What worked — what was necessary in the early days — starts to slow you down. How do you get yourself out of the middle and your team unstuck? Here are 4 steps to resume startup hyperspeed and save your sanity!
Read MoreIt happens to every startup.
What worked — what was necessary in the early days — starts to slow you down.
In the beginning, the founder:
approves everything
attends every meeting
weighs in on product decisions
closes deals
replies to customers
leads presentations
trains new hires
manages every team member
aka does everything!!!!
But when you grow (yay!), if the founder is still doing these things, it becomes a bottleneck.
It happens slowly, a little at a time.
Then one day, you realize — you are the problem.
Your team is waiting on you.
You are bogged down, guilty, and behind. You’re in meetings all day and can’t catch up.
Speed is your startup advantage and you can’t leverage it!
How do you get yourself out of the middle and your team unstuck?
Here are 4 steps to resume startup hyperspeed and save your sanity!
Start with your inbox, calendar, and messaging apps.
Where are you spending time?
What decisions are being sent for your approval?
What meetings are you attending?
Take a step back and ask:
What should I be working on?
What do I no longer need to be involved in?
Who can handle more responsibility?
Here is a detailed list of 5 areas to audit.
You will usually immediately identify several things that you can hand off or edit by spending 30 minutes thinking it through!
Once you realize that you can and should delegate, how do you do it?
You’re welcome: The Only Framework You Need to Delegate Like a Pro
I literally LOVE EVERYTHING ABOUT THE DECISION TREE FRAMEWORK.
But if I had to choose:
Clear language for yourself and your team on when/how to tell you about decisions and actions.
In the early days of Pardot, I pinged our COO every day with several questions about pricing or discounts. After a month or two, he said:
I trust you to make these decisions. Do what you think is best. Only run it by me if it’s more than $1000.
Boom. The approvals needed dropped from 15 per week to 1.
Estimated time savings = 1 hour per week.
Now, do that for 10 more small things that are bogging you down!
The example above worked because I was trained through many scenarios. I got a feel for the “why” behind pricing and contract decisions.
Want to skip a step?
Start writing shit down!
Make some guidelines, put together training videos or presentations, and document institutional knowledge.
Guess what? You don’t even have to be the one to do this!
Repeat after me:
I will show you how I do this. Can you take notes and turn it into documentation as part of the learning process?
Or
I created a Loom video to explain what I do. Can you please add this to <Slack channel, Google Drive, Notion, whatever is your Wiki/Knowledge Base tool of choice> and share with others?
Look at you. You created documentation on your first try!
Getting even more tactical — here are common areas that can cause recurring bottlenecks:
Struggling to say no → 4 Fresh Ways To Say No and Still Be Polite
Losing sight of what matters → Prioritize Yourself Out Of Chaos With A Simple Spreadsheet...Here's How
Too many meetings → 5 Strategies For Fewer Meetings & More Time
Fun fact: these are related!
When you know your priorities, it’s easier to say no to things including meetings!
Boom. Bottleneck busted!
Have you ever been the bottleneck? How did you fix it? Any other tips??
What’s the #1 thing on the mind of a software founder?? PRODUCT! (Also: customers, hiring, coffee, selling, cash flow, cap tables, sleep, food, more coffee.) Here are 6 of my favorite ideas to guide you on product building.
Read More🚨ALERT🚨 In Person Event!
Come join me and Christine de Wendel, co-founder and CEO at sundayapp, at Atlanta Tech Village **THIS WEDNESDAY** for a fireside chat. We’ll cover how to find a great idea, fundraising, scaling, and of course, product! 😉
Wed, Nov 13, 12-1:30p | Register here
(and now back to regularly scheduled programming…)
What’s the #1 thing on the mind of a software founder??
PRODUCT!
(Also: customers, hiring, coffee, selling, cash flow, cap tables, sleep, food, more coffee.)
Product is creative, iterative, and there’s so many inputs — customers, investors, engineers, the internet, your own brain!
It can be hard to figure out where to start (or finish!) when it comes to product.
You know the importance of a well-built product and thoughtful roadmap but it’s easier said than done.
Here are 6 of my favorite ideas to guide you on product building.
Different frameworks work better for different companies, founders, or stages.
Pick what feels right for you and share other favorites below! 👇👇
Especially when you’re getting started, I LOVE the question Jon Birdsong asks:
It forces you to:
Focus
Prioritize
Deeply understand your customer
Once you are further along, it’s still a helpful question!
Do you know your next 3 features? What is the value to customers and impact to the business? Does everyone in the company know what they are and why?
The only features allowed on the roadmap will serve 80% of your customers. No one-off features for a fringe (but large) customer.
