Build Scale Grow

The future is rapidly approaching. This series will explore three key themes: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞, Technology, and Humanity. Leading startup experts share their most compelling insights about how founders can go the distance without giving up their souls. Let's grow! 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝗣𝘂𝗿𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗲-𝗗𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗽𝘀 Some people think that startups are solely focused on chasing unicorn status. But that's not always the case. 𝙍𝙚𝙨𝙞𝙡𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙧𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙚𝙨 𝙤𝙣 𝙥𝙖𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙤𝙣. Entrepreneurs are problem-solvers who envision a better world. Startups have an amazing power to tackle big challenges like climate change and economic inequality while balancing purpose with profit. The most inspiring businesses go beyond only focusing on revenues as they reimagine possibilities and create lasting societal value. Soraya Depowski is the Founder of Sharely, an impact fintech platform that empowers investors to make a measurable impact on global issues. 𝗕𝗲𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘀𝗵𝗲𝗲𝘁: 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗜𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗰𝘁𝘀 𝗠𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 As a founder, you are going to encounter obstacles that have no obvious or clear answer. TRUST YOUR GUT. Yes, seek guidance. Yes, look at the data and do the math. But at the end of the day, your persistence and intuition got you here and will get you to the next step. Paul Bianco is the CEO of Graphite, providing startup accounting, financial reporting, tax services, and more. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗼𝘅: 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗧𝗿𝘂𝗲 𝗙𝘂𝗲𝗹𝘀 𝗥𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗜𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 As technology shapes our roles and opportunities, founders must rely on resilience to stay true to their original "why" while evolving their vision. We need to balance our initial passion for starting this journey with the need to adjust our execution based on market conditions and feedback. 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗳𝘂𝗲𝗹𝘀 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗳𝘂𝗹 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀, driving our desire and ability to keep innovating. Amanda Leikam is the Co-Founder of Level213, helping tech companies take their revenue generation to the next level. 𝘏𝘦𝘳 𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘬𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘰𝘸!* 𝗘𝗺𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝘂𝗺𝗯𝗹𝗲: 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗙𝗮𝗶𝗹𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗕𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗧𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗿 Successful founders understand that failure provides opportunities for positive learning. However, you have to approach development intentionally. You want to fail fast and often because that means you're tackling difficult challenges, learning from setbacks, and quickly testing new approaches. The benefit of facing failure comes from 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝘁 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲. That process can be challenging, but it’s essential for our growth. Aidan McDowell is the Founder & CEO of UniqLearn, revolutionizing education by sparking joy in learning to boost student performance. As always, drop your thoughts into the comments! 👇 #leaders #founder #adapt #startups

𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐖𝐞'𝐥𝐥 𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐞 𝐘𝐨𝐮: 𝐎𝐮𝐫 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐢𝐧 ‘𝟐𝟓 At Build Scale Grow, we know that over 90% of startups fail. Sometimes, it's because an idea doesn't fit the current market. More often, though, startups struggle due to execution challenges. We partner with visionary founders to beat these odds. We help them solve problems quickly, scale efficiently, and leverage valuable connections. To amplify our impact in the coming year, we're building a larger community. We want to help founders better uncover hidden obstacles, tackle real problems, and avoid unnecessary risks. Here are our key objectives: · Grow our 𝗻𝗲𝘄𝘀𝗹𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 from 7,000 (current) to 10,000 subscribers, expanding our community of founders and experts who learn together. · Organize more in-person and online 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 featuring diverse experts sharing valuable insights. The goal is to organize at least one monthly. · Develop more 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼𝗼𝗹𝘀 like the Introverted Founder's Toolkit email course, which allows people to change on their schedule. · Continue 𝗮𝗱𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 early-stage founders in Social Impact, EdTech, and Health Tech 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 students at Columbia, Duke, and UMass. · Consider writing a new book to build on the modular handbook 𝙎𝙘𝙖𝙡𝙚: 𝙍𝙚𝙖𝙘𝙝 𝙔𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙋𝙚𝙖𝙠 (I’m hedging on this one, mindful of the work involved). Thanks for your ideas and encouragement throughout this journey! ~𝐵𝑒𝑛𝑗𝑎𝑚𝑖𝑛 #leaders #founder #adapt #startups

