Zsuzsa Kecsmar

10 Lessons in building a $150m ARR SaaS business within 8 years Whilst also investing in over 200 SaaS Companies The Go to Market Handbook for B2B SaaS Leaders 🎯 I had the chance to be Interviewed by Rubén D. with my Co-Author Richard Blundell about our straight-to-the-point WorkBook for SaaS Leaders. Stoked to be in my favourite Newsletter The VC Corner 💙 The Go-to-Market Handbook for B2B SaaS Leaders pulls from our decades of experience founding, scaling & investing in companies. I invest in a new company every week, in fact 2 this week 😉 A few things Founders & CEOs are making a killing on from the Book: • 𝗨𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗿’𝘀 𝗽𝗮𝗶𝗻 💡—if you’re not crystal clear on this, you’re missing the mark. The proposition will miss the most valuable buyers.. ⬇ 💲 • 𝗚𝗼 𝘀𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝗴𝗼 𝗳𝗮𝘀𝘁 ⏳—strategic, deliberate steps will get you further than rushing. Why 80% of Start Ups never find Product Market Fit... ⬇ 💲 • 𝗨𝗻𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗸 𝗵𝗶𝗱𝗱𝗲𝗻 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘂𝗲 💰—pricing and packaging aren’t afterthoughts, they’re growth drivers. Price for the Entire Lifecycle to get richer... ⬆ 💰 For SaaS Founders & Leaders trying to nail product-market fit or scale efficiently, this interview is a must-read👇 https://lnkd.in/e-3uaGB9

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In this article, Alexander Estner provides a guide for early-stage #SaaS founders to self-assess their #GTM strategy & execution, focusing on areas like defining your ICP, pricing, sales processes, and more. 📈 #360view #gtmplanning #gtmstrategy #strategyexecution #saasstartups #strategyaudit #founders #saasfounders #gtmteams #strategicplanning #planningexecution #earlystagestartups #saassales #b2b #gtmleadership #revenueoperations #gtmproductivity #salesorganizations #salessuccess #businessgrowth #gotomarket #gotomarketplanning #scalingbusiness #scalingup #revenuegrowth #successstrategy #gtmstrategy #revops #revenueboost #revenuegeneration #revenueplanning #B2Bsaas #revenueenablement #businessexpansion #gtmmotions #salesacceleration #gtmplays #growthjourney #saasmarketing #cs #productmanagement #longtermsuccess #gtmperformance #saaspricing #pricingstrategy #icp #operationalefficiency #ai #genai #aistartups #gtmeassessment #growthmodel #growthdrivers #growthlevers #saasmetrics #salesprocess #gtmefficiency #guide #channelmarketfit #valueproposition #saascfo #saasfinance #freetemplate #GTMexecution #productgrowth #plg #salesled #productled

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Here are the latest mid-year benchmarks for early stage SaaS companies. see how you compare to over results from over 900 companies. Shout-out to saascan

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Exit Salesforce, exit Workday at Klarna. After cutting staff with 1.200 people now Klarna is cutting costs on their SAAS bill. Not surprisingly the SAAS providers are calling bluf. Is this a rogue CEO going ballistic or is this a sign of the times to come? What if AI does the automation and blockchain is the 'system of record'? With the democratization of tech there is a lot less need for large orgs and big software packages. A small group of people can achieve a lot. Decentralization and looser forms of coordination - for example in the form of communities - are likely options. Which also makes sense in a truly networked but also more polarized geo political world. Small communities working on similar values and/or particular legislative grounds can work across geo's to achieve as much, or more, as larger entities. Examples? Bitcoin is run by just a few programmers. WhatsApp had 15 employees pre-Facebook acquisition. The Dutch getting on place #6 and #4 on the Olympic and Paralympic medal table ;-) https://lnkd.in/e3j6zG-U

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What’s the secret behind sky-high valuations in vertical SaaS? - It's not about the Total Addressable Market (TAM)—surprising, right? - In this case, it’s the unique market with so much friction that the usual TAM arguments don’t even apply. - Investors are looking past the traditional metrics and seeing something truly special. (Talk about thinking outside the box!) Do you think friction in the market can sometimes be a better indicator of potential than TAM? How have you seen market challenges drive innovation in your industry? Listen to the full episode: https://lnkd.in/gYnkeFkB Background Soundtrack: Away From You – Mauro Somm #ServiceTitan #ERP #WBSRocks