We followed this religiously at Pardot. We turned down large deals or great logos because they needed one feature…that no one else would use.
This worked especially well because we focused on small and medium business (SMB) customers. A small customer paid $12,000/yr. A large customer paid $36,000/yr.
It gets harder when your small customers are $5,000/yr and large customers are $500,000/yr.
And, if you sell $1M+ contracts, the 80/20 rule probably doesn’t apply. Lootttttsss of custom work at that price point.
Here’s the most important thing to remember:
Building one-off features is always painful.
Always.
Takes longer than you think, you have to maintain it, and it’s never as easy to “repurpose” for another customer as you think.
If you’re small and it’s a really big customer, maybe it keeps the lights on. If you decide to do it, for the love, make 100% sure you have a signed contract for a year or more before you start building things!!!!!
That said, even if you have big customers, 80/20 is always a great framework to keep you focused on adding the most value for most of your customers.
Marco Dell’Olio, CTO and co-founder of Zinnia, said this so well:
We want to have an opinionated product.
Zinnia is a copilot for account executives (AEs), using best practices learned from Lauren Goodell as a top AE at Microsoft and Salesforce. It doesn’t let any rep do any process. Built into the product are certain “opinions” about what good selling looks like.
David Cummings shared similar advice recently (paraphrasing):
Listen to customers, take their feedback, then use your own filter and vision of where the world is going to decide what to build.
A small example:
We never did any direct mail functionality at Pardot. Sending direct mail (aka in-your-mailbox-at-your-house advertising postcards) was often requested by customers and several competitors did it.
We did not. The world was going digital. That was our belief and vision. It was different than others and that was okay. It attracted the right users, kept our product focused, and became part of our thought leadership platform.
A famous Steve Jobs quote which is sorta right.
Customers DO know what their frustrations are.
And you should absolutely be listening to your customers!!!!!!
Solving customer problems = how you make money.
But don’t do exactly what your customers say all the time!
(See also “Have An Opinion”, “80/20 Rule” and “Negative Roadmap.” There’s a theme! 😂)
Customers will kindly and helpfully tell you exactly how to build your product to solve their problem.
These are almost always bad ideas.
And I say this as a well-meaning software customer who has suggested many bad ideas!!!
Your customers are smart and experts at what they do!
But they don’t have the full context and are rarely “product” folks.
What to do?
Dig in to understand what they are trying to accomplish.
Also called the 5 Whys.
Customer: I need a green “Send Email” button right here!
Product: Oh, you want a green “Send Email” button there? Why? What are you trying to accomplish?
Customer: I need to email this chart to my boss.
Product: Interesting. Why’s that?
Customer: She wants to see the data every day.
Product: I see. How does she use the data?
Customer: She compiles it into an ROI analysis and shares with her boss.
Product: Why’s that?
Customer: This product is expensive and we have to show the value. Also, if we don’t export the data daily, we can’t go back and get it.
BOOM.
This customer doesn’t need a send email button. They need better ROI reporting.
A great product person will understand the customer problem — sometimes even better than the customer does — and figure out the most simple, elegant, practical solution. (Billy Hoffman is a genius at this!)
It will solve this customer’s problem but also be designed and implemented to solve other customers’ problems too!
#PROTIP
Usually there’s a handful of customers who DO have really good product ideas. Figure out who they are and stay in touch regularly.
You have a lot of functionality you definitely want to build.
Just as important:
What are you NOT going to build?
Awesome overview of a Negative Roadmap from David Cummings.
Last but not least, here’s a friendly reminder that EVERYTHING is a tradeoff.
Go fast, keep it lean, product won’t be perfect.
High speed, high quality, big price tag.
Beautiful product, small team, takes a long time.
No right or wrong answer. Depends on your market and stage.
Go in eyes wide open and be intentional about what you are choosing.
When in doubt, my rec (for a startup) is speed.
The company with the fastest customer feedback loop has the best chance of building something customers love!
What are your favorite product ideas? What helped you build faster or smarter? Do you use any of these product concepts?
Sharing the cheat codes in startups and life! This is what the O’Daily is all about. I started with 6 things I’ve seen wildly successful folks do over and over again. And I realized…THERE’S MORE!
Read MoreSharing the cheat codes in startups and life!
This is what the O’Daily is all about.
Why should you learn things the hard way when I’ve already done that???? 😂😂😂
I started with 6 things I’ve seen wildly successful folks do over and over again.
And I realized…THERE’S MORE!
Here are 3 more things that highly successful business people do…and now you can too!
For me, this falls into the annoying-but-necessary category.
Don’t hate the player, baby, hate the game!
