Kristin Luck

With budget season on the horizon, The StartUp Marketer Advisory Board member Alex Stonehouse shares 3 key strategies to help startup marketers tackle annual planning and budget segmentation: Sprinkle 💦, Tentpole 🚩, and the Four Burners Strategy ♨️. 💬 “Deciding how to segment your marketing budgets forces you to confront an unfortunate truth: despite wanting to have it all, there are significant constraints on your time, bandwidth, and available spend.” In his latest article, Alex breaks down the pros and cons of each approach and offers insights on how to make tough decisions about where to invest—and what to cut. 👉 Read more: https://lnkd.in/eQGQPE3Z #BudgetSeason #MarketingStrategy #BudgetSegmentation #SUMAdvisoryBoard #StartupGrowth #AnnualPlanning #startupmarketer #marketingbudget

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Let’s face it... Marketing campaigns aren’t cheap – even if you use co-op or market development funds (MDF), but distributors who are intentional can get the most out of their marketing budget. Learn about MDFs and Co-Ops in our blog: Co-Op Funds vs. MDF: Which is More Important? Click the link in our bio to read now!

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Rolling into another day of the Primary Summit. Hit me up if we should connect onsite. Kudos to the Primary Ventures team so far, as yesterday’s Pre-Seed Summit was on point. Mar Hershenson, Benjamin Sun, Chris Douvos, Zach Weinberg, and Graham Pingree all dropping helpful nuggets for fund managers. Some paraphrased highlights: - Chris Douvos (AHOY Capital) - Most fund decks are terrible. Start with your people (not your strategy) and know you have about 6 slides of his attention. - Zach Weinberg (Curie.Bio ) - beleives SF’s AI talent is a significant advantage over NY, wouldn’t build AI in NY. Also questions if VC exits can keep up with VC expansion (generally hilarious and smart Twitter follow) - Mar Hershenson (Pear VC) - VC is so much more competitive now. It’s not enough to be an ex-founder with a great network and domain expertise. Have a better “why you are different” or do something else! - Benjamin Sun (Primary Venture Partners)- still sees arbitrage in going long NY venture (vs. SF). Do the work to keep various influential networking nodes aware of what you’re doing and how you think.

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At SKYEFOX VENTURES - SFXV we are enabling brands to scale successfully to reap the rewards of success. Thank you to our friends and partners at BeautyMatter! Scott Gurfein Matthew Wenzler Socket Managed Services #partnerships #business #supplychain #entrepreneur #share #businessmodels #architecture #scalability #teamwork #socialnetworking #culture #socialentrepreneurship #entrepreneurship #startupstrategies #leanstartups #startups #startup #leanmanufacturing #manufacturing #management #productmanagement #projectmanagement #operationsmanagement #executivesandmanagement #futurism #future #innovation #productivity #strategy #consultants #managementconsulting

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Check out Hybridge Founder & CEO, Dr. Frank LaMar in the latest Full Arch Advantage Podcast (Part 2). In Part 2 of his discussion with Gary Bird 💥🚀 🦷, Dr. Frank LaMar explains his approach to supporting full-arch dentists at every stage of their development, addressing key challenges commonly encountered in the field. Big shout out and thank you to Gary from SMC National for making this conversation happen! 🔊 Listen to the full episode below: #HybridgeDental #DentalImplants #FullArch #Implants #DentalInnovation #FullArchAdvantage 

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When we asked CPG founders who they wanted at Founderland... Their answer was clear: People who can help them grow their business & achieve their goals. Specifically: - The top retailers - The most founder-friendly investors, and - Other founders they can learn from and share with This conversation that I'm hosting at Founderland is a perfect representation of this group, plus one BIG bonus. We're also including Joel Toledano and ChargeUp.ai which is one of my favorite tech companies that is supporting consumer brands today. They automate the retail deduction and chargeback process for brands, saving them an insane amount of time and money. Such a cool co. Excited to teach, share and connect...and get some deals done, while of course having lots of fun. Joel Toledano Jen Zeszut Kim Coffin Deb Conklin

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Successful retailers partner with DTC brands! Check out Charm.io's new report on the three key strategies for how retailers can use data-backed insights to partner with DTC brands to grow sales, and avoid the "retail apocalypse". https://lnkd.in/eTP8sswD #retailgrowth #merchandising #dtcdata #ecommerceanalytics

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Great time on the Embracing Erosion podcast w/Devon O'Rourke! We talked about: 🚀 How to scale a company from concept to 9-figure exit 🔄 How to break away from the traditional consulting model and apply product approaches ⏩ Why it’s important to iterate quickly and often with messaging 💸📈What signals are important to pay attention to when investing in startups and much more!