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🌱 The True SaaS Growth Challenge? It’s not just about hitting numbers; it’s about navigating your company’s maturity stages with precision and purpose. SaaS companies aren’t just competing for market share — they’re racing against TIME, trying to hit key growth milestones before the runway runs out. --> And here’s the key: You can’t skip growth stages. SaaS companies follow a predictable growth trajectory, the S-curve, where each stage has its own unique challenges and opportunities. There is a pattern to SaaS growth. You need to understand where you are and what's coming next to allocate resources effectively. And actually achieve sustainable growth with IMPACT. 🔑 Understanding where you are on this lifecycle is crucial to designing the right Go-To-Market (GTM) motion that will carry you forward. You can’t just “sell more” and hope for the best. You need to align ALL revenue functions—Marketing, Sales, Customer Success—on the right scalable, repeatable process that delivers profitable growth. That’s where Revenue Architecture comes in. 📘 → 🐶 Jacco van der Kooij’s model gives us SaaS sales leaders a clear roadmap. It’s not just about hitting ARR targets; it’s about evolving your GTM approach as your company matures. Here’s a glimpse of the “4S Model” and how each stage needs its own strategy: 1️⃣ Seed Stage: Up to $1M ARR | Focus: Achieving initial $1M | 1-2 years –> Here, the focus is on problem-market fit and on rapid customer acquisition. Your resources are limited, so every decision counts. 2️⃣ Startup Stage: Up to $10M ARR | 100-200% Growth | 2-4 years –> Here, the focus is to validate product-market fit. You need to fine-tune and establish the first repeatable GTM motion. "Find out what works." 3️⃣ Scaleup Stage: Up to $300M ARR | 60-100% Growth | 3-6 years –> The focus now shifts to scalability. You’ll need a repeatable and scalable sales process with defined metrics to support predictable revenue growth. "Do what works, effectively & efficiently." 4️⃣ Grownup Stage: Beyond $300M ARR | 10-60% Growth | 2-4 years –> Here, profitability and operational efficiency become the priorities. Your GTM motion/s should emphasize retention and expansion over acquisition to maximize CLTV. "Win the right customers." 🚀 The key is this: You need an experienced Revenue Leader who can not only identify which growth stage your company is in, but also align your entire GTM team on the right motion to push through to the next stage. 🌟 As a SaaS Sales Leader with 15+ years of experience, I’ve seen first-hand how aligning sales, marketing, and customer success on a scalable, repeatable GTM process can drive exponential growth. Execution with alignment = Profitable Efficient Growth (PEG). If your company is ready to evolve its revenue architecture and move to the next stage of growth, let’s chat! 👥 #SaaS #RevenueArchitecture #SalesLeadership #GTMStrategy #WinningByDesign #ProfitableEfficientGrowth #DurableGrowth #RevenueLeader

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"You know something is wrong. It’s like a splinter in your mind, driving you mad." You feel it in every challenge of your SaaS business – in the high customer acquisition costs, in the relentless churn rate, in the endless race to scale. It’s the sense that there must be a better way, that you’re trapped in a system that pretends to offer freedom, while in reality, you’re just another cog in the machine. But I tell you this: You have a choice. +++ Take the blue pill 🔵 : the story ends, you wake up in your bed and believe whatever you think you know about how to revive your business. Take the red pill 🔴 : you enter Revenue Factory Wonderland with me, and I show you how far your scaling potential, the GTM rabbit hole really goes. But remember, all I’m offering you is the truth, nothing more. +++ Do you understand? The red pill means taking control of your scaling destiny, shedding the chains of outdated thinking, and embracing a new path to growth. The challenges of the SaaS economy are not your shackles, they are your test – and the Revenue Factory is your key to freedom. "Truth is like fire; you cannot ignore it without being burned." 🔥 Take the leap, embrace the reality, and transform your SaaS business into a success story beyond old limitations. 🚀 I’m Pierre, Serial Equity CRO, GTM Advisor & Winning by Design Ambassador. I am trying to free your mind, founder. If you’re ready to go down the rabbit hole, let’s talk. Follow the white rabbit. 🐇 #SaaS #RevenueFactory #GTM #Truth #CROMastersAi

