Lenny Rachitsky’s Post

Eli Schwartz is a leading SEO advisor and has helped industry giants like Zapier, Tinder, Coinbase, Quora, LinkedIn, and WordPress craft their SEO strategies. He's also the author of Product-Led SEO: The Why Behind Building Your Organic Growth Strategy. In our conversation, Eli shares: - How AI and LLMs are reshaping the SEO landscape - Why you should be focused on mid-funnel SEO strategies - How to determine if SEO is the right approach for your business - Why SEO should be treated as a product rather than just a marketing tactic - Common SEO myths - The future of search in light of recent legal challenges faced by Google - Much more Listen now 👇 - YouTube: https://lnkd.in/gwDWNpXX - Spotify: https://lnkd.in/gyZu2FKv - Apple: https://lnkd.in/g2B_wx_q Some key takeaways: 1. Contrary to popular belief, AI and large language models (LLMs) have transformed SEO, not rendered it obsolete. AI now dominates the start of the search process—top-of-funnel—but SEO remains vital in mid-funnel search, where users seek various options. 2. Common SEO myths to avoid: a. Assuming every business needs SEO b. Focusing solely on link-building c. Thinking Google is a black box d. Overemphasizing technical SEO for small websites 3. Consider alternative growth methods outside of SEO if: a. Market competition: In highly competitive markets (e.g. cloud services), traditional SEO may be less effective. Explore targeted ads, thought leadership, and partnerships. b. Low search volume: For industries with minimal search volume or complex conversion paths (e.g. B2B SaaS), other strategies might be better. 4. In the AI era, SEO is more like a product than a marketing tool, requiring deep understanding of user journeys for effectiveness. To guide your SEO efforts, collaborate with PMs and ask questions like “What does my user need?” and “What kind of experience should I create for them?” 5. The goal is to position your product in a way that fits the user’s self-discovery journey. Trying to shoehorn your product into search rankings won’t lead to long-term success. For example, most SaaS companies shouldn’t rely on traditional SEO because their customers’ decision-making process is longer and involves multiple stakeholders—and can’t be solved through a single search.

By popular demand, I've removed the paywall on this post. I want every founder to have all of the insider information they need to raise a great seed round, and I believe this is the most in-depth, tactical, and practical how-to guide out there. It includes templates to organize and model your raise, advice on whether you should raise at all, how to find and pick investors, and specific fundraising tips from Karri Saarinen (Linear), Dylan Field (Figma), Ivan Zhao (Notion), Mathilde Collin (Front), Jason Fried (37signals), Eric Glyman (Ramp), Christina Cacioppo (Vanta), Josh Miller (The Browser Company), Max Mullen (Instacart), Tomer London (Gusto), Siqi Chen (Runway), Qasar Younis (Applied Intuition), and Zachary Perret (Plaid). The guide is lovingly written by Terrence Rohan and Jack Altman 👏 Have at it 👇

Raising a seed round 101 1. How much should you raise? A simple formula is to aim for a 24- to 36-month runway, building in a 25% buffer. Why 24 to 36 months? Generally, this is the right amount of time because it tends to be about how long it takes to hit product-market fit (and ideally become default alive) and/or raise a series A. As one data point, Carta has the median time from seed to Series A as 23 months. You also probably want a 25% buffer because unexpected things always happen. Here’s a simple spreadsheet illustrating how to model this out: https://lnkd.in/gRBBdjsC 2. What do I need to prove to investors before I raise? Generally speaking, before you raise, you should have taken the following steps: - Proof of commitment: You have left your old job and are fully committed to being a founder. You can’t expect to raise capital if you aren’t yet fully committed yourself. - Proof of work: You have done enough customer development and research on the problem to give yourself total conviction in the opportunity. - Proof of insight: You have some expression of your thesis. At the most, you have built a simple product and have some paying customers. At the least, you have a clear written memo and/or deck that outlines what you plan to build (more on this below). 3. How do I maximize the odds of raising a great seed round? To maximize the odds of a successful raise, you need to choreograph your approach to maximize the number of potential options. Raising a seed round comes down to activating emotional triggers in prospective investors, including the fear of missing an incredible opportunity. The most surefire to get a yes from many investors is to get a yes from other investors. In short, you have to create FOMO among investors. Here’s how to do that: 1. Plan your raise You probably double the odds of success if you spend some time planning your raise. Carve out a two- to three-week window on your calendar to run your fundraise and speak to investors. Ideally, you want to speak to as many investors as possible in the shortest period of time. This compression of time creates the conditions for desire and scarcity, which can help prompt an investor to a yes. Here is a link to a sample timeline you can use to plan your raise: https://lnkd.in/gXdQsu5x ...I've hit the max characters, so for more including how to talk terms, find investors, know if your raise is going well, and whether you should raise at all—don't miss this week's full post by Terrence Rohan and Jack Altman: https://lnkd.in/gK3eM275

Fundraising is arguably the most high-stakes, confusing, and heartbreaking part of a founder’s job. You have to learn how to do it from scratch, stay positive in spite of incessant rejection, and if you don’t get it right, your company dies. Then you have to do it over and over and over again. Don’t get it right once? That’s right, your company dies. Considering how essential getting this right is for most founders, it surprised me that I’d never come across a great, in-depth, practical how-to guide on raising a seed round—especially one written by people who’ve been through it hundreds of times. So I pulled in two of my favorite co-investors, Terrence Rohan and Jack Altman (who've seen over 1,000 seed rounds), and they pulled in the founders of some of today’s most iconic companies including Dylan Field (Figma), Ivan Zhao (Notion), Karri Saarinen (Linear), Mathilde Collin (Front), Jason Fried (37signals), Eric Glyman (Ramp), Christina Cacioppo (Vanta), Josh Miller (The Browser Company), Max Mullen (Instacart), Tomer London (Gusto), Siqi Chen (Runway), Qasar Younis (Applied Intuition), and Zachary Perret (Plaid)—who collectively have raised nearly $9 billion in venture capital—to write the ultimate guide to raising your seed round. If you've ever wondered what a great seed round process looks like, this guide is for you: https://lnkd.in/gK3eM275 Massive props to Terrence and Jack for writing this incredible post.