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Join Greg Crabtree, Brandon Gray, and Mike Maxson, MBA, as they discuss the latest economic trends and their implications for business owners. Whether you're a startup founder, a seasoned entrepreneur, or just looking to optimize your business, this episode delivers actionable insights on profitability, growth strategies, and navigating the ever-changing economic landscape. Tune in now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your preferred podcast platform. https://lnkd.in/g6qe-5kq Watch the full discussion here: https://lnkd.in/gKwpamiD #CRISimpleNumbers #SimpleNumbers #Profitability #Podcast #Business #FinancialConsultant #FinancialManagement #BusinessManagement #BusinessGrowth‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍ #GregCrabtree ‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍

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Catch another episode of This Week in Startups where Upfront Managing Partner Mark Suster interviews Max Altman and Ben Braverman, two of the three co-founders of Saga Ventures. With Saga’s new $125 million fund, the trio talk about: ➡ Fundraising challenges the co-founders faced as a first-time fund and the playbook of how referrals can be the best leads for increasing the chances of success ➡ Nuances of determining a fund size to maintain competitive advantages in deal strategies ➡ Ben’s learnings from working with Ryan Peterson at Flexport as well as Max’s experience and unique advantages working with his brothers Jack and Sam Here's a short clip below about the attributes of successful founders that they look for, including those willing to take unconventional risks 👇

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Check out the next installment of our blog series, "Master Marketing in the High-Pressure World of Investor-backed Firms," by Aimclear CMO Amanda Farley & Founder Marty Weintraub for insights on investor expectations, managing pressure and a lot more. AIMCLEAR® has extensive experience working with brands that are beholden to venture cap/investor-backers. #VC backing can be great for growth, but a real grind for #marketers caught in the middle. https://lnkd.in/eqkEUa3j #marketingandadvertising #performancemarketing #digitalmarketing #venturecapital #marketing

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Is this the future of content creation? I created TellBrain.com to help the marketing teams at Crane Venture Partners portfolio companies to better understand the opportunities with GenAI in creating marketing content. From topic selection to published blog post (with hero image and resource links) in less than 5 minutes. #contentmarketing #aiexperiment

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How should private companies - especially those working towards an exit - be utilizing AI for sales and marketing growth RIGHT NOW? I can't think of two people I trust more to answer that question! Spend the next 4 minutes of your life learning from Dustin Engel and Philip Stelter in this WY Partners primer. #mergersandacquisitions #media #technology #ai

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Last year, Dedren Snead of Subsume joined The Claw to talk about creative technology as it pertains to marketing. We discussed how marketing benefits from new technology, the connection between technology and business, and more. Listen to our full conversation here: https://lnkd.in/eidrmgAM 

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How does the Kalicube Process work from a start-up perspective? Well, it's all about building a strong foundation for your brand, both personal and corporate. In this groovy episode of the Entrepreneurs Enigma hosted by Seth Goldstein, Jason Barnard discusses the Kalicube Process, which focuses on brand visibility through understandability, credibility, and deliverability, and talks about the importance of personal and corporate branding. Watch now! https://lnkd.in/ey9S4pNW - The Kalicube Process has solved digital marketing, get your FREE guide now! https://lnkd.in/exv9v7bn #StartUp #KalicubeProcess #PersonalBrand #CorporateBrand #Kalicube

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This is huge for not just sustainability but also good business. Returns are real and need the same attention as new arrivals. #returns #circularity #supplychain #reverselogistics #supplychainsustainability

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Don't Get Blindsided: Why Fixed Costs Matter in Your Business... Entrepreneurs often focus on variable costs – the expenses that fluctuate with production, but neglecting fixed costs, those that remain constant regardless of output, can lead to financial surprises and hinder your growth. **Here's why understanding and accounting for fixed costs is crucial for your business:** * **Accurate Budgeting and Forecasting:** Fixed costs provide a solid foundation for your budget. Knowing your baseline expenses allows you to forecast cash flow more accurately and make informed financial decisions. * **Pricing Strategy:** Fixed costs play a vital role in setting prices that cover your expenses and generate a profit. Consider fixed costs alongside variable costs when determining your pricing model. * **Profitability Analysis:** By analysing how fixed costs impact your profit margin at different sales volumes, you can identify your breakeven point – the point where your business starts making a profit. * **Efficiency Optimisation:** Understanding your fixed costs helps you identify areas where you can streamline operations and potentially reduce expenses without impacting quality. * **Informed Investment Decisions:** Expanding your business often comes with additional fixed costs. Knowing your current fixed cost structure allows you to analyse the financial feasibility of new ventures. If you need help understanding your costs and the impact this has on your business why not contact us? leonardbusiness.co.uk #fixedcosts #accounting #businessfinance #financialplanning #profitability

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Sharing some news today: Sunflower Fund I is officially fully deployed and we will not move forward with a Fund II. 🌻 The story... For those who don't know, I work with founders and funds on storytelling, messaging and design for their investor pitch decks. And I absolutely love it. 3 years ago I decided to launch a venture fund after never having before angel invested. Disagreed with the others that I couldn't raise without a track record because I could point to, at the time, the 150+ companies I had worked directly with to help them successfully fundraise. Being in the spot of working with companies before they went out to formally fundraise was a special spot to be in...especially as an aspiring investor. So I raised a small fund from epic LPs - mostly GPs at other funds and founders/operators because they totally got the strategy of Sunflower Fund: an actually helpful VC who sees companies before most and will do the dirty deck work! It's been an absolute blast, but in deep reflecting, I am passionate about working directly with founders and I don't feel the fire under my butt when it comes to manage and operate an additional fund...solo. With that said, I am open to meeting exceptional investor/operators for a potential Fund II one day. For now, I'll continue to support our portfolio in all things storytelling and design, and continue to work with founders and funds directly. Our 20 company portfolio is in full bloom. 🌻 Track record 250+ companies/funds strong. Tough decision as folks expect you to continue with a lifetime of Funds, but a good reminder that you can always write your own story.

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