Vanessa Karel

For every startup, profitability is important—especially if you are fully bootstrapped. Building MRR with great traction from zero is one of the most rewarding feelings a founder can experience. We track and analyze our MRR and revenue graphs daily and monthly, witnessing how this “baby” grows bit by bit. I have always dreamed of creating something big. Alhamdulillah, that dream is becoming a reality. Once, a million-dollar revenue was just a dream. Now, Alhamdulillah, multi-million-dollar revenue feels achievable, in sha Allah.

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You search “[restaurant] near me” on Google. The first five results are map listings, a link to DoorDash, a link to Yelp, a link to OpenTable, and a link TripAdvisor. You know what’s missing? A link to the brand’s own website. Most multi-location brands, such as retail stores, restaurants, hotels, and even schools treat the “location finder” on their website as a nuisance must-have—if they have one at all. What these businesses are missing is two critical marketing and search optimization opportunities a location finder affords: 1. Increasing search engine performance by introducing location-specific landing pages. 2. Merchandising opportunities directly to customers. Introducing individual location pages allows a brand’s site to show up for search on a local basis. Each location’s results page should include hours, address, map link, and be connected with the website’s CMS. When customers search for “[store] in Pasadena”, the top result will be a direct link to the brand’s local page. This means reducing the distance from a customer’s search query to landing on the brand’s website, bypassing Yelp, DoorDash, OpenTable, or any of the hundreds of other sites that siphon off potential customers. Then, with the page connected to the CMS, the marketing teams can share current deals, new products, promotions, customer loyalty programs, and much more — all opportunities to increase customer engagement and revenue. Have you seen a great location finder experience? Share it in the comments, I’d love to add them to our references! (📸 from a recent sun shower in Brooklyn, as the weather marks the end of summer!)

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Founder/Mom ToDo: - Back to back sales and partner calls - Work through complex strategy and setup for a new customer - Plan a big feature announcement - Start a Girl Scout troop - Find the Paw Patrol book that mysteriously disappeared - Figure out where to host a donut making mermaid themed birthday party Anyone else in this boat? 🤪 For me what has helped is to not expect to "have it all," but to constantly search for balance. I almost never get to drop my daughter off or pick her up from school. I don't get to take my son to gym class and see how excited he gets in person. I do make sure to eat dinner with my kids and do their bedtimes every night. We spend quality time together on weekends. I don't get to spend all my time flying around the country to attend every conference, or have the flexibility to spend evenings networking. I do work productive full days (and most nights after kids bed) and make decisions about which events and trips are impactful and important for the business. It's important to me to be an engaged leader and parent and not sacrifice one for the other. Other parents out there? Would love to hear your tips on how you make it all happen.

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People are really sensitive about VC and most don't really know what it is. Recently, one of my IG reels took off and reached an incredible 163,000+ views! 🎉 Here are some key contrarian insights from this experience: 1. 📈I literally post what I want, so this was just a thought in my head. And as a result I was able to connect with other like-minded individuals. B-rolls are the 🔥 for engagement. 2. It can be stupid simple. This is just like 4 seconds, paired with trending audio and & tagged Manhattan, NYC. 3. 🏷️ Leverage relevant hashtags to increase your reach. Research and use popular hashtags in your niche just through AI (I used Claude). 4. I didn't respond to all the comments but it was amusing see how many people think I am still in VC and think I should just focus on investing (so much assuming). What strategies have worked well for your reels? Let me know in the comments below! 💬 #InstagramTips #ReelInsights #ContentCreation #SocialMediaMarketing

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Hardest thing for founders in AZ to understand is that “grinding” wont get you funded for your pre seed or seed. Relationships will. Bond with founders who have angel networks and people who know investors so you can ask for intros (and get to a point where they feel comfortable making them). How to get them comfortable? - grab dinner with them - go to concerts with them - do an activity with them AKA, experience a good time together. Only then will you unlock deeper conviction levels from them…

