Giovanni Canepa’s Post

Sunday Reflections ☀️ Sundays have a unique rhythm, don’t they? A day to reset, plan, and recharge. It’s also a day to think about the "why" behind what I do. In the fast-paced world of sales and business development, getting caught up in targets, pitches, and KPIs is easy. But I’ve realized that the most fulfilling part of my work isn’t just closing deals—it’s the impact we create for our clients. From helping startups scale faster to enabling established companies to solve complex problems, every project has a story. And in every story, there’s a lesson. What’s one project or achievement you’re most proud of, and why? Wishing you all a productive and meaningful week ahead! 🚀✨ #SundayThoughts #BusinessDevelopment #SalesManagerLife #ReflectAndRecharge

I just had to share with you a mind-blowing (to me) experience I had yesterday. 😍 I met a fascinating entrepreneur, the founder of a startup that helps users navigate existing websites for a better customer experience. He's a seasoned player – he's overcome challenges, achieved success, and now he's pouring his heart into his current project. 💪 👏 Our conversation started with the usual pleasantries: "How's it going ❓ " His response was electric! "Fantastic, I'm on the verge of closing an incredible deal ❗ " His enthusiasm, energy, and sheer drive to reach his full potential were contagious. I couldn't help but ask, "That sounds amazing! What's the deal about?" He chuckled and replied, "What do you mean? I'm always on the cusp of my next big deal!" His words sparked a shift in my perspective. It was a powerful reminder that a positive mindset is crucial. It's not just about waiting for the next opportunity, it's about actively pursuing it – a constant state of mind that fuels your actions and keeps you motivated. 🚀 Since then, his answer has stuck with me. It's made me think deeply about what I want to achieve with my next deal and what steps I need to take to get there. So, I ask you: how far are you from your next deal❓ What are you doing now to get closer to it❓

No one has it figured out Funny observation I’ve had after working for the top B2B founders and CEOs in their fields - Everyone’s faced imposter syndrome at some point - Everyone goes through seasons of self doubt - Everyone’s screwed up more than 100 times - Everyone’s procrastinated over some irrational fear - Everyone’s had some weird anxiety - Everyone’s felt needlessly nervous But, the difference? People at the top of their game take action in SPITE of all this. And I can vouch for this. After working in multiple sectors & bootstrapped business alongside top performers. The only common resource I saw that made a difference was… Not experience Not certificates Not contacts Not money It’s simply action. Actions that are directionally correct That are continually iterated on Then compounded over time In spite of the obstacles Both internal AND external That’s what makes the difference in the end. Success doesn’t care about what you are feeling. It cares about what you do.

Be Deliberately Emergent – It’s a #GoFarther Friday A year ago, I was spent. While the funding slowdown impacted the business, my fatigue was really what was holding us back. Revenue lagged, and my energy was worse. 😳 For nine years, I spent every day, every week, every month, every year focused on building, growing and improving our Startup Selling Coaching Program. 🏃♂️ Relentless Forward Progress. That’s my mantra. ⛰ Karan Jain and NayaOne were one of our coaching clients, and over the summer, he asked me – “How do we get more Scott?” I laughed it off, and told him that I had a job with my business, that I was focused on running SalesQualia.  He persisted, so we set up custom engagement in which I was working with the team daily, listening to sales calls, running standups and pipeline reviews through the end of year. I kind of liked it – getting back into the day-to-day of leading a sales team and working on gnarly sales opps with the biggest banks & FIs in the world. 🙀 In fact, I had FOMO that all I could do was coach and review, not jump on the calls, run discovery, and lead the demos. In December, he asked me again – “How do we get more Scott?” I had a choice – I could keep to my deliberate strategy I set nearly a decade ago – focus on the coaching business. Find more ways to grow and scale it. Avoid work travel. Play it safe. Or I could look at the opportunity to be emergent, to deviate from my plan. I had to admit to myself and my wife, and to Karan, that I was having fun.  The team was stellar. The product was even better.  The size of the market opportunity was enormous, and damn, it would be fun to start over like the early days at Blend Labs back in 2013 and grow the company to become the industry standard. 🔥 Now taking in a primary role there, leading the GTM team, opening up the US market, and working as part of a superstar team every day has given me energy and enthusiasm again. 🔥 Yes, have a plan. Focus. Find a routine. Do the work.  But every once in a while, it’s worth listening to that little voice that tells you that maybe, just maybe, this new opportunity is worth taking. I’m glad I did. I even had my first Colin this week in London when the team sang Happy Birthday. 🎂 Check out this week’s podcast –: “Be Deliberately Emergent: https://lnkd.in/gyj7hVre Do More. Be Happy. Surprise Yourself. Go Farther. ----- Liking these posts? 1. 👇 Please like & comment below.👇 2. Follow the show on your podcast app. 3. Tell a friend (or 🔟 ...) #leadership #motivation

