FOCURA — Startup Checklist & Operating Foundations

Updated: March 2026

Document Map

1. Business Plan · Financial Model & Projections · Pricing Strategy — April 2026 · Social Media Strategy · Tasks

Business Setup

Legal and Admin

Register a corporation (Marco Wai — Gowling WLG) to enable IP ownership, advisor equity, and insurance. tim jeff 📅 2026-03-08 ✅ 2026-04-06
Set up a separate business bank account. tim jill 📅 2026-04-13
Obtain Errors & Omissions and Cyber liability insurance for software operations. tim jill 📅 2026-04-13
Draft and finalize client agreement, NDA, and affiliate template. (Legal Documents) tim jill 📅 2026-04-12
Protect IP: confirm trademarks (“Focura Legacy Organizer”), domain, logo, and key phrases. tim jill 📅 2026-04-12
Register for GST/HST (CRA) once revenue passes $30K. jill 📅 2026-06-30
Meet with Wayne — confirm tax deductibility of software development costs and structure accordingly. tim WayneRoot 📅 2026-04-13
Execute formal agreements with Jeff Fray (Sales), Sharlyn Graham (Marketing), and Jill Fray (Admin) — role definitions, compensation, and IP clauses. tim 📅 2026-04-13
Execute development agreement with Outside the Box / Ryan Lutterell — scope, IP ownership, milestone schedule. tim 📅 2026-03-25 ✅ 2026-04-12

Financial Systems

Select and set up accounting platform (QuickBooksQuickBoooks Plans & Pricing Compare Features Online recommended at $15/month; evaluate Xero or Wave). jill 📅 2026-04-13
Speak to Ken about setting up our books and ongoing accounting support📅 2026-03-10 shar.
Set up payment processor — Stripe (preferred for subscription billing; supports annual consumer plans and monthly advisor subscriptions). tim jill 📅 2026-04-20
Configure Stripe for both consumer (annual flat-fee) and advisor (monthly SaaS) billing flows. tim 📅 2026-04-15
Set up CRM — Phase 1: use WordPress built-in CRM for contact capture and basic tracking (POC stage, $0). Phase 2: migrate to Bigin by Zoho or HubSpot Free when Jeff is managing 15+ advisor prospects and needs pipeline stages and reporting. tim 📅 2026-04-15
Document expense policy — define “business use” clearly for tax efficiency. jill 📅 2026-04-20
Build 12-month cash flow spreadsheet: monthly cash in/out, cumulative balance, burn rate. Forecast expenses 2 months early and revenue 2 months late. Target: identify month of break-even and required capital buffer. tim jill 📅 2026-05-01

Team & Development Onboarding

Hold kickoff meeting with Outside the Box (Ryan Lutterell) — confirm V1 feature scope, timeline, and milestone structure. tim 📅 2026-03-20 ✅ 2026-04-06
Share existing FileMaker architecture, Data API documentation, and Cytoscape.js estate map build with development team. tim 📅 2026-03-25 ✅ 2026-04-12
Define V1 API contract between FileMaker Data API and React front-end — agree on JSON schema for household, asset, beneficiary, and estate map payloads. tim 📅 2026-04-13
Onboard Jeff Fray to CRM, advisor target list, and sales materials. tim jeff 📅 2026-05-01
Onboard Sharlyn Graham to brand guide, content calendar, and digital platforms. tim shar 📅 2026-05-01
Onboard Jill Fray to accounting platform, financial systems, and admin processes. tim jill 📅 2026-05-01

V1 Product Development

Managed in partnership with Outside the Box / Ryan Lutterell. React/TypeScript/Vite front-end consuming FileMaker Data API.

Must-Ship for V1 (Target: Q3 2026)

First Look module — household intake form; clean, guided data capture flow. tim 📅 2026-05-15
Build the Picture module — asset register, ownership structure, beneficiary designations. tim 📅 2026-05-15
Tell Your Story module — personal narrative fields, family context, treasure descriptions, values prompts. Priority audience: women clients. tim 📅 2026-05-31
The Estate Map module — Cytoscape.js visualization showing probate and income tax proportioned side-by-side, net flow to beneficiaries, dual death-order scenario toggle. tim 📅 2026-06-15
The Executor Brief module — distilled one-page summary for executor; printable and shareable. tim 📅 2026-06-30
One Conversation module — advisor-facing debrief view; key findings, gaps, and next steps. tim 📅 2026-06-30
User authentication — secure login, household record linking, role-based access (consumer vs. advisor view). tim 📅 2026-05-15
Advisor dashboard — view all linked households, flag incomplete sections, track engagement. tim 📅 2026-06-30

