In this episode, Pete Kazanjy—author of Founding Sales and a veteran sales leader—joins hosts Tyler Hogge and Sterling Snow to share a crash course in founder-led sales, explaining why early-stage founders must take charge of selling before hiring sales reps. He breaks down the key mindset shifts for technical founders, how sales is like “weaponized product management,” and when it’s time to delegate lead generation.If you're a startup founder looking to master sales we highly recommend this episode. Pete's book which can be found online at foundingsales.comChapters: 06:11 Objection Handling and Sales Narrative Crafting12:48 Validation through Founder-Led Sales Approach16:55 Founder's hands-on role in scalable sales.22:09 Tailoring Outreach Strategies for Target Audiences29:49 LinkedIn Prospect Engagement for Founder Outreach Success35:15 Empathetic Approach to Sales Conversations42:10 Effective Sales Strategies for Closing Deals47:31 Hiring Early Stage Salespeople for Startups54:12 Product-Obsessed Pioneers in Organizations58:26 Packaging Tactical Solutions for Customer Pain Points

How do early-stage founders break through and build exceptional companies? In this upcoming season of the I/O Podcast, hosts Sterling Snow and Tyler Hogge unveil a new approach—combining insights from the Exceptional Startups List with tactical advice from founders actively scaling their businesses. This season, we’re setting out to be the best podcast in the world for seed and Series A founders.Episode Highlights:00:45 - The Big Change: Merging the Exceptional Startups List with the I/O PodcastWe’re bringing on founders who are actively crossing key growth milestones—sharing real-time insights before they hit the mainstream.02:35 - Solving a Major Founder Challenge: Hiring Exceptional TalentThe Exceptional Startups List started as a resource for job seekers, but it’s also helping founders attract top-tier talent.04:43 - Introducing I/O Podcast Snacks: High-Impact, Shorter EpisodesIn addition to our full-length episodes, we’re launching I/O Snacks—quick, tactical interviews with startup leaders making waves.This season is all about delivering actionable, high-quality content tailored for founders navigating their early-stage journey. If you’re looking for insights on scaling, hiring, and building a world-class startup, you won’t want to miss this.Exceptional Startups List Here: https://exceptionalstartups.com/Follow the I/O Podcast Here: x: https://x.com/IO__podcastWeb: https://www.investoroperator.io/

Dr. Julie Gurner, an acclaimed executive coach compared to Billions' Wendy Rhoades, shares her expertise on high-level performance. She discusses the fine line between 'good crazy' and 'bad crazy' in achievers and when rule-bending can be a double-edged sword. Dr. Gurner emphasizes the role of confidence and the importance of vulnerability in leadership. She also highlights how top performers reframe failure as a learning experience and encourages embracing discomfort for true growth. Her insights are a treasure trove for aspiring leaders and entrepreneurs.

Jack Altman, co-founder and former CEO of Lattice, now invests full-time with Alt Capital. He shares how joining a startup post-product-market fit can be the best career move. Alt discusses crucial insights from scaling Lattice and the top traits every founder should possess. He reflects on his fundraising missteps and emphasizes the importance of building products for long-term use. Transitioning into investing, Alt highlights his passion for supporting startups while navigating the complexities of the tech ecosystem.

David George, General Partner at a16z, shares his journey in growth investing and the strategic dynamics of the tech and healthcare sectors. He discusses what distinguishes a16z's approach to investments, emphasizing the importance of product uniqueness and market insights. David highlights the lessons from investing in Figma, offering a unique perspective on evaluating companies. He also addresses the balance of R&D and go-to-market spending and shares his thoughts on the evolving landscape of AI and its impact on future investments.

Sterling Snow, the former CRO of Divvy and now CEO of Redo, teams up with Redo founder Taylor Brown to reshape customer experiences in Utah. They discuss how Redo evolved from a returns management tool to an all-encompassing platform. Sterling shares insights on maintaining operational efficiency while driving revenue growth, and the importance of building a committed team. With ambitious goals, they envision Redo achieving billion-dollar revenue by revolutionizing how merchants and shoppers interact.

Kaz Nejatian, COO of Shopify, shares his journey from Iran to Canada, his tech passion, and why Shopify ditched meetings. Topics include product culture, hiring unique talent, marriage's career benefits, and the power of prayer for CEOs.

Blake Murray, Divvy CEO, shares insights on building a successful startup. Topics include: identifying a big idea, creating a world-class team, selling before building, hiring like-minded individuals, building a performance culture, sacrificing for upside, and seeking loyal investors. Learn about Divvy's journey to success and valuable founder advice.

Guest Scott Sandell, NEA's Executive Chairman, shares his investment philosophy, emphasizing understanding founders' life stories and future goals. Topics include characteristics of unicorn founders, passion-driven missionaries, purposeful growth at Tableau, navigating board relationships, and the era of decreasing LP commitments.

Jake Gibson, co-founder of NerdWallet, and Sheel Mohnot, founder of FeeFighter, discuss fintech trends. They touch on starting companies during the 2008 crisis, SEO strategies, launching Better Tomorrow Ventures, pandemic-induced fintech surge, embedded fintech future, and changing bank profit pools. They also share their nominees for best operators and investors.