10+ Steps to Scaling Your Cheer Squad - Entrepreneurship 101
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The number one cause of startup death is premature scaling. In this session, we talk about the importance of customer validation and timing in your go-to-market strategy. The most effective growth strategy for your startup will depend on the market in which you operate and the stage of your business, and knowing which lever for growth you can pull. We’ll cover all this and more in Scaling Your Startup. Key topics: Growth strategy, calculating risk, accessing new markets
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10+ Steps to Scaling Your Cheer Squad - Entrepreneurship 101
- 1. ! ENT101! 10+ Steps To Scaling Your Cheer Squad!
- 2. Why To Sample?About Me! Marie Chevrier Founder @ Sampler ! • Started career in Marketing at JWT! • Worked as an EIR for Rocket Internet in New York City ! • Founded Sampler in October 2013! Twitter: @mariechevy @TheSamplerApp! Website: www.sampler.io! Email: marie@sampler.io! !
- 3. About Sampler! Digital product sampling management & analytics for CPG brands.! About Sampler!
- 4. Why To Sample?Who Should Be Part of Your Cheer Squad! ! • You! • Key Customers! • Employees! • Advisors! • Mentors! • Board Members! • Investors! !
- 5. Why To Sample?Step #1: It Starts With You! You can be your own worst enemy if you can’t effectively be both your most valuable cheerleader and your best critic.! ! Know thyself.! ! Do you believe in this idea enough to do anything necessary to make it happen? !
- 6. Why To Sample?Step #2: Go Get Market Validation! Ideas don’t pay the bills, but clients do!! ! Don’t be afraid to start selling pre-product. If you solve a real issue, clients will wait for you to build it.! ! ! ! !
- 7. Why To Sample?Step #3: Pick The Right Early Employees! • Your early employees will need to believe in the big picture even when things get tough. ! • First WHO then WHAT.! • “Good leaders are good at getting the right people on the bus and the wrong people off the bus”! - Jim Collins!
- 8. Why To Sample?Step #4: Get KICK ASS Advisors! • There’s no reason why you can’t work with the cream of the crop.! • People love being told they are awesome, don’t be shy to ask for help.! • Once you got them, it’s your job to make them valuable to you.! !
- 9. Why To Sample?Step #5: Be Part Of The Community! • Toronto is the best place to start a company.! • Get involved with the different networks at your disposal.! .! ! ! ! !
- 10. Why To Sample?Step #6: Showcase Your Wins! • Share easy to read case studies on your website ! ! • Give a $ incentive to companies who help you build case studies or bring referrals.! • Don’t be afraid to tastefully self-promote. You are a brand too!! !
- 11. Why To Sample?Step #7: Bring On Smart Money! ! ! ! ! • You will be working with that investor for a long time. Pick someone you get along with.! • Ask them what they’re really good at and make sure you exploit it.! • If you’re building a global company, think about investors that have ties into some of your key markets.! • Treat it like a job interview. Ask for recommendations from other founders.!
- 12. Why To Sample?Step #8: Invest In Personal Growth! • For both you and your employees.! • The right person is as interested in furthering their own career as they are interested in building your business.! • Make sure you have regular check- ins, learning opportunities and performance reviews.! ! !
- 13. Why To Sample?Step #9: Remember Proper Etiquette! ! ! ! ! • Remind people where/how you met.! ! • Be timely with your responses.! • Give the person the proper tools to facilitate intros when asking for them.! • Be likeable but don’t be too friendly.! • Send meeting invites to help manage that person’s schedule.!
- 14. Why To Sample?Step #10: Pay It Forward! ! ! ! ! • As soon as you can, start mentoring start-ups that are a year or so before you.! • Try the year ahead & year behind concept to remind yourself of lessons learned.! ! • Meet with everyone at least once. You’ve got nothing to lose!! !
- 15. Why To Sample?Step #11: (Bonus): Send Constant Signals! ! ! ! ! • People invest in lines NOT dots. ! –Mark Suster! • Signals can be: being featured in press, in a competition or even a job post.! • Tell your cheer squad what you plan to have achieved by the next time you see them.!