Rogue Startups

Today on the Rogue Startups Podcast, Craig chats with Josh Ho from Referral Rock about the peaks and valleys of being a founder. When is the right time to sell? Is there ever a right time? How do you break through a plateau in your business growth? How do you switch from wearing your visionary hat to your marketing and sales hat? They also do a deep dive into when and how you should go about delegating tasks so you can focus on more important things. Josh built Referral Rock from the ground up. Referral Rock helps customers run end-to-end referral programs with frictionless sharing, nudge reminders, and rewards customers actually care about. They help bring in more referrals from happy customers — through a remarkable referral experience — without the pain of building & tracking it all yourself. Do you have any comments, questions, or topic ideas for future episodes? Send Craig an email at podcast@roguestartups.com. If you feel like our podcast has benefited you and it might benefit someone else, please share it with them. If you have a chance, give Rogue Startups a review on iTunes. We’ll see you next week! Highlights from Craig and Josh’s conversation: Switching from visionary mode to marketing mode Reflecting on decisions made as a founder Letting go of your inner Superman: letting your team handle sales Knowing what you need and being strong enough to look for help Strong operations is speed The importance and effectiveness of SEO today Valuating your business and progress Growing, selling, and the future of your business “Good enough” versus “Being done” Links & Mentions from This Episode: Referral Rock Josh Ho on Twitter/X Josh Ho on LinkedIn Rogue Startups Resources: Follow Craig on Twitter/X Craig on LinkedIn Castos Founder Insights

In this episode Craig descirbes his current SaaS marketing approach. Balancing Active and Passive marketing, he’s got his marketing time down to just a few hours a week. Using a video-first, AI-assisted workflow he’s reaching his target market, educating his prospective customers, and building goodwill in the community.

If there’s one thing Craig loves more than podcasting, it’s sales. In this episode, he shares his enthusiasm with tech sales coach Peter Ahn. They discuss everything from bridging the gap between creating content and driving leads to the importance of being genuine and authentic. Peter drops plenty of knowledge bombs, so grab a chair, take out a notebook, and jot down some great tips from this episode of the Rogue Startups podcast. Highlights from Craig and Peter’s conversation: Why are technical founders so scared of tech sales The trigger that helps tech founders understand sales Earning the trust of your customers and helping them gain confidence Staying up-to-date with authentic sales strategies Dealing with imposter’s syndrome Which businesses benefit most from LinkedIn for lead generation Make your world ubiquitous for potential customers Creating content creation that will generate leads A Little About Peter: Peter is a Korean-American tech sales coach and former VP with experience at Twingate, Front, Slack, Dropbox, and Google, he is passionate about sharing his authentic experience as an Asian-American while helping others find their own unique sales voice. Peter knows that sales is becoming increasingly difficult, so developing an “edge” or advantage requires combining effective skills and confidence in one’s identity. He coaches on both of those topics. Links & Mentions from This Episode: Peter on LinkedIn Peter Ahn website Rogue Startups Resources:  Follow Craig on Twitter/X Craig on LinkedIn Castos Founder Insights

Clearly Design works in every aspect from branding to marketing, from product to promotion. Go to Clearly.Design for a discount on his monthly design subscription service. Tell him that Rogue Startups sent you. What gets someone to buy our products or services? How do you make LinkedIn a meaningful sales channel? In today’s discussion, Craig speaks with LinkedIn expert Ryan Musselman on optimizing your LinkedIn presence. Ryan highlights the importance of focusing on and mastering a single platform for maximum impact. Understanding effective methods to connect with a broad audience is crucial for achieving your strategic goals. LinkedIn offers excellent opportunities to engage with your target demographic. Do you have any comments, questions, or topic ideas for future episodes? Send Craig an email at podcast@roguestartups.com. If you feel like our podcast has benefited you and it might benefit someone else, please share it with them. If you have a chance, give Rogue Startups a review on iTunes. We’ll see you next week! Highlights from Craig and Ryan’s conversation: What influences customers to buy services and products What if customers don’t know what they want? The answer to what they need is inside of them, so ask good questions Selling the path to the outcome and the transformation Focus on helping potential and current customers overcome their obstacles Have a natural way to sell without “selling” Speak to the problem or the want instead of using the phrase “demo” Maximizing the time you spend on LinkedIn The more rapport you build with a potential customer, the more they will trust you Engaging with their content in order to create deeper connection rates LinkedIn as a platform is embracing video more and more LinkedIn as an amplification system The power of video for building connections Be intentional with  LinkedIn for 6 months: engage with content, make connections, and build relationships. A Little About Ryan: Ryan Musselman is the founder of Coaches who Close. CwC equip coaches to close, scale, and enterprise with new clients, content engines, and constant lead flow. Links & Mentions from This Episode: Ryan on LinkedIn Rogue Startups Resources: Follow Craig on Twitter/X Craig on LinkedIn Castos Founder Insights

