STRATBEAR QUICK START GUIDE
Get Strategic Intelligence Running in 30 Minutes
Choose Your Guide:
- Strategy Only tier: See STRATEGY_GUIDE.md - Business Profile + Strategy Foundation
- Pro User / Elite User tiers: This guide + USER_GUIDE.md - Full platform access
- Enterprise Admins: See ENTERPRISE_ADMIN_GUIDE.md
TIER COMPARISON
| Feature | Strategy Only | Pro User | Elite User | Enterprise |
|---------|--------------|----------|------------|------------|
| Strategic Foundation | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| 9 Strategic Frameworks | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| 30-Day Strategic Behavior Program | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Fusion Intelligence ChatBot | During setup only | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Scenario Planning | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Market Intelligence | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Competitor Analysis | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Location Analysis | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Financial Story Mode | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Automated Reports | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Elite Scheduler (2hr/mo) | No | No | Yes | No |
| White-Glove Onboarding | No | No | Yes | Custom |
| Quarterly Reviews | No | No | Yes | No |
For pricing: stratbear.com/pricing
WHAT IS STRATBEAR?
StratBear is a multi-modal intelligence platform that combines:
- Federal Reserve economic data (FRED API) - Real-time sector indicators
- Competitive intelligence (Google Places, Azure Search) - Named competitor tracking
- Financial analytics (Plaid, QuickBooks, Xero) - Cash flow forecasting
- Strategic frameworks (Ikigai, Porter's 5 Forces, PESTEL, TUNA, Blue Ocean)
- Fusion Intelligence - AI-powered strategic analysis with YOUR business context
Why Better Than ChatGPT/Claude Alone?
Generic AI tools: "Consider diversifying revenue streams"
StratBear: "Joe's Pizza: Restaurant sector inflation 12% (FRED). Competitor ABC Pizzeria traffic +23% (Google). Your cash shortage Day 42: $3,800. Action: Launch catering service (Conservative: $0, test existing customers; Moderate: $6,500 marketing, 90 days)"
Difference: Business name + Real economic data + Named competitor intelligence + Financial forecasting + Strategic frameworks = Consultant-level insights, not generic advice.
TRY BEFORE YOU BUY: FREE TOOLS
Before subscribing, try our free strategic tools:
Competitor Snapshot (Free)
Route: stratbear.com/free-trial/competitor-snapshot
Get instant competitive intelligence on any business:
- Enter your business name and location
- Enter competitor name
- Receive: Rating, review count, price level, strategic opportunity analysis
One-time use per session. Upgrade for continuous monitoring.
Business Health Score (Free)
Route: stratbear.com/free-trial/health-score
Quick self-assessment of your business health:
- Answer diagnostic questions
- Receive overall health score
- Identify areas needing attention
No login required.
FIRST STEPS: BUSINESS FOUNDATION (30-40 MIN)
Complete foundation unlocks automated intelligence:
1. Comprehensive Business Profile (15-20 min)
Route: Dashboard - Strategic Command Center - "Complete Business Profile"
Why Every Question Powers Intelligence:
| Question | Powers What? | Generic vs. Specific |
|----------|-------------|----------------------|
| Business Name | Personalization across all reports | "Restaurants should..." vs. "Joe's Pizza faces 12% food inflation" |
| Industry | FRED API sector routing | General 4.2% inflation vs. Restaurant sector 12% inflation |
| Named Competitors | Google Places + Azure Search | "Monitor landscape" vs. "ABC Consulting launched IT security, traffic +23%" |
| Revenue Range | Investment feasibility calibration | Generic recommendations vs. "$6,500 Moderate approach affordable for your revenue" |
| Financial System | 60-90 day cash flow forecasting | "Monitor cash flow" vs. "Cash shortage Day 42: $18K gap" |
| Strategic Goals | Recommendation alignment | Generic advice vs. "Exit in 24 months - reduce key person dependency (35-60% valuation impact)" |
2. Strategic Foundation Frameworks (15-20 min)
Route: Guided through after Business Profile
Complete 9 strategic frameworks:
- Purpose Statement (Ikigai)
- PESTEL Analysis (macro environment)
- Porter's 5 Forces (competitive analysis)
- TUNA Analysis (volatility assessment)
- Blue Ocean Strategy (differentiation)
- And 4 additional Oxford Method frameworks
Fusion Intelligence helps you think through each framework with clarifying questions based on YOUR business context.
3. Cyber Resilience Assessment (10 min)
Route: Automatically offered after Business Profile
Translates cyber threats into financial impact:
| Question | Powers What? | Output |
|----------|-------------|---------|
| Cyber Insurance Coverage | Financial exposure calculation | "Ransomware $200K - Insurance $50K = $150K exposure vs. $75K cash reserves = CRITICAL gap" |
| Backup Testing | Recovery capability assessment | "Untested backups: 34% failure rate. 3-day recovery = $79K exposure" |
| MFA on Financial Accounts | Business Email Compromise risk | "No MFA = $36K expected BEC loss. MFA blocks 99.9% of attacks. Cost: $0" |
4. Financial Integration (5 min)
Route: Dashboard - Settings - Financial Integrations
Options:
- Plaid (12,000+ banks): Auto daily sync, read-only
- QuickBooks/Xero: Accounting integration
- Manual: Monthly updates
What You Get WITH Integration:
"Cash shortage in 42 days ($29K gap). Establish $35K credit line OR accelerate AR collections within 21 days."
