I recently met with 2 incredibly talented recent college grads who were thinking about starting a company! YAAAAYYYY!!!!!!

They were in product-related roles at a larger tech startup getting great real world experience while brainstorming future business ideas.

We talked about a few consumer-focused products before we started on:

What would your current company pay for?

It’s a helpful question for thinking about:

• big markets
• must-have (paid for in a downturn) vs nice-to-have (first to go)
• B2B software platforms

**Remember: your business idea doesn’t need to be unique!

Why Business-to-Business (B2B) Is Awesome

Yes, there are great companies that sell tech or physical products to consumers. But it’s a highly-competitive, very-tight-margin road.

There’s a reason why so many investors focus on B2B. It’s a great business model.

Why Investors Love B2B & You Should Too:

• Companies have large budgets
• Businesses are not as fickle as consumers (I say this as a fickle consumer!)
• WAY more wiggle room with name, brand, user experience
• Retention is easier with companies (multiple decisions makers, inertia)
• Payback period on sales and marketing costs is favorable
• Profit margins are large and scalable

BONUS: Here’s a great clip from David Sacks on the All-In Podcast (one of my fave podcasts) explaining why he focuses on B2B SaaS.

B2B SaaS Discovery Questions

With the magic of B2B SaaS in mind, here are some questions to consider about your current company:

• What are major problems in your workflow?
• What would help your company make more money?
• What tools do you use but really dislike (because old, not helpful, incomplete)?
• What would your company spend money on even when making budget cuts?
• What is your company not spending on now but will be in 3-5 years?
• What would the founder be working on if they weren’t working on this?

HUGE OPPORTUNITY!!!!

With many tech companies doing layoffs, there’s a huge entrepreneurial opportunity!

Lots of people with extensive business experience are exploring new paths right now (voluntarily or with several months of severance).

If you’ve thought about starting something but haven’t come up with a compelling idea, analyzing company pain points or weak spots is a great first step.

Think: B2B!

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What are other great discovery questions for B2B SaaS ideas?

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Last Thursday, The Lola hosted an amazing event with over 75 women (not including the waitlist)!

What did these Atlanta women want to talk about???

Money, of course! 🤑💰💪

Led by the brilliant finance guru, Meredith Moore, with over two decades of financial planning experience, we talked about:

• Monthly Money Meetings
• 2023 Financial Planning Checklist
• Research on couples and money dynamics
• Commonly asked money questions

If you couldn’t make it, love finances, or are wondering what women talk about at a womxn’s community and co-working space, here’s the recap!

Meredith’s Awesome Ted Talk

➡️ Start here: The Right Way For Couples To Talk About Money

5 Things To Consider When Talking To Your Partner About Money:

• Contribution - including non-monetary items
• Transparency - be honest and avoid judgement
• Values - what matters to you and why
• Equality - partner with greater income, education, or age often holds the power
• Vision - identify long-term vision and work backwards

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“The most important thing we can do is normalize the conversation around money.”

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#1 Recommendation

**Schedule a Monthly Money Meeting.**

• Put it on the calendar.
• Invitees
• You + your partner
• You + pet/accountabil-a-buddy
• You
• [OPTIONAL] Bring wine. 😁

What To Cover:

• Update (or create) your balance sheet
• Review (or start tracking) expenses
• Discuss contribution, transparency, values, equality, vision
• Work through your 2023 Financial Checklist ⬇️

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“Engagement is more important than knowledge.”