It’s wild to think that 4 years ago I was unhappy in tech sales Struggling to stay motivated in toxic work environments Burnt out selling at grow-at-all-costs startups Led by execs who cared only about themselves And CONVINCED that I just needed a little more money Before I’d feel fulfilled & happy. And now I’m: → Growing my own business → Figuring it out as I go → Doing what I love I work to live up to my own version of success every day (this isn’t always easy btw) I stopped trying to do things “the right way” I stopped checking all the boxes. I started listening to my gut. The biggest mistake I see men making is choosing to live a life someone ELSE says will make them happy… Over choosing what actually makes them happy. Life’s too short to play it small. Bet on yourself. If you could do anything for a living, what would you do? 🖤 PS If you want to create confidence, freedom, & clarity in your life, shoot me a DM.

I can't believe I'm saying this, but I share it with a heavy heart that Much will be closing its doors after two and a half years of operation. As a first-time founder, this journey has been one of the most challenging, stressful, equally fulfilling, and growth-filled experiences I've ever undertaken. This decision was not made lightly. The thought of saying goodbye to our valued customers is painful, but ultimately, this is the best decision for our customers and the company. While many best practices and tips are available, there is no definitive playbook for navigating the complexities of a startup. Whether you're experiencing hyper-growth or deciding to sunset a company, each stage comes with a unique set of challenges. Founders are constantly faced with doing hard things daily, including knowing when to push forward, pivot, or shutdown. Ultimately, I realized that achieving product-market fit with our available runway in our market made it difficult for our model to sustain long-term healthy unit economics. I am deeply thankful to everyone who has supported me and Much over the past few years. A post naming each individual would exceed LinkedIn's character limit, but I am truly thankful for your unwavering belief in our vision through both our challenges and successes. I want to extend a heartfelt thanks to the team that made Much possible: Brian Alderman, Peter Hoang, Gissel Diaz, Jeremy Rogers, and Melissa Schenk. It was an honor to work with and learn from each of you. Much would not have reached this point without your dedication and hard work. Thank you. To my fellow founders who are currently in a season of overwhelm, anxiety, and stress, remember that no one truly has all the answers; we are all figuring it out as we go. I see you. Please take care of your mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual health because this journey is a marathon, not a sprint. Each and every milestone brings new challenges. Take the rest you need, fill your cup so you can sustainably fill your company's cup, and be honest with yourself when it comes to doing the hard things. With that said, I am embarking on a new chapter and am now seeking Product Manager roles where I can apply the valuable experience I gained over the past 2.5 years of running Much. Onward!