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Looking for the world's top creative talent NOW! Where's Toptal for creative people? Imagine this. You've got 10 seconds to capture someone’s attention online. Just 10 seconds! How do you make them stop scrolling and start engaging? At YOSO Media we believe that first impressions are everything, and we have a record of making ALL THE FIRST POSTS for our client profiles go viral. If somehow, we were not able to do that for a new client, the team is in shock and goes deep into WHY that didn't happen. In the process, we've learnt a lot about what NOT to do when trying to make a first impression on social media for leaders. Now, why am I telling you all this? We’re on the hunt for creative minds who can help us craft unforgettable & shareworthy social media moments. But first - feel free to do a ref check on the founders and the team. Ashish Sangle and I firmly believe that a ref check when deciding to work with someone full-time is a two-way street rather than one. Once you've done the above, you should apply if the following describes you perfectly: 🔸 You’re a storyteller – Your posts aren’t just words; they’re experiences. 🔸 You’re a visual wizard – A picture is worth a thousand words, and your images speak volumes. 🔸 You’re a trendsetter – You know what’s hot and what’s not, and you’re always ahead of the curve when it comes to Google trends. 🔸 You’re strategic – You don’t just post for the sake of posting; you have a game plan. Quality > Quantity ALWAYS. Here’s what we’re looking for: 📌 Position: Senior content writer (with good communication skills) & Creative Account Manager (2 positions open) Your Role: 🌐 Content Creation: Develop captivating posts, stories, and videos that make the first impression last. 📊 Analytics Savvy: Use data to refine your content and make it more engaging. 💡 Trend Hunter: Keep an eye on the latest social media trends and incorporate them into our strategy. 📝 Copywriting: Write copy that not only grabs attention but also drives action. Requirements: ✔️ Proven experience with social media content creation (2-3 years) ✔️ A portfolio showcasing your best work (attach it with your application) ✔️ Strong understanding of social media platforms and their algorithms ✔️ Ability to work/create quality content under pressure sometimes ✔️ Excellent command of English grammar ✔️ Creativity and originality Bonus Points If You: ✨ Have an entrepreneurial approach to things ✨ Have a background in personal branding ✨ Know your way around graphic design tools ✨ Are active on LinkedIn and other social media platforms ✨ Share a post or story on LinkedIn tagging YOSO Media, showcasing how you’d make a killer first impression. (Use hashtag #YOSOFirstImpression) Email your portfolio, CV and LinkedIn profile link to [email protected] if this sounds exciting to you. #JoinOurTeam #HiringCreativePeople

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I met with a founder who’s bootstrapped an impressive local newsletter media business that reaches millions of people per year and makes $5M/year of revenue. But, he was in rough shape due to recent changes in Instagram’s algorithm causing his traffic to plummet, and ad dollars have been harder to get since the good old ZIRP days. He wanted me to invest in his business and is raising some VC money to shake things up. We’re all guilty of this. We look at an industry, shake our heads and declare it "dreadful" - a lost cause, doomed to fail where time, effort and money go to die. But some of these “dreadful” businesses that most people try to avoid are the ones I’m honestly most excited about right now. The media business is a prime example of this. I was reminded of it the other day. And as the founder was explaining his challenges, he uttered the fatal words: "media is a dreadful business." That's when I had to stop him in his tracks. Here’s my point of view: If you build a media business, you own a rare resource: people's attention. Which attention you own is "your business." Monetize the right high-value audience, and you've got a beautiful business. And how you monetize that attention is also "your business." Monetize correctly through subscriptions, paid community instead of ad dollars, and suddenly you've got a high-margin, high-impact model. The status quo of media business is to find advertisers and optimize around impressions. But the most interesting way to monetize media is to build your own internet products (marketplaces, SaaS, communities) and optimize around monthly recurring revenue. The reality is the most dreadful businesses just need to be reoriented to be beautiful ones. New business model, new distribution channel, attach a creator to it. The truth is, there are no dreadful businesses - only dreadful “status quo” mindsets. When you approach an industry with curiosity, creativity, and an unwavering belief that there's beauty to be found, even in the most seemingly bleak of landscapes, that's when the magic happens. After all, some of the most beloved, profitable businesses in the world started out being called "dreadful." And these days we call those businesses cash machines. History is rich with examples of 'dreadful' industries reborn through innovation. Someone comes in and looks at it completely different. And it becomes a golden business. That fires me up.