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2023 Financial Checklist

1. Replenish emergency fund: 3 months personal living expenses, separate from business liquidity/expenses, 12 months for senior leaders ➡️ takes longer to find new role
2. Compile 1099, K1, W2s
3. Locate receipts from charitable donations
4. Update (or build) your balance sheet: financial dashboard, include accounts, debts, real estate, investments
5. Annual review with financial professional
6. Expense audit from last year: now your monthly living expenses, range from $4k/mo to $30k/mo, it’s a data point, no judgement!
7. Review (or create) estate planning documents: use a lawyer -- NOT online doc, one-time flat fee
8. Beneficiary audit on retirement accounts, life insurance, annuities
9. Confirm long-term savings strategy: most people underfund “mid-term savings”, don’t have everything in retirement and your house
10. Fund Roth IRA or Backdoor Roth IRA?
11. Business owners ➡️ SepIRA, profit sharing for 401k?
12. Check rewards points on credit cards

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“Get in the trenches and start looking at your own financials.”

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Research Shows…

• Partner with greater income, education, or age more likely to hold financial power
• When women are breadwinners, larger % of discretionary $ towards housework and kids
• Whoever does more housework = less financial power

Women + Money

• You don’t have to know it all to get started!
• Money is a shared responsibility.
• Whether you are a breadwinner or primary caretaker, MBA or no college education, you are capable and deserving of financial empowerment.
• Many women come to Meredith after being widowed or divorced who had little to no involvement with finances. It’s harder this way.
• It’s never too late to start learning and getting involved. (See “Monthly Money Meeting” above.)
• Best first task? Put together a balance sheet.

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“Understanding money gives you options.”

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Word of the Day: Work Optional

• Paradigm is shifting. Pure retirement is rare.
• Know your average monthly expenses for realistic picture
• Entrepreneurs planning an exit ➡️ what is your “work optional” amount?
• Create other streams of revenue
• More execs shift to board positions, consulting, or coaching than retirement

Q&A: What should I do about my parents’ finances?

• Set up a meeting to discuss
• Use a facilitator if needed
• Topics: retirement accounts/pensions, long term care insurance, estate planning, balance sheet (accounts, debts, financial items)

Q&A: How do I combine finances with my partner?

• Set up a Monthly Money Meeting
• Watch: The Right Way For Couples To Talk About Money
• Avoid judgement
• Discuss: Contribution, Transparency, Values, Equality, Vision
• Set out tasks and agenda items

Q&A: What’s the biggest mistake business owners make?

• Not enough liquidity
• Everything is tied up in the business or real estate
• Take those golden eggs and put it in other assets

Thank you, friends!

Thank you, Meredith, for the amazing content and sharing your wisdom.

Thank you, Eileen Lee, founder of the Lola, who brought us together and hosted.

Thank you, Sweetgreen, for sponsoring the delicious salads. (See? It IS possible to eat healthy while building! 😉)

Thank you, Monica Hooks, Suna Lumeh, Margaret Weniger, Anastasia Simon, Kristin Slink, Tammy Napier, and Jacey Cadet for moderating small group discussion!

It was an honor and a joy to work with amazing women to provide value for amazing women.

Let’s keep this money conversation going!

What is the best financial advice you’ve gotten? Any 2023 financial checklist items to add?

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Have you ever had an idea and then said, “Oh, someone else is already doing that”??

Have you been trying to find a BRAND NEW idea to start a company???

Here’s the dirty secret:

In big markets, there will (almost always) be multiple (billion dollar) winners.

and also…

Competition isn’t scary. It validates the market and demand.

Does this mean that you should create an online bookstore today? Nah, Amazon probably has that covered.

But if you love the carbon tracking or solar space, don’t be scared off by other companies who have gotten funding or have an early product!

Don’t I Need To Create The Category?

• Yes, there are first-mover advantages. You’re the thought leader. You can capture a large market share if you do it right.
• Being “first” is also expensive. You can spend tons on educating or creating the market, fighting policy battles, and product development since you’re starting from scratch.
• As a “fast-follow” or a “different-angle-within-a-hot-market,” you can skip some of the expensive learnings and nail execution.
• Thousands of large, successful companies have been built and only 3 of them are from Steve Jobs and Elon Musk 😂 You don’t have to be a once-in-a-life-time super genius to build something great.

How Does Competition Help Me?

• Your competition’s marketing efforts raise awareness for your industry.
• You can learn from their marketing, product, and pricing iterations.
• Companies start adding budget line items for solutions like yours.

What To Focus On

• Big Markets
• What will be a trillion dollar market in 3-5 years?
• What problems do these consumers or businesses have?
• Execution
• Not all companies in big markets make it. The idea is only the beginning.
• Be the best at solving your customers’ problems.
• Have an amazing culture for your team and customers.
• Differentiation
• What can you be the best at within your space?
• Can you serve a certain business size, industry, or problem better than anyone?

Examples

Not convinced? These are “mature” markets now that had many players early on. The companies listed are doing $100M+ revenue per year or (much, much) more.  

• Rideshare: Lyft, Uber
• Marketing Automation: Pardot, Marketo, Eloqua, Hubspot
• Sales Engagement: Salesloft, Outreach
• Email Marketing: Mailchimp, Exact Target, Constant Contact

Does Everyone Agree?

Want to hear a slightly different take from a super smart, successful founder?

Check out Dave Payne’s post on What’s Your Earned Secret? and some of Neighborhood Studio’s industry deep dives.

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tl;dr - Does your startup idea need to be wildly unique? NO!

Find a big market. Solve customer problems. Take over the world! 🚀🦄 🌎

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New year, new healthy eating goals!

Whether you’re a CEO or early employee in the trenches, startups are hectic with unpredictable schedules.

How can you eat healthy (for mood, energy, happiness, brain power) in the midst of chaos?!?

Never fear, O’Daily friends.

As any co-worker can tell you, I am the queen of healthy snacks and wholesome lunches. (Sorry for all the crunching in meetings!)

I don’t spend all weekend cooking. I don’t have a personal chef (…yet. Cookonnect is VERY tempting.)

I am very lazy efficient so I’ve spent 15 years making it simple and fast to eat healthy no matter how busy it gets.

Before we get to the 5 strategies…

How Do You Define “Healthy”?

Everyone has different goals, eating preferences, and frameworks.

Here’s what “healthy” means to me:

1. Lots of vegetables
2. Lots of fiber (correlated to longevity!)— veggies, fruit, whole grains
3. Minimizing processed foods

5 Way To Eat Healthy When You’re Building a Company

1. Add Veggies

Add as many vegetables as possible to everything!!

• Get lettuce on your nachos
• Add kale to your beans and rice
• Order a side salad (to go with your fries and burger)
• Put tomatoes, salsa, lettuce, avocado, spinach, peppers, onions on your Chipotle
• Bring baby carrots with your pita and hummus

Vegetables have tons of vitamins and minerals, lots of fiber and water, and are low in calories.

If you do one thing, add more vegetables.

#PROTIP

Prepackaged, frozen, canned, fresh — use whatever is manageable. Prewashed lettuce, kale and baby spinach, and frozen stir fry mixes are staples at our house.

2. Prep Your Staples

We call it the “Sunday Chop.” We prepare a few key items that make meals 10x easier during the week.

Foods To Prep

• 1 grain (brown rice, oatmeal, quinoa, whole wheat pasta)
• 1 protein (baked chicken breasts, sautéed ground turkey, beans, marinated tofu)
• 2-3 veggies (cut up broccoli, diced onions, carrot & celery sticks, cored & halved peppers)
• A soup or main dish if highly motivated!

5-Minute Meals

• Burrito bowls
• Stir fry
• Pasta with veggies + protein
• Asian grain bowl
• Soup
• Wrap (add grain, protein, veggies, sauce to a tortilla)

#PROTIP

I steam everything in the microwave! Broccoli, cauliflower, kale, spinach, zucchini, carrots, cabbage. EVERYTHING. Microwave safe bowl + plate as a lid. 3-5 minutes.

3. Invest In Snacks

A strong snack game means you fend off your late afternoon Dorito craving and front-load healthy food before an evening event.

