Traba’s Post

More companies fail due to a lack of market fit than a bad product. Remember when a great product was all you needed? Those days are gone. Funding has been tight for the past few years now, and investors demand traction. So, how do you get that traction? A GTM team. But building one is tough – agencies are expensive, hiring is a gamble, and can take a lot of time to nail. And you don't want B or C players, you want the best of the best, especially in the early stages when the impact of one employee on the overall comp is so big. That's why we created Expnd – GTM accelerator without breaking the bank.

If you are wondering why am I doing this? We’re not just launching an event - we’re building a movement. Recruitment is evolving, and the traditional conferences aren’t keeping up. That’s why Hari Krishna M, John Mark, Ashish Kumar Sahoo 👋 and I decided to launch FiesTA 2025 as Co-Founders - because recruitment deserves something bigger, sharper, and more impactful. We also got Sai Prasad as our advisor BTW. This isn’t another logo fest obsessed with footfall. We’re bringing together just 300 of the most forward-thinking leaders, doers, thinkers in recruitment. We’ve stripped away the fluff and replaced it with hard-hitting, actionable insights that will shape how we recruit for the next decade. Imagine being in a room with industry pioneers, global thought leaders, and innovators who are actually doing the work - solving the biggest challenges in talent acquisition today. No "big picture" jargon, no endless presentations - just real strategies you can take back to your team and use the very next day. And that’s just the beginning. Location? We’ll be dropping that soon. Speakers? You won’t want to miss the lineup we have in store. This isn’t just another event - it’s all about Recruitment 3.0 If you’re serious about making real moves in talent acquisition, visit recfiesta.com to get a preview of what’s coming. For sponsors, there’s ONE slot per category - grab it before it’s gone Sponsor Form (https://lnkd.in/g85GwNjm) The future of recruitment isn’t waiting - are you in? #recruiting #recruiting #recruiters #hiring #talentacquisition #hiring #leaders #taleaders #event #linkedin #startup #founders #founder

Did you know Product Managers top the list of in-demand roles for tech startups this year? Our survey among Founders, CEOs, and Product Leaders in North America reveals that the most sought-after role in 2024 is none other than Product Managers! An overwhelming 77% of leaders planning to hire this year anticipate a significant demand for them. Ready to uncover insights shaping the future of product hiring? Download our survey now! #ProductHiring #ProductRecruiter #HiringMarket #2024trends

I once made a really bad mistake sticking around in a company... Joined to launch and scale GTM outside of the native market. Interview process went well. Founders were smart. Metrics were really impressive. VCs were on point. When I joined there were immediate red flags from day 1. 🚩 Elements of the culture that really didn't sit well with me. 🚩 Transparency was limited. 🚩 Collaboration & openness to be challenged was non existent. 🚩 There were no "cold customers" (it turned out almost all customers had been tapped from the founder's network. PMF, that the founder believed had been achieved already, most definitely had not.) 🚩 Thus expectation of what could be delivered cold in brand new territories was not realistic. I'm motivated by challenge so took it on and stuck it out. (I was also worried about how it might look for me if I quit so soon after joining.) It was the wrong move. Over time little things that I dealt with in the early days became more and more annoying. I became demotivated and lost my drive (which hadn't really happened before or since.) I've been lucky to meet some world class candidates across GTM at RAMPD. Many have had great experiences. Many have had bad ones too. They've gone on to get great jobs and progress their careers. The moral of the story: You can do a tonne of due diligence on a company and still be hit with surprises once you're in. Be sure to check (as well as the typical stuff): 💭 With your network - get references on the leadership/team. 💭 Their customer base - where did they come from/how were they acquired. 💭 Speak to the wider team - get non-founder opinion on company culture/strategy/leadership. And don't fear getting out of a bad environment early. #sales #hiring #interviewing #saas

Aligning Sales and Marketing - Critical for success In startups, aligning sales and marketing is essential for success. Both teams often believe they understand each other’s roles better, leading to criticism instead of collaboration. This misalignment can be attributed to management’s failure to hire individuals who recognize their limits and are willing to cooperate across teams. For startups, with their limited resources, it’s even more crucial that sales and marketing work together to maximize their contributions to the company’s strategy and growth. The synergy between these teams can be compared to the cooperation required among NASA teams to ensure the safe return of Apollo 13 astronauts. Sales is challenging and carries the burden of quotas, but with marketing’s support, the journey can be less frustrating and more successful. It’s not about performing miracles; it’s about fostering a collaborative environment where sales and marketing help each other thrive. Take the leap and join us on this journey! Embrace the opportunity to drive growth, foster innovation, and be part of a team that values collaboration and success. Don’t wait for change—be the change. Act now and let’s achieve greatness together. Are you ready to make a difference? Get in touch today! Book here https://lnkd.in/emMjKSt5 I'm Andy I'm your fractional chief sales and marketing officer I'll unlock your business potential I'm your trusted partner #Sales #marketing #alignment #andyhamer