Clearly Design works in every aspect from branding to marketing, from product to promotion. Go to Clearly.Design for a discount on his monthly design subscription service. Tell him that Rogue Startups sent you. Danny DelVecchio joins Craig today to discuss creating, posting, and uploading video content on LinkedIn. In today’s conversation, you’ll discover how to overcome challenges in creating compelling video content, even if you lack confidence on camera. Uncover the essentials of selecting the right gear to kickstart your video journey and crafting timeless content across various platforms. Gain insights into balancing visual appeal with clear messaging and discover influential LinkedIn users worth following. Do you have any comments, questions, or topic ideas for future episodes? Send Craig an email at podcast@roguestartups.com. If you feel like our podcast has benefited you and it might benefit someone else, please share it with them. If you have a chance, give Rogue Startups a review on iTunes. We’ll see you next week! Highlights from Craig and Danny’s conversation: Tips for creating videos when your on-camera presence is lacking Why people don’t create video content on LinkedIn Essential gear and tools for getting started with video Creating evergreen content across multiple platforms Choosing assistants and social media managers What happens when  you overemphasize graphics over your message Top LinkedIn users to learn from Batching recording sessions each week/month Maximizing engagement with LinkedIn connections Look for things that people are excited about and start conversations about it Three styles of video everyone should be creating: educational content, content that builds trust, and sales content A Little About Danny: Danny elevated founders with social video. He is also a father, husband, business owner, and coach. Links & Mentions from This Episode: Danny DelVecchio on LinkedIn Danny DelVecchio on YouTube Alex B Sheridan on LinkedIn Chris James on LinkedIn Laura Acosta on LinkedIn Rogue Startups Resources: Follow Craig on Twitter/X Castos Founder Insights

Clearly Design works in every aspect from branding to marketing, from product to promotion. Go to Clearly.Design for a discount on his monthly design subscription service. Today Craig is chatting with Nemanja Zivkovic about conversion on LinkedIn. This is the crux of LinkedIn for a lot of us, as B2B SaaS founders, especially indie or bootstrapped businesses. So how do you find opportunities on LinkedIn for you? How do you use LinkedIn to drive more engagement, resulting in deals and dollars? Do you have any comments, questions, or topic ideas for future episodes? Send Craig an email at podcast@roguestartups.com. If you feel like our podcast has benefited you and it might benefit someone else, please share it with them. If you have a chance, give Rogue Startups a review on iTunes. We’ll see you next week! Highlights from Craig and Nemanja’s conversation: Common objections to being more active on LinkedIn The narrative, structure, and intention behind LinkedIn engagement and posts Differentiating yourself with unique points of view and varied content on LinkedIn B2B: Solving problems instead of selling Building trust on LinkedIn through diverse post types How engagement fosters relationships and leads to conversions Using feedback forms to understand customer origins Fast-tracking responses with templates (no automation) Maximizing company synergy in LinkedIn posts Ensuring visibility by reaching out to expand your network’s reach A Little About Nemanja: Nemanja started as a strategist and began with a startup where he served as CMO, repeating this role across various sectors. His experience spans from COO roles with heightened responsibilities to founding his company in 2020. This diverse exposure has shaped his unique perspective on B2B growth, blending B2C insights to fill industry gaps. Links & Mentions from This Episode: Nemanja on LinkedIn Funky Marketing Podcast Lead Delta Authored Up Expandi Dripify Rogue Startups Resources:  Follow Craig on Twitter/X Castos Founder Insights

This episode is sponsored by Clearly Design. Francois and his team at Clearly Design are absolute geniuses of UI, UX, and design. If you’re looking to level up your design, UI, and UX give Clearly Design a try If you’re running a B2B business today, chances are that LinkedIn is a fantastic growth opportunity for you, and your business. But if you’re looking at the vastness of how to grow your audience (and business) on LinkedIn, and feel overwhelmed, you’re in luck. In this solo episode I’m breaking down my entire LinkedIn content and growth strategy. You can take and implement this strategy to grow your personal brand, get more exposure of your message to your Ideal Customer Persona, and get highly qualified leads for your business as a result.