The future is rapidly approaching. This series will explore 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐇𝐮𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲, Technology, and Resilience. Drawing from past learnings and current innovations, leading startup experts share their most compelling insights. Let's grow! 𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘆 𝗘𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗛𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 Fifty percent of organizations are diving headfirst into climate mitigation technology. This evolution extends far beyond solar panels and electric cars. In the next five years, we'll see the emergence of AI-powered energy grids optimizing renewable sources, drought-resistant crops, carbon removal tech, sustainable fuels, and more resilient infrastructure. This evolution is about building a future where technology enables humanity and the environment to thrive together. Jenny Fielding is the Co-founder and Managing Partner at Everywhere Ventures, a first-check venture fund and founder community like no other. 𝗟𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗜𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗰𝘁𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 Traditionally, startups were motivated by our genetic impulses to seek status, protect families, and bond with a tribe. While this approach may drive progress, it doesn't necessarily promote well-being. Our genes don’t care if we’re happy—only if we replicate. Next year, however, more startups will wrestle with how to harness genetic drives to create a more prosperous, advanced, and better world. Nathan Blew leads a team of fractional CTOs and Product leaders at Convex Consulting, helping startups verify PMF, scale, and succeed. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗙𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗦𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗶𝘀 𝗕𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 As low-carbon tech becomes cost-competitive and drop-in ready, corporations will (as usual) minimize costs and maximize profits. As sustainability further aligns with capitalism, the role of Chief Sustainability Officer will merge into the core duties of CFOs and Procurement Officers. The last 30 years of solar energy innovation and production illustrates this future for all carbon intensive industries: cheaper, better, AND more sustainable solutions will be commonplace. Peter Nocchiero is the Founder of Alternate Future, a ClimateTech-focused advisory and consulting shop. 𝗦𝗲𝗹𝗳-𝗔𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗦𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗲𝘁𝘆 Self-aware high school students make better choices about their education—whether to attend college, what to study, and which college fits them best. Research shows that thoughtful college planning reduces debt, increases graduation rates, and even improves health and voter engagement.* When students align their education with their authentic selves, they create a ripple effect of positive change that spans generations. Henry Woodbridge is the Founder & CEO of Mapt (Techstars '24), a gamified mobile app that helps students develop core values and passions. What insights are missing? Drop your thoughts into the comments! 👇

The future is rapidly approaching. This series will explore three key themes: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐓𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐧𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐲, Humanity, and Resilience. Drawing from past learnings and current innovations, leading startup experts share their most compelling insights. Let's grow! 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘆 𝗠𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗦𝗼𝗹𝘃𝗲 𝗮 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺 Never assume that because your new technology solves a problem in 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 mind, it will be embraced by your target audience. It’s easy to operate off assumptions about how you think things work. You might even validate them based on industry trends, but that’s not enough. To create valuable technology, you must take time to deeply understand your customer’s challenges and complexities to develop solutions that truly resonate. Christopher Lind is the host of Future-Focused, navigating the intersection of business, technology, and human experience. 𝗠𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗔𝗜 𝗣𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗩𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 AI is not a universal solution but a strategic tool. Rather than chasing AI trends, startups should focus on targeted applications that solve specific problems. The key lies in thoughtful integration: purposefully selecting where AI can truly boost efficiency and provide measurable value. Success derives from a smart, selective implementation, not blanket technological adoption. Christina Ross is the Founder & CEO of Cube, a cloud-based FP&A platform that helps companies hit their numbers without sacrificing their spreadsheets. 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗽 𝗩𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝗻 𝗮 𝗗𝗶𝗴𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱 Generative AI increasingly creates, consumes, and interprets digital content, taking more online actions on our behalf each day. While this technology enriches our lives, it also threatens our livelihoods and mental well-being as we struggle to distinguish reality from deepfakes and authorized agents from unauthorized bots. To secure our digital worlds, we need robust, post-quantum verification systems designed for both humans and agents built on next-generation biometric and blockchain technology. Brett Wilson is the Managing Partner at IOmergent, helping growing companies handle their cyber security capabilities. 𝗔𝗜 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗼𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗠𝗶𝗰𝗿𝗼-𝗧𝗲𝗮𝗺𝘀 𝗪𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗕𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗼𝗻-𝗗𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗿 𝗘𝗺𝗽𝗶𝗿𝗲𝘀 AI will enable a new class of startups run by very few people yet capable of reaching a billion-dollar scale. Developers and software engineers will likely be among the first professionals who are displaced. Go-to-market savvy will become the most critical skill, though aspects of this will also be affected by AI. Ammon Brown is the Founder & CEO of Dossy, which puts professional and personal relationship management on autopilot. What insights are missing? Drop your thoughts into the comments! 👇 #leaders #founder #adapt #startups

