Taylor Crane

💡 Founders & hiring managers: How do you attract top-tier design talent to your startup? It’s not just about the paycheck—here’s what really matters: 1️⃣ Business Stability: Designers want assurance that your company isn’t going under in 6 months. Share facts and figures—demonstrate financial health, runway, and growth trajectory. 2️⃣ Sell Your Product: Why is it the best? How is it different from competitors? Showcase your product’s innovation and long-term vision. Designers want to contribute to something meaningful and scalable. 3️⃣ Design’s Role: A+ designers want to join companies that value design as critical to product success. When design is integral to your strategy, you’ll attract those who can take it to the next level. Boom! 🚀 #DesignLeadership #Startups #Hiring

17

2 Comments

Should ZipRecruiter reassess leadership? -->> https://lnkd.in/eHf6wemw In this episode, we dive deep into: - Paradox Innovation Day - VONQ's US Departure - CV Wallet / Resume Wallet's Triumph - Vangst, acquisition and its implications for the #cannabis #job market - Veritone Hire's Road Ahead - A critical view on ZipRecruiter, Nike, and Bayer's leadership mishaps. - Who'd You Rather? with Take2 AI and Paraform Expect a snarky blend of analysis, insight, and entertainment as we dissect brand consolidation, #AI's growing role in #recruitment, and the nuances of navigating the cannabis market. -->> https://lnkd.in/eHf6wemw #ChadCheese #RecruitmentPodcast #FutureOfWork #InnovationInRecruitment #Leadership #AIRecruitment

21

🎨 📺 Sharon Roth is a Product & Design leader who’s built her career in the lab, across different modalities, to bring more creative product experiences to life 📺 🎨 It's W3 / Q3 / 2024 and this week in our MGMT Boston up & coming operator series we’ve got Sharon who serves as the Senior Director of Product Management at Quantified.ai, the AI-driven flight simulator for sellers. The app feels as real as your next video call, scales across teams, programs, and companies, and ramps reps 42% faster. Sharon is leading Quantified AI’s Product & Design team after previous roles in Product leadership at Tamr & Honor Education. She’s excited to be back working in an Enterprise focused company, leading Design alongside Product, focused on strategic & execution based discipline. ❓Questions Are Your Roadmap ❓ It’s popular to encourage new hires to ask a lot of questions. But it’s always a good time to ask questions! When a member of your team comes to you and says “we really need to build X feature”, they’re coming to you for good reason. Dig into the why to understand how often the issue comes up, when it happens in a customer conversation, and why they’re asking for it in the first place. Is there an even better way to build a solution? Also, people are always excited about getting to a solution. By delaying the solution discussion to first get everyone to agree on the problem, you can coordinate a better response. Sharon has been in rooms where stakeholders can’t agree on the problem they’re trying to solve, which can sometimes be even more painful! By asking better questions and articulating the underlying issues thoroughly, they can work together as an organization to chart a better path forward. 3 Career Insights / Learnings 🙋‍♀️ Seek New Challenges - “Trying new things is how you learn and grow. At a startup, there are so many opportunities to try new things. As startups evolve, you need to embrace all that’s going to happen and make it a positive thing. Otherwise don’t go to a startup!” 🤝 Act with Integrity - “Do your best, show your work. But also treat others with respect and kindness while doing it. How you treat people and how you show up every day will impact your work environment. You’re responsible for the energy you bring to the room, so be authentic and try to inject some positivity. It will help you build the type of network you want to have too” 🗣 Invest in Communication Skills - “It helps you ask questions well, advocate for yourself, have your ideas be heard. It also helps others understand your impact. It takes continuous practice to do well.” If you’d like to learn more about Sharon’s career, the full post is linked in the comments. Go ahead and sign up for the newsletter to see the operator learnings we bring you in the weeks ahead too, will ya? #bostontech #operators

76

5 Comments

New logoooo When we applied to YC last spring, branding and logo were the least of our concerns. As someone who loves design and spending hours in Illustrator, it was even more important that I didn't waste any of my founder time on this. The Docsum logo that we have today was something that I threw together the weeks leading up to demo day and I never paid that much attention. I knew the logo was off because folks thought we were some sort of medical startup because of the "doc" with a stethoscope (supposed to be a magnifying glass). As we've grown, our identity as a company and brand has also been evolving so we're finally revisiting a proper logo design. Lots more work to do on the brand, colors, illustrations etc. but here is a sneak peak of our new logo. Trying to capture a folded page / document icon over the "d". Let me know what you think!

