What Is Nxt Step?
In an era where artificial intelligence and software are reshaping every industry, financial services and FinTech companies face a critical challenge: how to build products that actually deliver value rather than just following the hype cycle. Nxt Step (nxtstep.io) is a consulting and coaching firm founded by Sean that specializes in exactly this—helping organizations turn good ideas into great software products, with a particular focus on financial services and FinTech.
Nxt Step’s tagline says it all: “Don’t Let Good Ideas Become Bad Software.” The firm delivers product strategy expertise through a combination of coaching and consulting, helping companies build product functions, develop AI strategies, and create frameworks for prioritization and execution.
Their website is nxtstep.io, and their client testimonials suggest a firm that goes beyond surface-level advice to create lasting organizational change.
What Nxt Step Actually Does
Nxt Step operates at the intersection of product strategy, technology consulting, and executive coaching. Their services fall into several key areas:
Product Strategy and Vision
For companies that need to define or refine their product direction, Nxt Step provides:
- Product vision development and roadmap creation
- Framework design for product prioritization and evaluation
- Market opportunity analysis and competitive positioning
- Product-market fit validation and iteration strategy
- Revenue model design for software and digital products
This is particularly relevant for financial services companies that are building digital products for the first time, or FinTech startups that need to move from a single product to a platform strategy.
AI Strategy and Implementation
With every company scrambling to incorporate AI into their products and operations, Nxt Step helps organizations develop effective AI strategies that go beyond buzzwords:
- AI opportunity assessment—identifying where AI can genuinely add value versus where it is just noise
- Product enhancement through AI capabilities
- Competitive analysis of AI adoption in your market
- Implementation roadmaps that balance ambition with practical execution
- Risk assessment for AI integration in regulated financial services environments
In financial services specifically, AI strategy requires careful consideration of regulatory compliance, data privacy, and explainability requirements that do not exist in other industries. Nxt Step’s focus on this vertical means they understand these nuances.
Organizational Product Function Building
For companies that lack a mature product management function, Nxt Step helps build one from the ground up:
- Organizational structure design for product teams
- Process establishment for product discovery, delivery, and iteration
- Evaluation systems for measuring product success
- Team capability development and mentorship
- Cross-functional alignment between product, engineering, and business teams
Executive Coaching
Beyond consulting, Nxt Step provides coaching to product leaders and executives:
- One-on-one coaching for CPOs, VPs of Product, and product managers
- Team mentorship to elevate capabilities across the product organization
- Leadership development for technical leaders transitioning to product roles
- Strategic thinking frameworks and decision-making tools
Who Is Nxt Step Best For?
Nxt Step occupies a specialized niche. They are best suited for:
- Financial services companies building or enhancing digital products
- FinTech startups that need product strategy leadership without hiring a full-time CPO
- Companies acquiring software businesses in the financial services space who need product DD
- Organizations developing AI strategies for regulated industries
- Product teams that need coaching and frameworks to scale effectively
- Nonprofit organizations with technology-driven missions (as evidenced by their work with Compass Working Capital)
Relevance for SMB Buyers
While Nxt Step is not a traditional due diligence firm, they offer significant value for a specific type of SMB buyer—those acquiring software or technology-enabled businesses in financial services. If you are buying a FinTech company, a financial SaaS product, or any technology business that serves the financial industry, Nxt Step can help you:
- Evaluate the product: Assess the quality, market fit, and growth potential of the software product you are acquiring
- Develop a post-acquisition product strategy: Create a roadmap for enhancing and growing the product after you take ownership
- Build the product team: Establish the organizational structure and processes needed to execute your product vision
- Navigate AI opportunities: Determine how to leverage AI to increase the value of your acquisition
Strengths and Considerations
Strengths
- Deep financial services expertise: Understands the regulatory and compliance requirements unique to this industry
- Coaching plus consulting: Does not just tell you what to do—builds your team’s capability to execute
- Strong testimonials: Client feedback highlights tangible business outcomes and cultural alignment
- AI strategy depth: Goes beyond hype to practical, implementable AI strategies
- Founder-led: Sean’s hands-on involvement ensures consistent quality and personalized attention
Considerations
- Narrow focus: Primarily serves financial services and FinTech—may not be the right fit for other industries
- Not traditional DD: If you need comprehensive financial or operational due diligence, you will need additional providers
- Boutique size: As a smaller firm, capacity may be limited for large-scale engagements
- Software-centric: Best suited for technology and product challenges, not general business operations
Our Honest Assessment
Nxt Step is not for every SMB buyer—and that is perfectly fine. If you are buying a restaurant, a landscaping company, or a traditional services business, Nxt Step is not the firm for you. But if you are acquiring or building a technology product in financial services, they offer a level of specialized expertise that is genuinely hard to find elsewhere.
The combination of consulting and coaching is particularly valuable. Many consulting firms deliver a strategy document and move on, leaving the client to figure out execution. Nxt Step’s coaching approach means they invest in building your team’s capabilities, which creates lasting value beyond the engagement itself. The testimonials from companies like Cielo and Compass Working Capital suggest this approach delivers real results.
For the right buyer—someone acquiring a FinTech product or building software for financial services—Nxt Step could be the difference between a product that stagnates and one that becomes a genuine competitive advantage.
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Technology acquisitions can be complex from a lending perspective, and having a broker who understands how to present these deals to SBA lenders is a significant advantage.
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