The podcast discusses the journey of adtech startups from $1M to $10M, covering team structure, transitioning from founder-led sales to professionalized sales, hiring marketers, building brand strategies, and the evolving role of a CEO in company growth.
Transition from founder-led sales to professionalized sales team is key for adtech growth.
Securing top talent for VP roles in sales, customer success, and marketing is crucial for success.
CEOs must shift from operational involvement to strategic leadership for effective scaling.
Deep dives
Transitioning from Founder-led Sales to Professionalized Go-to-Market Operations
Moving from zero to one million in revenue involves evolving from founder-led sales to finding sales, customer success, and marketing leaders to professionalize the go-to-market operation. This transition typically progresses in the order of hiring sales, then customer success, followed by marketing leaders who have a clear vision for marketing strategy implementation.
Raising Series A Funding at Around $1 Million ARR
Around the one million ARR mark, companies are usually ready to raise a Series A funding round ranging from 5 to 15 million dollars. Success in securing this funding is aligned with demonstrating strong metrics, such as tripling year-over-year growth and achieving robust financial performance.
The CEO's Evolution from Operational to Strategic Leadership
As companies scale from one to ten million in revenue, the CEO's role shifts from being deeply entrenched in day-to-day operations to focusing more on strategic planning, team building, and leadership. The CEO transitions from doer to manager, strategic thinker, and recruiter, overseeing the professionalization of the organization and setting the course for future growth.
Finding the Right Talent to Drive Growth and Industry Success
Securing top talent for VP roles in sales, customer success, and marketing is crucial for sustaining growth and market success. Attracting VP-level hires necessitates a strong brand reputation, high-growth potential, and competitive remuneration packages comprising base salary, bonuses, and equity incentives.
Navigating Marketing Strategy and Hiring Challenges
Developing a marketing strategy involves ensuring alignment with the company's vision and goals, avoiding solely hiring tactical resources, and recruiting individuals with a holistic understanding of marketing's strategic impact on organizational growth. Executing successful hires requires a balanced approach, where external marketing expertise complements internal understanding and vision.
Strategies for CEO Success During the Growth Journey
CEOs navigating the growth journey from one to ten million revenue must transition from operational involvement to strategic leadership, overseeing corporate direction, and team expansion. Enhancing hiring practices, building a strong organizational culture, and delegating responsibilities enable CEOs to scale their companies effectively and drive long-term success.
Co-hosts Eric Franchi and Joe Zappa dive into the details of how adtech startups grow from $1M to $10M and what pitfalls to avoid along the way. They cover:
What your team should look like around the $1M / Series A mark
How to transition from founder-led sales to a professionalized sales team
When and how to hire marketers
What to look for and how much to pay key early hires such as a VP of sales
Usually you need to book time with people like Eric to get this info. Now it’s available here!
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