The business in one offer
Who it serves
A small B2B team that knows its ideal customer but lacks time to research suitable organizations.
What to sell first
A defined number of company profiles with source links, fit reasons and a verification date. Exclude sensitive personal data and distinguish verified facts from inference.
The differentiation is accuracy and useful context. A short list with clear inclusion criteria can be more valuable than a large unverified spreadsheet.
What could it cost to start?
This is an original example budget for the limited pilot described above. It is not a researched market average or a complete quote for every location.
| Item to price | Example allowance |
|---|---|
| Research tools | $100.00 |
| Portfolio and delivery setup | $60.00 |
| Quality-check allowance | $80.00 |
| Setup reserve | $160.00 |
| Example total | $400.00 |
What this assumes—and excludes
Existing basic skills, computer or transport where needed, and a suitable place to work. Excludes owner pay, living costs, major premises or vehicle purchases, and any local requirements not covered by the allowances. Replace every allowance with a quote before committing.
Collect actual supplier, insurance and local-authority information. Add a reserve for delays and unexpected costs; the example total is not a funding recommendation.
How the unit economics work
At an assumed $400.00 per research project and $60.00 in direct costs, contribution is $340.00 before monthly fixed costs, owner pay and taxes. With 8 all-in working hours per unit, that is $42.50 per delivery hour before those deductions. These inputs illustrate the arithmetic; they do not establish a market price or expected earnings.
The example also allows $80.00 in monthly fixed costs. Include unpaid acquisition and administrative time when deciding whether the offer is worthwhile.
Try your own numbers
These are editable planning assumptions, not prices we have verified. Calculations stay in your browser.
Operating result = (price − direct cost) × units − monthly fixed costs. Before owner pay, taxes, financing and startup recovery. At these inputs, delivery requires 80 hours per month, plus any work not included in your per-unit estimate. Sales volume is a scenario, not a forecast.
How to find the first customers
Test a small offer before scaling traffic. Record the source of each enquiry, whether it fits the offer, and whether the buyer pays.
- Create a small sample using public company information.
- Ask a client to reject unsuitable sample accounts and explain why.
- Deliver a paid batch with a quality-check log and corrections policy.
What to validate before spending more
- Confirm permitted use of each data source.
- Check facts against primary company pages.
- Keep research delivery separate from permission to send marketing.
The operational catch
Calling a scraped list “qualified leads” misstates what it contains. Data can become outdated quickly and outreach obligations still apply after delivery.
A practical way to fund the first step
Start with manual company research and buy tools only when their accuracy and time savings are demonstrated.
Separate cash already available from money still to earn. Count only proceeds after direct expenses, and do not spend customer funds needed to fulfill their existing orders.
Questions before you start
Is this the same as selling leads?
No. A researched account is a potential fit, not an inbound request. Label the deliverable precisely so the buyer does not infer consent or purchase intent.
Source-backed checks
These references support the specific checks below. They do not endorse this business idea or substantiate the example prices, costs or demand.
FTC commercial-email rules also apply to B2B messages; having an address does not remove those obligations. Federal Trade Commission: CAN-SPAM Act: A Compliance Guide for Business.
- CAN-SPAM Act: A Compliance Guide for BusinessFederal Trade Commission · Reference checked September 8, 2026
Turn this into your own plan.
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