Ryan Landau

The Cleveland startup scene is a web of resources that can be daunting to navigate. I've assembled the resources I've found along the way to support entrepreneurs in their journey. They're phased out according to when they would be most helpful based on my experience, which is only 1 year admittedly. It was a lot of work to build so I hope you find it as useful as I would have when I started 😂 Please save, share, and empower other founders in Cleveland to take advantage of the resources we have and put Cleveland on the map as the startup hub it is! Let's make entrepreneurship contagious 💪 **Updated graphic in comments** #founderlife #clevelandrocks Tagging some of the resources you should follow ASAP (because we are all founders in the making) JumpStart Inc. BRITE Energy Innovators Bounce Innovation Hub Greater Cleveland Partnership CWRU Veale Institute for Entrepreneurship LaunchNET Baldwin Wallace University GREYT CULTURE And honorable mention to follow for highlighting founder journeys - Lay of The Land Podcast

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Are you just weird? I still remember my Marketing Professor at Northwestern University - Kellogg School of Management telling us to ask ourselves that question to figure out if what you are building really has a market, or if it's just us who thinks it's a good idea. (maybe she did ask me specifically though - hard to tell) The same is true in every aspect of business. What's a GTM strategy that works? Everyone's keeping their failures close to their chest, while often exaggerating their achievements a bit too much. So what's the best way to figure out if you are just weird? You ask 100 of your closest friends. And that’s what we did: We asked 100+ revenue leaders to share their insights on the state of pipeline generation so we could better understand the new roadmap for revenue. That way, if they are doing it too - we are not weird. We also might learn something that we aren’t doing yet. This week, I'm joining a panel to share our findings and discuss how leaders can adapt to generate pipeline more efficiently. You should join if: → You want to understand the current state of pipeline generation → You’re curious about where your peers are investing their resources this year → You want information that will help you develop more strategic GTM motions

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𝐖𝐞𝐞𝐤𝐥𝐲 𝐒𝐩𝐨𝐭𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭: Unlocking Growth with a Grant Writer for Startups As a startup founder, you're constantly on the hunt for funding opportunities to fuel your growth and innovation. While many turn to venture capital or angel investors, there's a treasure trove often left untapped: grants. Here's where a professional grant writer can make a monumental difference. Meet Jasti Smythe, Founder of Celerity Solutions, Grant Writer specializing in tech startups, electric vehicles, climate tech, and clean energy. https://lnkd.in/eauRgUQk - mention my name in your connection note to Jasti as the referral source Why consider a grant writer for your startup? ✳️ 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐬𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐚 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐱 𝐅𝐢𝐞𝐥𝐝: Grant writing is specialized and intricate. A professional knows where to look, what to write, and how to align your startup’s vision with the grant’s objectives. ✳️ 𝐈𝐧𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐅𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐎𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬: Many startups, especially in tech and social innovation, are eligible for numerous grants. A skilled grant writer can unearth these opportunities, ensuring you don't miss out. ✳️ 𝐂𝐨𝐬𝐭-𝐄𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐜𝐞 𝐀𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: Investing in a grant writer frees up your team to focus on what they do best—innovating and growing your business—while the grant writer handles the funding applications. ✳️ 𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐝 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐚𝐥 𝐐𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲: Grant proposals need to be persuasive and professional. A grant writer crafts compelling narratives that resonate with funders, significantly boosting your chances of success. ✳️ 𝐋𝐨𝐧𝐠-𝐓𝐞𝐫𝐦 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐜 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠: A grant writer doesn’t just find funding; they align these opportunities with your long-term business strategy, ensuring that every dollar supports sustainable growth. #startups #funding #grantwriting #businessgrowth #innovation #entrepreneur #tech

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In this clip from Founders Only Podcast Season 4: Episode 5, Libby DeLucien, Founder of WootRecruit & Service Cart, shares the books that have transformed her business journey. Watch Libby’s full episode on YouTube or tune in on Spotify, Apple, and Amazon Podcasts. Click the link in my comments! #book #business #entrepreneurship #b2b #saas #podcast #podcastshow #podcasting #businessowner