Fast & Healthy Snacks

• Nuts, especially raw ones
• Hummus + veggies
• Cucumbers, green beans, radishes, carrots, red/green peppers can be whole or prepped fast
• Bring a whole carrot or cucumber if you don’t have time to chop it. It’s only weird the first few times.
• Apples
• Bananas (use this carrying case)
• Oranges or Clementines
• Hard boiled eggs
• Nut butter
• Berries (fresh or frozen)
• Homemade trail mix (pre-packaged has extra salt, oil, and sugary things)
• Edamame (frozen or roasted)

#PROTIP

I use these snack containers (here and here) and love them. They are fun, eco-friendly, and don’t get smashed in your bag.

4. Pack Your Lunch or Eat a Salad

Since you now have quick-prep tips…I’m going to say the annoying, cliche thing:

Packing your lunch is a great way to eat healthier and save money.

Not possible? Load your restaurant plate up with veggies — a salad, side dishes, or both.

Working from home? Run Tips #1-3 on repeat.

#PROTIP

Whether brown-bagging or going out, keep a stash of healthy snacks in your bag, desk, or car.

5. Ask For Healthy Food At Work

Everywhere I’ve worked, folks have been really supportive and helpful about providing healthy options when possible.

(Especially once they know it’s my jam.)

If you’re the boss, it’s fairly easy to set the tone and make requests.

If you’re not the boss, it’s a fine line between Don’t-Ask-Don’t-Get and Total-Pain-In-The-Ass. Be discerning.

Ways To Ask For Healthy Food:

• Find out how snacks are selected and stocked and make specific suggestions within that framework (from the vendor used, within the price range, etc).
• Develop a list of nearby lunch places with healthy meals to suggest when taking clients or going out as a team.
• Share what you’re looking for with the person who makes food/lunch selections. Provide examples. Be low-key and kind.

#PROTIP

Go with the flow occasionally so people don’t hate you. 😂

Taking care of yourself is key to bringing your startup “A” game.

Eating healthy is great way to fuel your brain and feel strong mentally and physically no matter what business surprises lie ahead!

Want more details or specific meal ideas??

• Quick, healthy brown bag lunch ideas
• **COMING SOON** The healthy, fast recipes I use every week

What are your best tips for healthy eating during startup chaos?? For those working on healthy eating, what’s the biggest challenge for you?

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What do Calendly ($3B), Salesloft ($2.4B), Rigor (acquired by Splunk), OrderNerd (acquired by Popmenu), and Zinnia (future unicorn) all have in common?

1. ATL, baby!
2. Their CEOs were successful sales reps at tech companies before making the leap to founder.

Yes, there are great engineering-focused founders (Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, Charles Brian Quinn) but it’s no coincidence that great sales people build great companies.

Here’s 5 reasons software sales reps make amazing startup CEOs.

5 Reasons Software Sales People Make Great Startup CEOs

1. They can sell.

At the highest level, selling is getting someone to believe what you believe.

Which just happens to be the #1 job of a CEO.

CEOs sell to customers, investors, employees, and beyond.

Selling involves trust, relationship-building, vision-casting, positioning, and closing.

2. They can talk tech.

Can you build a tech company without being an engineer?

Yes!

Does it help to know your way around software, products, and tech lingo?

Yes!

The best software sales reps are tech-savvy.

They’re handling product questions from prospects, working with engineers on custom integrations or feature requests, and explaining the technical “why” to customers.

They know “enough to be dangerous” and are constantly pushing to learn more.

It’s a great foundation for building a tech startup.

3. They like to win.

Show me a sales person who doesn’t want to be 1st on the leaderboard…and I’ll show you a customer service rep. 😂😂😂

The best sales reps play to win. They work 100 hour weeks. They make miracles happen on the last day of the quarter. They are intolerable a tiny bit upset if they fall short.

This determination, focus, and competitive drive translates seamlessly to startups.