WITHOUT Integration:
Monthly and Quarterly reports only (no bi-weekly cash flow early warnings)
5. SMS Verification (2 min)
Why Required: Financial Health Reports contain sensitive cash flow data (bank-level security)
30-DAY STRATEGIC BEHAVIOR PROGRAM (NEW)
After completing your Strategic Foundation, you are automatically enrolled in a 4-week behavioral change email program designed to turn strategy into action.
Program Structure
| Week | Focus | What You Receive |
|------|-------|------------------|
| Week 1 | Critical First Actions | 3 specific actions from YOUR PESTEL, Porter's, and Blue Ocean analysis |
| Week 2 | Purpose & Ikigai | Your purpose statement + challenge to share with 3 people |
| Week 3 | Financial Focus | Cash flow actions: suppliers, customers, runway calculation |
| Week 4 | Recap & Momentum | 30-day summary + next steps (upgrade offer for Strategy-Only users) |
Behavioral Science Foundation
Based on peer-reviewed research:
- Implementation Intentions (Gollwitzer, 2006): Specific plans are 3x more likely to be completed
- Public Commitment (Cialdini): Sharing goals increases follow-through 37%
- Progress Principle (Amabile): Confronting hard truths creates momentum
- Fresh Start Effect (Milkman): New beginnings motivate action
How It Works
1. Automatic Enrollment: Triggered when you complete Business Profile
2. Weekly Emails: Sent every 7 days at 10 AM ET
3. Personalized Content: Actions based on YOUR strategic data
4. Engagement Tracking: Reply to emails to increase your engagement score
5. Completion: After 4 weeks, you have built strategic habits
Note: Week 4 includes a special offer for Strategy-Only subscribers. Paid subscribers see a "Thank You" message instead.
FUSION INTELLIGENCE CHATBOT
What It Is
24/7 strategic consultant with YOUR business context. Not generic AI - Fusion Intelligence knows your:
- Business name and industry
- Named competitors
- Financial situation
- Strategic goals
- Framework results
How to Access
Route: Dashboard - Fusion Intelligence (or chatbot icon)
Example Interaction
You: "Should I expand to a second location?"
Fusion Intelligence:
Based on Joe's Pizza profile:
MARKET ANALYSIS:
Chicago restaurant sector: 12% inflation (FRED)
Your target area (Lincoln Park): 3 pizza competitors within 1 mile
Consumer spending: Down 3.2% in Chicago metro
FINANCIAL CAPACITY:
Current cash reserves: $22,400
Monthly revenue: $38,200
Runway: 42 days before shortage
RECOMMENDATION:
Conservative: Test catering in target area first ($0, 30 days)
Moderate: Pop-up location partnership ($2,500, 60 days)
Bold: Full second location ($85K, 6 months)
Given your TUNA score (High volatility) and cash position,
Conservative approach recommended. Validate demand before commitment.
When to Use
Major decisions (expansion, hiring, investment)
Between scheduled reports
Time-sensitive competitive moves
Strategic questions about YOUR business
UNDERSTANDING AUTOMATED REPORTS
Report Schedule (Pro User+ Only)
| Report | Frequency | Delivery |
|--------|-----------|----------|
|
Financial Health | Bi-Weekly | Wednesday |
|
Executive Summary | Monthly | Last day of month |
|
Resiliency Score | Quarterly | End of quarter |
Why These Intervals?