There is an art to a non-cringey, humblebrag.
Great sales people and CEOs are usually really, really good at a one-line drumroll to make something or someone sound awesome.
(Including themselves. 😉)
In almost every call, meeting, or networking event, you will get asked about yourself.
It’s your chance to establish your credibility, give background, and (ideally!) make someone laugh or lean in for a follow up question.
DO NOT GIVE DISCLAIMERS OR UNDERSELL IT.
The most successful business people have a short, awesome, funny way they describe themselves and their career.
If you ever meet Kara Brown, hers is genius.
Christine de Wendel’s is also excellent.
Mine is…decent. I consulted with an expert (my husband) to improve it.
Sharing as an example, not the ideal. 😉
Less than 10 words: Startup COO turned VC. 7x Ironman. Mom of 2.
One sentence: I’ve been scaling startups for 15 years, as a customer leader and COO, with multiple exits to public companies. (Insert joke about switching to the dark side as an investor.)
And I always say my title!
Yes, of course, there’s a hundred details and caveats. Everyone's career is more than one sentence.
Doesn’t matter. No one cares. They can ask about details later.
It’s like a company pitch. Make it short and easy to remember. Tell the BEST version (no lying though!).
You would never say, “We’re an AI platform that’s doing fine but not great and let me show you every feature and explain the pros/cons for at least 15 minutes.”
Yet that’s sometimes what people do with their personal pitch.
Why don’t people have a personal elevator pitch?
It feels awkward! Egotistical even.
But you are telling your story either way. Make sure it’s the one you want.
Practice, iterate, read the audience, try out new stuff, and find that A+ personal elevator pitch!
I love helping other people succeed.
As COO, team manager, customer success manager, and, now as an investor, if I do my job well, I’m in the background and someone else shines.
Me and Jason Bourne = you’d never know we were there!
I love helping other people succeed, but it poses a challenge (see Personal Elevator Pitch above):
How do I convey that I’m good if the whole point is to make someone else look good? You don’t want to undermine someone and take credit.
I asked someone in a similar role and she shared wisdom that changed my life:
Get the biggest title you can.
Yes, you have to deserve the title. You can’t (often 😉) go from intern to VP Sales in one move.
But when you have a big title, especially in supporting roles, you don’t have to constantly explain your value. The title says it for you.
When “VP of Operations” was proposed as my promotion, I said, “I’d like to be COO.”
“Okay, sounds good,” was the response.
It was that quick, simple, and made all the difference.
BONUS: This can also be used customer-facing. Give your team meaningful titles to provide instant credibility with customers, especially if they are younger or the company is starting out.
“But I don’t like negotiating.”
That’s what I told Adam Blitzer when I shared the job offer I was considering and he asked if I had negotiated.
He told me something that changed my life:
“Always negotiate.”
Then what really blew my mind:
“I don’t like negotiating either.”
Whaaaaa?
Adam was the guy asking for discounts on conference booths, vendor contracts, or brokering a $95M bootstrapped exit.
Adam was the co-founder at Pardot, an executive at Salesforce, is now the Datadog COO.
The dude can negotiate and seemed to enjoy it.
Young, foolish Kathryn thought the only people negotiating were those who loved it.
(And continuing the narrative in my head — those who loved it were mostly men and it came easy to them.)
FALSE.
Negotiating a contract, job offer, business transaction, or anything really — is one of the most meaningful things you can do for yourself and your company.
The stress is high but the time required is small and the impact lasts for months and years.
Top business people ALWAYS negotiate. They expect you to negotiate too.
And — surprise — it gets easier with practice.
Don’t love negotiating? Do it anyway! 😉
What’s your personal elevator pitch?? What other tips have you picked up from successful business leaders? Do you agree with these learnings?
The more you know, the less scary things are. In honor of Halloween, here’s a giant cauldron of tips and strategies with over 20 blogs to navigate the not-so-spooky world of VC and fundraising.
Read MoreWhat’s scarier than passing a motion-activated Halloween decoration on a morning run???
Pitching in front of a Patagonia-wearing horde!
Delving into the murky shadows of fundraising!
Or (gasp!) venture capital investor in the flesh!!!!!
WATCH OUT!!!!
As I remind kids (and myself 😱), the more you know, the less scary things are.
Ditto for investors!
In honor of Halloween, here’s a giant cauldron of tips and strategies with over 20 blogs to navigate the not-so-spooky world of VC and fundraising.
Wellllllcome. (Door creaks.)
How to find, meet, and build a relationship with investors.
6 Simple Ways To Build a Relationship With a VC
Find Your Ideal Investor In 5 Easy Steps
Looking For Funding? Here's 6 Ways To Find It!