PSA: Podcast ads are nearly sold out through March 2025. If you want to explore working together in the near future, ping me asap. Email podcast at lennyrachitsky.com.

Having trouble landing a job? Try slowing down and spending more time thinking about what you want and don't want, what you like and don't like. Just like when you're building a new product, you win by starting with a clear narrow focus. It'll help people think of you when they see an opportunity, and it'll help you focus your energy on the roles and companies that are truly a fit. Advice from the great phyl terry. Full conversation here: https://lnkd.in/gsNTtN9m

Learn: 1. What PMs do that most annoys engineers 2. Why major rewrites are almost always a trap 3. How to organize and best work with platform teams 4. What most surprises IC's once they become managers 5. Why you should consider having fewer 1:1's ...and much more Camille Fournier is the author of The Manager’s Path, which many consider the definitive guide for navigating one’s career path in tech. Camille was previously the CTO of Rent The Runway, VP of Technology at Goldman Sachs, Head of Platform Engineering at Two Sigma, and Global Head of Engineering and Architecture at JPMorganChase. She is about to release new newest book, Platform Engineering: A Guide for Technical, Product, and People Leaders. Listen now 👇 - YouTube: https://lnkd.in/gChnZGNr - Spotify: https://lnkd.in/g3nU8bJU - Apple: https://lnkd.in/gPcpwm_G Some key takeaways: 1. PMs can avoid annoying engineers by: a. Ensuring that engineers receive recognition for their contributions: Publicly recognize and credit engineers for their contributions to product successes. Go beyond just thanking them; let them take the lead in presenting their work and achievements. b. Understanding and caring about technical details: Take time to learn about the technical aspects of projects. Even a basic understanding shows respect for the complexity of the work and helps facilitate better communication and decision-making. c. Avoiding playing “telephone” between engineers and stakeholders: If you find yourself acting as a middleman too frequently, consider connecting engineers directly with relevant stakeholders. This reduces the risk of miscommunication and ensures that technical concerns and insights are addressed in real time. d. Including engineers in ideation and creative processes: Actively involve engineers in brainstorming sessions and planning stages. Encourage them to share their ideas and feedback early on to foster a collaborative environment and keep them engaged in the product development process. 2. Engineers often feel tempted to propose large-scale rewrites when frustrated by outdated, complex systems. However, rewriting the internal system can be deceptively complex, requiring substantial time and resources to migrate data and potentially delaying other crucial work. Before deciding to rebuild, consider whether the issue affects everyone or just engineers. Legacy systems, despite their flaws, often have significant functionality and thoughtful design built over time and have been adapted to handle various situations. 3. If you’re considering transitioning from engineering to management, aim to gain substantial technical expertise first. Spending around 10 years or having significant hands-on experience in your technical field can help you maintain credibility and confidence in your technical skills.

How Tomer Cohen shifted LinkedIn's product culture to think AI-first

If you're struggling to find a job, or unhappy in your current one, today's episode is for you. phyl terry is the author of Never Search Alone—a book that countless people in my newsletter community credit most for helping them find a job they love. Phyl pioneered the concept of "job search councils", and runs a free global community for job seekers. Phyl is also the founder and CEO of Collaborative Gain, which 20 years ago pioneered bringing councils to senior product leaders and GMs in Silicon Valley. Prior to this, Phyl was on the founding team of the first company Amazon acquired back in the ’90s and then was CEO of pioneering product consulting firm Creative Good, working with companies like Apple, Facebook, and Microsoft. In our conversation, Phyl shares: 🔸 Why you should never search for a job alone 🔸 How to determine your “candidate-market fit” 🔸 How to negotiate job offers 🔸 Why you need to conduct a listening tour 🔸 Tactics for effective networking and interviewing 🔸 The art of asking for help 🔸 Much more Listen now 👇 - YouTube: https://lnkd.in/gTzvKeZc - Spotify: https://lnkd.in/gU2QugBn - Apple: https://lnkd.in/gHuTwgHU Some key takeaways: 1. If you’re job hunting, consider joining a job council—a support group of six to eight people also seeking employment. These councils, organized by Phyl, provide a space where members can share experiences, offer encouragement, and hold each other accountable throughout the job process. By joining, you’ll replace fear with hope, motivation, and a stronger sense of purpose. 2. Just as product people seek product-market fit, you should aim for candidate-market fit in your job search. Instead of applying everywhere, focus on roles that align with your strengths and the current job market. You can’t be everything to everyone—understand the market, identify your unique value, and target opportunities where you can excel. In job hunting, you need a spear, not a net! 3. Once you’ve received an offer, you’ll enter the negotiation phase, where many hesitate to ask for what they truly want. Before discussing salary, talk to the hiring manager about key priorities, such as addressing potential tech debt or other critical areas. Ensure that the company is committed to setting you up for success, whether through training your future team, mentorship, or professional development. While this conversation may seem bold, it shows you understand the role’s requirements. If the company is not receptive, consider it a red flag. Approach the negotiation collaboratively, using phrases like “Here’s how I see it” and “Does this make sense to you?” This fosters a collaborative conversation focused on ensuring your upcoming success from day one with the company.