4. They’re innovative.

How can I get an edge on my competitors?

How can I find leads no one else is thinking about?

What is a new way to catch the attention of a prospect?

How can I work more efficiently?

How can I creatively solve this customer’s problem?

Welcome to the mind of a great sales rep.

Or is it the mind of a startup founder??

5. They’re courageous.

Sales reps will…

• Make the ask
• Push boundaries
• Talk to strangers
• Fight for what they believe in
• Challenge antiquated thinking

Being a startup founder requires that you…make the ask, push boundaries, talk to strangers, fight for what you believe, and challenge antiquated thinking.

6. They think big.

Why go for a $1000 deal when you could go for a $100,000 deal? Why start a million dollar company when you could start a billion dollar one?

It’s a similar amount of work but the impact is bigger.

“Thinking bigger” is natural in sales. It’s a compilation of winning, innovation, and courage.

“Thinking bigger” is a tremendous skill and mindset for entrepreneurship as well.

Are you in tech sales thinking about starting something?

1. DO IT!!! (Not that I’m biased…)
2. Feel free to reach out and chat pros, cons, and how to get started!
3. 2023 is a fresh start and time for new goals and challenges. Is this the year you start a company??

What’s next on The O’Daily?

BIG announcement coming next week plus alllll the healthy-eating-at-a-startup advice to ring in the new year!

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If I’m cleaning, cooking, commuting, or getting ready for work, I’m listening to a podcast. (And you probably are too!)

Podcasts are an amazing resource for learning. When they’re done well, it’s education in an entertaining, thought-provoking way.

Here are my top 4 favorite podcasts plus some great “honorable mentions.”

What are your favorites???? (Share in the comments!)

My 4 Favorite Podcasts

1. All In Podcast

Jason Calacanis hosts David Sacks, David Friedberg, Chamath Palihapitiya each week in my favorite podcast in the VC and investing space!

Funny, irreverent, thought-provoking,  with a fresh take on popular news stories and industry insider perspectives.

It’s my #1 pick for How To Think Like a VC. I listen (or watch) every week.

2. Five and Thrive

Five minutes of tech and innovation news out of the Southeast, hosted by my awesome colleague Jon Birdsong.

Highest value per minute of any pod out there. I never miss.

3. Huberman Lab

LOVE LOVE LOVE this science-based health and performance podcast. Dr. Andrew Huberman, Stanford professor and neuroscientist, shares the best science in an approachable way and interviews amazing guests — leading researchers, doctors, and scientists in their field.

It’s nerdy, it’s actionable, and I’ve implemented several new habits based on the science. (Hellooooo, morning sunlight.)

4. Plain English

My husband introduced me to Derek Thompson’s writing during the pandemic.

His podcast, Plain English, deep dives into current stories and social trends, seeking truth and nuance over hyberbole or validating the common story line.

He’s highly intelligent, funny, self-aware, and deeply curious. Plain English + Morning Brew (daily newsletter) are my first stops for general news.

Honorable Mentions

I love these too!

• The Atlanta Story - ATL’s most interesting creators, entrepreneurs, and builders
• Rising Tide - Sharing stories of career-driven women (I was interviewed here!)
• Invest Like The Best - Conversations with the best investors and business leaders
• 20 Minute VC - Advice from startup investors and operators. The Memos are fascinating.
• Work Life with Adam Grant - Research on how to make work “not suck”
• The Money With Katie Show - Awesome financial (and life) advice from a self-made entrepreneur
• Stuff You Should Know - A classic from two smart and hilarious Atlantans
• The Happiness Lab - From the brilliant Yale Prof Laurie Santos who leads my fave online course
• Choose FI - Pursue freedom with better financial decisions

And THAT’S five minutes…

(Name the pod!)

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What podcast should I check out or add to the list? What’s your favorite podcast?

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Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth.

- Mike Tyson, startup guru

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Okay, so he’s not a startup guru (that I know of) but this quote always reminds me of startup life.