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Founders and any b2b software company has felt the pain of a slipped deal. There of course can be scenarios where it’s out of your control, but teams should only make that excuse after they’ve pulled all of the stops on a deal. Here are some resources to dig into based on given scenarios to make sure you have done the things in your control first (links to each topic in comments): - Ensure you have the technical win (and confirmed it)  - Build a mutual action plan without being awkward to clearly define the key stakeholders and steps to reduce risk in your deals (it should never feel like homework for either side)  - Know the difference between the signer, budget owner, and buyer and that you have access to the right person (are you sure you know the difference?) - Align with the end user and an executive sponsor - Devise a thorough internal security process to avoid failing security reviews (SOC 2 Type 2 is just a starting point) - Build a close plan (handling internal sales is as important as handling external sales) - Define a business case that will work when it lands on the CFOs desk (I also love this post on the topic and highly recommend)  - Accurately forecast based on the deal size and the stakeholders involved to ensure you know how long the deal will take to close - Build a Partnership Onboarding Plan to avoid presenting pricing only to learn the prospect needed to spend a lot less to get started - Sell a roadmap but do not underdeliver – the best teams know how to position “what can we sell now, what can we prove, and what about our vision can we get the customer excited about post-purchase?” - Align the pricing proposal with expectations vs. pushing for the big-ticket deal upfront Founders with sales teams should do the following: - Make sure you hire(d) the right Account Executive - Created a safe space for the team to share learnings and blockers to avoid getting caught by surprise on issues you should have known about sooner - Make sales a team sport in your company

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The SaaS apocalypse is coming. Within the next 18 months, I suspect 50% of VC-funded SaaS companies will fail. Here’s why and what YOU need to do to survive (broken down by role): BACKGROUND The SaaS industry is facing a major meltdown. It’s not just that deal sizes (-21%) and close rates (-18%) are down. But in the last 5-7 years: 1. Cost of entry has continued to drop — a small team can now create a SaaS app fast with off-the-shelf tech. 2. VC was frothy until 2022 – a lot of teams got funded to go after the same opportunities 3. A bunch of entrepreneurs who made money in the late 2010s are back with new ventures. Your competition knows how to execute! The result shouldn’t be a surprise. There are now 1000’s of companies going after the same customers. In many categories, there are 10 similar companies! Buyers are fatigued. They are hearing the same message every day. So what do we do? Are we doomed to see a bunch of companies blow up? Unfortunately, yes. Many companies will not survive. The companies that win, will need to adjust to the “new normal”. Here’s how (broken down by role): CEOS and BOARDS: Decide if you are a high-value or low-cost provider. You can’t be both. If you are a high-value provider, make sure you have a unique take on the PROBLEM you solve, your SOLUTION, and why it is UNIQUE. Resist the urge to commoditize and focus on price! Focus on customers who will see and appreciate your value. If you are the low-cost provider, then embrace a fast, low-touch sales and service model. Don’t play games with high prices and negotiation. Embrace speed, volume, and a low price! CRO, CMO, and REVOPS: Know where and why you win. This isn’t the time to insist “you can serve everyone”. This market demands focus. Focus on the areas of the market where you have true advantage. Figure out the true purchase drivers of your best customers. Distinguish good targets from bad ones. Then focus your efforts, messaging and product on ONLY those good targets. If you’re not unique in the market, then be differentiated in segments where you can win. (Hint: if you’re a young company, you probably aren’t going to win both Enterprise and SMB segments at the same time!) SALES REPS: “Segmentation” isn’t just for marketing anymore. Smart sales teams recognize patterns in the customers who buy. We need to double down on this thinking. Yes, a cute dog picture can maybe get a conversation started…but is it a great prospect? Are they going to buy? Let’s not fool ourselves with the “sugar rush” of empty meetings. Today’s market demands QUALITY of contact vs quantity. Know what kind of customers buy, then go after them and ONLY them. TAKEAWAY It’s a scary time in our industry. The competition is real and they are as hungry as we are. We can’t sell to everyone - or we’ll sound like everyone else we’re competing with. More markets is not the answer. More focus is.