The day I left limbo..👇 I'd been ready to move to the next level for ages but no matter what I tried to do, I ended up bouncing around the same level and I was working more than ever. I had started my online coaching business to gain back time but in truth, I'd just created a version of my old job. If this resonates listen up 💥 When we're starting out we do what we've got to do to make our mark. We're often left with Itty bitty offers, branding and messaging that still speaks to the client we served when starting. Yet, we're aiming higher. And we're in pushing energy not pulling. 😵💫 If you're finding yourself with a lucky dip of clients that have different needs, which is too common.. It's time to uplevel your audience. Release with love the clients that you're no longer available for. Next up is to become a category of one. Yes, 30k months are a real possibility - ask me how I know 🫡but you've got to become an authority and stamp your brand on one succinct slice of the pie. Then you've got to speak to this client and understand them more intimately than you know your partner 😉 💥The day I divorced myself energetically from Startups was the day my life became a mirror of what my vision was.⚡ I'll serve startups still but not in close proximity and in terms of digital products but my energy exchanges with those in accelerated growth stages preparing for scale - those coaches wanting a simple business that's positioned exquisitely ready to serve next level clients on repeat. Those with 30k + months on their mind. If this is your current reality ask me for my ten minute training on getting clear on what will serve you best in terms of your business , brand and being on the way to 30k. Interact below and I'll whizz you over the details. It's clear, concise and on point - exactly as you should be at this stage as you rise ⚡ #clarity #mavericks #growth #leadership #BusinessNews

"Yes, but I don't think of myself as a high-achiever..." Meet Sarah. "You know, I thought by entering academia, I had taken the moral high ground. I thought I’d dodged the Silicon Valley sprint of startups, Teslas, and Ivy-bound offspring. I was living a less intense version of the rat race compared to everyone else. But when you talk about high achievers, I would resonate with every single word of all your posts, except for seeing myself as that label. " Here's the twist. Even if you're 'rat race adjacent,' the stress is inescapable. You might be moving at a different pace or redefining what success means to you, yet the pursuit continues. And the high-achiever's trap? It's the relentless comparison and self-doubt. It's time to address the cortisol floods. Healing, therapy, or coaching can't be effective if your nervous system is always on high alert. Curious to know more? I'm opening up a few one-on-one slots for us to have a free 15-minute conversation. Send me a direct message, and let's connect.

3 traits of high performers: Chances are you're a high performer in your niche, either as a solopreneur, or working in an organization. But you can go higher. Inspired by today's newsletter from Sean Kelly (he's got great advice, plus he's an L.A. entrepreneur, so part of the Silicon Beach ecosystem where I started my first non-law related entrepreneurial venture), here are three traits of high performing founders (I see them as transferable lessons for anyone who wants to up their game). I distilled my top 3 from his list of 20, which resonated most with my philosophies: 1. Prioritize physical and mental health as #1. Why does this resonate with me? Because lawyers do just the opposite. They sacrifice way too much time, mental bandwidth, and stress on their cases and clients. I've seen lawyers get addicted, encounter tragic health conditions like heart attacks or strokes, or massively burn out. As Sean says, "What good is it to make tons of money only to die early?" 2. Understand that life is just a game and act like you're living in a simulation. As Sean says, "You don’t get mad when you play a video game and something attacks you. You just fight back. Do the same in life." Let's dive deeper here: there's a lot of good literature on approaching smaller ventures like a video game. In fact, Jann Mardenborough, a British racing driver, transitioned from being a video game player to a professional race car driver. He rose to fame after winning the GT Academy in 2011, a competition that allowed players of the racing video game Gran Turismo to compete for a chance to become real-life racing drivers. In short, he mastered a real-world set of skills from video game simulation. 3. They don’t care about what others think. I preach this all the time.  You need to learn not to give two sh*ts about what others think. Once you adopt this mindset, life becomes infinitely easier. That's it for this week... next post drops Monday. ♻️ Share this with your network. Follow me, James Kamanski, for more insights on personal growth and self-development, and have a great weekend! Join my Tuesday newsletter, Essential Frameworks, where I dive deeper into insights.

This week, I turned down a job offer. Why? Because I'm done settling! I know my worth and the kind of environment where I thrive best. Despite the challenges we face, I refuse to compromise on my dreams or values - that's non-negotiable. So here's the deal: I'm on a mission to connect. I want to meet with as many industry professionals as possible over coffee. Let's talk strategy, let's talk sales, let's talk about making a real impact in energy, climatech, automotive, electromechanics or any other impact startup ventures. Oh, and if you need a little extra incentive, how about this: I've got some killer swimming tips to share during our coffee break. Yep, swimming is definitely my forte, and I'm here to help you dive into success, both in and out of the water. So, if you're ready to make waves in the industry, let's chat over coffee! ☕️✨