Founder Weekly (Issue 602 - September 6 2023)

Founder Weekly - Issue 602

September 06, 2023

Founder Weekly

Welcome to issue 602 of Founder Weekly. Let's get straight to the links this week.

General

Vanta founder and CEO Christina Cacioppo sits down with First Round Partner Todd Jackson for an inside look at all the unconventional moves in the company’s first few years — from creating a new category to signing the first 600 customers without a proper website, waiting to raise a Series A until they had $10M in ARR.

Sean Frank is the CEO of Ridge Wallet, a men’s wallet and accessories brand that does over nine figures in annual revenue. The company started in 2012 and raised $266,000 in a Kickstarter campaign to sell the first 5,200 wallets. Ridge hasn’t raised a single dollar of outside capital since, and has also expanded into new categories like rings, knives, watches, backpacks, and keys, with dozens of more products coming soon. Sean is known in some circles as “The Einstein of Ecommerce”, and he gives us an inside look at running a consumer brand in 2023.

This podcast episode features Tim Holley, Etsy's VP of Product, providing insights into Etsy's product growth and marketplace evolution. He discusses the company's strategies for enhancing user experience, seller tools, and expanding its market presence.

Lessons from building an app for $1.50 in 10 minutes.

Marketing, Sales and PR

How SaaS Businesses Grow From Zero to $30M ARR and Beyond.

This article provides actionable insights and strategies for acquiring the initial ten B2B customers, offering valuable guidance for businesses looking to establish their customer base effectively.

Money and Finance

There are a lot of Domos out there today and most will go just as terrible.

This post offers valuable advice on approaching fundraising with a sales-executive mindset, emphasizing the importance of relationship-building and strategic communication to secure investment effectively. It provides actionable tips for entrepreneurs seeking funding for their startups.

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