Topline

Chris Riklin

Co-Founder, GTM at Topline

Intro Book

Co-Founder & GTM @ Topline | Helping top professionals win and scale with new technology | AI, Automation & Go-To-Market Expert | Former @NationBuilder, led game-changing campaigns for national movements, Fortune 500s and industry associations

Topline Gold Partner Model for industry associations & membership networks

Verified

Location

Charleston, South Carolina, United States, US

Languages

English Native or bilingual proficiency

Skills

Go-To-Market Strategy
AI & Automation
Business Development
Enterprise Sales
CRM
Strategic Partnerships
Team Leadership
Digital Transformation
Active Listening
Facilitation
Show all

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Rate

This rate is determined by the professional's skill set, client collaboration, experience and appearance on lineups.

$350.0

Hourly Rate

How This Rate is Calculated

Okay, let's see. I need to determine Chris Riklin's hourly rate based on his profile. Let's break down the information step by step.

First, his experience. He's a Co-Founder at Topline since 2023, so that's a leadership role. Before that, he was Senior Director at Nationbuilder from 2022 to 2023, and Director roles in Europe, Middle East & Africa from 2018 to 2022. Also, Director of Politics & Advocacy from 2014 to 2018. That's a solid 10+ years of experience in leadership and strategic roles, especially in business development, enterprise sales, and strategic partnerships. Those are high-value skills in the tech and consulting sectors.

His skills include Go-To-Market Strategy, AI & Automation, Digital Transformation, which are in high demand. These are areas where consultants can charge premium rates. Team Leadership and Enterprise Sales also suggest he's operating at a senior level, possibly advising companies on scaling or entering new markets.

Education-wise, he has an MSc from LSE in Social Business & Entrepreneurship and a BA from Stanford in Political Science. Both are prestigious schools, which often command higher rates. The MSc is recent (2020-2021), showing he's updated with current business trends, which adds value.

Location is Charleston, SC. While not as expensive as NYC or SF, remote work might allow him to charge rates comparable to higher cost areas, especially if clients are from major markets. However, typically, rates might be adjusted for location, but top-tier consultants often set rates based on their expertise rather than location.

Looking at the roles: Co-Founder and Senior Director positions suggest he's at an executive level. For such roles, hourly consulting rates can range widely. Entry-level consultants might charge $100-$150, mid-level $150-$250, and top-tier or executives $250-$500+. Given his extensive experience, leadership roles, and specialized skills in AI and digital transformation, which are hot areas, I'd lean towards the higher end.

Also, considering the industries he's been in (Nationbuilder seems to be a political campaign software company, Topline AI related perhaps?), enterprise sales and strategic partnerships in tech sectors usually have higher consulting fees.

Comparable rates: On platforms like Upwork, top business consultants with similar backgrounds might charge $200-$300/hour. However, independent consultants with his level of experience, especially with a track record in scaling businesses and leading GTM strategies, could charge upwards of $300-$500/hour. Since he's a co-founder, perhaps his rate would be on the higher side, assuming he's consulting at a strategic level.

But I need to balance that with the location. Charleston's cost of living is lower, but if he's working with clients nationally or globally, he might not discount based on location. Considering all factors, a rate around $300-$400 seems reasonable. Maybe split the difference and go for $350. Alternatively, if considering typical executive consulting rates, $250-$350 is common, but his niche in AI and GTM could push it higher. Let me check some benchmarks. For example, Gartner's consultants or similar might charge $300-$500. But as an independent, maybe a bit lower.

I think $300-$350 is a safe estimate. Let's settle on $325 as a midpoint. However, some might argue that co-founders with successful exits or proven track records can charge more. Since the profile doesn't mention company success metrics, maybe stick to the middle. Alternatively, if his roles at Nationbuilder were significant, leading international teams, that adds weight.

Final decision: $300/hour might be a bit conservative. Given the combination of skills and experience, probably $350. But to be cautious, maybe $325. Wait, another angle: enterprise sales leaders with AI expertise. Those with 10+ years can command $400+. Hmm. Maybe I should go higher. Let's see. For example, a Director level in enterprise sales might be around $200k salary, which translates to about $100/hour. But consulting rates are 2-3x that, so $200-$300. However, executive roles (Senior Director, Co-Founder) would be higher.

Alternatively, using the rule of thumb: annual salary divided by 1000 gives hourly rate. If his salary as a Co-Founder is say $200k, that's $200/hour. But consulting rates are higher due to overhead and short-term engagements. Maybe 1.5-2x, so $300-$400.

Given all that, I'll go with $350 as a reasonable rate considering his expertise, education, and roles.

Bio

Chris Riklin is an expert in AI-driven Go-To-Market strategy, sales, and automation. As Co-Founder and GTM leader at Topline, Chris helps professionals and businesses scale by delivering cutting-edge sales and marketing solutions tailored for today’s fast-evolving markets and the growing flexible work economy.

With a deep background working at high-growth startups and with industry associations, specialized consultants, and Fortune 500 companies, he has led game-changing campaigns and strategic partnerships that drive measurable results.

Chris’s expertise spans business development, sales strategy, and implementing all-in-one marketing technology to unlock growth. A graduate of Stanford University (BA in Political Science) and the London School of Economics (MSc in Social Business and Entrepreneurship), Chris combines strategic insight with a passion for supporting ambitious business leaders breaking through growth plateaus.

There’s never been a better time to start or scale a specialized business around your skills and passions and everything we're building a Topline is about improving access to the tools, resources and people required to thrive in the flexible work economy.