Just one big punch in the mouth!

JK. JK. JK.

You make annual plans.

You set out metrics.

Then…the app crashes, your top customer wants to quit, fundraising takes longer than expected, and you can’t find engineers.

How do you follow through on your annual plans and goals despite normal startup chaos?

Here are 5 steps to ensure you achieve your annual goals!

You’ll be as motivated and focused in December as you are in January.

5 Strategies For Annual Plan Follow Through

1. Pick the right framework.

There’s 100 different options for annual planning.

(We shared 5 of our favorites last week.)

Choose a goal setting framework or philosophy that feels easy and effective for YOU.

Which framework are you most drawn to?

The best framework is one that resonates with your style and values.

2. Keep it top of mind.

Where will you see and feel your annual goals every day?

Ideally, you’re “touching” them by writing them, discussing them, updating metrics, or something that keeps them alive.

Static goals quickly become part of the scenery.

Top-of-Mind Ideas:

• Dashboard in your office (updated daily or weekly)
• Discuss in a daily check-in
• Include on your Einsenhower Matrix
• Set a daily intention in a gratitude journal
• Post-it note on your desk (rewrite daily)

3. Set up an accountability touch point.

At Rigor, we added a mid-quarter check-in for our strategic goals.

Why?

We would be preparing our end-of-quarter recaps and realize something totally fell off our radar. (It happened to everyone at one time or another!)

Having a preset meeting to discuss progress on long term goals is a great way to maintain focus.

• Schedule accountability touch points NOW. (Before you get punched in the mouth!)
• Include an “accountabil-a-buddy” or peer group. (We are way more likely to keep meetings with other humans than stick to empty calendar placeholders.)

4. Delegate this process to someone great at accountability.

Do you know accountability isn’t your strong suit? Do you get busy and have trouble following through?

Behold…

Potential Accountability Resources:

• Operations specialist - a COO, operations manager, or virtual assistant can schedule meetings, send reminders, and handle logistics. Ultimately the CEO is responsible for holding individuals accountable but having someone else on the details can make a huge difference.
• Executive coaches - lots of excellent options out there. Rising Tide offers a great QXR session and format for personal development.
• Teammate who loves it - maybe it’s not officially their job but they are Galvanizing or have Tenacity so it will be in their zone of genius

5. Be open to adjustments.

Twelve months can be a lifetime at a startup. What made sense in January may not be a priority in December.

Goals serve you.

Don’t mindlessly strive for goals that aren’t the best and highest use of your time because you “wrote it on the paper” in January.

(I am sooooo guilty of this. MUST…FOLLOW…THROUGH…)

If you haven’t made progress on your annual goals, why not?

• Are you working on something that’s more important?
• Are you getting sucked into low priority items?
• Do you not enjoy the work required for the goals?
• Did you need to trim to 1-2 goals instead of 5?

Be honest with yourself and course correct accordingly.

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What strategies help you and your company stick with your annual goals? Any tips or stories to share?

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2023 is just around the corner!

(Kathryn frantically orders gifts on Amazon…)

As you head into company annual planning and 2023 goal setting, here are 5 awesome tools to help facilitate the process.

Pick one to anchor around or incorporate aspects of all five. Being thoughtful now will pay dividends as you attack the new year!

5 Resources for Annual Planning

1. One Page Strategic Plan

A David Cummings classic. It works for large companies, individuals, teams, projects, personal, work, and everything in between.

Here’s the downloadable template.

2. S.M.A.R.T. Goals

Take a goal from vague pipe dream to Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound.

Whatever planning or goal setting framework you use, SMART goals always apply!

When we implemented the “SMART” principles to our quarterly planning process at Rigor, it changed the conversation. We stopped debating whether a goal was achieved and started talking about improvements, next iterations, or digging in on “why” something worked or didn’t.