First Hand Experience: What To Know About Fundraising With Strategic Investors
How to refine your pitch and fundraising deck.
Show Me The Money: #1 Tip For Pitching Investors
4 Ways To Crush Your TAM/SAM/SOM
How To Talk About Revenue...When You Don't Have Any
6 Strategies To Find Your Perfect, Bite-Sized Pitch
10x Your Elevator Pitch With 4 Words
5 Resources to Help You Nail Your Pitch
Behind-the-scenes insights and advice.
3 Unexpected Fundraising Secrets From a VC
Part 1: 4 Strategies Unicorn Founders Embrace
Part 2: 4 More Strategies That Unicorn Founders Embrace
ICYMI: The What, Why, and How of Building a Billion Dollar Business
4 VC-Approved Tips to Make Your Startup Irresistible
Key Startup Metrics For Each Funding Stage
How VCs Are Approaching Valuations in 2024
The Truth About Fundraising In The Summer (Plus 5 Strategies!)
How to get your head right and play the mental game.
3 Strategies For Establishing Credibility — No Matter Who You Meet
6 Ways To Project Confidence Without Trying
#1 CEO Secret: Everyone Has Imposter Syndrome
6 Habits I’ve Learned From Highly Successful Business Leaders
Top CEOs Are Confident For No Reason
Have a spooooooky investor story? What other fundraising topics seem murky and mysterious? Any venture capital ghosts we can exorcise???
We’re back in 2024 with the most appreciated blog of the year. tl;dr: IT’S TIME TO ORDER CUSTOMER GIFTS!! Here are 3 new customer gift Ideas for startups!
Read MoreWe started in 2022.
I did it again in 2023.
It was so popular…we’re back in 2024 with the most appreciated blog of the year.
tl;dr: IT’S TIME TO ORDER CUSTOMER GIFTS!!
(You’re welcome. Click here to skip jokes and go directly to the how-to guide.)
Bad News: You’re already behind.
Good News: You have time to get started!
If you want to know what the hot new-new is (this guide is from 2022), I still recommend talking to someone cooler than me. You know who I mean. The friend or coworker who knows allllll the trends.
(And please share their recs below! 👇👇)
But I do know 3 cool things and here they are!
Based out of the Atlanta Tech Village, with an amaaaaazing gift box for dudes (and a partnership with another brand that does women gift boxes), my husband got one and it was SO FUN. He loved it, I loved that he loved it, and my kids used the box for a boat/fort/weapon/vehicle. Win all around.
Based in Atlanta with a woman CEO and they have healthy things like fruit??? I am a sucker for these. Delicious, fun, and easy to send. (They have sweet treats mixed in with the fruit 😉). Sure to be a fan favorite in the office.
A personal touch while supporting local startups like you! Check out the P10 Foods list of brands to find awesome Southern brands at nearby stores. Same founders at King of Pops.
For a non-DIY version, Basketry (Louisana-based) and Giften Market (woman-owned, Minnesota-based) both have beautiful and fun options.
Here’s the tea:
And while you’re at it, think about employee holiday gifts too:
Important: If you’re trying to do a company holiday party…DO NOT PASS GO, DO NOT COLLECT $200, GO DIRECTLY TO BOOK A VENUE.
These fill up months ahead.
Or do it #scrappy and have it at someone’s house. Or on a Monday night (best price). Or an AirBnB with no rules about parties. You have options but gotta jump on it!
Any favorite gifts or other recs? What did you do for customers? Any helpful lessons learned??
Save yourself the years of therapy, unending achievements, and exhausting insecurity! Start being confident for no reason. The top CEOs do it too!
Read MoreTop CEOs exude confidence.
Yes, of course. They’re smart and successful. Look at how good they are at <insert what you admire here>.
It’s true for F500 CEOs and the CEO of the hottest startup you know.
Are they confident because they are great CEOs?
Nope.
Here’s the thing:
They acted with confidence BEFORE they were top CEOs.
If you wait for a reason to be confident…it will never arrive.
Because there’s 1,406,596 reasons that other people are better than you.
There’s also 1,406,596 reasons that YOU ARE AWESOME. Right now. Today.
Yep.
Even without achieving whatever it is you think you need to achieve before you can be great.
Because let me tell you…once you get to that official point of greatness, it actually won’t be that great.
You will see another point of greatness!
Just off in the distance…
THAT is the real point of greatness.
That ‘point of greatness’…it’s not really there.
It’s always a little further out.
How do you break the vicious cycle of never-arriving-at-your-greatness?
It’s simple:
Start thinking you’re awesome right now!