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As a strategic partner to our clients, we recognize that not every search requires an agency. BUT every search does require planning and preparation. SearchStart was launched last month to help companies go to market confidently with all information in hand and knowing that their role will stand out in front of their candidates. Want to know what it is all about? Click the link below and fill out the form to schedule a call to learn more! #searchstart #talentacquisition #recruiting

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I was honored to be on #400 of THE ECOMMERCE EDGE Podcast with Jason Greenwood. As Jason said, "This episode is more raw and personal than perhaps any I have recorded before." Ya know, I've taken a step back this year from podcast appearances. Hell, I even put my own podcast on hiatus as I focused on my health (more on that soon.) As I'm emerging from the shadows, getting back on the saddle, and putting myself out there again – I'm looking back on my previous appearances and the topics that both I was excited to talk about and the hosts chose to cover with me. It always comes back to purpose. It doesn't matter how niche or strictly business and tactics-oriented the shows are – almost all of them have veered heavily into the existential. Much like with Jason in this episode, this is often the first and only time they've explored these topics on their shows. It signals a larger sea change occurring in the online business community. In a world where hustle culture and growth-at-all-costs have been the norm – especially in our rapid-paced, remote, and chronically online reality – people are waking up to the fact that it's f*cking unsustainable. We're entrepreneurs. We literally are the architects of our businesses and work incredibly hard to make them successful. We'll grind 100+ hour weeks and prioritize the end goal above all else – but spend almost no time thinking about how to optimize the journey there and actually enjoy the ride without burning out. We're seeing a shift towards authenticity, vulnerability, and a holistic approach to success. It's not just about the bottom line anymore; it's about finding that sweet spot where passion, purpose, and prosperity intersect – without burning yourself out in the process. This episode with Jason dives deep into that intersection. We get raw about the struggles of entrepreneurship, the toll it can take on your mental health, and how to navigate the e-commerce landscape without losing your soul in the process. If you're an entrepreneur, especially in e-commerce, feeling like you're on a hamster wheel of endless hustle – this episode is for you. Give it a listen. It might just be the wake-up call you need to realign your business with your values and find that elusive work-life balance we're all chasing. Link to the episode in the comments. 👇 And hey, if this resonates with you, share it. There's a good chance someone in your network needs to hear this too. Let's start a conversation about what really matters in business and life. #podcast #purpose #passion #ecommerce

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I despise writing webinar titles and descriptions because of this one thing... I'm horrible at it wanna help? -- Context: In a few months, I'm leading a GTM webinar for a private community of Chicago-based startups I'm planning on covering (1) defining GTM strategy, (2) key elements of a GTM strategy, and (3) how to get started at your startup Any creative ideas on title + description? (🫣I'm too embarrassed to share my versions 🫣)

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We went from contract signature to deployment of their new storefront In 16 days, saving them $500,000 in developer fees along the way moving from headless. Psyched to share a case study with our partner Big Blanket Co. Not many brands have two professional basketball players as their co-founders, but Big Blanket does. Transforming the blanket industry one 10’ x 10’ blanket at a time, Big Blanket was struggling to manage its Shopify store. The inflexibility of their headless commerce platform came with: → Lack of control and long delays → Fluff and inefficiency from service agencies → $40,000 in monthly development costs (upkeep) So they turned to Platter. Our theme and app bundle allowed non-technical team members to customize their store without needing to write code. The result? → Rebuilt storefront in just 16 days ➝ More flexibility + ease of use → Saved $500,000 in developer fees in 2024 Thank you Bryan, Anthony, Dane, and Josh for trusting us! Proud of these results. 🔗 Case study link in comments.

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🚨 OPPORTUNITY ALERT for someone in Arizona who wants to acquire a profitable small business🚨 -- Details below 👇 • Industry: Home/professional services • Cost-per-warm-lead is <$10/lead (will go down with further optimized campaigns) • Average job size is >$1,250 • Gross margin currently at 70%+ (will come down as business grows) • Market is HUGE (pretty much every home in Arizona) • Low competition (others offering the same service, but none focusing on/promoting it) Assets included in acquisition: • Website • Social media accounts • Meta ads account (primary lead acquisition channel) • Email list • 30+ untapped warm leads Type of person who can explode this business: • Marketing/sales background (preferred) • Personable • Unafraid of doing the dirty work I truly believe this is a killer opportunity for someone who is motivated to work hard and do what it takes to be successful. This is a business concept we incubated at Offseason that we are now looking for a partner to take to the next level together. If you are interested, send me a DM or comment and I can send more details!