121

20 Comments

I love talking about MPC marketing bc it is the only tried and true way to build desks from scratch from a bizdev perspective. I’ll be speaking on it with Manan Shah Oct 16th at 11am, including: - how to create MPC formats that actually convert - expectations of hit rates - key ingredients in effective MPC pitches - how to use your ATS/CRM to do this for you - how to properly market map - to do’s to don’ts Join w the link below and I’ll see you soon! #mpc #mostplaceablecandidate #training #recruitment #recruitmenttraining #sales #clientdevelopment #salestraining

37

5 Comments

I recently listened to Zach Perret, founder of Plaid, on the 20VC podcast discussing his evolution in recruiting. His mindset shift resonated with me. Here are three key takeaways: ▶ Be yourself and do it. Cold emails and genuine curiosity unlock unrecruitable people. People love to talk about things they're passionate about. ▶ Embrace the hunt. The best founders love to compete for talent. They understand the value each person can bring and don't like losing. This skill will also translate into founder-led sales. ▶ Hire for "Spike". This is essential when building an early team. I often think of it as the shape of a "T"—someone with deep expertise in one area but is open and curious to learn and contribute in other areas outside their core strength.

13

1 Comment

The #1 question I get asked is: “How do I hire a CEO?” (How to hire, incentivize, and manage a CEO) I created a guide with all my learnings from hiring ~40+ CEOs and leaders across Tiny (and many epic fuck ups along the way). Topics I cover include: Is hiring a CEO the right choice for you? When to hire a CEO? How to find the right CEO? Should you invest in a recruiter? What to look for in your CEO? How to diligence candidates? How to ensure a culture fit? How to negotiate & structure compensation? How to transition from founder to owner? How to relinquish control? How to determine CEO success? When to replace the CEO? Book Recommendations * A cheatsheet is included with key points from all sections. Get my guide for free → https://bit.ly/4bSTeUY Enjoy!

50

4 Comments

Product Market Fit, a new framework. I've been working on this for a little while now and figured it's time to "eat my own dogfood" and test it out in the market. In this framework I provide a visual outline of the journey from "day zero" to PMF. Along the way founders must iterate on their product as well as their market to close the Product Market Gap in order to get to PMF. More details in the article. Let me know what you think 🙏 https://lnkd.in/gyF8V--x

43

11 Comments

The tech industry is a mess and Fractional is here to save it Between capital influx in 2020 and the subsequent need for agility post-2021 layoffs, companies are leveraging top talent in more flexible, impactful ways. Fractional roles offer sustainability and low stress, maximizing ROI without historical burnout. What do you think of this evolving model? Dive deeper into this transformation. #TechTrends #Leadership #BusinessStrategy #Innovation

6

I have this discussion with people leaders. There is no 1 right answer to pay transparency and to truly solve it, you need to empower managers. Excited to put my thoughts to paper

13

We were torn between two messaging principles when we created the copy for the new UserEvidence website that launched this week -- Understandability vs Elevation of our Value Prop. On the Understandability side - everyone understands what "testimonials" and "case studies". High Understandability. However, our platform creates customer evidence content that goes way beyond testimonials and case studies (eg statistical evidence around value/ROI, competitive proof, account or industry-specific reports) -- and there's several very low cost tools that do simple testimonial collection/creation. We were worried dumbing the UE value prop down to testimonials and case studies would undersell the value, and undercut our price point which is tens of thousands to sometimes hundreds of thousands of dollars. On the Elevated side - we could have talked more about evidence-based marketing, and customer evidence platform, or maybe a compromise w/social proof - but these don't inherently mean anything to most people - and require explanation. We figured we had about 12-15 seconds of initial readtime on average when someone lands on the site (our analytics supported this), so we ultimately decided to lead with Understandability, to hopefully earn the attention span to then go Elevate the Value Prop around how customer evidence is more than testimonials and case studies. We also leaned into using a ton of enterprise-level customer proof w/testimonials and logos from Gong, HPE, Broadcom, Splunk, Coupa, SentinelOne, Pendo, etc - to clearly indicate we're a enterprise-level B2B-only solution. We decided our goal/metric to optimize is getting people interested enough in taking the meeting (even if they may think we're a lower cost solution), and we're confident our sales team will do a good job of elevating our story once the prospect is on the call. Great work Alex Eaton and Mark Huber, and thank to the FletchPMM team for the guidance! How did we do? #productmarketing #customermarketing