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Finale: I’m the CMO of an eComm brand that’s done $28 million this year and is 100% DTC (no Amazon, retail, or wholesale). Here's some important context to finish this series: 1) This wasn't a sexy story (until now). We've all seen and heard of founders glorified by how much $$$ they raise from investors, the press coverage they receive, the buzz around the cap table, and the accolades they have gotten. We've all now also realized it isn't all what's its cracked up to be. THIS is a story about a woman who self funded her own business, bootstrapped it from the ground up, and many people have never heard of her as a result. And yet, her tenacity to own her own company and chart her own course, is precisely *why* we've been able to do things our own way and many times against the "best practices" out there. 2) It took time to scale. She started this business in 2009 (as a side hustle). It wouldn't be until 2016 when she went "all in" and quit her day job. 2018 was the first year this business crossed $1MM. 2019: $1.1MM 2020: $1.9MM *I met the founder in October 2020* From there, the trajectory is astonishing. 2021: $3.2MM 2022: $9.4MM 2023: $18.2MM 2024: $28MM (and counting) From October 2020 - October 2024:  $1.8MM to $28MM usd (1456% growth in 4 years) 3) In my first 8 months we: launched a new website, updated positioning and branding, replaced everyone on the entire team (except the COO/CFO)- and then I moved from NYC to Greece. Another founder might have totally freaked out, replaced me and given up on our strategy, and/or made my life miserable. Instead, this founder has: *come to Greece 2x in 2 years (!!!) *made me (and our entire team) better & stronger leaders *given all of us the space and freedom to do what we each do best In fact, this year I launched an e-learning platform to guide, coach, and mentor others who want to succeed at eCommerce, and she's been an incredible cheerleader. She's even the reason why I'm now sharing on LinkedIn. 4) We don't always hear stories of regular people who are doing extraordinary things. And we also often don't hear stories of people doing everything against the norm and standard convention. They don't often get recognized. And yet, these are the stories (in my opinion) that are the most remarkable ones of all. That show us that we CAN achieve incredible outcomes and create success on our terms. This was the purpose of this series. Each part was meant to highlight something about this business that is different from most of the stories we hear today about eCommerce and DTC. And, it is meant to share ONE real life case study of a business quietly flying under the radar and achieving incredible things. The collective effort of this team is something I could not be more proud of. Founder: Marnie Rabinovitch Consky (she/her) Brand: Thigh Society Online Markets: United States, Canada, Australia

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One of the biggest gut punches as a founder: Making incorrect product assumptions. You invest tons of time and energy into solving what you *think* is the right problem, only to realize that some of your key assumptions were wrong... It's a hard pill to swallow, especially in the early days when everything feels critical. But every founder experiences this at some point. One of the keys to minimizing these missteps? Relentless customer interaction. Conduct interviews, validate your assumptions, and ensure you're solving the *right* problems. At the end of the day, failure is part of the process. All successful startups build, fail, pivot, and rebuild until something sticks—and oftentimes the problem you set out to solve (and your initial solution) isn't the one that'll end up making you successful. Had we not pivoted in the early days with ProsperStack, we wouldn't have lived to tell the tale. But here we are, four years later — and it all started with a gut punch.

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Hiring a strong founding engineer is one of the hardest but most impactful decisions a startup makes. Three methods to find founding engineers I’ve seen work well on PeopleGPT: - Engineers at Seed / Series A companies - Former VC-backed CTOs or founders - Current founding engineers In each case, the searches filter for 1) background in a high-growth or venture-backed environment (powered by PeopleGPT's integrated funding data), and 2) significant IC experience. Do you have other strategies? Share in the comments below 👇

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At Deel, I prioritized working smart over working hard for my team. As a leader, my focus was on ensuring efficiency during work hours, not long hours. Any extended hours were meant for personal development, not organizational tasks. Remember, learning to be efficient in your work allows you to dedicate time to your own growth. #Efficiency #WorkSmart #PersonalDevelopment

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There's a new growth strategy on the block. And I'm dubbing it "The U-Haul Playbook." It's when a founder moves to where their target market lives. Not everyone can do this. Few should. But the real takeaway is in understanding why this matters. Customer discovery is the most important activity for a startup founder who is in pre-market phase, MVP phase, or seed stage. Spoiler alert: the importance never ends, but the tactics can change as you grow. I wrote a bit about this trend and how to think about customer discovery in my latest beehiiv for Five Four!