Save yourself the years of therapy, unending achievements, and exhausting insecurity!
Start being confident for no reason.
I see you rolling your eyes. (#momvision)
Kathryn, you say, if it was that easy, I would have already done it!
Yes and no.
There is a natural human tendency to want what you don’t have.
And the journey and anticipation of the goal is usually more fun than actually getting there.
You can’t totally override biological wiring from millions of years of evolution.
BUT.
You can start TODAY being a person who interacts in the world with confidence.
Start believing — right this very second — that:
People will take my call and reply to my email
Someone will help me when I need it
I can figure things out
I deserve to be here
I will close deals
And 100 other cheesy, yet effective, thoughts that change how you feel, act, and show up.
People with those beliefs interact with investors differently.
Trust me. I’ve seen it.
They are still polite and socially appropriate but there’s an under current of expectation in their communication that comes through and is very compelling.
If you’re not there quite YET (← “yet” — a word of confidence!), that’s okay.
You’re not alone.
As far as I can tell, most people feel some kind of Imposter Syndrome.
Including top CEOs.
They work hard to overcome it, show up with confidence, and establish credibility.
You too can use their strategies too!
Here are two more that I recently came across:
Say “I’m excited” instead of “I’m nervous” → here’s the research. I recommend Vanessa Van Edwards’ entire TedTalk. I watched twice!
Focus on “the gain” over “the gap” → think about what you’ve made progress in instead of what you have left to achieve. Love this concept (and book!) from Dan Sullivan and Benjamin Hardy, shared by Brad Barrett. I did it in my nightly gratitude journal and — even when I knew it was a trick — it still was magical!
Practice, learning, and pretending are all very effective at building confidence. 😁
You can give yourself permission. Right now. To be confident.
What would happen if you ACTED with the confidence of a top CEO?
What would happen if you saw clearly how awesome you already are?
What would you do, say, ask for, or attract?
It costs nothing but can change everything.
Start today.
For no reason.
Without explanation or justification.
BELIEVE IN YOUR SELF.
And the world will follow your lead. 😉
What is your best tip for projecting confidence? What are the most important insights you’ve learned about doubt, confidence, and success? When do you feel the most confident?
Venture Atlanta is coming upon us! *THE* event of the year. Largest venture conference in the Southeast. (Prepare yourself.) Here are a few events that I’ll be hosting or attending.
Read MoreVenture Atlanta is coming upon us!
*THE* event of the year. Largest venture conference in the Southeast. (Prepare yourself.) Investors come from all over the country to check out the top startups in the region.
Here are a few events that I’ll be hosting or attending.
Can you make it? What events are you the most excited for? Do you dislike networking like I do? 😉
Venture Atlanta …. expect 1000s of people!!
It’s non-stop action.
Meeting new people, bumping into folks you know, trying to find the person you’re supposed to meet with.
It is totally exhausting but also incredibly fun, well-run, and a great representation of Atlanta and the fantastic, growing startup ecosystem of the Southeast.
Not a comprehensive list by any means! There’s SO MUCH going on. Some of these are only for Venture Atlanta attendees but I’ve noted which ones are open to anyone! Add more events or faves in the comments 👇
—
Venture Crawl
Monday: 8:30am-3:00pm
Come get a tour of the best Atlanta tech hubs including ATV and South Downtown!
—
Pickleball
Monday: 11:00am-3:00pm
—
Intentionally Good Summit
**OPEN TO ALL (but sold out)**
Monday: 11:30am-7:30pm
—
Founders & Funders Jog
**OPEN TO ALL**
Tuesday: 6:45-8:30am
Bright & early! (Little birdie told me over 70 people are registered.) My absolute favorite way to kick off a conference and the best not-networking networking there is.
—
VC Panel
Tuesday: 9:00-10:30am
See session preview HERE!
We read Mark Suster’s blog like it was the Bible in the early days of Pardot and I still share his Rabbits, Deer, Elephants blog frequently with founders. Excited to hear him speak plus love the other powerhouse panelists (all women!) who all have Atlanta ties.
—
Women in Capital Breakfast
Wednesday: 8:30-9:45am
What started with 3 women, then 30 (my first VA 4 years ago) is now hundreds! It’s incredible what can happen in a short time. Thank you Christy Brown, Allyson Eman, and Kim Seals for getting it started.
—
Keynote Speaker Dawn Staley
Wednesday: 1:30-2:15pm
National champion & hall of fame basketball coach, right here in the south. I love sports, I love women playing sports, and I love the power of great coaching. Also, basketball is by far the best sport. If you disagree, I respect your opinion but you are wrong. 😉
Find me in the front row. 🤓 🏀
—
Techstars Demo Day
**OPEN TO ALL**
Wednesday: 3:30-5:00pm
I’ve met some of the founders, excited to meet more. They are top talent and can’t wait to see their pitches!
