmap and prioritiesA vision turned into a sequence of shippable bets, ranked by impact.
- A shipping cadenceRelease, QA and phased rollouts that let a small team ship every week.
- AI in the product teamAgents, automated review and internal tools that make a small team ship like a bigger one.
- Your first product hiresRubrics and ramps for PMs who can build and prototype.
Pricing
- Plans and packagingWhat to charge for, how to tier it, and where the upgrade line sits.
- Price tests that reach a decisionCohort tests on new and existing customers, with a clear rule to keep or kill each one.
- Pricing AI productsUsage limits, credits and plans for products whose cost grows with every request.
- Revenue leaksBilling, plan changes and usage that quietly charge the wrong amount.
Growth
- AcquisitionPaid and organic channels, measured on blended cost to acquire.
- ActivationThe signup and onboarding steps that predict who converts.
- RetentionChurn signals and cancellation flows that save customers.
- A testing rhythmOne framework and a weekly review, so every test teaches the team something.
Results I've shipped
| Revenue per user from renewal price testsConsumer marketplace, four cohorts, all positive | +29% to +100% |
|---|---|
| Contracted MRR in 17 monthsConsumer marketplace | $263K to $536K |
| Lower paid acquisition costB2B SaaS, through a freemium flywheel | About 80% |
| Better save rate on cancellationsB2B Martech SaaS, first weeks of a self-serve flow | 4 to 5x |
| Organic search traffic, year over yearConsumer gaming platform | +600% |
Two ways to work together
Monthly advisory
Ongoing advice on product, pricing and growth decisions as they come up, billed monthly.
Equity advisor
A formal advisor role in exchange for equity, for early teams who want an operator in their corner.
A good fit if
- You're deciding what to charge and want the answer backed by a test.
- You're building an AI product and need pricing that survives real usage costs.
- Growth has stalled or got expensive, and you want to know where the funnel breaks.
- You want someone who has shipped the change, not written a deck about it.
Questions
What does Robert Botto advise startups on?
Product, pricing and growth. On product: roadmaps, shipping cadence, AI in the product team and first product hires. On pricing: plans and packaging, price tests that reach a decision, pricing AI products and revenue leaks. On growth: acquisition, activation, retention and a testing rhythm.
Which startups does he work with?
Early-stage and AI-native startups. He takes on a small number at a time, so each one gets real attention.
How can a startup work with him?
Two ways. A monthly advisory retainer, with ongoing advice on product, pricing and growth decisions as they come up. Or a formal equity advisor role, for early teams who want an operator in their corner.
What is his advice based on?
Shipped work. He builds with AI every day and leads product across Adly, a portfolio of internet businesses, where decisions are made on cohort data. Renewal price tests he ran raised revenue per user by 29% to 100% across four cohorts.
How do I get started?
Book a 30-minute call at cal.com/robert-botto/30min or email hello@robertbotto.com. A first call is a conversation about where you are and whether he can help.
I take on a small number of startups at a time
A first call is a conversation about where you are and whether I can help.