“If you really only get dopamine hits from money, than it’s hard to work on hard problems. You need to know your dopamine system; where do you get your dopamine from? Truly understand yourself.” That’s Aravind Srinivas, the founder of Perplexity, during his recent podcast conversation with Lex Fridman. Aravind shared that powerful insight in the context …
The term “product-market fit” is tossed around with the fervor of a magical incantation. Marc Andreessen stated that achieving product-market fit is the only thing that matters for a new venture. Yet, despite its ubiquitous use, the definition of product-market fit often remains nebulous and subjective. The Hazards of Subjectivity ChatGPT informs us that: “product-market …
One of the most frequent fundraising questions I get asked is: when should I raise money? It’s a question that doesn’t come with a one-size-fits-all answer. So, how do you know when the time is right? The answer lies in a simple mantra that founders who have met me have heard me say: “When you …
In my years of working alongside founders and helping them get to market, I’ve noticed a familiar set of common pitfalls that continue to persist. Here are four of the most common (and how to avoid making them): Pitfall #1: Channel Partnerships All too often, founders rely too heavily and too early on channel partnerships …
Every day, for over 10 years, I’ve helped founders develop and execute go-to-market strategies. Strategies that have helped them grow revenue and attract investors. While every company and industry provides its unique challenges, most go-to-market strategies lack the most basic elements of any good plan: a tangible goal and deadline. This common mistake condemns your …
In today’s startup landscape, with the ever-evolving VC market conditions, it’s more important than ever to have early revenue before dedicating valuable runway to seeking out and knocking on investors’ doors. In 2024, the venture capital market is as competitive as ever. While there’s still ample capital available, savvy investors are becoming increasingly selective. The …
I’ve helped 100s of B2B founders increase their revenue through The Revenue Accelerator. One of the most common mistakes that I see founders make is messaging and marketing collateral meant to appeal to a wide audience of potential customers. The fear is that they will miss out on sales opportunities if their messaging is too …
The lore of the pitch deck and the theatre of the demo day are receding into the background and are being replaced with the rigors of building a thoughtful financial model.
The most successful accelerators are the ones that can consistently attract the best founders and, in turn, venture investors. However, that’s becoming increasingly more difficult for any single program to do, as the number of accelerators continues to surge and virtual-first programs create global competition. It’s become more challenging for accelerators to stand out in …
Traction speaks louder than words and pitch decks. Even more so in 2024! And not just any traction. In 2024, your traction must be the result of a capital efficient go-to-market strategy. Regardless of your specific product and market, there are 4 keys to executing capital efficient go-to-market in 2024. Define Traction All too often, …