Last night, I wrapped up a month-long enablement program for our APJ/I revenue teams. Think caffeine IVs, double dinners, and late-night workouts to mentally prepare. But seeing the results? Priceless.   It got me thinking about purpose. Our why. What gets us going each and every day For me its a combination of a few factors: -Connecting with global teams: Building trust and credibility across borders is incredibly rewarding. 🤝 -Forming new partnerships: Who doesn't love collaborating with awesome people, in multiple departments, who all share a common goal. 🥇 -Witnessing growth: Seeing teams develop their skills and confidence is pure magic. 😍 -Creating safe spaces: Fostering environments where everyone feels comfortable learning and thriving is key. 💡 But the biggest motivator? Hearing the shift in conversations. Seeing them approach prep differently, truly understand their buyers... THAT'S what makes it all worthwhile. 🎯   So, what's YOUR why? What gets you fired up at work? 🔥 🔥

🌟 The Importance of Your First Go-To-Market Hire 🌟 I've seen first-hand the importance of getting your founding team right. This pivotal role sets the foundation for your sales, marketing, and customer success strategies, ultimately driving your company’s growth and success. Here’s why your first GTM hire is so crucial: 1. Strategic Vision and Execution: Your first GTM hire will help shape and execute the go-to-market strategy. They will identify key market opportunities, develop effective sales and marketing tactics, and ensure your product reaches the right audience. 2. Building the Right Team: This hire will play a key role in building out the GTM team, ensuring you have the right talent in place to drive growth. Their leadership and vision will attract top-tier talent and foster a high-performing, cohesive team. 3. Driving Early Revenue: An experienced GTM professional knows how to generate early revenue, which is critical for a startup’s sustainability and growth. They will implement effective sales processes, nurture leads, and close deals efficiently. 4. Establishing Customer Relationships: Your first GTM hire will prioritize building strong, lasting relationships with customers. They will ensure customer success and satisfaction, leading to retention, referrals, and a solid reputation in the market. 5. Adapting and Scaling: In the dynamic startup environment, adaptability is key. Your first GTM hire will be able to pivot strategies as needed and scale operations to meet growing demands. Their experience will guide your startup through various stages of growth. There's probably a lot more but that's all for now! Anything you would add to the list? #GTM #GoToMarket #Startup #Hiring #Leadership #Growth #Sales #Marketing #CustomerSuccess

Three years ago, I made the best career decision of my life - I joined a 20-person startup as an intern. Fresh out of an economics program, I was stepping into a completely new world: Sales. And not just any sales—selling a B2B SaaS product. The funny part? I didn’t even know what SaaS stood for or what a CRM was. 😂 I had no background in tech, no experience in software, and this was my first full-time role. By the time I left, my journey had taken me through a range of experiences that most people spend years trying to get — became a top SDR within months, led a customer acquisition campaign, built the brand from scratch to break into the US market, hosted weekly LinkedIn Lives, set up an influencer marketing program, organized in-person events, curated 200+ B2B content pieces, and developed marketing collateral like pitch and sales decks. 🚀 These were all things I never imagined myself doing, but that’s the magic of working in a small startup: you wear multiple hats, and each one teaches you something new. What made this experience even more invaluable was the proximity to the founders. ✨ I was in a constant state of motivation—seeing their drive, vision, and commitment pushed me to work harder and think bigger than I ever had before. ✨ In a lean team, I had no choice but to be resourceful and demonstrate a high level of ownership. ✨ This environment also gave me rare insights into tech, product thinking, and business decision-making. ✨ And here’s another often-overlooked benefit: founders usually have great connections. If you’re great at what you do, they’ll gladly introduce you to their network. These introductions can be career-changing. When you’re in a small team, you get a front-row seat to the challenges and triumphs of building something from the ground up. The speed & tenacity at which one learns and grows in a startup environment is unparalleled. You won’t find that level of exposure or responsibility anywhere else. And I will always be grateful to Srikrishna Swaminathan to have trusted me with every role I wanted to try out at Factors.ai. 🙏 Those three years were a transformative experience that shaped who I am today. It taught me to embrace challenges, learn continuously, and most importantly, to always bet on myself.

#Hiring and building product teams in early-stage startups is no walk in the park. As a Product Lead, how do you handle it? 💭 Do you: 📌 Use an executive search firm on a success-based fee or retainer? 📌 Rely on direct applications or internal referrals? 📌 Actively source via your internal recruitment teams? Top strategies driven by our portfolio's Product Leads themselves: 📎 Regular talent mapping sessions to get to know great people in the field 📎 Leveraging personal networks for intros to top talent   Creative networking tips: ✏️ Engage top talent directly about joining your team 🍽️ Host informal lunches to meet potential hires 📱 Reach out to customers for recommendations on exceptional talent What strategies have you found most effective for building product dream teams? #StartupLife #ProductManagement #Hiring #Recruitment #Leadership #Networking Lukas Klinser Mislav Ilich Tobias Düser Josefine Fuhrmann Care Rivers-Uy Yury Oleynik Hussam Shehab Nils Sommer Julian Madrzak Elisheva Marcus Chris Proctor Sebastian Brucker