GTM 5: Slow is Smooth; Smooth is Fast with Kyle Norton

18 snips

Nov 1, 2022

Kyle Norton, former VP of Sales at Shopify and current SVP at Owner.com, shares fascinating insights from his entrepreneurial journey. He discusses the state of the e-commerce sector and emphasizes the importance of prioritizing physical and mental health while scaling a startup. Norton advocates for a patient approach to business, arguing that moving slowly can lead to sustained growth. He also provides valuable tips on respectful disagreement with superiors and strategic hiring to thrive in competitive markets.

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Intro

00:00 • 3min

Reflections on Growth and Achievements

02:31 • 2min

Navigating Startup Life in E-Commerce

04:05 • 9min

Building Sustainable Growth

13:17 • 25min

Strategic Hiring for Market Expansion

37:54 • 6min

The Value of Patience and Growth in Business

44:16 • 4min

Kyle Norton was the VP of sales at Shopify, and now is the SVP of Sales at Owner.com and a super-active Limited Partner of GMTfund. Compared to trying to get so much done in little time, Kyle demonstrates how taking things slow while maintaining focus, patience, and prioritization will lead to more sustained success in the long term.

What You Will Learn:

Whether or not the e-commerce sector is a good place to put your money right now.
Why it's important to take care of your physical and mental health even as your startup expands.
How to disagree with higher-ups in a way that fosters understanding and growth.

Highlights:
(02:48) Introducing Kyle Norton.

(03:24) Kyle’s transition from big tech to startup.

(05:28) Kyle’s take on the state of e-commerce SaaS today.

(9:19) How to start a company without getting out-innovated by a big player.

(12:50) Kyle’s career story and what he would do differently.

(13:28) Why you should prioritize your physical and mental health.

(15:20) The need to be mindful of where you will scale.

(16:10) How moving slow drives sustained growth.

(19:10) Why you must be honest with your metrics.

(20:53) How to build a strong business foundation.

(21:46) The differences in goal setting and growth between big tech and startup.

(26:17) Learning to disagree well.

(36:59) How to determine the makeup of your sales hire.

(45:56) Summary of Kyle’s career learning.

Guest Speaker Link:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kylecnorton/

Host Speaker Links:
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/ssbarker/
Newsletter: thegtmnewsletter.substack.com/

Referenced Resources:
An article by Adam Grant (Psychologist and Wharton Professor): ‘You can’t say that!’: how to argue, better.
A book by Article by Adam Grant (Psychologist and Wharton Professor):Think Again: The Power of Knowing What You Don’t Know.

The GTM Podcast
The GTM Podcast is a weekly podcast featuring interviews with the top 1% GTM executives, VCs, and founders. Conversations reveal the unshared details behind how they have grown companies, and the go-to-market strategies responsible for shaping that growth.

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