3. OKRs

The Objectives and Key Results framework, initially created by Andrew Grove at Intel and popularized when John Doerr brought it to Google (and wrote a book about it).

It’s a great option for product or non-revenue projects and can be used at companies large and small.

4. Atomic Habits

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. Atomic Habits is amazing.

James Clear wrote one of the most popular (4.8 out of 5 stars) and transformational books on how to change your life through habits.

You are what you do. You do what’s easy. How do you make it easy to achieve your goals? Build it into your daily workflow so it becomes automatic. Systems over goals.

5. Traction

Well-known business operating methodology that incorporates vision, data, goal setting, meeting cadences, and more.

If the Simple Strategic Plan is the Cliff Notes, Traction (aka Entrepreneur Operating System — well branded, Mr. Wickman) is the end-to-end handbook.

Read the book (not to be confused with THIS Traction book - also highly recommended) and see which aspects work for your company.

The Best Resource

…is the one that works for you!

Maybe you hate plans but love habits. Or you need something you can complete in less than an hour. Or you need something that can support a larger team.

Identify what what resonates with you at this stage.

Your process should feel meaningful and easy to maintain.

Speaking of maintaining…how do you stay on top of annual goals amidst startup and life chaos??!! We’ll talk next week about simple ways to build accountability and goal tracking into every day life.

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What tools do you use for annual planning? What goal and planning frameworks work well at your company?

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How are you thanking your employees this year??

You got the customer gifts handled (whew) and you realized…oh crap, what about my team!?!?

We got you.

Distributed team?

Got you.

Working on a tight budget?

Still got you.

As we learned from customer gifts, it’s not the money that matters. Creativity, thoughtfulness, and personal touches make the most memorable gifts.

For the busy startup leaders, here’s 10 ideas for employee gifts and celebrations (including low cost and remote friendly options) this holiday season!

10 Fun and Memorable Employee Gift Ideas

1. Hoodies or pullovers

(remote friendly)

• Everyone loves cozy winter wear.
• We’ve ordered these, these, and these with rave reviews from the team.
• Get something high quality, even brand name (like North Face). It won’t be much more in the grand scheme of things but makes a huge difference in how often it’s worn!

2. Yeti or Miir drinking vessels

(remote friendly)

• Mug, water bottle, large cup with lid. Lots of options!
• Special touch: fill with candy, office snacks, coffee, gift cards, or other swag.  

3. Draw-a-name gift exchange aka “Secret Santa”

(remote friendly)

• Company provides $25/person.
• DrawNames.com makes it super easy to administer.
• Everyone gets a personalized gift and it’s fun to guess your gift-giver!

4. Ask the trendiest and/or most team-oriented person

• They know what your team will like or have unique, industry-specific ideas.
• BONUS: they will probably love to help you plan!

5. Team outing

• Fancy dinner, escape room, rafting trip, cooking class, sporting event, lawn games/bar games tournament, just to name a few…
• -OR- gift a larger team offsite or retreat for the new year (planned by Zinnia, of course!)

6. Unexpected time off

(budget + remote friendly)

• Cancel meetings, close the office early for a day.
• It *must* be a surprise. Last minute meeting cancelations make people happier than if they didn’t have a meeting at that time anyway. Our brains are weird!
• Even if you have unlimited vacation, there’s something about a boss saying, “Stop working today.” Hits different.

7. Handwritten thank you note

(budget + remote friendly)

• Make it personal. Mention specific qualities, experiences, or standout projects that the team member contributed.
• Fun team photo from the year? Include it or make it the card cover.

8. Paper Plate awards

(budget + remote friendly)

• Example superlatives: “Most likely to…” or “Best XYZ”
• I got two “Pundies” (Pardot version of Dundies) over the years:
• Pollyanna Award for Office Gladness
• Asks Best (or was it “Most” 🤔) Questions
• Another fun one: the “Ted DiBiase Award” aka wrestling’s “Million Dollar Man” given to the sales rep (Go KG!) with $1M+ ARR closed.
• Keep it fun AND kind.

9. Off-site potluck

(budget friendly)

• At your house or another not-the-office location. There’s something special when someone opens their home to the team.
• Everyone brings a dish. Can be around a theme (or not).
• Variation: gingerbread house party. Bring candy!
• Make time to give shoutouts or share the best memories from the year.

10. Personalized gift cards

(remote friendly)

• Short on time? Give each team member a gift card with significance — related to a hobby, favorite hangout, date night locale, clothing brand, store, celebrity, etc.
• It’s personal but can be emailed 😅
• Need ideas? See person from recommendation #4!

BONUS IDEA!!!! ➡️ CEO’s Favorite Things

• A twist on Oprah’s classic “Favorite Things” — the CEO picks their favorite things to gift to the team with a big reveal! (h/t Angela Ferrante)

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What has been your favorite gift given or received? Other fun or creative suggestions?

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In case you missed the memo (here and here), it’s customer gift season!

We shared customer gift timelines.

We shared specific gift suggestions.

Today we cover real life customer gifts and the surprising lessons learned!

3 Lessons Learned From Real Customer Gifts

Lesson #1: It’s Not About Money

Amazon Gift Cards vs Branded Cookie Basket

In the early years of Pardot, we gave $100 Amazon gift cards (physical ones) with handwritten thank you notes to our top users. Pretty nice gift, right?

When Pardot was acquired by Exact Target, we suddenly had Big Company Marketing Energy.

Behold…the custom, branded cookie basket.

Cookies in the shape of an email icon, logos and company colors on everything, hot cocoa and a mug to complete the cozy vibe.

Cute but affordable. $40 per basket (with bulk discount).

Our customers freaking LOVED THEM. 

I got more enthusiastic thank yous from a $40 cookie basket than from thousands of dollars of gift cards.

LESSON LEARNED:
Thoughtful, branded, and creative gifts beat out expensive and generic ones.

Lesson #2: Know Your Customer

Swear Words + Engineers

The highest value swag of all time, hands down, were ceramic Rigor coffee mugs for $10 each.

• Rigor Logo on one side
• GET SHIT DONE on the other
• Used daily by customers
• Sat on desks as decor
• Requested by prospects, visitors, friends
• FLEW off our shelves

Why so popular?

• Engineers (often) love coffee.
• Engineers are (sometimes) irreverent and funny.  
• Engineers (usually) want to be left in peace to code.

(DISCLAIMER: Not all engineers love coffee and swear words, okay??)

The mugs were simple, fun, a little bit edgy, and a perfect fit for our techie customers.

The idea was inspired by a coffee mug from the internet with the same phrase.

We added a logo and…

Voila! Customer gift magic!

LESSON LEARNED:
Find a great item that fits the personality and interests of your typical user. Like Lesson #1, creativity outperforms dollars spent.

Lesson #3: Make It Personal

Does Your Sister Own A Goat Farm?

It’s the gift I still talk about.

Strangers say, “The most incredible swag I ever got was…”

I finish their sentence. We’re always talking about the same gift.

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In December 2020, Rippling sent a box of four caramels to its customers.

Handmade caramels.

From a goat farm.

Owned by the sister of the Rippling CEO.

In the most beautiful packaging.

With a note from Parker Conrad about working from his sister’s Vermont goat farm during the pandemic.

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Do you need to have a sister who owns a goat farm to give a great gift?

Yes.

But if you don’t have a sister or a goat farm, is there a person or business in your life with a unique product?

What about a customer who has a gift-worthy item? Or a local company with a quirky brand?

Tell the why behind the gift and explain the personal connection. The present goes from mundane to goat-farm-magical with a heartfelt story.

LESSON LEARNED:
A well-executed personal connection or story makes a deeply memorable gift.

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What has been the most popular customer gift you’ve given or received? Any fun or noteworthy lessons learned?