Last updated: May 2026
StartupCookie runs full-stack thought leadership programs for B2B SaaS startups. We pair AI-native production with senior content strategists to ship founder-led LinkedIn, long-form articles, case studies, and webinar repurposing end to end. Typical engagement: $5,000-$15,000/mo, month-to-month, no long contracts. The output of a full content team at the price of a junior hire. The principles are the same as the playbook in our thought leadership marketing guide; the implementation is what we run for clients.
What we run for clients
A complete thought leadership program: voice card built from the founder's existing best content, topic ladder mapped to commercial-intent AEO queries, weekly cadence of 3-5 LinkedIn posts and 1-2 long-form articles, monthly webinar with full repurposing into 20-30 assets, quarterly case studies with named customers and hard numbers, and weekly distribution review with performance attribution. We handle production; the founder provides 1-2 hours per week of input.
Who this is for
- Seed to Series B B2B SaaS founders who know their content is not working and do not have time to fix it themselves.
- Growth-stage marketing leaders without an in-house content team yet who need the program to compound while they build the rest of the marketing function.
- Series A and B founders who want to bring production in-house eventually and need a partner to run the program while we build them a custom content agent.
Who this is not for
- B2C, e-commerce, or consumer brands. We are calibrated for B2B SaaS specifically.
- Companies past Series C with established content teams. We are the bridge, not the replacement.
- Founders who will not commit 1-2 hours per week to input calls. Programs without founder input flatten into AI-generic content.
How it works, in 4 phases
| Phase | What we ship | Timeline |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Kickoff | Voice card, topic ladder, AEO target queries | Week 1 |
| 2. First cycle | 5 LinkedIn posts, 1 article, distribution setup | Weeks 2-3 |
| 3. Cadence | 3-5 posts/week, 1-2 articles/week, monthly webinar | Weeks 4-12 |
| 4. Review | Pipeline attribution, voice-card iteration, topic refresh | Every 90 days |
Pricing
Starting at $5,000/mo for founder-led LinkedIn + 4 articles/month. $10,000-$15,000/mo for a full-stack program including webinars, case studies, and distribution. Custom pricing for multi-author programs or programs with custom integrations. Every engagement is month-to-month with no long contracts; we recommend committing to at least 90 days because thought leadership compounds in the second and third month, not the first.
Frequently asked questions
How much founder time does this require?
1-2 hours per week. 30-60 minutes of audio input (recorded on a phone, on a Loom, or on a call with us), plus 15-30 minutes of weekly draft review.
How fast does this start working?
First trust signals (inbound DMs, AI citations): 4-8 weeks. Measurable pipeline lift: 90-120 days. Compounding effects on CAC: 6-12 months. Programs that stop before 90 days never compound.
Do you handle distribution or only production?
Both. Distribution is half the work. We run LinkedIn distribution (founder + company), email amplification, paid amplification on the highest-performing posts, and AEO/SEO optimization on every long-form article.
Can we keep our existing content writer?
Yes. We slot in alongside an existing freelance writer or in-house marketer. We typically take strategy, AEO/SEO optimization, and distribution; your existing writer can continue handling drafting if that works for the team.
What is the difference between this and your content agent service?
The thought leadership program is a managed service; we run the content. The content agent service is a custom buildout; we build the agent and your team operates it. Many clients run both: we run the program while we build the agent, then the team takes over once the agent is shipped.