Milestone Reviews with OTB

Mid-development review (M1) — review First Look + Build the Picture UX/UI prototypes with OTB. tim 📅 2026-04-30
Mid-development review (M2) — review Estate Map visualization with OTB; validate Cytoscape layout and scenario toggle. tim 📅 2026-05-31
Beta-ready review — end-to-end walkthrough of V1 with OTB; functional testing and UX refinement. tim 📅 2026-07-15
V1 launch readiness sign-off — security review, data residency confirmation, performance benchmarking. tim 📅 2026-07-31

Marketing and Growth Foundation

Messaging and Brand

Confirm and publish single-sentence positioning across all materials: “Focura replaces the speculation of estate planning with organized facts — the real numbers, the complete picture, and the words your family will need when you’re no longer there to explain them.” shar tim 📅 2026-04-20
Confirm methodology narrative: The FOCURA Method — Focus · Organize · Capture · Uncover · Report · Align (Start the Process · Build the Picture · Tell Your Story · Map the Estate · The Executor Dossier · Communication) shar tim 📅 2026-03-20 ✅ 2026-04-12
Finalize brand guide: shar 📅 2026-04-15
- Fonts shar 📅 2026-04-15
- Tone and voice guideFocura Content Strategy & Voice Guide — professional but plain-language; avoid estate planning jargon; empathetic to executor overwhelm. shar 📅 2026-04-15
- Logo (final approved versions) shar 📅 2026-04-15
- Colour palette shar 📅 2026-04-15
Begin collecting testimonials from beta users immediately — even informal quotes with permission. shar jeff 📅 2026-05-15

Estate Map Demo Preparation

The Estate Map is Focura’s most powerful sales moment — probate and income tax shown in proportion, with net flow to beneficiaries. This must be demo-ready before advisor outreach scales.

Build a scripted Estate Map demo using a realistic but anonymized household scenario — dual death-order toggle, realistic asset mix, clear visual. tim 📅 2026-05-01
Prepare advisor objection playbook: “We already calculate income tax on death.” Response: Focura contextualizes it — probate beside income tax in proportion, net flow to beneficiaries shown visually, two death-order scenarios instantly. It’s additive, not competitive. jeff 📅 2026-04-30
Create a 90-second screen-capture demo video of the Estate Map for use in emails and LinkedIn outreach. tim shar 📅 2026-05-15
Build an Estate Map one-pager for advisor leave-behind: headline, two-scenario comparison image, key insight summary. shar 📅 2026-05-15

Tell Your Story Content Track

Tell Your Story is a full pillar of the FOCURA Method — not a feature, a philosophy. It gives clients (especially women) the space to add context, chronicle treasures, and explain the meaning behind their decisions. This track makes it real in the market.

Write the foundational Tell Your Story explainer — what it is, why it matters, who it’s for. Target audience: women in their 50s–70s who are either primary organizers or survivors of estates. shar tim 📅 2026-04-30
Create a lead magnet centered on Tell Your Story: “What Would Your Family Need to Know?” — a reflection guide (PDF, email-gated). shar 📅 2026-05-01
Develop a 3-part email sequence for consumer households specifically anchored on Tell Your Story: (1) the problem — facts vs. speculation; (2) the prompt — what your family will actually face; (3) the invitation — start your story. shar 📅 2026-05-15
Create 4 social posts showcasing Tell Your Story use cases — treasures, family dynamics, values behind decisions, legacy letters. Designed for LinkedIn and Instagram. shar 📅 2026-05-15
Commission or produce 1–2 short video testimonials from beta users who used Tell Your Story — focus on emotional resonance, not features. shar jeff 📅 2026-06-30

”Bureaucracy of Death” Content Track

This phrase — volunteered by a real client — names the problem better than any marketing copy ever could. Build a content track around it that earns trust through radical honesty.

Write the flagship blog post: “The Bureaucracy of Death — What No One Tells You Until It’s Too Late.” Cover: executor overwhelm, death certificates, account closures, CRA clearance, the fog of grief and administration. shar 📅 2026-04-30
Create a companion social series (5 posts): one specific executor pain point per post — “Did you know a frozen joint account can take 6–8 weeks to release?” Anchor each post with a Focura fact-vs.-speculation framing. shar 📅 2026-05-15
Pitch the blog post to 3 relevant publications or newsletters — financial advisor trade press, family law practitioners, or senior living community audiences. shar 📅 2026-05-31
Build a “Cost of Dying in Canada” resource page on the website — real numbers, provincial differences in probate fees, estate administration timelines. Primary SEO asset. shar tim 📅 2026-06-30

