Startups face numerous challenges in the early stages, but two factors play a crucial role in determining their success: access to cash and expertise.

Recognizing this, Office Hours and Arc have joined forces to provide Arc customers with on-demand access to thousands of subject matter experts in the software and technology space.


Arc customers will receive a $500 booking credit* and a complementary onboarding session with our team. The booking credit will be automatically applied after a consultation has been booked. To learn more and sign up, please visit: https://www.arc.tech/partners#office-hours.

*Terms apply: Limit one (1) booking credit per company. Companies must sign up via the Arc Partner Rewards portal to be eligible. Offer only available to new Office Hours customers. 


With the $500 booking credit from Office Hours, startups can explore various avenues to enhance their growth and development. Here are a few examples of how startups leverage Office Hours to get ahead:

Customer persona interviews: Startups can leverage this credit to interview ideal customer personas, seeking valuable product feedback and refining their sales pitches. By gaining insights directly from potential customers, startups can refine their offerings and align them more effectively with market demands. Many of these experts actually go on to become customers of our startup clients.

New market or product validation: The credit can be used to conduct interviews with target buyers in different verticals, allowing startups to pressure-test new markets. This strategy helps identify potential opportunities and challenges in different sectors, helping startups make more informed decisions when considering new verticals.

Competitive intelligence research: To stay ahead of the competition, startups can utilize the credit to interview customers of competing products. Understanding customers' experiences and preferences provides valuable insights for improving their own offerings and delivering a better overall customer experience.

Access to functional expertise: By tapping into Office Hours' extensive network of experts, startups can arrange interviews with industry professionals to help get smart on new topics, standup new functions, research new software tools, and so much more.

For more information about how startups leverage our network, you can read more here.

Claim your credit to accelerate your progress

If you're an Arc customer, don't miss out on this incredible opportunity to access a network of experts and propel your startup's progress: https://www.arc.tech/partners#office-hours.

Startups face numerous challenges in their early stages, but two factors play a crucial role in determining their success: access to cash and expertise. Office Hours and Arc have joined forces to provide Arc customers with on-demand access to thousands of subject matter experts in the software and technology space.

Arc + Office Hours: Helping founders accelerate their growth

The once lush oasis of venture funding has been transformed into an arid desert landscape. Coupled with continued macroeconomic uncertainty, this protracted dip in venture capital investment is forcing fledgling and established to re-evaluate their businesses from the ground up.  


Recent data paints a stark picture. CBInsights reports a 13% quarter-on-quarter contraction in total funding for Q1 2023, coupled with a sobering 12% downturn in the total number of deals compared to the previous quarter. This marks the most substantial decline since the tumultuous year of 2020.


Cost-cutting measures have been the first line of defense, but there's a limit to how much you can trim. So, what's next? What other strategies can startups adopt to thrive in this challenging environment? As history shows us, adversity often opens new doors and breeds unforeseen innovation. 

A change in the business climate could mean a shift in your market's perception of your product. Take a step back and reevaluate your value proposition, the competitive landscape, and your target audience. An updated, relevant positioning can help you stand out in the crowd and communicate your unique offering more effectively.

Consider booking customers of your competitors’ products on Office Hours. We have thousands of verified software customers available to be booked on demand.

Or, book time with a product marketing expert to help refine your messaging strategy.


In times of financial stress, your customers are your strongest allies. Invest time in understanding their needs, their pain points, and their aspirations. Developing a community of passionate customers can pay significant dividends across the board.

Conduct surveys and spend time having candid feedback discussions. This not only strengthens your relationship with them but also provides invaluable insights that could shape your product or service in a way that resonates more deeply with your market.

Even if your product was designed with a specific use in mind, your users might be able to leverage it in ways you never anticipated. These novel use cases can open up new customer segments or even entirely new markets.

Stay open to these possibilities, encourage feedback, and be ready to capitalize on these opportunities to expand your reach.

If necessary, rigorously evaluate a pivot

Sometimes, the best way forward is to change direction. Pivoting can be a bold move, but it might just be the change your startup needs to survive and thrive. Whether it's a shift in your business model, a reimagining of your product, or a change in your target market, a successful pivot can breathe new life into your startup.

If you’re considering a pivot, what better way to validate a potential market than by booking time with potential buyers or experts in the space?