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For B2B SaaS founders facing rising CACs, longer sales cycles, It's time to examine the power of user-led growth 📈 Here's why you should care: • 5x better conversion rates than paid and SEO marketing • Near-zero payback period • Qualified leads from your ideal customers Today's deep dive in collaboration with the great team at Cello (Stefan Bader, Philipp Neusser) explores: 1. Traditional B2B GTM strategies and their current headwinds 2. Why user referrals are the untapped goldmine in B2B 3. How to know if referrals are right for your product 4. What "good" looks like (hint: up to 49% annualized user-to-customer conversion!) Read the full article to learn how companies like tl;dv, Typeform, and Fellow are achieving 10-15% MoM revenue growth through referrals: https://lnkd.in/ehPSE_aC #B2BSaaS #GrowthStrategy #UserReferrals #ProductLedGrowth

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👉 “Death of a Salesforce”: Why AI Will Transform the Next Generation of Sales Tech The battle between every startup and incumbent comes down to whether the startup gets distribution before the incumbent gets innovation. In sales tech, it’s easy to assume incumbents like Salesforce and Hubspot have the edge. First, they are embedded as “systems of record,” so sales leaders are loath to rip them out and replace them. Second, these incumbents (and their well-entrenched peers) are not sitting out the AI revolution; conscious of protecting their competitive moats, they are rapidly adding AI features to stay relevant. We believe AI will so fundamentally reimagine the core system of record and the sales workflows that no incumbent is safe. Instead of a text-based database, the core of the next sales platform will be multi-modal (text, image, voice, video), containing every customer insight from across the company. An AI-native platform will be able to extract more insight from a customer and their mindset than we could ever piece together with the tools we have today. Sales workflows will fundamentally change. With AI, sales teams will no longer need to spend endless hours researching new leads or prepping for calls — AI will be able to do it in seconds. Reps won’t have to suss out the readiness of potential customers because AI will have automatically compiled a ranked list of primed buyers, and will keep it constantly updated. Need personalized marketing collateral for a deal? Your AI wingman will produce whatever assets you need and feed you live tips while you’re on a call to help you close. In this post, we dive into how AI will change selling as we know it, which early companies are leading the way, and the implications on the broader industry. A new system of record While incumbents often adapt to new platform shifts, they are rarely able to completely rethink their architecture. Salesforce (founded in 1999) and Hubspot (founded in 2006) were enabled first by the arrival of the relational database, and later, of course, the cloud. The core of these companies’ foundation is a structured representation of sales opportunities, in rows and columns, with their related criteria in text. … … … https://lnkd.in/dbmgxGrG #startups #ai #web3 #vcs #sales #marketing #smes

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💡 Mindsets Needed to Become a Successful SaaS Entrepreneur 🚀 Building a successful SaaS business isn’t just about having a great product—it’s about having the right mindset. Here are the key traits every SaaS entrepreneur needs: 1️⃣ Customer-Centric Thinking: Solve real problems and focus on delivering value. 2️⃣ Adaptability: Embrace change and evolve with market demands. 3️⃣ Data-Driven Decisions: Use metrics to guide every step. 4️⃣ Scalability Focus: Design your SaaS to grow effortlessly with your users. 5️⃣ Resilience: Stay motivated and innovative through challenges. At Microlent Systems, we’ve worked with entrepreneurs worldwide to bring their SaaS visions to life. Whether you’re starting out or scaling up, we provide the expertise and support to help you succeed. 💬 What mindset do you think is the most important for SaaS success? Let us know in the comments! #SaaSEntrepreneurship #SaaSDevelopment #GrowthMindset #CustomerCentricity #BusinessSuccess #MicrolentSystems #Entrepreneurship #TechInnovation #ScalableSolutions #SaaSTips #DrRajeshRolen