39

1 Comment

Let's get real with AI tool adoption in Marketing... As VP of Marketing at Wunderkind, Amandine Servain knows firsthand the challenges and opportunities that come with integrating AI tools into marketing workflows. In a recent AMA webinar, Amandine shared her approach to evaluating and adopting these tools. The key, according to Amandine, is to start not with the tools but by identifying specific pain points within your team's workflows. From there, look for AI solutions that can both solve those problems and also seamlessly integrate with your existing technology stack. "First, we look at the challenges that we have... then we move to trying to find a tool that can solve that pain point, could be AI, could not be AI," Amandine explained. "When we find AI tools, such as Tofu, that was solving a pain point, most of the time we do a POC first to make sure it actually solving the pain point that we think it's solving." But adoption is only half the battle. Measuring the impact of these tools is equally important. Amandine's team tracks engagement metrics and runs A/B tests to quantify the effectiveness of their AI-powered campaigns. However, Amandine cautions against data overload: "We track a lot of data, probably too much data, more than we actually use, but I think that's kind of the marketer's disease, tracking too many data points and not fully knowing what am I going to do with that data?" The key takeaway? Be strategic in your approach to AI adoption. Identify clear pain points, ensure seamless integration, and measure impact using meaningful metrics. With the right strategy, AI tools can be a powerful addition to your marketing workflows. What has been your experience with adopting AI tools in your marketing efforts? https://lnkd.in/gMTVPbtU

9

🚀 Startup Founders: Is a Chief of Staff Your Next Game-Changing Hire? In the whirlwind of startup life, where founders juggle multiple roles at lightning speed, hiring a Chief of Staff (CoS) can be transformative. But what exactly does a CoS do, and how does it differ from other executive roles? 🔹 CoS vs. COO: COO: Oversees day-to-day operations, manages processes, and focuses on efficiency and team leadership. CoS: Supports the CEO and executive team, ensures smooth execution of strategic initiatives, and acts as an administrative liaison. 🔸 Why Consider a Chief of Staff? STREAMLINED OPERATIONS --> Optimises your time and aligns meetings, projects, and goals. ENHANCED COMMUNICATIONS --> Facilitates cross-departmental communication as your startup scales. STRATEGIC PLANNING--> Manages daily operations, allowing you to focus on long-term growth. CRISIS MANAGEMENT --> Acts as a stabilising force during turbulent times. MENTORSHIP AND DEVELOPMENT --> Nurtures future leaders within your company. 🤔 When Might You Not Need a CoS? - Small team (under 10 employees) - Tight budget - Already robust communication and operations processes 🔍 Choosing the Right CoS: Look for strong organisational skills, excellent communication, strategic thinking, problem-solving abilities, and an entrepreneurial mindset. 💡 Pro Tip: Consider how a CoS could help implement company-wide initiatives. For example, they could spearhead wellness programs that aim to boost productivity and well-being through fitness classes, healthy meal options, and mental health resources, among others. While not every startup needs a CoS, this role can be the catalyst for achieving greater success and stability for many. Is it time for your startup to level up with a Chief of Staff? ------------------------------------------ 🤝 Need help finding the perfect CoS? We have just completed a similar search and can assist with talent mapping and pipelining for this crucial role. Book a call with me to learn more: The link is in the comment. #startuplife #chiefofstaff #leadershipstrategy #employeeewellness #hiringstrategy #TA