Office Hours gives you access to a network of people who have been there before — genuine experts who can provide you with invaluable insights, advice, and mentorship. They’re here to help you navigate common pitfalls, identify opportunities, and guide you through your journey in the startup world. Please let us know if we can be of any assistance on your journey.

If you'd like to explore how we can help, book a demo below. 


Sources: The State of Venture Funding in 5 Charts - CBInsights

As the funding dries up, startups are prompted to think creatively, to pivot, adapt, and overcome. Cost-cutting measures have been the first line of defense, but there's a limit to how much you can trim. What other strategies can startups adopt to thrive in this challenging environment?

Surviving the Venture Desert: Savvy Strategies for Startups

Booking your target buyer on Office Hours is a great way to get highly valuable feedback on your product. Given the size of our advisor network, our proprietary knowledge graph, and our world-class client services team, we are uniquely able to match you with the exact decision maker for your product.

Advisors don't join our platform to be sold to. They join to earn money, keep up with trends, discover new tools, and discuss emerging best practices within their industry (e.g. how generative AI is impacting their sector). 

That said, we've found that if your product seems interesting and valuable enough, some advisors are interested in trialing or purchasing it.


If that happens to you, that’s fantastic! Our team can help you navigate this situation if it arises. If the advisor expresses interest in your product, contact us here. Our compliance team will work with both parties to off-board the relationship from Office Hours so you can keep the commercial conversation moving. 

So, acknowledging that the advisor providing feedback might be a potential lead for you in the future, how can you make sure to put your best foot forward without turning your call into a sales pitch?

A successful Office Hours conversation requires focus. Having an initial plan helps you stay on track and facilitates a mutually beneficial discussion. 

Ask yourself, "What do I aim to achieve from this conversation?" Your goal should not be to “sell” your product. 


A more productive goal is to elicit genuine, unvarnished feedback from the advisor to determine if the product you’re building actually solves a problem for them.

Spend time getting to know the advisor from a professional perspective, and focus on trying to understand their current challenges. 

Active listening is key here—do your best to understand what motivates them. That feedback can help you refine your pitch in the future. 


Here are some effective questions you can lead with: 

What are your team's biggest challenges today?

Can you describe your team's current workflows?

What are your primary pain points related to these workflows?

Insights into the inadequacies of current market solutions can be valuable, and suggestions from your advisor might become key features in your product.

Introduce your solution & seek genuine feedback

Giving the advisor a live product walkthrough using Office Hours' screen-sharing feature helps ensure you're on the same page. 

What you choose to show will depend on the conversation. You may choose to focus on the features that you believe would be most valuable to the advisor, or features that your product has which competitors don’t. 

The latter is especially useful if the advisor uses a competing product—they’ll know hands-on what you can do to stand out.

Remember! Avoid turning this into a sales pitch.

The advisor is here to provide genuine feedback on your product's viability or usefulness. Use this opportunity to understand how your product might meet or miss their needs. This engagement can spark their interest in a potential future business relationship.

Feel free to book another meeting if needed, and keep the advisor updated on your product's progress. Consistent updates and a focus on your achievements showcase the growth and potential of your product.

A simple “who else do you think I should speak with?” can open the door to more demo calls. What’s important is that you focus on building the relationship first and proving your product’s value before discussing referrals. After all, you want to make sure your advisor speaks with the same enthusiasm about your product that you have.

Office Hours is a powerful tool to establish and nurture relationships with industry leaders who can offer valuable feedback on your product.

Keep the focus on value and feedback, and you never know where the conversation might lead. Happy knowledge sharing! 

Booking your target buyer or end user on Office Hours is a great way to get feedback on your product. We’ve found that if your product seems interesting and valuable enough, some advisors are interested in trialing or purchasing it.

“Can I meet qualified sales leads on Office Hours?”

Founders of venture-backed startups are constantly being told by investors and others how important networking is to successfully building a company:

“You should be talking to one investor per month, even when you’re not raising”

“You should speak with this expert" (even if you don’t have an immediate need for their input)

As a founder, it's likely understand the value of networking and mentorship, but the brutal realities of running a business can often relegate development of these crucial relationships to the back-burner.

Let's face it: building a business is a herculean task. You're navigating product development, hiring top talent, managing finances, and juggling a thousand other pressing priorities.

Amidst all these, building a robust network of mentors and peers can start to seem like an insurmountable challenge. 

We've been there, caught in the cycle of knowing we need to do something but struggling to find the time.

