Delivering Value with Andrew Capland

When you take the long-term perspective of your Growth career, it would be shocking if you didn’t get at least one bad performance review. That’s an insight Adam Fishman, Chief Product and Technology Officer at ResortPass and Executive in Residence at Reforge, has come to understand deeply.In this episode, he shares his story of being one of the early employees at Lyft and how he had to learn to manage a Growth team before many people knew what Growth really meant. Listen to hear about overcoming career mistakes, understanding how being yourself and being successful can happen simultaneously, and dealing with the anxiety and pressure of leading large teams when you’re inexperienced.In this episode, you’ll learn:1. The importance of seeking outside mentorship because bosses can’t always be your coaches nor do they have all the answers you need2. Why it’s best to be honest with your employers about what they can expect from you to help you decide as soon as possible whether a role is right for you3. When to use soft skills to gauge whether a responsibility is just enough to grow someone or too much for them to handleThings to listen for:[5:52] The pivotal moment in Adam’s career from a marketer to a Growth leader[11:11] A lesson from being the Head of Growth[13:04] Learning from a bad performance review[18:54] Why you should learn to ask for help[24:59] The anxiety and pressure from high growth companies[17:53] How to be yourself and be successful[32:38] Adam’s experience dealing with high pressure and anxietyResources:Subscribe to Adam’s NewsletterConnect with Adam on LinkedInConnect with Andrew on LinkedIn or TwitterLearn more about NavatticLearn more about MadKudu

Working in a Growth role for the first time is hard, especially since the field is always evolving.In this episode, Liam MacCormack, Senior Growth Marketing Manager at MadKudu, shares his career journey from growth manager to head of growth. Along the way, he talks about why therapy and support systems are crucial for anyone in Growth, the mistakes that have made him a better person, and his path toward becoming a Growth leader.In this episode, you’ll learn:1. The importance of a support system for anyone in growth2. How to deal with burnout and stress in a healthy way3. Mistakes are inevitable; internalize the lessons to continue improvingThings to listen for:[4:26] How Liam landed his first growth job[14:18] A career mistake that’s stuck with Liam [20:48] How to know you’re actually growing[26:49] The peaks and valleys of being in a growth role[37:20] Advice for dealing with burnout and overwhelm[40:45] Pushing through the challenges and adversity that come in growthResources:- Connect with Andrew on LinkedIn or Twitter- Learn more about Navattic- Learn more about MadKudu

John Short's life changed when his daughter had a seizure at school. As a parent, John found it challenging to balance work and family, but he wanted to provide extra support for his daughter. In this episode, John shares how that experience made him rethink his priorities and realize the importance of a portfolio view of life. In light of this, he started his own company, Compound Growth Marketing, allowing him to focus on the most valuable use of his time and plan better for his family's future. Listen in to gain a deeper understanding of the personal challenges people face so you can lean into empathy and grace.In this episode, you’ll learn:1. How to set aside specific time for family to ensure you are present and focused not distracted by work and other obligations2. Finding mentors who've successfully balanced family and career to gain insights and guidance on how to achieve the same 3. Significant life events can shift priorities and change career trajectories, think through the potential long-term consequences of important decisions and make choices that align with your goals and valuesThings to Listen for:[04:31] How parents struggle with work-life balance[09:27] The stressors of working at an early-stage company[15:37] Seeking out mentors who've been where you are now[20:42] The benefits of choosing to be present[25:16] Changing societal norms around a healthy work-life balance Resources:- Check out John's podcast- Connect with Andrew on LinkedIn or Twitter- Learn more about Navattic- Learn more about MadKudu

So often, those in growth roles feel like there's no room for mistakes. Like their job is to know the answers to everything. In this episode, Mario Araujo, VP of Growth at Graphext.com and Product Growth Advisor, discusses the soft-skills needed to develop your leadership style. Listen in for his insights on owning up to mistakes, being clear and empathetic in communication while seeking ways to improve, and creating an environment where colleagues feel comfortable having open and respectful conversations. Along the way, you'll also hear how to go from being the person who jumps on every idea the CEO utters to the person who challenges those thoughts in a productive and respectful manner. In this episode, you’ll learn:1. Strategies for direct, honest communication with your CEO2. The impact leaning into “soft skills” has on culture and your own leadership style3. How to own your mistakes and seek improvement rather than pretending to have all the answersThings to Listen for:[05:07] Mario's journey from technical trainer to growth expert[13:08] The positive impact of cultivating an open, supportive culture[21:48] Building trust through honest communication with your CEO[29:23] Navigating office politics[35:24] Owning up to mistakes and taking action instead of making excuses[38:28] Valuing a healthy work/life balanceResources:- Connect with Mario on LinkedIn or his website- Connect with Andrew on LinkedIn or Twitter- Learn more about Navattic- Learn more about MadKudu

