Foundation first. Then extend & iterate with purpose.
Big agencies try to take you straight up the mountain: slow at the beginning, frantic at the end, and exhausting for everyone. We take a different approach—one that matches how great products actually get built.
Every client starts with a 2-week Brand or Product Foundation Sprint. That sprint gives us the strategic workshop, core deliverables, and shared source of truth we need to move fast. Once it’s locked, you can book Extend & Iterate sprints (also 2 weeks) whenever you need new momentum—no repeat discovery.
Your project is a mountain
We help you climb it one switchback at a time
Each switchback is a focused, 2-week sprint with a clear destination, real deliverables, and zero chaos.
Instead of trying to scale straight up (exhausting, risky, unsustainable), we start with a Foundation Sprint to set direction, then take strategic switchbacks that let you make real progress, catch your breath, and choose your next move.
Foundation → Extend & Iterate
The Foundation Sprint is your entry ticket. It captures strategy, brand/product direction, and source-of-truth documentation that every future sprint references. After that, you can stack Extend & Iterate sprints as often as you need without repeating discovery.
Phase 1
Brand or Product Foundation
2-week sprint with a strategic workshop, core deliverables, and alignment artifacts. Required for every new client so we never guess in the dark again.
Phase 1 Output
Reusable Source of Truth
Workshop recordings, decision logs, brand/product guidelines, and prioritized backlog. These sit inside your client portal for every future sprint.
Phase 2 (repeatable)
Extend & Iterate Sprints
Additional 2-week sprints you can book on-demand for launches, features, and refreshes. Kick off with a 1-hour Mini Foundation session, then we execute.
Why switchbacks work
The sustainable way to build ambitious products
Predictable Progress → Not Burnout
Instead of a huge 12-week agency engagement with hidden timelines and surprise pivots, you get 2 focused weeks, a clear deliverable, a rest point to reflect, and the option to climb again when ready.
Foundation first keeps the plan grounded, then Extend & Iterate sprints add momentum without burning your team out.
Clarity at Every Turn
Each switchback starts with alignment, ends with tangible work, and gives you visibility the entire way. You always know where you're headed, what we're making, and what's coming next.
No guessing. No surprises. Just clear progress.
Flexibility Without Chaos
Need time after a sprint to get team feedback, talk to users, or test something? Take it. Your path is modular—climb at the pace your company needs.
Sprint, rest, learn, repeat. Build at your rhythm.
The agency problem
Why the traditional approach burns everyone out
Traditional Agency
- ✗Slow ramp-up ("discovery phase" drags for weeks)
- ✗Unclear timeline ("we'll get back to you")
- ✗Big rush at the end (everything due at once)
- ✗Scope creep and budget bloat
- ✗Team exhaustion and quality suffers
- ✗No natural checkpoint to pause or pivot
Like climbing straight up a cliff—theoretically possible, but risky and unsustainable.
Switchback Method
- ✓Fast kickoff (1 focused workshop, then we build)
- ✓Fixed 2-week timeline (always 10 working days Monday-Friday)
- ✓Steady pace throughout (no last-minute chaos)
- ✓Fixed scope and price from day one
- ✓High quality maintained throughout
- ✓Natural pause after each sprint to reflect
Like switchbacks up a mountain—strategic, sustainable, and you reach the summit.
How a switchback sprint works
Six steps from Foundation Sprint kickoff to Extend & Iterate momentum
Design your Foundation Sprint
Start with our quick intake. Tell us your goals, your current stage, and what you're trying to build. We turn that into a tailored 2-week sprint plan—scope, deliverables, pricing, everything—aligned to either Brand or Product Foundations.
This is like studying the mountain before you climb. Where do you want to go? What's the best route?
Book your Foundation Sprint kickoff
Review your proposed foundation sprint, select your kickoff Monday, and lock in with a 50% deposit. This becomes the first ledge in your climb—a clear, achievable 2-week ascent.
Once the Foundation Sprint is booked, every future Extend & Iterate sprint references the same plan.
Week 1: Find the line up the hill
We explore, align, and choose the strongest path forward. Think of this as picking the right switchback to climb—not the steep, impossible straight shot.