Office Hours can help you build your network in a focused, strategic, and time-efficient manner. Our platform connects you with mentors, functional experts, and other founders who've been there, done that, and are ready to share their invaluable insights with you.

It's a chance to learn from the best, get answers to your toughest questions, and to not just survive, but thrive in the competitive landscape of software startups.

Curated connections: You can search our marketplace of thousands of experts, or, with Office Hours Pro, our team will handpick experts and mentors based on your specific needs, challenges, and industry niche. You'll be matched with individuals who truly understand your journey and can offer targeted advice.

Continuous learning: With Office Hours, you're not just gaining contacts, you're building a knowledge base. Our experts provide actionable insights and strategies that you can apply immediately to your business.

Community: Office Hours provides an opportunity to connect with other founders who are also navigating the stormy seas of startup life. Share experiences, exchange ideas, and grow together.

Streamlined logistics: We understand that your day is jam-packed. That's why Office Hours offers flexible sessions that work around your schedule. Whether it's a quick lunchtime chat or a deep-dive in the evening, we've got you covered.

The challenges of running a venture-backed software company are many, but you don't have to face them alone. We at Office Hours are committed to providing you with the networking opportunities you need, tailored to your busy schedule and specific needs.

Don't let the essential task of networking and mentorship fall by the wayside. Make it an integrated part of your growth strategy. With Office Hours, you're not just surviving the startup jungle, you're mastering it. Get the support you need, when you need it, and watch as your network, and your success, grows.

Growing your network shouldn't be so hard. Instantly book time with thousands of top experts in software & tech.

Founders: Put your networking on autopilot

High Quality Advisors = High Signal Feedback

Do you have a brilliant product idea or prototype but aren't quite sure if someone will pay for it? Or are you mid-product development, and in need of live perspectives from your target buyer or end user?

Booking advisors on Office Hours for product feedback interviews can be a game-changer. Our network includes thousands of software key decision makers and users available on-demand who can provide insight into their workflows, key pain points, and provide feedback on your product.

In this step-by-step guide, we'll walk you through the process of finding and connecting with industry professionals, obtaining valuable feedback, and refining your product to accelerate your path to product-market fit. Let's dive in!



Product validation is the process of confirming that your target audience indeed needs your product and will be willing to pay for it, and is crucial for any new startup or existing startup launching a new product. 

Booking advisors on Office Hours for product feedback interviews is an excellent way to gain high quality, high signal feedback, refine your product, and learn from the best in your industry.

We provide on-demand access to thousands of top minds across software, technology, healthcare and other industries. 

Try searching our network for a preview into the types of high quality advisors we have ready and available.

Our advisors could be key decision makers or daily users at your target customer companies. They are also product managers, engineers, and marketers willing to share their insights and advice on the development of your product in general.

The next step is finding the right advisors to speak with. Here are a few tips to help you identify the perfect candidates:

Define your target buyer and/or primary end user: Be as specific as possible about the type of customer or user your product is designed for. Who are they? Where do they work? What do they care about?

Aim for a diverse set of perspectives: Aim for a mix of advisors from different backgrounds, roles, and industries to obtain a well-rounded perspective on your product.

Use our search functionality: Our search and recommendation allows you to search in unique and helpful ways. Not only can you search by title and company, but you can also search for customers of specific products or product categories.

Send booking requests: In only a few clicks, you can send a booking request to your selected advisors. Choose your duration, select whether or not you’d like to transcript the conversation, and include a note to help the advisor prepare.

Did you know? If you can't find the exact profile of person you hope to speak with, inquire about a trial of Office Hours Pro. With Pro, you’ll have support from a dedicated client services rep who will proactively recruit the right individuals from outside of our network.


Once you've identified the advisors you'd like to speak with, it's time to prepare for your interviews. Here are some tips to help you get the most out of your conversation:

Have a clear agenda: Define your objectives and the specific feedback you are seeking. This will help you stay focused during the interview and ensure you cover all essential topics.

Prepare your product demo: If possible, create a demo or prototype of your product to showcase its features and benefits. This will give the advisor a better understanding of your product and enable them to provide more targeted feedback.

Craft open-ended questions: Ask open-ended questions that encourage the advisor to share their thoughts, opinions, and experiences freely. This approach will help you gain deeper insights and uncover opportunities for improvement.