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Tired of GTM tech bloat and overspend? Have too many “Point” tools that make it hard to get to your desired outcomes?  There is a better way - a modern GTM tech stack - that goes beyond Company-level insights, to track and deliver Person-level information and insights. Key insights that help you quickly grow pipeline. We call it “Person-based Go-to-Market (GTM)”. You have a few ways to get there - A) Add-on to your “Account-based GTM" tech stack - bring in Person-level / Person-based GTM tech. (We can help) B) String together several “POINT” Person-level solutions in the market today. C) Partner with Us! Read on as to why. As you look into Person-level GTM tech, you will find that ANY ONE PROVIDER out there can offer you “ONE”, maybe “TWO” of the FOUR mature, proven capabilities we are bringing to market today. Kwanzoo Person-level Visitor ID de-anonymizes USA site traffic, to generate warm leads with full contact info (work/personal email, LinkedIn URL, mobile phone number) directly off the website. (Some call this "Person-level Website Visitor Identity). Kwanzoo Real-time Intent Leads finds individual, in-market buyers from across the web, who are researching products and solutions, similar to yours, RIGHT NOW! (Some call this "Offsite Intent") Kwanzoo Global Account Intelligence tracks the companies engaging on your website from around the world. Sales can then pursue target buyers at these companies through LinkedIn, Sales emails and Phone calls. Kwanzoo Person-based Ads precisely targets in-market buyers at any Company in your ICP, to boost brand awareness, and help close more deals. And here’s how again we are different…… Build it at your own pace. Bring in just the piece of tech you want to tackle right now. And add more over time. Only pay for what you USE. Pay for outcomes (e.g. website warm leads, real-time intent leads). Stop paying just for the Software, or by User Seat! Why Person-based GTM Tech? Your Sales teams will be able to engage with more targeted prospects and thank you for it! Today’s Account-based GTM / ABM tools can only tell you the Companies engaging on your website. Today’s Intent data providers also can only tell you the Companies engaging with relevant topics. Person-based GTM tech closes the missing “last mile” - so you identify and nurture individual warm prospects and ultimately drive more pipeline. Have questions? Let’s chat! #b2b #marketing #sales #gotomarket #personLevelID #realtimeintentleads #demandgen

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📣 New Research for SaaS Leaders: ICONIQ Growth released a $1m-$20m ARR journey benchmark report. This report details the key questions, metrics, and trends that matter for early-stage SaaS companies, including how to quantify product market fit, how to navigate the Growth Plateau many SaaS companies face after $20M ARR, how to balance growth vs. efficiency, and what best-in-class looks like across the corresponding metrics. Download the complete report here (It's free, no reg needed): https://lnkd.in/e7NCCNk7 #business #softwarecompanies #organizationalleadership #salesleadership #salesmanagement #saasstartups #saasbusiness #saassales #saascompany #softwaresales #softwareasaservice #saasproduct #saasgrowth #productmanagement #businessstrategy #growthstrategies #gtm #gotomarketstrategy #gotomarket #productmarketfit #b2b #b2bsaas #productmanagement #monetization #bestpractices #expertadvice #growthstrategy #growthhacks #saas #saasindustry #saasbenchmarks #salesmetrics #saasmanagement #saasmetrics #growthstage #expansion #growthmetrics #arr #startupfounders #entrepreneurship #entrepreneurs #scalingup #growthrate #businessvaluation #revenueoperations #revops #revenuestrategy #revenueperformance #revenuestreams #scaleups #scalingbusiness #scaleyourbusiness #salessuccess #salesexcellence #saleseffectiveness #salesperformance #businessgrowth #startupchallenge #startupgrowth #startupstrategies #startupsuccess #earlystagestartups #startupjourney #preipo #ipo #postipo #financialmetrics #saasfinance #operations #longtermsuccess #benchmarkreport