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One of the questions YC asks to founders in its selection process is to explain a time they hacked a system or process. They ask this because fastest growing companies find new ways to grow all the time, and stay ahead of the curve. Best founders don't follow the playbooks, because they understand that doing exactly what every other company is doing won't allow them to be better than the average. However, not following the playbook has the risk of not working, rejection, being called a fool, etc. -- Send this to any founder that is thinking outside the box! 🚀

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One of the questions YC asks to founders in its selection process is to explain a time they hacked a system or process. They ask this because fastest growing companies find new ways to grow all the time, and stay ahead of the curve. Best founders don't follow the playbooks, because they understand that doing exactly what every other company is doing won't allow them to be better than the average. However, not following the playbook has the risk of not working, rejection, being called a fool, etc. -- Send this to any founder that is thinking outside the box! 🚀

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Wonder to Acquire Grubhub for $650M – Transforming Food Delivery Marc Lore's Wonder is set to acquire Grubhub for $650M, taking food delivery to the next level. Here's what this means: ▪️ Wonder gains Grubhub’s 375,000 restaurants & 200,000 couriers ▪️ Grubhub restaurants will join Wonder’s platform, alongside Blue Apron meal kits ▪️ The deal includes $500M in senior notes and $150M in cash ▪️ $250M raised from investors to fuel further growth ▪️ Wonder now has a powerful, integrated model for delivery, pickup, and dine-in services The deal is expected to close by Q1 2025, marking the beginning of an exciting new era for Wonder as it becomes a major player in the food delivery space. #grubhub #wonder #acquisition #fooddelivery #investment #latest #trending #news #linkedinnews #business #entrepreneur

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Causal is my 1st company. Here's what I'd do differently as a 2nd-time founder: 1. Hire an EA on day 1 — founders shouldn't waste time doing scheduling 2. Spend 25% of my time at conferences — this is where commerce happens 3. Fly business class — self-explanatory What else?

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5 Reasons to Apply for the HubSpot For Startups "Million Dollar Pitch Competition": (Get funded by Hubspot & grow your biz w/ $1M and top experts) 1/ You want invaluable feedback - Present to top-tier judges - At INBOUND '24 - Advice to grow your startup 2/ You're seeking more funding - You've raised a seed round - & are ready for the next investment. - So you can continue growth. 3/ You want mentorship - Top talent from Hubspot, AWS, & VC firms. - All judging your pitch & giving advice. - An opportunity for mentorship. 4/ You want your SaaS biz to grow - Of course you want this! - And could you do it faster with Hubspot? - Chances are "Yes" so why not apply? 5/ You have a clear vision you're chasing - You're a startup founder w/ a mission. - To change the industry you're in. - Shake it up for the absolute better. --- The majority of startups never make it past Year 1. Bc they run out of money or lack the right guidance. HubSpot For Startups is here to help. Take 15 seconds -- register your interest here: https://lnkd.in/gSjnphr3 to get flown out to INBOUND '24 in Sep to present your startup & the potential of a $1M investment. Pretty sweet opportunity if you ask me. --- What you think? ♻️ REPOST & tag a founder friend in the comments. P.S. Have questions? DM me & I'll be glad to help. #milliondollarpitch #hubspotpartner

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There's a big misconception I need to clear up (and it's costing DTC brands). ❌ Package protection isn't an "added cost" ✅ Package protection is an added benefit Here are three arguments I see against package protection that feed this misconception: 1. "Isn't it just another fee for the customer?" Package protection is additional, keyword "additional" here. Fees are usually uncompromised and forced. Package protection is a choice, and unlike fees, there's a breakdown on "what" is being covered when the box is checked to add it. 2. "This is going to hurt my conversion rate." We've yet to have a brand tell us that adding package protection hurt their conversion rate. In fact, one brand saw a 9% increase in CVR after adding SavedBy Package Protection. It's been proven across ecommerce — customers aren't bothered by package protection, and most even see it as a value add (it is). 3. "We'll just protect our own packages." Enjoy the costs and time that goes into that. Every refund and replacement comes straight out of your bottom line. Service teams spend excessive time handling claims (which doesn't generate revenue). Meanwhile, you'll miss added revenue (from full price reorders), and we reduce customer service time spent on package issues by 93% on average. Package protection is offloading liability, giving your package claims process to a team that focuses on it all day, every day. It's a win for your customers and you. The best part? It's free for you. Doesn't sound like an "added cost" to me.

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