With your preparations in place, you're now ready to conduct your product feedback interview. Keep these best practices in mind:

Be punctual and professional: Respect the advisor’s time by arriving on time (or early) for your Office Hours session. Present yourself professionally and be ready to dive into the conversation.

Set the context: Begin the interview by providing a brief overview of your product, its target audience, and your goals for the conversation. This context will help the advisor understand the scope of the feedback they should provide.

Listen actively: As the advisor shares their insights, listen attentively, take notes, and ask follow-up questions. Avoid interrupting or getting defensive. Remember, their feedback is meant to help you improve your product, not criticize it.

Be open to feedback: Embrace both positive and negative feedback with an open mind. This receptivity will help you identify areas for improvement and make your product even better.

Remember - your objective is not to sell the product - it’s to validate whether or not your product is something this person would find real value in.

On Office Hours, you have the choice of dialing in via phone or joining via web on your desktop. We suggest joining via web, which gives you the ability to video conference, and show the advisor your product via screen share.

After your product feedback interview, analyze the insights you've gathered and determine your next steps. Here are some suggestions for moving forward:

Review your notes: Go through your notes and highlight the key points and actionable suggestions made by the advisors. We highly suggest leveraging our automated recording & transcription service to take the hassle and stress out of note-taking. 

Identify themes: Look for common themes, patterns, or recurring issues mentioned by multiple advisors. These areas may warrant further exploration or immediate action.

Prioritize improvements: Determine which feedback items are most critical to address and prioritize them based on their potential impact on your product's success.

Create an action plan: Develop a plan outlining the steps you'll take to implement the advisor’s feedback. Include deadlines, resources needed, and any potential roadblocks.

Follow up with the advisor: Express your gratitude to the advisor for their time and valuable insights. Share your plans for implementing their feedback and offer to keep them updated on your progress.


Create an account to explore our network for free, or schedule a demo below.

Discover how booking advisors on Office Hours for product feedback interviews can help you validate and refine your product. Our step-by-step guide walks you through the process, from finding advisors to conducting interviews and implementing their valuable insights.

Step-by-Step: Conducting Effective Product Feedback Interviews

In today's unpredictable macroeconomic climate, the most valuable asset a startup can possess is adaptability. Surviving the early stages requires more than just managing burn and hiring a great founding team; it demands a tenacious pursuit of product-market fit. Like a sculptor molding clay, founders must shape their startup in response to the fluctuating demands of the market.

The underlying principle is that your customers seek solutions to their problems, and it's your job as a founder to grasp the essence of their struggle. This concept is well understood, but truly understanding your customers’ needs is easier said than done.

Startups of all stages and sizes book Office Hours with prospective customers via 30 and 60 minute knowledge-sharing consultations.

These calls aren't sales calls - they are interviews, led by founders, focused on gaining a deeper, truer understanding of your customers' needs and desires. And they allow founders to develop potentially deep, enduring relationships with the exact people who may need their product in the future.

Odds are one of our thousands advisors in technology or healthcare will meet your criteria, but if not, you can sign up for a trial of Office Hours Pro - which includes dedicated support from a team member who will source the perfect profile for you and bring them on to our platform.

As a founder, you should start by introducing yourself and your company, and explain that your aim is not to make a sale - it’s to validate whether or not the product that you’re building is something the advisor needs, or at least would be genuinely willing to pay for. Then, focus on asking them questions focused on understand the challenges they and their teams are dealing with every day:

What are the most significant pain points or challenges your team is facing in this area?

Can you walk me through your current process for tackling these pain points or challenges?

What existing software tools or solutions do you use to address these issues? What do you like or dislike about them?

If you could envision a perfect software solution for your needs, what key features would it have?

How do you measure the success or effectiveness of the software tools you currently use?

What are your must-have features or functionalities in a software solution for your line of work?

Are there any specific integrations with other tools or software that would significantly improve your team’s workflow?

How important are features X, Y or Z when selecting a software solution for your needs?

What kind of support or training do you expect when implementing a new software solution in your workflow?

Can I get your live feedback on our product?

What if the advisor is interested in becoming a customer? 

Great! While we don't want our advisors feeling like they're being sold to on Office Hours, we understand that the advisor might legitimately have an interest in learning more about becoming a customer. If that happens, our team will work with you and the advisor to determine the appropriate next steps. 

Book calls with your prospective customers to truly understand their needs.

Ready to explore the network?

Sign up to explore the network, or schedule a demo with a member of our team.