Digital Presence

Content and Outreach

Launch weekly educational post schedule — 1 post per week starting April. Mix of bureaucracy of death, Tell Your Story, Estate Map, and advisor value themes. (Blogs) shar 📅 2026-04-14
Build and deploy email nurture series — 5 messages over 3 weeks for consumer leads; 3 messages for advisor leads (already drafted, needs deployment). shar 📅 2026-04-15
Set up email collection mechanism — newsletter signup and resource download gate. shar 📅 2026-04-15
Create advisor-specific one-pager PDF — the advisor’s business case for Focura: client engagement, estate map conversation, differentiation from competitors. shar jeff 📅 2026-04-15
Identify initial LinkedIn advisor outreach targets — minimum 50 from existing connections, segmented by vertical (insurance, financial planning, accounting). jeff 📅 2026-06-01
Launch systematic LinkedIn advisor outreach — personalized by vertical; lead with Estate Map value, not software features. jeff 📅 2026-04-15
Book first three advisor demo calls. jeff 📅 2026-04-30
Develop women-specific outreach strategy — identify groups, publications, and networks where women are primary audience (women advisors, women’s financial literacy orgs, senior women’s groups). shar 📅 2026-05-15

Product and Customer Delivery

Operational

Define full user journey map: inquiry → demo → onboarding → first success moment. Document separately for consumer and advisor paths. tim jeff 📅 2026-04-13
Write onboarding checklist for new advisor and household clients (automatable later). tim jill 📅 2026-04-30
Create short help videos and in-app tooltips for core workflows — Estate Map walkthrough, Tell Your Story prompts, Executor Brief export. Repurpose for social. tim shar 📅 2026-05-31
Define and document service SLAs — e.g., support reply within 24 hours; critical data issue within 4 hours. tim jill 📅 2026-04-15
Set up central user feedback tracking — tag entries by priority, feature area, and user type (consumer vs. advisor). tim jill 📅 2026-04-15

Data and Security

Confirm data storage jurisdictions — all estate data must reside in Canada (AWS Canada East) for PIPEDA compliance. tim 📅 2026-03-20 ✅ 2026-04-12
Finalize privacy policy and terms of service (in coordination with Marco Wai — Gowling WLG). tim jill 📅 2026-04-13
Implement routine backup and disaster recovery procedure for FileMaker and production data — minimum daily snapshots, tested quarterly restore. tim 📅 2026-04-15
Document data handling procedures for advisor-client records — define retention periods, deletion protocols, and data portability options. tim jill 📅 2026-04-30

Insurance Referral Channel

Focura’s households represent a high-intent, needs-identified insurance opportunity. The referral channel is a SaaS-enabled marketplace — modest revenue in 2026, significant revenue by 2028–2029 as household volume scales.

Define the insurance referral model: warm introduction via Executor Brief or One Conversation summary, licensed broker partner required, referral fee structure to be agreed. tim jeff 📅 2026-04-30
Identify and approach 2–3 insurance broker partners for referral pilot — must be licensed, must align with Focura’s client-first positioning. jeff 📅 2026-05-31
Draft referral partner agreement template — scope, fee per referral, compliance requirements, client consent language. tim jill 📅 2026-05-31
Integrate referral trigger into One Conversation module — when estate gaps are identified, surface a warm referral prompt (opt-in, client-facing). tim 📅 2026-07-31
Track referral pipeline separately in CRM — referrals made, introductions accepted, policies written, revenue received. jeff jill 📅 2026-06-30
Set internal 2026 target: $3.50 per household under management in referral revenue — modest in year 1 while broker relationships are established. jill 📅 2026-09-30

Founding Member Program

Limited-time offer to generate early revenue, testimonials, and case studies. Close September 30, 2026. Maximum 20 household and 10 advisor founding members.

Finalize Founding Member terms: Household $500 o n e - t im e (in c l u d eso nb o a r d in g + 12 m o n t h s C o m pl e t e a ccess); A d v i sor$ 1,000 one-time (includes onboarding + 12 months Practice access). tim jeff 📅 2026-05-01
Publish Founding Member offer on website with urgency framing — remaining spots counter, testimonial placeholder, benefits list. shar 📅 2026-04-15
Create Founding Member outreach email and LinkedIn message — sent by Jeff to warm contacts first. jeff shar 📅 2026-04-15
Onboard each Founding Member personally — Tim leads onboarding, documents friction points for V1 improvement. tim 📅 2026-05-31
Collect structured feedback from all Founding Members at 30, 60, and 90 days. tim jeff 📅 2026-08-30
Capture testimonials and case studies from Founding Members — at least one Estate Map story and one Tell Your Story story by launch. shar 📅 2026-09-01

Budget and Forecast

A. Top-Down Revenue Model (2026 Targets)

Based on final pricing tiers. Consumer revenue is annual flat-fee collected upfront; advisor revenue is monthly SaaS.