Bi-Weekly: Cash crises develop in 30-60 days - 4-6 early warnings before crisis
Monthly: Natural business review cycles (month-end planning)
Quarterly: Strategic initiatives need 90+ days to measure results
Wednesday: Mid-week review (higher open rates 42-47% vs. Mon/Fri 31-38%)
What Each Report Contains
Bi-Weekly Financial Health
60-90 day cash flow forecast
Revenue trends + expense anomalies
Early warnings (CRITICAL/HIGH/MODERATE)
Conservative/Moderate/Bold actions
Monthly Executive Summary
Performance vs. goals
Competitive landscape (named competitor movements)
Economic context (FRED sector data)
Top 5 recommendations (prioritized by impact)
Progress tracking on previous recommendations
Quarterly Resiliency Score
Overall score + 5 dimensions (0-100 each)
Critical vulnerabilities (top 3 risks)
PESTEL macro analysis
Next quarter priorities with ROI estimates
STRATEGIC TOOLS ON-DEMAND
Available Tools (Pro User+)
| Tool | When to Use | What You Get |
|------|-------------|--------------|
|
Fusion Intelligence | Major decisions, time-sensitive opportunities | 24/7 strategic consultant with YOUR context |
|
Scenario Planning | Testing "what-if" before commitment | Best/expected/worst case, break-even, ROI timeline |
|
Market Intelligence | Understanding economic context | FRED data, industry trends, regional analysis |
|
Location Analysis | Expansion, relocation, market entry | Market opportunity score, demographics, competitor density |
|
Competitor Analysis | Responding to competitive moves | Named competitor tracking, service expansions, sentiment |
Elite Scheduler (Elite User Only)
What It Is: 2 hours/month of live 1-on-1 strategic consultations
How It Works:
1. View consultant availability in dashboard
2. Click to book via email
3. Receive calendar invite within 24 hours
4. Track hour balance in dashboard
Use Cases:
Complex strategic decisions
Quarterly business reviews
Implementation challenges
Prefer human guidance for high-stakes decisions
DECISION FRAMEWORK: CONSERVATIVE/MODERATE/BOLD
Every recommendation provides three approaches:
Conservative
Risk: Minimal (<$5K)
Timeline: 0-30 days
Choose If: Cash flow tight, testing hypothesis, risk-averse
Moderate
Risk: Calculated ($5K-$25K)
Timeline: 30-90 days
Choose If: Validated demand, capital available, ready for measured growth
Bold
Risk: Transformative (>$25K)
Timeline: 90-180 days
Choose If: Time-sensitive window, strong reserves, first-mover advantage needed
FINANCIAL STORY MODE (Pro User+)
What It Is
Instead of showing numbers in isolation, StratBear synthesizes strategic context with financial reality to generate
narrative financial intelligence.
Example
Traditional Accounting Shows:
Gross Profit: $142,583 (38%)
Financial Story Mode Shows:
Your Q3 gross profit margin dropped from 42% to 38%. Here is why this
matters for your exit strategy: You mentioned wanting to exit in 24
months. Buyers in the consulting sector expect 45-50% margins. The
4-point drop represents $127K annually at your current revenue. This
is not just a margin issue - it is a $380K valuation risk (3x multiplier).
Root cause: Three factors from your Porter's analysis...
Action: Address supplier costs (Conservative) or renegotiate contracts (Moderate)
FOUNDATION COMPLETION CHECKLIST
Before receiving first automated reports, ensure:
Business Profile 100% complete (all 6 sections)
Named competitors specified (minimum 2-3 specific company names)
Strategic Foundation frameworks complete
Financial integration connected (Plaid/QBO/Xero) OR manual commitment
SMS verification enabled (required for Financial Health Reports)
Time to First Intelligence:
Immediate: Fusion Intelligence available
Day 1: 30-Day Strategic Behavior Program begins
Bi-Weekly (Wed): First Financial Health Report (if financial integration connected)
Monthly (Last day): First Executive Summary
Quarterly: First Resiliency Score
COMMON QUESTIONS
Q: How long does Foundation setup take?
A: 30-40 minutes total (Business Profile 15-20 min, Frameworks 15-20 min, Financial Integration 5 min)
Q: What if I do not connect financial data?
A: Monthly Executive Summaries and Quarterly Resiliency Scores only. NO bi-weekly Financial Health Reports.
Q: How is this different from ChatGPT?
A: ChatGPT = Generic advice from training data. StratBear = FRED economic data (daily) + YOUR financial data + Google competitive intelligence on YOUR named competitors + strategic frameworks applied to YOUR situation.
Q: What is the 30-Day Strategic Behavior Program?
A: Automatic email sequence after completing your Strategic Foundation. 4 weekly emails with personalized actions based on YOUR strategy data.
Q: Can I try before subscribing?
A: Yes! Use our free Competitor Snapshot and Business Health Score tools at stratbear.com/free-trial
Q: How do I access Fusion Intelligence ChatBot?
A: Dashboard - Fusion Intelligence icon. Available 24/7 for Pro User+ tiers.
SUPPORT & RESOURCES
In-Platform Help:
Dashboard: Help button (context-sensitive guidance)
Report notifications: Reply to email for questions
Documentation:
This Guide: Quick reference
USER_GUIDE.md: Comprehensive user documentation
STRATEGY_GUIDE.md: Strategy Only tier guide
ENTERPRISE_ADMIN_GUIDE.md: Enterprise administrator reference
Free Tools:
Competitor Snapshot
Business Health Score
RECENT ENHANCEMENTS (December 2025)
30-Day Strategic Behavior Program
Automatic enrollment after Strategic Foundation completion
4 weekly personalized emails based on YOUR strategy data
Behavioral science foundation (Gollwitzer, Cialdini, Amabile)
Visual diagrams in every email (Ikigai, Cash Flow Triangle, etc.)
Fusion Intelligence ChatBot
24/7 strategic consultant with YOUR business context
Knowledge base integration for fast responses
Falls back to Azure OpenAI for complex questions
Free Trial Tools
Competitor Snapshot: Instant competitive intelligence
Business Health Score: Quick self-assessment
Visual Email Enhancements
Inline SVG diagrams for email client compatibility
Ikigai Venn diagram, Cash Flow Triangle, Implementation Intentions
Document Version: 4.0 (30-Day Program + ChatBot + Free Tools)
Last Updated: December 2025
For Detailed Explanations: See USER_GUIDE.md