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If we’re ever going to find out what works in SaaS, we need a unified (and account-based) view of GTM effectiveness. Winning by Design's Shari Johnston shares the battle-tested guide to going account-based (hint: it’s an account-based strategy, not account-based marketing). #salesandmarketingalignment #accountbased #accountbasedstrategy #business #softwarecompanies #revenueleadership #gtmleadership #revops #salesstrategies #saasstartups #saasbusiness #saassales #saascompany #saasmarketing #salestactics #softwareasaservice #saasgrowth #gtmperformance #businessstrategy #growthstrategies #gotomarket #gtmplays #gtmmotions #monetization #bestpractices #expertadvice #salesmanagement #salesstrategy #businessgrowth #salesgrowth #businessgrowthstrategy #saas #growthhacks #plg #revenuegrowth #revenueenablement #revenuestrategy #revenuestreams #saleseffectiveness #salesperformance #salesefficiency #leadgen #leadcapture #leadnurturing #saasmetrics #productled #revenueperformance #marketingstrategy #businessandmanagement #startupchallenge #startupgrowth #startupsuccess #earlystagestartups #scalingup #scaleups #scalingbusiness #saasbenchmarks #mql #sql #growthstage #expansion #growthmetrics #keymetrics #gtmmetrics #revenuegeneration #salespipeline #salesfunnel #gtmtools #growthunhinged #gtm20 #abx #ultimateguide

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Benchmarkit dropped its 2024 B2B SaaS survey, check it out! Confirms what many of the SaaS founders told me in a tough 2023: shrinking growth rates, tougher NRR environment, and lower "magic numbers". Still great businesses to own and scale, but a tougher operating environment spilled over into the M&A numbers. Lets hope for a 2024 bounce back! Thanks Ray Rike for the great work here. How does your business stack up? https://lnkd.in/gVpfQAdU #saas #benchmarking

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What if the key to SaaS success isn’t just chasing after new customers, but mastering the entire lifecycle of your existing ones? This notion isn’t just an uninformed opinion; it’s the cutting-edge strategy shaping the future of business. The growth trajectory for successful SaaS companies follows a pattern — T2D3 — where they triple their ARR for two consecutive years then double it three times. Sounds ambitious? It is. But it's also achievable with the right focus on customer retention and maximizing value from every user. We often overlook the finer details that drive long-term growth. Your Customer Acquisition Cost shouldn’t just be a number to watch; it should ignite a full-scale overhaul of your lead generation strategies. The real game lies in engaging customers beyond the initial sale. If you're not actively nurturing relationships, you're walking a tightrope over the churn abyss. As we strive for that $100M ARR, each of us has a role to play. The next step for any serious SaaS entrepreneur is not just growth but *intelligent* growth. With insights and strategies like these, my newsletter, 5 Minute Founders, will give you the benefits of a full business book in 5 minutes or less — a no-nonsense route to scaling your SaaS business. Now it's your turn. What tactics have you employed to retain customers and grow ARR? Share your stories. https://lnkd.in/eU_58748

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And this does not even include #CoBuild technology partnerships. All these partner types can also contribute to #expansion as well.

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Back in 1993, Siebel was Founded. Took them 7 years to get to 1B. Was an astounding success story until Salesforce smoked them with really just a simple pricing scheme we now know as SaaS, but was mocked early on. Well, they kicked Siebel’s ass, forcing a sale to Oracle for about 6B. And became worth 100s of billions… You’re red hot until you’re not. One of my favorite Founders of a ridiculously fast growing Artisanal Ventures investment said at dinner the other night: “I’m a generation ahead of everyone we are disrupting. What keeps me up at night is the company not yet announced that’s a generation ahead of ME.” Correct thought process!!! Another story. Intel is a dumpster fire right now but was once the best chip company on earth and a Wall Street darling because Founders pushed the envelope on innovation (Moore’s law, as an example) and were utterly paranoid that a much smaller rival, AMD, would catch them. Well, they made a series of mistakes clinging to factory innovation when the industry went fabless, and indeed, were surpassed by the red headed step child of processors. Market cap at AMD is about 280B and Intel at 90 ish… My message? You’re not safe no matter how badass you think you are. Get used to it and operate accordingly. Someone wants what you have and will do whatever it takes to get it. Paranoia kept weakling humans from getting eaten and going exctinct early and often. Keep that in mind every day and embrace the fun of competing to survive, even when you think you’re in first place. Happy Friday!

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