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Snag grew their DTC from $0 - Over $30m+ in 3 years. Here’s how they did it: ➤ Problem-Focused Conception While out shopping, Brie realized her tights were slipping down. Growing frustrated, she asked some friends of hers if they experienced something similar. Turns out every single one of her friends had the same issue. This was natural fuel for her to look into things further. ➤ Data = Unfair Advantage Brie didn't have a background in marketing. Instead, her data-oriented mind gave her an advantage by looking at things a little differently. She ran a Google Survey of 3000 women to find out who else struggled to find a pair of tights that fit. The answer? 90% of 3000 people. Bingo. Opportunity validated. The data also showed how: → The market was commoditized → Men made most of the product purchases (Crazy right?) → Most women accepted poor fitting tights as the norm This inspired her to really look into solving this problem, and her search for suppliers began. ➤ Knew the numbers Before launch, Brie’s focus to really get a grip on her numbers really paid off. Since the sales were through DTC, she knew she needed: → 25% of revenue back into marketing → First-order profit → Small seed round to fund initial stock order Armed with the validation from the survey and some strong number-crunching, Snag launched. They cleared £300k/mo in under a year. The emphasis of being profitable from the first order was key to allow her to scale forward and further invest in marketing. ➤ Applied Zero-Party Data & Customer Service This is where Brie’s data-oriented approach really shone a light on how Snag scaled rapidly. The pandemic caused havoc for many brands, including Snag. Over 60% of the business disappeared overnight, and they went into negative. They had Facebook debt that had to be paid. Fast. Or Snag would die. That’s when Brie turned to her customers for answers. Her customers suggested a brilliant offer: 2 tights for the price of one, but the second pair gets sent in 6 months. The offer worked - Snag survived. And eventually thrived. This was a genius idea to help relate to her customers. ➤  Applied the ‘3-Piece’ DTC Law Finally, Brie understood the fundamental law of DTC. → Commitment to customer service → Great product experience → Solve a big problem Since all 3 were checked, the rest was down to semantics, unit economics, and following marketing fundamentals. ➤  Final Thoughts As a data analyst, Brie’s final words of advice were super impactful and really hit home. Yes, data is important, but it’s even more important that each data point is an actual human being, not just a number on a spreadsheet. Combining the importance of data with the understanding that each data point is a human is a brilliant formula for growth. What else would you add?

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Ty Hoffer joined me to discuss the rising importance for small-cap companies to build a retail investor audience. "Many management teams are trying to compete in the marketplace today with old, outdated strategies. "It's a pretty common occurrence for a company to put out a press release and get crickets." "You have to evolve and embrace digital media." Ty has been helping small-cap management teams get their stories out to retail audiences for over 20-years. You can listen to the full conversation here: https://lnkd.in/gg9EMkUp

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🚨 Launch Alert 🚨 I've been on both sides of the table - from scrappy startup team member to CMO of a $500M company. One thing I've learned? A solid brand strategy is crucial, but often out of reach for startups and SMBs. That's why I created BrandStrategy.vip. It's the service I wish I had years ago - professional brand strategy without the agency price tag or time sink. I've taken the strategies from my book "Transform Your Marketing," streamlined the process, and made it accessible to all. This is just the beginning. I'm working on more productized services to empower startups and SMBs. If you're ready to level up your brand affordably, I'd love your thoughts on this new approach! read more here: https://lnkd.in/eVN4h8Dm

