How to Grow During Challenging Times and Do More With Less, with Rouzbeh Rotabi

In this episode, Rouzbeh Rotabi, the Founder and CEO of The Aval Group, joined me for a second time to discuss the challenges of growing during uncertain times. We highlighted the importance of teamwork, efficiency, and getting everyone on the same page. 

He also mentioned the importtance of using customer data, moving resources wisely, and making sure everyone is aligned throughout the entire organization.  

 

Rouzbeh Rotabis Linkedin Profile

 

Scaling through challenging times (00:03:04) Discussion on how to continue scaling during challenging times, including alignment, efficiency, and having the right team.

Becoming more efficient (00:05:05) Exploration of the concept of efficiency in scaling, including focusing on specific markets and aligning go-to-market strategies.

Making data-driven decisions (00:06:12) Importance of honest and transparent conversations in decision-making, considering data, and focusing on profitable verticals for growth.

Terminating customers for business sense (00:10:19) Rouzbeh Rotabi shares an example of when his company made the tough decision to terminate 27 customers due to bad revenue and excessive servicing. He highlights the importance of looking at the information and fact base correctly when making such decisions.

Reallocation of internal resources (00:13:00) The conversation shifts to the reallocation of internal resources, particularly when it comes to personnel matching with different verticals. Rouzbeh suggests having honest conversations with customers about changing the servicing model and discusses the need to assess resource allocation based on ROI calculations and the specific roles and talents of team members.

The importance of understanding the revenue cycle (00:18:35) The importance of understanding the revenue cycle in a B2B environment and the value of gross revenue retention.

The shift towards customer success (00:19:02) Rouzbeh talks about the shift towards focusing on customer success and the need to harmonize execution in marketing, sales, and customer success.

The importance of prioritization (00:28:08) Discussion on the need to prioritize and align on key unit of measures in order to drive growth and success.

The challenge of alignment in venture-backed companies (00:29:43) Exploration of the difficulties in achieving alignment between different teams and departments in venture-backed companies.

The significance of repeatability and product-market fit (00:31:35) Explanation of the importance of having a repeatable product and achieving product-market fit in order to demonstrate success in venture-backed companies.

The challenges of technical difficulties (00:36:57) Discussion on the technical difficulties experienced during the podcast recording and the need to address and react to them.

Being curious and adaptable in the face of market changes (00:38:10) Conversation on the mindset needed to navigate market changes, emphasizing the importance of being curious about technology options and adaptable to current situations.