Delivering Value: Tough Career Moments - Lessons from Growth, Marketing & Product Leaders

As we wrap up the miniseries, I wanted to touch on the ‘big swings’ the Navattic team is taking in 2024 as well as the key takeaways from filming this show.In the final episode of the Behind the Scenes Miniseries with the Navattic growth team, you’ll learn:1. The different strategies Navattic adopts when taking "big bets," especially in growth roles2. How startups, especially those at the stage of a "supersede round" of funding like Navattic, approach team expansion and resource allocation3. The challenges and realities of working in growth-focused roles within a smaller company contextThings to listen for:[00:47] Big swings Navattic is taking this year[01:40] Potential threats to their plan[02:33] Why going slower enables them to start faster[04:07] Their hiring process and when they’ll hire a new growth team member[06:30] The value of having a small team[06:58] Natalie and Raman’s top takeaways[07:33] Feeling like everyone else has it figured out[08:08] The realities of filming this series[08:25] The question Natalie and Raman hoped I’d askedResources:- Binge the whole series on the Delivering Value Substack- Connect with Andrew on LinkedIn- Connect with Raman Khanna on LinkedIn- Connect with Natalie Marcotullio on LinkedIn- Learn more about Navattic

We kick-off the miniseries by exploring the background and scale of the Navattic business to contextualize many of the growth challenges they’re facing and systems they use (which we’ll explore in upcoming episodes)In this first episode of the Behind the Scenes Miniseries with the Navattic growth team, you’ll learn:1. How Navattic got started and settled on building interactive demos for the PLG market.2. Navattic's go-to-market approach, size/scale of the business, funding strategy, and current funnel.3. The hardest part about working in growth at this stage of the company.Things to listen for:[00:52] What is Navattic and how did it start?[01:45] Getting into Y Combinator[02:24] Discovering the PLG use case[02:52] How Navattic makes money / go-to market model[03:43] The scale of the Navattic business[04:10] Fundraising history[04:54] Number of employees[05:43] The pros and cons of not raising a huge round[06:07] A deep dive into Navattic’s funnel[07:26] The hardest part about working in growth at this stage of the companyResources:- Binge the whole series on the Delivering Value Substack- Connect with Andrew on LinkedIn or Twitter- Connect with Raman Khanna on LinkedIn- Connect with Natalie Marcotullio on LinkedIn- Learn more about Navattic

Hey I’m Andrew Capland 👋. For the past 15 years, I’ve been working in B2B SaaS. The first half, as a marketer. And the second half, I’ve been leading growth teams and product-led growth efforts.Now, I run my own business, Delivering Value where I coach other growth leaders and advise product-led growth teams.During my career, I kept coming back to the same realization… Blindly copying someone else’s growth playbook (without understand the contextual challenges they were facing) just doesn’t work. So I decided to make a series following one company going behind the scenes with one SaaS growth team. The goal was to learn about some of the contextual growth challenges their facing, and explore how they’re navigating them. It’s something I would have binged when I was in-house, because I never could learn/collaborate with other growth teams as much as I wanted to.The series will have short episodes (6-10 mins each) including interviews with the team mixed with my commentary. Sort of like The Office meets Planet Earth.This first season is featuring the Navattic growth team and will have behind the scenes access with Raman Khanna and Natalie Marcotullio.We explored how they think about growth, how they set growth strategy, how they operate, what they track, how often they share, and explored some of their biggest challenges, fears, and speed-bumps along the way.Resources:- Binge the whole series on the Delivering Value Substack- Connect with Andrew on LinkedIn or Twitter- Connect with Raman Khanna on LinkedIn- Connect with Natalie Marcotullio on LinkedIn- Learn more about Navattic

In this third episode of the Behind the Scenes Miniseries with the Navattic growth team, you’ll learn:1. What the Navattic growth team is focused on right now, why those things, and how they get buy-in.2. How they make sure they’re solving the right problems, and get aligned with execs.3. How they manage the tension between staying agile and being laser focused.Things to listen for:[00:33] What Navattic is focused on right now, why those things, and how they got buy-in[01:30] The two main pillars Navattic is focused on [02:30] Specific KPI's related to their goals[03:08] Getting internal alignment and approval with execs[04:55] Defending the dissertation[06:06] Making sure we’re solving the right problems[06:50] We have our growth strategy - now what?![07:35] Managing the growth roadmap[08:43] Biggest concerns about their growth strategy [09:26] The importance of adaptability in growthResources:- Binge the whole series on the Delivering Value Substack- Connect with Andrew on LinkedIn- Connect with Raman Khanna on LinkedIn- Connect with Natalie Marcotullio on LinkedIn- Learn more about Navattic

In this episode, Collin Crowell, VP of North America at Kameleoon opens up about one of his most humbling experiences at work that led him to reevaluate his identity, he shares insights into receiving tough feedback and how he used that to fuel his drive, and also shares his strategic approach to building successful teams.In this episode, you’ll hear about:1. When Collin was told by readers that the titles he was in charge of were pieces of shit 2. The moment when self doubt creeped in for Collin because everyone was touting their success and great ideas on LinkedIn3. When Collin worked his ass off for a company and was told by his favorite boss to ‘slow down’Things to listen for:[03:04] Being known as the “odd ball”[04:08] The big leap moving from the US to alone in China[08:25] Being told he worked at a ‘piece of shit’[13:00] Flipping the switch to ‘I want to kick ass and take names’[16:41] Knowing he lost before he even got in the game[24:10] Major FOMO on LinkedIn[34:05] Being told by his boss to slow down… and it was his favorite piece of feedback[37:45] Most crucial advice to everyoneResources:- Kameleoon- Connect with Andrew on LinkedIn- Work with Andrew- Learn more about Appcues

Liz Christo, Investor and GTM Advisor for Stage 2 Capital, shares her workforce journey highlights, including feedback challenges and work burnout. Topics include global org struggles, receiving tough feedback, and handling negative work perceptions. Listen for moments of burnout impact, job culture clashes, feedback responses, and imposter syndrome experiences.