Metric	Assumption	Notes
Consumer households (year-end)	400	Mix of Essentials ( $99) an d C o m pl e t e ($ 199); blended ARPU ~$159/year
Advisor accounts (year-end)	20	Advisor plan at $149/ m o n t h =$ 1,788/year ARPU
Practice accounts (year-end)	8	Practice plan at $299/ m o n t h =$ 3,588/year ARPU
ARR run rate (December 2026)	~$128,000	Consumer $63.6 K + A d v i sor$ 35.8K + Practice $28.7K
MRR equivalent (December 2026)	~$10,700	ARR / 12; ramps through the year
Revenue collected (2026)	~$92,000	Reflects ramp — not all accounts active from January
Founding Member revenue	~$17,000	20 HH × $500 + 10 A d v i sor \times$ 1,000 (one-time)

B. Bottom-Up Cost Forecast (Monthly)

Category	Monthly Estimate	Notes
Hosting / AWS Canada / FileMaker Server	$200-$ 400	Scales with user volume; Canada-East for PIPEDA
Domain, email, and SaaS subscriptions	$100-$ 200	Google Workspace, domain, Zapier, analytics
Marketing / Ads	$500-$ 1,000	Ramping through Q2–Q3; content + targeted ads
Accounting / Legal	$300-$ 500	QuickBooks + periodic professional support
OTB Dev (Outside the Box)	$8, 000-$ 15,000	Active during V1 build (April–August); tapers post-launch
Founder draw	$3, 000-$ 5,000	Modest in early stage; reviewed quarterly
Total Monthly Burn (peak, V1 build)	~ $12, 000-$ 22,000	Highest during April–August; drops post-launch

C. Upfront Capital Requirements

Purpose	Estimated Amount
V1 development with OTB (full engagement)	$50, 000-$ 80,000
Marketing foundation (brand, digital, content)	$15, 000-$ 25,000
Legal, insurance, and professional setup	$10, 000-$ 15,000
Operating runway (6 months)	$30, 000-$ 40,000
Total Capital Required	$105, 000-$ 160,000

2026 projected operating loss: approximately -$27,000 (planned and funded). Break-even targeted in 2027.

Pricing Plan

Goal: Transition from bespoke pricing → clear tiered structure → scalable recurring revenue. See Subscription Models for full feature matrix.

Household Plans (Annual, Flat-Fee)

Finalize and publish Household tiers on pricing page: tim jeff 📅 2026-04-15
- Essentials: $99/year — core data capture, Executor Brief, basic estate summary
- Complete: $199/year ⭐ Most Popular — full FOCURA Method including Tell Your Story and The Estate Map
- Coaching add-ons: $350 (s in g l esess i o n) /$ 895 (onboarding package — 3 sessions + setup)

Advisor / Professional Plans (Monthly SaaS)

Finalize and publish Advisor tiers on pricing page: tim jeff 📅 2026-04-15
- Advisor: $149/month — up to 15 households; advisor dashboard; client-sharing
- Practice: $299/month ⭐ Most Popular — up to 40 households; white-label option; priority support
- Enterprise: Custom quote — unlimited households; full white-label; API access; dedicated onboarding

Founding Member Program (Close: September 30, 2026)

Launch and close Founding Member program — Household $500 o n e - t im e (12 m o n t h s C o m pl e t e); A d v i sor$ 1,000 one-time (12 months Practice). Maximum 20 HH / 10 Advisor spots. jeff shar 📅 2026-09-30

Pricing Experiments

Run 3 pricing experiments post-V1 launch — identical sales copy, different tier structures or anchoring. Track conversion and churn. Select structure with highest annualized revenue per user, not lowest price. jeff shar 📅 2026-09-30

Momentum Tracking

Set up KPI dashboard — weekly pulse tracking for the leadership team. Use a shared spreadsheet until a dedicated tool is warranted. tim jill 📅 2026-05-01

KPIs to track from launch:

KPI	Owner	2026 Target
Founding Member spots filled	jeff	20 HH + 10 Advisor by Sept 30
Demos booked	jeff	3/week by May
Conversion rate (demo → paid)	jeff	>20%
Consumer households (year-end)	jill	400
Advisor/Practice accounts (year-end)	jeff	28 combined
MRR (December 2026)	jill	$10, 000-$ 11,000
ARR run rate (December 2026)	jill	$128,000
Churn rate	jeff shar	<5%/month
CAC vs LTV ratio	tim jill	LTV > 5× CAC
Insurance referrals made	jeff	10+ by year-end
Time to onboard (new advisor)	tim	<1 week
Tell Your Story completion rate	tim	>60% of Complete users
Estate Map views per household	tim	≥2 (both death-order scenarios)

Weekly pulse (team standup — every Monday):

What shipped this week? tim 📅 2026-04-13
What was learned from users?
What is the single bottleneck to solve next?
Are we on track for Founding Member targets?

Focura — Team

Explorer

3. Start Up