Week 1 is divergence + alignment:
- Day 1 (Monday): Workshop with you for discovery
- Day 2 (Tuesday): Studio creates direction options
- Day 3 (Wednesday): Studio presents solutions
- Day 4 (Thursday): Collect feedback, refine directions
- Day 5 (Friday): Direction locked and shared
⭐ Week 1 Alignment Guarantee
If after Week 1 you feel we haven't aligned on a clear direction, you can stop the sprint with no additional payments. We keep the 50% deposit to cover the completed Week 1 work, and we both walk away — no hard feelings.
Week 2: Make the climb
Now we execute. Fast, focused, polished. No re-scoping. No swirl. No frantic "big agency energy."
Week 2 is convergence + execution:
- Day 6 (Monday): Revisit deliverables, map solution to execution
- Day 7 (Tuesday): Studio heads down building
- Day 8 (Wednesday): Progress review, Q&A
- Day 9 (Thursday): Final execution and refinement
- Day 10 (Friday): Delivery, demo, handoff
Reach the ledge (delivery day)
At the end of every sprint, you land safely on a solid ledge: final deliverables, source files, Loom walkthrough, optional live demo.
It's a real checkpoint in your project—not theoretical progress.
What you receive:
- All final deliverables (design files, code, assets, documentation)
- Source files and exports
- Loom walkthrough video
- Optional live handoff session
- Lifetime access via your client portal
Rest, then Extend & Iterate
Take as long as you need. Test your deliverables with users. Get team feedback. Secure funding. Plan your next move.
When you're ready for the next part of the mountain, book an Extend & Iterate sprint. We kick off with a 1-hour Mini Foundation session, reference your original strategy, and ship another 2-week climb.
This is the strategic advantage:
Instead of locking into a 3-month agency contract, you climb in 2-week increments. Foundation → sprint → digest feedback → sprint → test with users → sprint → fundraise → sprint.
You control the pace. We make each climb count.
One sprint or many—your pace, your mountain
How the switchback method scales with your ambition
Most founders have bigger visions than 2 weeks can solve. That's by design. The switchback method works for single sprints AND long-term product development.
Example journey:
Foundation Sprint (Required)
Brand or Product workshop + core deliverables + source-of-truth documentation
→ Sets direction once. Every Extend & Iterate sprint references this groundwork.
Sprint 1: Brand Identity
Logo, colors, typography, brand guidelines
→ Rest: 2 weeks. Test brand with early users, finalize messaging.
Sprint 2: Landing Page
Marketing site design + Webflow build
→ Rest: 3 weeks. Launch landing page, collect signups, validate demand.
Sprint 3: MVP Prototype
Core user flows, clickable prototype
→ Rest: 4 weeks. Test prototype with users, secure seed funding.
Sprint 4: Production Build
Development, polish, launch prep
→ You're live. 8 weeks of work, spread over 3-4 months at your pace.
This is how great products get built: in focused bursts with time to breathe, test, and learn. Not endless agency cycles. Not rushed freelancer chaos. Start with a Foundation Sprint, then use Extend & Iterate switchbacks whenever you need another leap.
Why founders choose the switchback method
Built for early-stage teams who need momentum, not meetings
Fast & Sustainable
Move quickly without setting your team on fire. 2 weeks. Real deliverables. Repeatable process.
Fixed Scope, Fixed Price
Predictable cost. Predictable outcomes. No drama. No surprise invoices at the end.
Focused 2-Week Climbs
Each sprint moves you meaningfully closer to your summit—without waste or drag.
Designed for Early Teams
You don't need long agency cycles. You need momentum, clarity, and tangible progress.
Foundation sprint previews
See the two foundation sprint options we use to kick off every engagement before stacking follow-on sprints. view all foundation packages.
Branding Foundations Sprint
Perfect for new clients starting their brand journey. Begin with our Foundation Workshop to align on goals and strategy, then we'll deliver a complete brand identity system including logo, typography, colors, and comprehensive guidelines.
Product Foundations Sprint
Perfect for new clients launching a product or feature. Start with our Foundation Workshop to validate direction and priorities, then we'll build a high-converting landing page and interactive prototype to test with users.
Ready to start your climb?
Kick off with a Brand or Product Foundation Sprint, then plug in deliverables and Extend & Iterate sprints whenever you need more momentum.
Questions? Email us at hello@sprintbuilder.com