Why I Started Pathfinder Foundry (And What I’m Hoping to Build)

Hi friends,

If you’re reading this, chances are you’ve encouraged me, collaborated with me, or simply cared enough to follow along as I take this next leap. First of all: thank you. Your support means more than I can say.

Over the last few months, I’ve been building something new: Pathfinder Foundry, a consulting studio designed to help bold ideas move from vision to traction.

So I thought I’d use this first post to share a bit of the “why” behind it all. Not the polished pitch (this is still 'in progress'), but the real story behind what led me here — and what I’m hoping this becomes.

The itch I couldn’t ignore

I’ve spent nearly two decades working across startups, agencies, and large-scale product teams. And I’ve seen how promising new ideas get stuck — not because they lack ambition, but because the path forward isn’t clear.

• Teams spin in circles.
• Founders burn out.
• Customers aren’t engaged early enough to shape what’s being built.

Over time, one pattern stood out:

Big visions rarely fail for being bold. They fail when teams neglect early customer discovery, skip design partners who reveal blind spots, and avoid rapid experiments that test assumptions and surface real needs.

That gap — between vision and traction, ambition and alignment — is where I love to work. And it’s where Pathfinder Foundry was born.

What Pathfinder Foundry does

At its core, Pathfinder Foundry helps founders, product leaders, and innovation teams validate new ideas, accelerate early traction, and build momentum without burning out. That takes the form of:

• 🧪 Customer Development Foundations & Sprints – frameworks and workshops that ground teams in validated learning.
• 🧗 1:1 Coaching & Workshop Facilitation – leadership guidance, accountability, and space to align on what matters most.
• 🧭 Fractional Product Leadership – clarity and direction for teams that need strategic capacity but aren’t ready for a full-time hire.

I don’t just hand out advice — I work side-by-side, helping shape direction, embed proven practices, and unlock progress.

Stay Connected

This space will be where I share stories, lessons, and behind-the-scenes insights as I build Pathfinder Foundry and support clients who are creating bold things.

For those who want to dive deeper, I’ll also be sharing through three newsletters — each with a different lens (choose which you'd like to subscribe to):

• Creators Agenda – Focused on your business: insights, tools, and resources for creators and entrepreneurs.
• Pathfinder Foundry – Focused on my business: behind-the-scenes updates and how I’m applying these methods.
• Marc’s Field Notes – Focused on me personally: creative hacks, experiments, and lessons from my own journey.

Let’s build bold things — the right way.
Marc ✌️

Grateful for Early Supporters 🫶

Thank you for being here from the start—you’re part of the founding circle for this newsletter. If this first post resonates, I’d be grateful if you shared it with a founder, builder, or creative who could use some clarity or momentum.

Word-of-mouth will help this community grow. Just send them to creatorsagenda.com.

🙏 Thanks for helping shape what comes next.