🚀 It’s Zipdev Book Club Friday! 📚 This week at Zipdev, our team dove into 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝟲: 𝗖𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 from "To Sell is Human" by Daniel Pink. Clarity is all about helping others see their situations in fresh, revealing ways and identifying problems they didn’t realize they had. This chapter was packed with insights that truly made us think about how we communicate and influence others. 𝗦𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝟲: • 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 "𝗠𝗲 𝗟𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿": We were struck by the study where showing people an image of themselves at 70 changed their mindset about retirement. The group who saw their future selves gained clarity and realized the importance of saving now. As a result, the "Me Later" group saved significantly more for retirement. It’s a powerful reminder of how visualizing the future can shift our present actions. • 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺 𝗦𝗼𝗹𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘃𝘀. 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺 𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴: Another thought-provoking story was Csikszentmihalyi's exercise on drawing. He divided participants into two groups—one focused on solving a problem, and the other on finding the problem. This really highlighted how clarity isn't just about solutions but about uncovering the real issues at hand. • 𝗟𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝗠𝗼𝗿𝗲: We also discussed the impact of reducing options. A study showed that reducing consumers’ choices from twenty-four to six resulted in a tenfold increase in sales. Sometimes, too many choices can be overwhelming, and offering fewer options can lead to better decision-making and more decisive action. • 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗙𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗲: One of the most memorable examples was the car salesman who wasn’t just selling a vehicle but an experience—encouraging customers to imagine new adventures, reconnect with old friends, and create lasting memories. It’s a powerful way to shift from selling a product to selling an experience, making the purchase more meaningful. 𝗤𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗖𝗹𝘂𝗯: 1. How can you use the concept of "Me Later" to influence your decisions or those of others? 2. Have you found that reducing options has helped you or your clients make better decisions? Now, we'd love to hear from you! 🌍💬 • Have you ever had a moment of clarity that changed your approach to a problem? How did it impact your decision-making? • How do you frame your products or services to create a more meaningful experience for your clients? Let’s get the conversation going! 💡👇 And don’t forget, next Friday we’ll be diving into Chapter 7: The Pitch. Stay tuned! #ZipdevBookClub #ContinuousLearning #ToSellIsHuman #DanielPink #Sales #Leadership #TeamGrowth #RemoteWork #LatAm #Zipdev

8

Last call to join me on October 30th at 9:00 am PT, when I’ll be in conversation with Judd Antin. The topic: Becoming a High Impact UX Researcher! We've already got a whopping 439 signups - come join the fun. Here’s what you’ll learn (hint: it’s not about doing more research!). 🎯 Discover Top Success Drivers for UX Researchers. Learn what are the top skills for success, and examples of those skills in action. ⏰ Identify Time Wasters. Learn to spot time-wasting activities and know how to reduce them so you can focus on what truly matters. 🎈Develop the Top Skills. Hear specific examples of what you can start doing TODAY to build the skills necessary to excel. If you can’t make it to the live lesson, register anyway to receive a recording. You’ll also get a coupon for 15% off the December 2024 cohort of my Do Only the Research That Matters Maven course (fka Prioritizing Research for Impact)! https://lnkd.in/gvWHb2zq

35

Check out the latest episode of Hot Source feat. Toby Tank from Salient. Toby shares an amazing piece of advice for agency recruiters looking to grow their desk in a tough market. *Talent Acquisition peeps... I think you'll appreciate his thoughtful approach 🫶 Check it out now! Toby Tank | Salient | attract.ai #recruitment #talentacquisition #candidatesourcing #candidateexperience #candidateattraction #employerbranding

41

13 Comments

It's time to get real about what makes or breaks tech. Ignoring user needs. Humans have a ten-second attention span. That's all the time you have to convince them to like your product. Confuse them- May the bridges you burn light the way. Overwhelm them—They can outpanic a Xanax; what's ur superpower? Annoy them— lose their trust forever. To solve this, we must focus on meeting the user four basic needs: 👉 security 👉 connections 👉 individuality 👉 growth Ethical Assurance: because nobody likes a shady algorithm. Emotional Connection: think pacifier on steroids. Cognitive Clarity: It's all about making genius look easy. Social Integration: as a Tiktok user I get annoyed when I speak to (non Tiktok users ) Aspirational Empowerment: This app is a lifesaver! 99% of apps fail... why? Because 'big tech' egos are involved, making it about themselves. Or whatever open-source project they piggyback from. Forgetting this is about them 👇🏻 The users. Got it? Mazel. #AI #UXDesign #Innovation #TechForGood #HeartwareAI

12

👉 Building up a new podcast is *already* been an enlightening experience. Have had a chance to chat with some amazing folks, got some incredible feedback, and have a ton of ideas for how this series will proceed. I will say, the most exciting part of my recent podcast, "Building Products with Generative AI", is that there is a narrative that is building throughout each episode. I'm not going to reveal what that is just yet, but if you watch each episode, you'll start to notice a solid pattern!

14