—
Female Founders in Innovation Dinner
**OPEN TO ALL (might be sold out)**
Wednesday: 6:00-9:00pm
Atlanta Ventures is a sponsor and I could not be more excited to celebrate the amazing women building companies!
—
Hands On Atlanta Tech Day of Service
**OPEN TO ALL**
Thursday: 2:00-6:00pm
Giving back in South Downtown! Thank you Eileen Lee and Endeavor for this important event. Volunteering together is an incredible team building (and authentic networking!) experience.
My parting gift to you. Absolutely no tips on networking, selling, prospecting, or how to work the booth. (You know how to do that.)
1. Drink Alllllll The Water.
2. Locate The Closest Starbucks or Coffee Shop.
3. Never Party With Sales. (Sales people are conference immortals.)
4. Set Your Phone Alarm Now.
5. Hide For At Least 5 Minutes Every Hour.
6. Learn How To Fake Drink.
7. Meet Someone For A Workout. (See Founder Funder Jog above ☝️)
8. Invest In A Good Mint.
9. Expect To Get Sick.
10. Schedule a 1 Day Return Buffer.
(#protip I know some Atlanta-based attendees who book a hotel room so they don’t have to commute home and back in the morning.)
Block your cal, work from home, and recover, I mean, get shit done to make the conference worth it!
More details on each with real conference stories here.
Events are happening all over Atlanta! If you can’t make it to Venture Atlanta, here are some of my favorite event calendars!
And of course, here’s a list of my favorite resources, groups, and tactics for getting a pulse on Atlanta and finding other tech folks.
Please feel free to drop other upcoming events with details and registration links in the comments below! What are most excited for at Venture Atlanta?👇
Sales has always been tough. Wildly important, critical to the success of every startup, and very very hard. Here’s what I’ve seen — based on startup results and reports from the front lines— working really well in 2024.
Read MoreSales has always been tough.
Wildly important, critical to the success of every startup, and very very hard.
Especially when you are selling ice, I mean, an early stage product.
And — unfortunately — with high growth tech companies tightening their budgets, the Great Exuberance painfully unwinding, and tech buyers more likely than ever to hit “Mark as Spam”, it’s not getting any easier.
NEVERTHELESS, SHE PERSISTS.
And while I don’t see the tried-and-true B2B Saas playbook of cold call, automated cadence, demo flip to AE working nearly as well as it used to (#buyer-fatigue), I do see creative startups still crushing it on the sales front.
Here’s what I’ve seen — based on startup results and reports from the front lines— working really well in 2024.
Posting good content regularly on LinkedIn (or wherever your customers are) works. I know multiple founders with large followings who get inbound demo requests every day.
This is exactly why you should build your personal brand and a few ideas on how to start.
Want inspiration?
Lauren Goodell (LinkedIn, sales)
Troy Munson (LinkedIn, sales/marketing)
Loren Mount-O’Brien (TikTok, consumers)
I delete 50 emails per day without reading them because I can tell they are automated sales messages.
But I regularly respond to cold outreach.
How to stand out in a world of automation?
Be unequivocally human.
Just ask Paddy McNamara or Ellen Twomey, two of my favorite founders, who sent an obviously personalized and researched message when they reached out (via our Contact Form and LinkedIn, respectively).
This is why Zinnia (we’re an investor) is resonating so powerfully in the sales world.
Cookie cutter automation isn’t working nearly as well.
Showing a little bit of effort and creativity (even if AI does the research 😉) does.
You’re probably not going to usurp Gary Vee or Mel Robbins. But you could be a thought leader in your corner of the tech world.
Fynn Glover, founder and CEO of Schematic (we’re an investor), has a fantastic, very specific podcast on SaaS pricing and packaging (using AI to help with the publication process, of course). It’s a great reason to connect with industry leaders, and he’s quickly become a go-to resource with 50+ episodes recorded in a few months.
I took a page out of Fynn’s book, and am doubling down on the B2B-SaaS-investor-in-the-Southeast-who-is-a-working-mom-and-loves-running-and-cheesy-jokes niche of the internet. How am I doing? 😂
Be the trusted expert in your market. SEO is a slow burn, but when you do it right, it works. Especially in markets where you can win your niche or traditional outbound cold-calling doesn’t work.
Traditional SEO — do Google search, find company — is changing with AI search, but the core concept — you provide helpful expertise, customers find you — is still holding strong (see Social Media & Niche Though Leadership above 😉).
