Unusual Ventures’ Post

I chatted with Mia Murphy, co-founder and CRO at Tontine, and she has a story to tell about the #sales journey in the #startup world! Mia went from being an #SDR to co-founding Tontine, navigating through common hurdles startups face in sales. The real kicker? The outsourcing dilemma. It's tempting, especially when budgets are tight, but Mia's early experiences show it's a bit of a double-edged sword. Sure, it can temporarily relieve, but it risks severing founders' vital connection with their product's sales narrative. This conversation reaffirmed something I've long believed: Sales isn't just a part of the startup journey; it's the lifeline. It's not about having the bandwidth; it's about making it the heart of your business's growth. Mia's story perfectly illustrates the shift from fear to mastery in sales, showcasing the incredible growth that comes from genuinely embracing and internalizing your #SalesProcess. For all you founders out there, let Mia's journey inspire you. Understand your sales, own it, and watch your startup grow. Listen to the full #podcast episode here: https://hubs.ly/Q02lYPg80

"You already have a great team. You already know the market. You have everything you need. Trust it, make a choice, and go." This week our General Partner, Krista Morgan, shared game-changing insights on the Practical Founders Podcast, debunking the "growth at all costs" myth in SaaS. Drawing from her wealth of experience, Krista unveiled a pragmatic approach to building sustainable, profitable tech companies that challenges conventional startup wisdom. Key takeaways from the episode: • Why rapid growth fueled by VC funding isn't always the answer • Current trends in M&A for practical SaaS companies • The benefits of acquisition-based growth vs. organic growth • Strategies for approaching potential future acquirers We're committed to providing alternative growth paths for venture-funded SaaS companies. Learn how we're reshaping the tech landscape by listening to Krista's full interview: https://lnkd.in/gSfs9Ra9 #SaaS #TechStartups #VentureCapital #PracticalGrowth

💡 Unlearn Episode 24 is out! "The closer you can be to the product, technology, and the actual user experience, the better the results you're going to have." - Bob Rosin, General Partner at defy.vc. Do you agree? 🤔 In this episode, Bob chats with hosts Asher Mathew and Kelly Sarabyn about the various partnership types for startups, the evolving role of the Chief Business Officer, and the role of partnership leaders in driving growth for their companies. 📈 Partnership professionals and executives in the startup space will get tremendous value from this conversation with Bob, who has worked in leadership roles at companies like Sony, LinkedIn, and Stripe! Check out the full episode today. More details in the comments.

If you're a founder of a growing startup and you’re ready to pass the sales baton, this is for you. My guest on this week’s podcast is Alex Kottoor , the Founder & CEO of Dena Growth. — 20+ years experience driving revenue in tech — Led sales organizations at seed-stage startups & global enterprises — Has a stack of successful exits under his belt Now he’s on a mission to help other founders accelerate their success. On this week's How to Unf** Your Startup, Alex had some advice on making that first sales hire. → Forget titles and resumes → Find someone with immense pain tolerance → Look for the self-starters who can do sh** on their own Taking that baton from the founder and running with it takes a special kind of person. They have to be able to power through the inevitable growing pains and setbacks. So if you're ready to take your startup to the next level, tune in to this week’s full episode. Alex surely has some advice for you that will come in handy down the road. — What qualities do you look for in a sales leader when handing off the reins? Tune in to this week's episode with Alex to soak up all of his knowledge, coming this Wednesday.

I like to finish my work week learning, and I’m glad I came across this insightful episode from The Product Market Fit Show. It orbits around the importance of being a #must vs a nice-to-have. It also elaborates on why luck / timing, customer readiness (sometimes is not the best to be the first to hit the market) and relevance, are key success factors. Many learnings to capture from this conversation. Thanks for sharing your story David! Fun phrase / fact: “more than half of exits are wind downs” #startup #productmarketfit

Loved this one. Will never forget dinner with Kiana Pirouz & Stephanie Nadi Olson from We Are Rosie in NYC. It was the early days for Rosie, and I loved what Stephanie was building and how Kiana was presenting it to the world. Definitely spend a few minutes listening to Kiana talk about her approach and the impact it had on the company on this week's The StartUp Marketer's SUM Disruptors Podcast! 🐙 🎙 #startup #marketing #marketer #disruptor

Is innovation easier in a startup or a corporate setting? As discussed in the latest episode of The Strategy Gap Podcast, startups thrive on agility and risk-taking, while large corporations often find it challenging to innovate due to misaligned incentives and the pressure of quarterly earnings. Startups empower their teams to wear multiple hats and take bold steps, but within larger organizations, promoting new ideas can be daunting. Corporates need to foster an entrepreneurial spirit to let fresh ideas flourish. Tune into the latest episode of The Strategy Gap with Abhay Jain, Vice President, Strategy and Business Development at A+E Networks, and gain insights on navigating complex business climates with confidence and creativity. #InnovationMindset #StartupCulture #CorporateGrowth #TheStrategyGap

“Can they overcome obstacles? Are they demonstrating the skill set of a great leader?... We're probably not going to look at a founder who doesn't want our help, because we really want to be shoulder to shoulder with that founder from the get-go, helping them with hiring, helping them get customer validation before they just assume that they've solved everything…” Last time on #DiffuseTap, Jennifer Byrne, General Partner at Grit Capital Partners, talked to us about the need for underdog founders, what Grit looks for in the startups they invest in, and how important word of mouth is in the VC space. Listen to the full podcast or download the event transcript: https://buff.ly/3QeVoWC #trendspotting #unicornstartups #disruptivetech #earlystageinvesting Ayla Kremb

🎧 LISTEN ALERT! This week on the SUM Disruptors Podcast, we’re joined by creative growth strategist Kiana Pirouz! From industry giants like Google to scrappy, high-growth startups like We Are Rosie, Kiana’s shares her unique journey. Discover how she transformed a bootstrapped startup from unknown to industry darling—leading up to a major acquisition! In this episode, Kiana talks about the unique challenges and rewards of startup marketing, why she left a job she loved, and the importance of galvanizing both your team and customer base 💡 Her advice for startup marketers? Be bold, be messy, embrace experimentation, and don’t let the art of marketing get lost in the science. Listen now 👉 https://lnkd.in/eEFYkWq4 #OrganicSocial #StartupMarketing #CommunityMarketing #SpicyMarketing Mack McKelvey Heidi Keele 🦁 

Listen in on this live interview of Jess Bellomo, Arch Grants Competition Director on the podcast "Lion's Den with Seth" as we discuss the Startup Competition and how Arch Grants supports startup founders.