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“Most SMS I assume is a scam. Why would I click some link to a promotion or coupon?” This was a concern I poised to Ryan O'Hara and Jeremy Boudinet in a workshop we were running around creative and omnichannel marketing campaigns for PetCo. They talked about doing three things… 1) Have appropriate timing. If you send a text on someone’s birthday, or a specific date tied to your relationship with the customer, it’s more legit 2) Personal details help. If you note something personalized in the SMS to the customer that isn’t public, that is more trustworthy 3) Consent matters. Asking customers upfront if they want to receive coupons or promotions via SMS will set the expectation. Nuance matters for effective execution. Telling someone to run an “upgrade to annual” email campaign isn’t very helpful. What would the subject line be? When should I send it? Who should I send it to? What if the customer has 3 open support tickets and is pissed off? Nuance matters for effective execution. Telling someone to run a holiday promotion campaign isn’t very helpful. Who should be included? Will recent customers be pissed if they get a promo for cheaper than what they are paying? What is the subject line? When do the coupons expire? How many touch points? What tone is effective at standing out from the million other holiday promos they will get? Nuance matters for effective execution. Telling someone to send a personal letter to customers because “human matters” isn’t very helpful. What customers and when? Is the messaging generic or actually personalized? Who does it apply to, because I imagine what might work great for a real estate agent would be really weird for a toilet paper company. As we give advice and try to help guide folks through growth strategies, it is vital to include nuance if you actually want to help people get to a result. If you do, you immediately will gain trust with your audience.

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𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗶𝗴𝗴𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗲𝗭𝗪𝗮𝘆 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘄𝗼𝗻❜𝘁 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗸 🎉 Join us for the VIP Pitch Party, packed with insights and strategies for entrepreneurs, startups, and professionals to share ideas, forge partnerships, and unlock new opportunities. 𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗗𝗲𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗹𝘀: Date: Thursday, August 1st Time: 4:00 PM PDT Location: Zoom We just wanted to make sure you have our VIP Pitch Party on your calendar to get your chance to pitch your purpose and make quality connections. Look for your time zones below 🌏 : Philippines Time (PHT) - MANILA, PH: 7:00 AM - 9:00 AM, Fri. 2 August Eastern Daylight Times (EDT) - US: 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM Australian Eastern Standard Time - SYDNEY, AUS.: 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM, Fri. 2 August British Summer Time (BST) - LONDON, UK: 12:00 AM - 2:00 AM, Fri. 2 August Singapore Time (SGT) - SINGAPORE: 7:00 AM - 9:00 AM, Fri. 2 August New Zealand Standard Time (NZST) - NEW ZEALAND, AUCK: 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM, Fri. 2 August 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝘃𝗶𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝗻𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗻 𝗭𝗼𝗼𝗺, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝘁’𝘀 𝗔𝗕𝗦𝗢𝗟𝗨𝗧𝗘𝗟𝗬 𝗙𝗥𝗘𝗘! Register here: https://lnkd.in/gRhh7aJF... 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗖𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗠𝗶𝘀𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗘𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: ✅ 𝗤𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀: You get to make quality connections with over 4,000 active members of our community. ✅ 𝗣𝗶𝘁𝗰𝗵 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮 𝗙𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹: Earn a chance to win a free commercial on eZWay.TV, reaching over 120,000,000 homes and mobile devices. ✅ 𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗲𝗹 𝗼𝗳 𝗢𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆: You get to spin our Wheel of Opportunity, where you can win up to $10,000 in marketing and development services for free. ✅ 𝗲𝗭𝗪𝗮𝘆 𝗔𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗲: Don't forget about our eZWay Affiliate Challenge.You will get the chance to win $10,000 and enjoy a free campaign. ✅𝗲𝗭𝗪𝗮𝘆 𝗨𝗽𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀: You will learn more about the latest eZWay updates and how you can better leverage the eZWay system to boost your online presence. ✅ 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗚𝗲𝘁 𝗙𝗲𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗻 𝗲𝗭𝗪𝗮𝘆 𝗡𝗲𝘄𝘀: eZWay News receives thousands of views per day, offering you an incredible opportunity for exposure and recognition. ✅ 𝗲𝗭𝗪𝗮𝘆 𝗔𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗜𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀: eZWay offers major incentives for inviting others to our Zoom Pitch Party. Refer 5-10 friends—they will love it! 𝗦𝗶𝗴𝗻 𝘂𝗽 𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗯𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗖𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗸 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝘁𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿: https://lnkd.in/gRhh7aJF... If you have questions or need assistance, feel free to reach out to us on our social media pages via this link: https://qr.codes/LoMJWm See you there, The Business Gurus

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Some products just don’t work for scaling DTC profitably. Why? The unit economics needed to scale profitably aren’t there. One example that comes to mind is the vast majority of food and bev products. If your product mix has low AOV and high (shipping + fulfillment cost)/AOV, chances are you won’t have enough room in your contribution margin before marketing to afford the CAC you need scale through DTC advertising channels. There are some exceptions to this rule, but generally speaking, the products that crush DTC have higher AOVs and higher margins before marketing, allowing sufficient CAC budget to scale. Do you agree?