These are actually two different strategies for two different markets with one important thing in common:
Be in the physical world.
When everyone is using Zoom, social, email, and AI, you stand out by showing up.
Do the old-fashioned, analog, pure hustle thing.
Show up on their doorstep — whether they are a F500 or a daycare center — a face-to-face connection (and sweet treat!) will make a difference.
No surprise here but a personal connection — especially a recommendation from a current customer — is still one of the top ways to get a foot in the door.
Warm intros can take a variety of forms:
a sales rep who has pre-existing industry relationships
a strong channel partner
working the LinkedIn connections and networking events (even if you don’t like networking 😉)
Automation is helpful here, though best kept behind-the-scenes!
Laudable (we’re an investor) helps you find the customers who love you (and turn it into compelling sales and marketing content — the mid-funnel equivalent of a warm intro) and we’ve had several iterations in our Venture Studio for “Introer” to help you find and make more helpful connections.
Are these strategies fail-proof silver bullets?
Nope.
It will always be hard to break through the noise.
Plus, product, pricing, messaging, and solving a hair-on-fire problem also impact sales results.
But real startups are closing real deals TODAY doing this stuff.
And you can too!
What has been working for you? What doesn’t work anymore? What AI tools are you loving for sales?
No founder starts a company because they want to manage people. This is why they are SO appreciative of the employees who “get it.” Here’s a list of qualities I often see in top startup employees who move up quickly (and a helpful template for defining leadership within your company)!
Read MoreNo founder starts a company because they want to manage people.
They want to change the world, help customers, create jobs, make money, inspire others, innovate, and 100 other things.
They love to work with people and support them. But the actual day-to-day people management is…draining.
This is why they are SO appreciative of the employees who “get it.”
At a certain level of management, you are even paid to be self-sufficient. The CEO wants to spend time on strategic efforts, not dealing with people who need hand holding or oversight.
It can be hard to articulate what “they just get it” actually means. 🙃
How do you define it???
And if you’re at a startup now, how do you maximize your impact and career by being one of those awesome folks who does “get it”?
Here’s a list of qualities I often see in top startup employees who move up quickly (and a helpful template for defining leadership within your company)!
After seeing first hand and talking to many CEOs, here are common qualities among their favorite teammates and leaders.
This is the anti-I don’t want to talk to you list.
Top Startup Employees & Leaders:
Help others
Do what's right for the company
Are a trusted sounding board
Raise concerns + problems but also have solutions
Do their “day job” with excellence
Be positive, appreciate others, celebrate wins
Proactively teach teammates, recruit new employees, make sales connections
Communicate well
Follow through and do what they say
Acknowledge mistakes
Don’t wait for permission to do the right thing
Don't wait for someone to tell them it’s ok to be a leader
If you or someone on your team is not getting the career progression they want (“Why did Brenda get promoted but I didn’t???”), it’s likely they could improve in one of those areas.
Yes, there are tactical details not covered in that list. But it’s rarely about a specific skill or project. It can almost always be traced back to a higher level pattern.
Here’s what I didn’t say: Be really, really smart.
Of course, you need to be smart ENOUGH. But when a lot of smart people are in a room, attitude trumps aptitude every time.
As your company grows, here is another resource that may be helpful as you think through things like:
Who gets what title?
Who is on the leadership team and why?
Where can this person develop as a leader?
Why is PersonA a Vice President but PersonB is a Director?
This is a very basic Leveling Guide Template that I’ve used as a starting place at several companies:
You can also use this for inter-department job levels and get specific about technical skills (e.g. the difference between Jr and Sr Engineers or SMB and Enterprise CSMs) or milestones (e.g. close $1M in revenue to move to Sr Sales Rep).
If you have a full time HR person, they will scoff at this and have something better. 😁
Did someone come to mind as you read this article? Have you been looking for specifics to share with an employee or getting vague feedback from your boss?
If you’re looking for a way to start the discussion, feel free to share this blog or use bullets from the list!
What are qualities of top startup employees? What do you look when promoting someone? Anything you would add or remove from the list?
Conference season is quickly approaching. Here are 5 tips for startups looking to make the most of a conference especially if prospective customers are attending and budget is tight!
Read MoreConference season is quickly approaching.
When is conference season?
It’s always conference season somewhere!
In Atlanta, we have Venture Atlanta in early October so it’s time to get going if you want to attend, sponsor, or put on an event during InnovATL.
I’ve even heard rumors — can neither confirm nor deny — of another Founder/Funder Jog hosted by TrackCred on Tues, Oct 8.
If something as awesome as that should happen, I’ll post sign up details on LinkedIn. 😉
But back to conference season.
