Hi, I'm Alison

I am a product and strategy executive, and I do mad genius collaborations with founders and startup leaders during paradigm shifts — when the well-worn playbooks stop working.
‍Breakaway Effect is my advisory firm.

Paradigm shifts require a surge of uncommon resources

Every company needs the right mix of flame and spark.

The vast majority of your team are the flame — the day-to-day excellence that has gotten you where you are today. But every once in a while, you need the spark — to transform your company, to adapt to a new world order, to hit that next stage, to break away from the pack.

Work with me to produce that spark.
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Paradigm shifts are exciting but chaotic

These shifts can take many forms.
  • A significant change in the business model and product strategy
  • Right before or after a fundraise
  • The launch of a new business line
  • An M&A or de-merger
And this new phase often feels unstable. Things that used to work so well no longer make sense.
  • The opportunities are numerous, but increasingly difficult to prioritize.
  • Your product or offering has grown more complex, raising questions about positioning and pricing.
  • Your best people are confused, and teams that used to work well together are now in conflict.

Growth frameworks for breakaway results

I am a change specialist with experience in product and strategy that I'm eager to share with you.

User-centered positioning

We will use user research, data, and market benchmarks to find the right pricing and bundling for your offering.

Crisp decision making

Bold prioritization starts at your mission and strategy, enhanced by a deep understanding of your customer.

Team alignment

Strategic shifts mean your team needs to come together in ways that resemble the earliest of startup days. We will rekindle that magic together.

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Case studies

I was brought in to Chalkbeat — a digital news organization focused on local education coverage in multiple states — to help grow its offerings to more geographies. But after working closely with the founder and CEO on the strategic plan, we determined that the outsize revenue potential lay in fundraising for new topics (not just education). In 2020, Chalkbeat raised $5M+ to launch Votebeat — a new local newsroom focused on elections and voting, and then debuted a new parent company in early 2023 with a broader mandate, ready to expand to other critical news topics.

When I first joined Howl, it was a high-growth pre-seed startup that was primarily serving the needs of the legacy publishers who were big players in product reviews — Wirecutter, Conde Nast, Hearst, etc. I worked with the founder and the leadership team to reimagine the business and product strategy to focus on a new user segment — creators on YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram. We were now making a product for individual creators and no longer just big enterprise clients. This dramatically opened the total addressable market of the company, and became the start of a new phase for Howl's growth.

About
Alison Go

My product and strategy approach is inspired by a twenty-year career journey that sits at the intersection of big tech / startups, nonprofits, and media. I founded Votebeat, a local newsroom focused on elections, was the Chief Strategy and Product Officer at Howl and Civic News Company, and held product leadership roles at Facebook, Amazon, and startups of all sizes.

  • Big tech & startups taught me the power of speed and fearlessness. They also nurtured my love of spreadsheets and a well-designed framework.
  • Nonprofit work taught me the clarity earned from an airtight mission and strategy.
  • The media industry taught me the power of a cohesive and beautifully told story.
Learn more about me

'Alison is a true visionary with an uncanny ability to see the future and make it real.'

Elizabeth Green

Founder and CEO of Civic News Company
Let's get started
Don't hesitate to get in touch!
Contact me