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Had a great conversation with Michael Fied, President at WebDev.com. We talked for hours about #business, #marketing and #growth. He asked me "What is your definition of success?" It really got me thinking... Because our time here on this pale blue dot is extremely limited. Days are bunching up into weeks and weeks into years. What is it all for? How awesome will it be to see these endless 80+ hour weeks turning into a billion dollar business? 🦄 Pretty cool. But is that alone really a measure of success? It's pretty clear... It's not. It's about the journey, not the destination. And as long as I'm living up to my fullest potential, then I can take great pride in knowing that I am doing the best I can with the hand I was dealt. That's really what matters... I think as long as we are truly living up to our fullest potential, favorable results are pretty much guaranteed. What is your definition of #success?

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This book was instrumental during the startup journey; I highly recommend it. Per, Mark Zuckerberg, please read it twice to digest Peter's thoughts. Gallup Comscore, Inc. Condé Nast Hearst URBN (Urban Outfitters, Anthropologie Group, Free People & Nuuly) TBWA\Worldwide Apple Comcast NBCUniversal Yelp Cox Media Group Stuart Greif Jeff Sward Pinterest TikTok Snap Inc. Rakuten MagicLinks Shopify CJ Retail Ecommerce Ventures Initialized Capital Social Capital Founders Fund Private Equity Insights Private Equity Insider Amway Herbalife Nutrition #ai #machinelearning #patents #web3 #computervision #googlevision #adtech #martech #retailers #brands #socialcapital #currency #blockchain #crypto #digital #digitalmarketing #amway #yelp #ebay #retail #instagram #people #facebook #media #thankyou #finance #ecommerce #privateequity #venturecapital #business #economy #commerce #marketingtechnology #marketingandadvertising #advertisingstrategies #optin #optout #data #datadrivenattribution #tagitemsnotfriends #michaeljordan #digitaladvertising #future #brand #social #socialcurrency #onlineadvertising #partyplanning #nutrition #reach #ml #algorithms #podcast #leaders #writing #simonsinek #yourwhy #socialcurrency #fico #socialcapitalindicators #socialcapitalasametric #mespoke #amazon impact.com WooCommerce WordPress USPTO TikTok Snap Inc. #ai #artificialintelligence #ml #machinelearning #aicantsolveall #data #deeplabs #copilot #pilot #msazure Microsoft Apple ChatGPT OpenAI Informatica Appian Corporation #ethicalai

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Check this out. We got Will Yarbrough CRO with Denim back on the Sales Gravy Podcast for another killer conversation. We take on: - Improving Buyer Experience With the One Funnel Mindset - Shorter Sales Cycle Trends and How to Prepare - Sales Rep Complacency You'll want to listen to this one! (Link in comments) #SellMore #salescycle #sales #podcast #onefunnel #SalesGravy

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How do you build meaningful partnerships as a founder? I know I've been guilty of sending partnership agreements in hopes of the best In this episode of How I'm Building This podcast, Alex Witcpalek, the founder of Continuum AI, shares his unconventional path from playing football at the University of Louisville to working in commercial real estate and eventually joining the tech industry. Here are some sound bites from our conversation: ✔️"I'm going to build something on my own and I'm going to build it so that not only do I have a better life, but there's families that don't have to go through what we're going through." ✔️"We have so much pipeline that if we close this, I need to build a team to be able to go deliver it." ✔️"You need to be very upfront and transparent with your partner and have a plan together to cross pollinate your go-to-market motions." ✔️"We became thought leaders and our content now drive sour partner channel." ✔️"I don't think you can silo outbound partner and marketing, because we do a lot of partner marketing together too." ‍ Listen now: Youtube: https://lnkd.in/g5P3nkWZ Spotify: https://lnkd.in/gXUYA_ZF Other episodes as they release: https://lnkd.in/gkxQsmwH #startup #entrepreneurship

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