The most important writing I’ve ever done has been my conference guide:
The *REAL* Conference Guide: 10 Non-Traditional Tips From A Conference Veteran
It’s essential reading for any attendee of any conference and highly useful at identifying (and avoiding) conference immortals.
It’s applicable to everyone — whether you’re a young female employee mistaken for a booth babe (me) or someone using a conference as an excuse to party with favorite teammates (also me).
I feel confident it has made the world a better place and I’m expecting a Nobel Conference Prize any day now.
But while I wait for my accolades, I’ve created another conference post with more targeted, and, dare I say, more practical tips, specifically for startups.
Here are 5 tips for startups looking to make the most of a conference especially if prospective customers are attending and budget is tight!
The value of the conference starts well before you put on your official name tag lanyard.
It’s a reason to reach out to your best prospects!
Will you be there?
Come see us at our booth!
Here’s some events we’re looking forward to — what are you attending?
Sneak preview of thought leadership content or product release!
Would love to connect in person — want to grab coffee?
We’re hosting a dinner with other CTOs like you — want to join?
If you can’t make it…we’re doing a recap, we’re posting daily, we’ll share best practices.
Can I buy you lunch at this awesome vegan restaurant I know you will like because I used Zinnia AI to uncover personalized insights like what a health nut you are??? (Oh. Just me who says yes to any kind of kale outing during a conference?? 🥗🤤)
I know this sounds crazy because you’re desperately trying to order last minute swag, book a cheap hotel, and upload your logo for your booth design but FOR THE LOVE OF EVERYTHING…spend an hour planning your post-conference follow up.
Then spend 2-3 hours prepping it.
Are you sending an email?
Offering a follow up demo?
Are reps doing custom outreach?
How do you designate high potential leads vs tire kickers?
Is there a unique path depending on interest level and fit of a prospect?
Are there lists, forms, Calendly sign ups, something in the CRM to track things?
It will be total chaos, then everyone will be exhausted, jet lagged, and hungover.
If you don’t prep now, it will be 5 days after the conference that you’re following up and then everyone has forgotten you!
If you can afford a booth, go for it! But sometimes they’re a couple million dollars sooo…that may not be in the budget.
Activate Backup Plan!
Can you partner with someone else who has a booth and help them by manning the booth? Everyone is short staffed so a strategic partner may appreciate the help with customers or demos.
Or — host an event during the conference that’s close to the main location (but not an “official” conference event).
If that’s too expensive, send your best rep and have them set up meetings with all the ideal prospects attending. They can hold meetings at locations outside the conference hall.
They will also hustle their way into some events. TRUST ME. If your sales person can’t get in to a conference party, you should fire them. 😂
If you’re newish to conferencing, you may not realize that technology never works in conference halls.
This is largely by design.
Conference organizers want to force you into the $1,000,000-per-day-plus-naming-rights-to-your-first-child fees for fast internet.
Also, you’ll need to pay for a power outlet. That’s only $500,000. A bargain really.
One hack for crappy internet — open all the tabs you need for a demo and don’t let anyone change them! Click from tab to tab instead of waiting for pages to load in real time.
Other tech challenges not fabricated by the conference mafia are things like your demo stations being too crowded or paper being quicker than technology (e.g. business cards).
Having a PDF overview to hand out or let reps talk from is helpful.
A place to capture business cards or email addresses if needed is also good.
Yes, yes, of course you’ll have conference scanners and get the list of attendees. But that shit breaks and people are too busy fixing other scanners to fix yours.
So just have some lo-fi options if you can for back up!
**WARNING: Controversial Suggestion Ahead***
I saved my spiciest suggestion for last.
Design your super awesome giveaway raffle thing so that you pick who wins. And make it a great prospect so you have a reason to follow up.
Conferences halls are ruled by Viking law which legalizes swag raids, daytime drinking, and hand-picking business cards out of glass bowls.
If you’re upset by this, I’d like to remind you — IT’S A FREE IPAD, PEOPLE!!! You probably don’t need one anyway, you just like to win free shit.
(Note: I don’t actually recommend iPads. It’s just a great 2010 example. Here are the real lessons I’ve learned about what kind of gifts and swag customers like.)
Also, I’ve literally been at conference halls when everyone is packing up and watched all the booths around me doing this. So if you win something at a booth…you’re a great prospect and expect a sales rep to follow up relentlessly. Hope it was worth it! 😉
Regarding the prize — make it something a person wants. No discounts for your product or something that is an expense-able work item. GIVE ME SOMETHING FREE FOR MYSELF!! (says every conference attendee.)
What other conference advice do you have? Any special tips for startups or companies on a tight budget??
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