Optimize your company’s retention, and supercharge growth with Churnkey. In today’s episode, Craig welcomes Sam Browne. They take a deep dive into the ever-evolving landscape of LinkedIn, the premier platform for professionals seeking to expand their network and amplify their influence. With Sam’s expert advice and practical tips, they guide listeners through proven strategies for personal branding, lead generation, and relationship building. Tune in as they tackle pressing questions like content recycling, imposter syndrome, and the future of video on LinkedIn. Whether you’re a seasoned LinkedIn aficionado or a newcomer eager to make your mark, this episode promises invaluable insights to propel your career forward. Do you have any comments, questions, or topic ideas for future episodes? Send Craig an email at podcast@roguestartups.com. If you feel like our podcast has benefited you and it might benefit someone else, please share it with them. If you have a chance, give Rogue Startups a review on iTunes. We’ll see you next week! Highlights from Craig and Sam’s conversation: LinkedIn is where the money is when it comes to social media. Regarding topics to post on LinkedIn: choose a primary niche but don’t shy away from others you are interested in because that contributes to your personal brand. Because social media is so transient, should you recycle content every 90 days? Treat LinkedIn as more than just lead generation and make CTAs low-friction. How to overcome imposter syndrome: you’re not alone. Observe and analyze the feedback and comments you receive. Commenting versus posting: where should your focus go? The different personas we adopt on various social media platforms. The best way to build relationships on LinkedIn. Craig’s 30-Day LinkedIn Gameplan. Steps to best optimize your LinkedIn profile. Video is the future on LinkedIn and other forms of social media. A Little About Sam: Sam has over 100,000 followers on LinkedIn. He’s a lifestyle entrepreneur and a growth and income LinkedIn expert. He loves to help entrepreneurs grow their audience and generate income on LinkedIn. He works with clients about anything and everything regarding LinkedIn, from optimizing profiles to creating great content ideas to forming a brand that stands out. Links & Mentions from This Episode: Sam on LinkedIn Sam Browne Rogue Startups Resources:  Follow Craig on Twitter/X Castos Founder Insights

Optimize your company’s retention, and supercharge growth with Churnkey. In this episode Craig sits down with Matt Hayman from Linklo to talk through how we as SaaS founders can set up cost effective LinkedIn ads. Matt has strong experience in building B2B lead flows for a variety of companies, and out of that experience saw the pain for a more customizable LinkedIn ads experience. In the episode Matt breaks down his formula for a 3-step ad sequence that consistently gets him and his clients leads from LinkedIn for less than $8. Do you have any comments, questions, or topic ideas for future episodes? Send Craig an email at podcast@roguestartups.com. If you feel like our podcast has benefited you and it might benefit someone else, please share it with them. If you have a chance, give Rogue Startups a review on iTunes. We’ll see you next week! Highlights from Craig and Matt Hayman’s conversation: Ways that you can think of LinkedIn from a high-level conceptual standpoint Maximizing lead generation with cost-effective LinkedIn Ads Enhancing Brand Identity and Effectiveness Strategies The importance of clarity on ICP (ideal customer profile) Building emotional connections with prospects is the key to succession engagement The goldmine of opportunity from the prospects that come from early calls How Linklo can help you and your company What you bring to the table and how your personality manifests in your demos A Little About Matt: Matt knows LinkedIn Ads. Founder of Linklo.io. He’s passionate about changing the way agencies and advertisers manage LinkedIn Ads at scale.  Links & Mentions from This Episode: Matt Hayman on LinkedIn LinkLo Rogue Startups Resources:  Follow Craig on Twitter/X Castos Founder Insights

Optimize your company’s retention, and supercharge growth with Churnkey. Are you looking to build the perfect SaaS business? Discover the key elements for crafting a thriving SaaS venture in the latest Rogue Startups episode. Craig delves into the success story of Castos, dissecting eight crucial attributes essential for any SaaS business to flourish. Some of these are things Castos has nailed, and others are not. Craig candidly shares insights from personal and professional growth and extensive research. Do you have any comments, questions, or topic ideas for future episodes? Send Craig an email at podcast@roguestartups.com. If you feel like our podcast has benefited you and it might benefit someone else, please share it with them. If you have a chance, give Rogue Startups a review on iTunes. We’ll see you next week! Highlights from this episode: Optimal pricing strategies for maximum profitability Enhance retention by ensuring that your product or service is exceptionally sticky Incorporate payment solutions seamlessly into your business to enhance user experience Become a valuable asset for your clients by contributing to their revenue streams Implement strategies to heighten switching costs, fostering customer loyalty. Customers should be getting value even when they’re not actively using your product Stand out from competitors by highlighting unique features and advantages Confirm market demand by researching your niche Links & Mentions from This Episode: Designing The Ideal Bootstrapped Business – Microconf talk Rogue Startups Resources:  Follow Craig on Twitter/X Castos Founder Insights