Start-ups

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Coaching for Founder Performance: How Should I Start and Why?

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Coaching for Founder Performance: How Should I Start and Why?

the importance or need for performance coaching isn’t always clear to startup founders. Often, founders stumble upon it thanks to having a curious, open mind. Other times, their co-founders and investors force it upon them as a form of ‘good medicine.’ In this post, we provide perspective on:

  • What founder coaching is and isn’t— and why this isn’t always clear, especially when it comes to startup company building. 

  • The core benefits of any form of performance coaching so you know what to look for when you are looking. 

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Startup Board Meetings: The 5 Pillars of Leading the Board

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Startup Board Meetings: The 5 Pillars of Leading the Board

Proper board stance is better described as a partnership. This may seem idealistic and is not always practical in reality as it requires buy-in from both parties. Nonetheless the ideal board member provides transparent, professional views on the company— wins, challenges, opportunities, and resources— working with the management team to maximize company value.

Founder-Led B2B Sales: The 5-Step Cycle to Boost Revenue with Limited Resources

Founder-Led B2B Sales: The 5-Step Cycle to Boost Revenue with Limited Resources

In this post, I codify my learnings from building ReTargeter during a recession so you can accelerate your sales motion even though you are already likely firing on all cylinders with extremely constrained resources (time, talent, money): 

  • Prioritize where you focus your efforts— what fires to let burn, what fires to put out, and how to play offense even if you’re forced to be on your back foot. 

  • Leverage your relationships (social capital) to access a broader network to lubricate your sales motion. 

  • Systematize your sales motion with simple, cost-effective processes and technologies. 

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Early-Stage Startups: Paths to Net Zero and Beyond

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Early-Stage Startups: Paths to Net Zero and Beyond

In this post, we summarize 8 ways we have seen founders take control of the harsh economic environment to keep their companies alive, thriving even. (*TLDR: Find more taps and connect them to your buckets. Find more buckets and fill them with water. Keep plugging the leaks with whatever and whoever you have.)

Team Performance: Accountability Through 1:1 Communication

Team Performance: Accountability Through 1:1 Communication

This post focuses on driving accountability through 1:1 communications— a common cultural practice top teams have. We do this because it is also a simple, practical way to change the operating tone from:

  • Doing “stuff” → Getting the right things done in time

  • Making sloppy promises with inconsistent delivery → Honoring commitments through impeccable agreements

  • Being busy → Busy achieving

Top teams treat accountability like a game and pattern this mindset into their teams— they win together, learn together, and fail forward together. In this post, we share a simple communication model so you can drive accountability when: