The Divine Comedy of Business Planning: Why Market Research and Go-to-Market Strategy Matter More Than Ever

Written by Sergio Armani, Founder of ACG-Clinical

My grandmother once shared some important wisdom with me that’s stuck through the years:
“If you want to give God a belly laugh, make a plan.”

This captures a fundamental truth about entrepreneurship—no plan survives first contact with the market unchanged. But that doesn’t mean we should abandon planning altogether.

Instead, it highlights why thorough market research and a robust go-to-market (GTM) strategy are essential—not as rigid roadmaps, but as living documents that guide us through the inevitable pivots and adjustments every business faces.

The Cost of Flying Blind

In the clinical research industry, I’ve seen countless promising companies stumble—not because their technology wasn’t innovative or their team wasn’t talented, but because they built solutions for problems the market didn’t prioritize or communicated value propositions that didn’t resonate with their intended buyers.

Consider the tech entrepreneur who develops groundbreaking patient recruitment software—only to discover too late that their target customers are more focused on regulatory compliance tools this year, due to shifting sponsor demands.

Or the site network that tries to expand into a new market, only to find it’s already saturated with larger competitors who have preexisting sponsor relationships.

Or the consultant-turned-founder who builds a service offering based on their past experience—only to realize too late that their ideal buyer isn’t the one they’ve been pitching, and the real decision-maker sits three rungs higher in the organization.

These aren’t failures of execution. They’re failures of market understanding.

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Disclaimer
The information in this publication is for general informational purposes only and should not be construed as legal, financial, or regulatory advice. Armani Consulting Group, LLC, doing business as ACG-Clinical, disclaims any liability for errors, omissions, or actions taken in reliance on this content. Please consult qualified professionals for advice specific to your situation.