𝐂𝐚𝐬𝐡 𝐅𝐥𝐨𝐰 𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭: 𝐄𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐓𝐨𝐨𝐥𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐞𝐬 Cash flow determines whether startups thrive or merely survive. CPG and eCommerce startups need strategies and tools around banking, capital solutions, and analysis to grow in a competitive landscape. I’m excited to be moderating this webinar on 𝗗𝗲𝗰𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟭𝟭 𝗮𝘁 𝟭:𝟬𝟬 𝗽𝗺 𝗘𝗦𝗧. Registration link in the comments 👇 𝗠𝗲𝗲𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘁𝘀: 🎙️ Paul Bianco, CEO at Graphite 🎙️ Samir Shergill, CEO at Highbeam This session will give you the tools and confidence to succeed. 

𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐂𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐀𝐜𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐬 𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 Each generation brings its behaviors, attitudes, and expectations to work, yet we can embrace and leverage these differences for more effective collaboration. Tomorrow, we'll explore how to better engage stakeholders across four generations with insights on improving retention, creativity, and productivity. Registration link in the comments 👇 𝐵𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑔𝑒𝑠 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑠𝑛𝑎𝑐𝑘𝑠 𝑤𝑖𝑙𝑙 𝑏𝑒 𝑎𝑣𝑎𝑖𝑙𝑎𝑏𝑙𝑒. INTRODUCTION by Barbara Agoglia, the Founder of FreshEyes Consulting PANELISTS include: Carl Eppers is a Business Consultant at Sequoia Consulting Group Kesi Johnson is the Senior Vice President, Client Success at Levin Ioanna Mantzouridou Onasi is the Co-Founder & CEO of Dextego Benjamin Friedman is the President of Build Scale Grow Moderator: Karina Muller is the Founder of Maripossa Wellness A special thanks to Jamie Katcher for hosting the event and to Tori. Hanson for helping make it better. #leaders #founder #adapt #startups

𝐂𝐚𝐬𝐡 𝐅𝐥𝐨𝐰 𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭: 𝐄𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐓𝐨𝐨𝐥𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐞𝐬 As we approach the new year and funding becomes increasingly selective, cash flow management may determine whether startups grow or merely survive. As founders want to maximize growth options, CPG and eCommerce startups need strategies and tools to thrive in a competitive landscape. I’m excited to be moderating this webinar on December 11 at 1:00 pm EST. Registration link in the comments 👇 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗬𝗼𝘂'𝗹𝗹 𝗚𝗮𝗶𝗻: → Real-Time Cash Flow Analysis for quick, informed decision-making → Proactive Financial Strategies to align with long-term business goals → Banking and Capital Tools to secure reliable cash flow and maximize liquidity → Technology and AI Tools that streamline finances and boost efficiency Learn essential tools around banking, capital solutions, and cash flow analysis that optimize financial stability and flexibility for long-term growth. 𝗠𝗲𝗲𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘁𝘀: 🎙️ Paul Bianco, CEO at Graphite 🎙️ Samir Shergill, CEO at Highbeam Whether refining your current strategy or starting fresh, this session will give you the tools and confidence to succeed. #leaders #founder #adapt #startups

𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐄𝐧𝐠𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐂𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐨𝐧 𝐚 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐁𝐮𝐝𝐠𝐞𝐭 (𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝟐) You've got a brilliant idea, cutting-edge tech, and the drive to change the world—but without mastering marketing, your startup remains a well-kept secret. The first post on marketing is linked in the comments. Let's explore proven techniques with actionable steps to find and engage potential customers. 𝗠𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗿 𝗙𝗲𝗲𝗹 𝗦𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘁 "𝑮𝒐𝒐𝒅 𝒎𝒂𝒓𝒌𝒆𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒎𝒂𝒌𝒆𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒑𝒂𝒏𝒚 𝒍𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝒔𝒎𝒂𝒓𝒕. 𝑮𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒕 𝒎𝒂𝒓𝒌𝒆𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒎𝒂𝒌𝒆𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒄𝒖𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒓 𝒇𝒆𝒆𝒍 𝒔𝒎𝒂𝒓𝒕." – Joe Chernov When crafting your marketing strategy, don't just showcase your brilliance. I've seen too many decks that are 90% about the company and 10% the customer. Instead, focus on empowering your customers with knowledge and solutions. Use relevant data and anecdotes based on your target audience demographics. Quick Start: Review your demo deck right now. Compare how many slides focus on the customer versus your business. 𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗧𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗠𝗶𝗰𝗿𝗼 𝗜𝗻𝗳𝗹𝘂𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗿𝘀 Industry experts and reliable resources command respect, admiration, and—crucially—attention. Identify individuals you'd love to champion your brand, people who can effectively address the problem you're solving, and connect with your audience. Quick Start: Identify five people and draft a compelling note to your network explaining why you're eager to connect with them. 𝗟𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗰 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽𝘀 Identify and collaborate with complementary businesses. Develop co-marketing initiatives or partnerships to expand your reach and add value to your offering. While partnerships often sound appealing, they can quickly lose momentum if their sales team isn't aligned, so find ways to motivate them directly. Quick Start: Take five minutes now to identify one potential partner and list three reasons why they'd want to work with you. 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗮 𝗖𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗿 𝗙𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗟𝗼𝗼𝗽 Establish a systematic approach to gathering and analyzing customer feedback. Use these insights to continuously refine your product and marketing strategy. Consider these no-cost or low-cost options: in-app feedback collection, surveys, social media and community forum monitoring, and open-source analytics. “𝑪𝒖𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒓 𝒍𝒐𝒚𝒂𝒍𝒕𝒚 𝒊𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒎𝒐𝒔𝒕 𝒑𝒐𝒘𝒆𝒓𝒇𝒖𝒍 𝒎𝒂𝒓𝒌𝒆𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒐𝒐𝒍.” – Bill Price As a founder, reach out to a few customers every quarter. You'll likely gain valuable insights, and they'll appreciate your interest. Quick Start: Choose one of these ideas and assign someone to implement it within the next month. Your marketing should be intentional and authentic but not expensive. Experiment and refine ways to best connect with your ideal customers. #leaders #founder #adapt #startups

𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐄𝐧𝐠𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐂𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐨𝐧 𝐚 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐁𝐮𝐝𝐠𝐞𝐭 (𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝟏) You've got a brilliant idea, cutting-edge tech, and the drive to change the world—but without mastering marketing, your startup remains a well-kept secret. (This week's posts complement the two posts on proven sales strategies shared last week and linked below.) Let's explore proven techniques to find and engage potential customers. The second post will appear tomorrow. 𝗔𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗻 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗩𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗠𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 Let's clear something up: marketing isn't about creating a pretty veneer—it's about helping people understand your purpose and value. "𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝒃𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒎𝒂𝒓𝒌𝒆𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒅𝒐𝒆𝒔𝒏'𝒕 𝒇𝒆𝒆𝒍 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝒎𝒂𝒓𝒌𝒆𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈." – Tom Fishburne Before diving into marketing, get crystal clear on your vision (the problem you'll solve) and values (the principles you'll never compromise). When your actions and messaging are consistent and your value is obvious, people will better engage with you. Quick Start: Share your vision & values with three people and ask if they're clear. 𝗞𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗧𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝗔𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 Harness AI and analytics tools to identify and prioritize high-potential leads and to focus on prospects most likely to convert. Explore open-source tools, online courses, free versions of software, cloud-based platforms, and academic resources—all available at little to no cost. Quick Start: Take 5 minutes to sketch out a plan for defining your target audience over the next three weeks. 𝗖𝗿𝗮𝗳𝘁 𝗮 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗕𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗡𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 Develop a clear, concise story that resonates with your target audience. Cast your customer as the hero, outlining their problem, your solution, and the transformative outcome. "𝑴𝒂𝒓𝒌𝒆𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒊𝒔 𝒏𝒐 𝒍𝒐𝒏𝒈𝒆𝒓 𝒂𝒃𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒕𝒖𝒇𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒎𝒂𝒌𝒆, 𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝒂𝒃𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒔 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒕𝒆𝒍𝒍." – Seth Godin Employ data visualization, emotional reactions, and punchy anecdotes to show how your solution tackles real-world issues, making your brand more relatable. Quick Start: Identify a branding expert and schedule a meeting with them today. 𝗛𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝗦𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗼𝗳 Collect and showcase user testimonials, case studies, and success metrics. Integrate this social proof throughout your marketing and sales materials to build trust and credibility swiftly and effectively. To achieve this, tap into your platform, social media, or email to find satisfied customers. Consider non-monetary incentives, such as featured spots or exclusive access to new features, for more responses. Quick Start: Choose one idea and implement it within the next month. Your marketing should be intentional and authentic but not expensive. Experiment and refine ways to best connect with your ideal customers. #leaders #founder #adapt #startups