ICO project log 03: GTM execution
How we're actually getting this in front of people
Over the next 60 days, we’re documenting every step of what it looks like to launch a token the right way, in the United States, in 2026.
This is the project log: a written companion to each daily video. Short updates on what we’re working on, what’s blocking us, and what we’re learning along the way.
Day 4/60
Dennison, Frisson, and Tommy continued GTM planning in Salt Lake City and sat down to get honest about priorities. There was no shortage of ideas for how to get the $TALLY launch in front of people, but bandwidth is finite. The goal of the meeting was to figure out what actually gets built next and what gets shelved.
Rethinking the roadshow
When we started planning distribution we came up with the idea for token roadshows. Line up institutional investors, pitch meetings, the whole circuit. It’s what you do with an IPO, and since we’re positioning token sales as legitimate capital formation, it felt like the right playbook.
We spent real time on it. Built out a framework internally, pitched the concept a couple times, started scoping what it would take. And then we sat with it honestly and realized: this isn’t the right approach for where we are right now. The market conditions don’t support it, and we’d be spending significant time and resources chasing meetings that probably won’t convert.
So we’re redirecting those resources. Not abandoning the idea forever, but acknowledging that the energy is better spent elsewhere right now.
Distribution, not promotion
We talked about this in the previous episode, but the real question isn’t how to get attention. It’s how to do distribution in a way that doesn’t look like every other crypto launch.
The standard playbook is well known: pay a bunch of accounts to post about your token, hope it drives demand, pretend it’s organic. We’re not doing that. If someone talks about what we’re building, it’s because they actually understand it, they’re operating under a real contract with full paid disclosure, and their content passes through a review process before it goes live.
The other side of distribution is media: podcast appearances, newsletter partnerships, and conversations with outlets that carry real credibility. We’re working on timing that aligns with the launch window, but the bar is the same. Substance over reach.
One thing that came up in the meeting: if we build this process well enough for ourselves, it becomes something we can offer to every team that launches on Tally. The framing matters, and we’re still figuring out the right language for it. But the core idea is that responsible distribution should be a product, not an afterthought.
Going global
The other major decision: we’re expanding into Asian markets. Not eventually. Now.
The infrastructure is being built this week. We’re setting up localized social accounts and community channels for the markets we’re targeting. Different regions have different platform preferences, and we’re building accordingly.
On the content side, Dennison is building Claude-powered automation to manage the translation pipeline. The vision: input the narrative and core content once, generate localized versions across platforms, and have a human review before anything publishes. Tommy is testing AI voice dubbing as a proof of concept, starting with the first episode. If the workflow holds, every video we produce can ship in multiple languages simultaneously.
We’re also exploring whether to send someone to the region to record content with local partners. But that’s dependent on whether initial outreach gets traction. We’re not going to fly halfway around the world to film content nobody is asking for yet.
Spending real money
One thing we committed to in this series is being honest about what this costs. Distribution isn’t free. Media partnerships, production, tooling, localization: it adds up. We’re evaluating several partnerships right now, and the conversations involve real budgets.
Dennison’s position on spending: “the difference between it working and not working is millions of dollars. If we go with the right people, it’s worth spending the money.” We’re being deliberate about where the dollars go, but we’re not being cheap about it either.
The throughline
There’s a moment in the meeting where Dennison says something that stuck: “we’re not going to somehow single-handedly make people want to buy your token. But what we can do is market the shit out of their sale.”
That’s the honest version of what distribution looks like. We can’t manufacture demand. We can’t promise institutions will show up. What we can do is build a real process for reaching people: aligned influencer networks, multilingual content pipelines, media partnerships with outlets that carry credibility. And we can do it in a way that doesn’t rely on the tactics that have made crypto marketing synonymous with scams.
If we get this right for ourselves, it becomes the playbook we hand to every team that launches on our platform. The real product unlock is not just the token sale platform, but the distribution layer that makes it work.
We’re documenting everything: the legal sequencing, the tax strategy, the custody setup, the go-to-market, all of it. If you’re building in crypto and thinking about launching a token, this is the playbook we wish existed.
Disclaimer: This content is for informational and educational purposes only. Nothing in this series constitutes financial advice, investment advice, or a solicitation to buy or sell any token or security.