Solid systems, open communication, and self-care are the practices allowing Natalie Marcotullio to thrive as Head of Growth and Operations at Navattic. In this episode, Natalie shares her experience as a one-person Head of Growth and how she's tackled the challenges she faced, such as understanding individual communication styles to achieve cross-functional alignment. Listen in for her insights on improving productivity, taking time for yourself, and tactfully prioritizing tactics based on current needs. In this episode, you’ll learn:1. Be intentional about when you do certain tasks and create a system that helps ensure you're ready for the day ahead 2. Take into account the communication styles and objectives of your team members to communicate effectively3. Clearly lay out experiments, strategies, and tasks in a visible way to keep everyone on the same page and able to prioritize what will help you achieve your goalsThings to Listen for:[03:58] Natalie's journey from growth hacker to growth leader[13:40] The role of effective communication in go-to-market success[18:16] The importance of tactical prioritization for company growth[27:19] Understanding your colleagues' communication styles and objectives[35:32] How to be intentional about what you do and when you do it[41:25] Tackling imposter syndromeResources:Connect with Andrew on LinkedIn or TwitterLearn more about NavatticLearn more about MadKudu

Scott is the VP of Growth at Persefoni, and his wide-ranging growth experience includes time at Reforge, HubSpot, co-hosting the Growth TL;DR podcast with Kieran Flanagan, and working on the Signals product with Brian Balfour.In our convo, we talked at length about why growth roles tend to turn over so frequently, what makes a strong leader, and more:Navigating the “messy middle” between senior IC and growth leaderHow a lack of clear expectations and boundaries shortens role tenuresWhy rapid feedback cycles are important, whether you are working on a landing page, a board presentation, your comms, or your visionFour traits of strong leaders: simplify everything, empower everyone, learn from everywhere, and have a sense of humor[00:18] Introducing Scott Tousley and his background[08:50] Scott’s work at Persefoni and some of the challenges he experiences[13:47] Why do growth leaders often have short tenures in companies?[18:16] Learning and developing the skills that benefit a growth leader[24:49] On feedback[29:15] Patterns and traits of strong leaders that Scott wants to exemplify[36:02] On work-life balance and how being a parent has affected how he prioritizes things[40:55] On his career growth[45:50] Connect with ScottLinks:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scotttousley/This episode was sponsored by Navattic and Madkudu.

[00:22] Introducing Shirin Bradfield and her background[08:23] Transitioning into a new role [17:54] Her work as Head of Growth and Self-Service[25:54] Soft skills that are beneficial in the growth space and a role like Shirin’s[37:50] Discussing Impostor Syndrome[41:01] On adapting to unknowns[42:45] On professional goals and career growth[49:05] Resetting focus and managing fulfillment[51:26] Connect with ShirinLink:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shirinbradfield/

Shirin Bradfield is the Head of Growth and Self-Service at Optimal Workshop - a New Zealand based UX research platform.Shirin joined OW as a growth marketer with a one-line job description: “increase our revenue.” Today, she is Head of Growth and Self Service. Clearly, a lack of role clarity didn’t hold her back.In our conversation on the Delivering Value show, we chatted about why.Shirin shared her incredible backstory, her three-step process for expanding her role, and why adaptability is her most valued soft skill. She also shared that handwritten lists and music are her secret weapons against high stress and burnout.[00:22] Introducing Shirin Bradfield and her background[08:23] Transitioning into a new role [17:54] Her work as Head of Growth and Self-Service[25:54] Soft skills that are beneficial in the growth space and a role like Shirin’s[37:50] Discussing Impostor Syndrome[41:01] On adapting to unknowns[42:45] On professional goals and career growth[49:05] Resetting focus and managing fulfillment[51:26] Connect with ShirinLink:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shirinbradfield/

[0:00:42] Introducing Benyamin Elias and his background[0:12:43] Growth and success in the tech industry[0:19:42] Developing the ability to instinctually know where to find value[0:25:43] On the challenge of adapting to a fast rate of change[0:30:08] How to avoid being bogged down by Impostor Syndrome[0:34:33] On learning from your mistakes through taking responsibility[0:42:33] On receiving feedback[0:51:24] On fast career growth and receiving more responsibility to the point of overflowing[0:55:34] Advice on managing work stress[1:01:30] Connect with BenyaminLinks:Twitter: www.twitter.com/benyamineliasArticles: https://diamondpencils.substack.com/

I’m joined by Ben Williams — former VP of Product Growth at Snyk, current founder and full-time advisor at PLGeek.Ben shared why he gifted a book with a personalized message to a new PM, how he reframed negative feedback so it stopped making him feel sick, and how he had way more fun after he stopped putting pressure on himself to know every answer.[00:14] Introducing Ben Williams and his background[04:10] Ben’s journey in growth and the bumps along the way[09:40] How his experience in the space influences his interviewing methods [12:01] His career “detour”[16:03] On the fear of failure and the characteristics that contribute to one’s success[25:14] Advice for people feeling uneasy in a new role[29:54] On being a leader for people who are struggling with impostor syndrome or fear of failure[34:34] On giving/ receiving high-impact feedback[44:32] How your values can influence your motivation and success[45:57] On realizing that you don’t need to have all the answers to deserve success[51:13] Where to connect with BenLinks:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/semanticben/Website: www.plgeek.com