In this episode Adam Goyette, founder of Growth Union and former VP of Marketing at Help Scout and G2, shares his journey into marketing and we explore the three biggest speed bumps he encountered in his career. Along the way, he shares the impact of professional relationships on career development and growth and his strategies for handling stress, self-doubt, and early career hurdles in marketing.In this episode, you’ll hear about:1. When Adam’s boss left and the company promoted their intern, who had an Ivy League MBA, over him2. When Adam couldn’t explain why they had a bad month and his CFO walked out of the meeting3. The story of when Adam first got promoted to VP of Marketing in a tough environmentThings to listen for:[02:26] The risk that led to a huge reward for Adam[07:17] When he put in his resignation, but was persuaded to stay[11:02] The intern was promoted over him…[16:48] Showing off losses made his company see major growth[28:07] The gut-wrenching moment Adam’s CFO walked out on their meeting[36:18] Beware of bad marketers at prestigious companies![39:59] Advice on building career relationshipsResources:- Connect with Adam on LinkedIn- Check out Growth Union- Sign up Adam’s Substack: The Friday Growth Note- Connect with Andrew on LinkedIn or Twitter- Learn more about Navattic- Learn more about Appcues

In this episode Adam Goyette, founder of Growth Union and former VP of Marketing at Help Scout and G2, shares his journey into marketing and we explore the three biggest speed bumps he encountered in his career. Along the way, he shares the impact of professional relationships on career development and growth and his strategies for handling stress, self-doubt, and early career hurdles in marketing.In this episode, you’ll hear about:1. When Adam’s boss left and the company promoted their intern, who had an Ivy League MBA, over him2. When Adam couldn’t explain why they had a bad month and his CFO walked out of the meeting3. The story of when Adam first got promoted to VP of Marketing in a tough environmentThings to listen for:[02:26] The risk that led to a huge reward for Adam[07:17] When he put in his resignation, but was persuaded to stay[11:02] The intern was promoted over him…[16:48] Showing off losses made his company see major growth[28:07] The gut-wrenching moment Adam’s CFO walked out on their meeting[36:18] Beware of bad marketers at prestigious companies![39:59] Advice on building career relationshipsResources:- Connect with Adam on LinkedIn- Check out Growth Union- Sign up Adam’s Substack: The Friday Growth Note- Connect with Andrew on LinkedIn or Twitter- Learn more about Navattic- Learn more about Appcues

In this episode, Kevan Lee, co-founder of Bonfire, shares the most gruesome imposter syndrome he’s ever encountered, the biggest "welcome to the league" moment he experienced from getting rejected, and what it was like to leave a high-flying corporate job to walk the tightrope of entrepreneurship. In this episode, you’ll hear about:1. When Kevan realized his unique path was not climbing the corporate ladder, despite his family history of entrepreneurship2. His “welcome to the league” when he was initially rejected for a content writer position at Buffer3. The most frustrating career feedback Kevan has ever received Things to listen for:[04:53] Coming from a family of entrepreneurs, but never identifying as an entrepreneur[11:22] His “welcome to the league” moment[14:05] Choosing to knock on Buffer’s door again after rejection[17:18] Having to pull the plug on a large project[25:20] Moving past a huge career disappointment[29:30] Being told he need to “speak up more” in a meeting[37:27] The worst type of interview Kevan has experiencedResources:- Connect with Kevan on LinkedIn- Check out Bonfire- Kevan’s substack- Connect with Andrew on LinkedIn or Twitter- Learn more about Navattic- Learn more about Appcues

In this episode, Mike shares his journey from getting fired at his first job to becoming CMO of a 7-figure startup. He outlines his decision making framework when a job no longer aligns with long-term goals, how he embraces the discomfort leaving something good to chase something potentially great, and the role of a strong network and clear personal values when making transitions.In this episode, you’ll hear about:1. The email Mike sent his two bosses that prompted them to say “don’t come back to work”2. When Mike was thriving in his management consulting role, but knew it wasn’t the right fit3. The moment when Mike realized that company values and culture is more important than company successThings to listen for:[01:18] Zigging while others were zagging[08:07] Being told “don’t come back to work” by his bosses[12:26] Mike’s REAL growth experience[16:16] Getting comfortable being uncomfortable has never been a challenge[21:56] Becoming CMO at a 7 figure company and realizing it’s not the right fit[33:52] Playing the long game and expanding his network[36:27] Take a leap of faith (when his wife wasn’t working)[40:15] Sumo wrestling and burrito eating contests at work[41:29] Yvonne Chouinard, the founder of Patagonia, calls Mike’s phone in the middle of a work meetingResources:- Connect with Mike on LinkedIn- Check out Moonwater- Connect with Andrew on LinkedIn or Twitter- Learn more about Navattic- Learn more about Appcues