The Marketing Millennials How to Thrive as a Solo Marketer in the Chaos of Early-Stage Startups with Sandy Mangat, Head of Marketing at Pocus | Ep. 338
Aug 8, 2025
Sandy Mangat, Head of Marketing at Pocus, shares her journey as the first marketer in a startup with no brand or messaging. She recounts the chaos and excitement of building a brand from scratch, balancing strategy and execution while fostering a community. Sandy emphasizes the unique trait of 'delusional optimism' crucial for solo marketers facing challenges. She also discusses the iterative nature of product market fit and the importance of knowing when to seek help versus doing everything independently.
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Starting With Nothing
- Sandy joined a seed-stage startup with zero brand, a Webflow template, and a Fiverr logo.
- She balanced big-picture strategy while fixing tiny tactical details to build Pocus from scratch.
Generalist With A Spike
- Hire a generalist who can do many things but who "spikes" in one strength.
- Sandy advises screening for strategic thinking plus one deep skill that fits your product goals.
Delusional Optimism As A Survival Skill
- Sandy calls for hiring "delusional optimists" to survive startup grind and compete with incumbents.
- She says that optimism plus independent decision-making sustains early-stage momentum.