Latest news with #scaling
Entrepreneur
2 days ago
- Business
- Entrepreneur
Founder Grows Carribean Food Brand While Managing Business and Marriage Stress
Get practical advice from Dr. Drew and investor Kim Perell on this episode of Entrepreneur Therapy, featuring In The Kitchen with Alexandra founder Alexandra Baker. When Alexandra Baker started handing out jars of her homemade Haitian pikliz—spicy condiments for rich foods like fried pork and plantains—friends and family couldn't get enough. What began as a side hustle on Etsy turned into a full-fledged food startup, In The Kitchen with Alexandra, where she sells her products through Amazon and independent retailers. But as sales picked up, so did the pressure to fulfill growing demand without enough capital. She appeared on Entrepreneur Therapy, presented by Amazon Business, to ask a question many founders face: how do you keep scaling when you're running out of money? And how to protect her marriage and mental health in the process. Related: How Much Capital Does Your Startup Need? Here Are 7 Key Factors to Consider. Baker explained that demand ramped up quickly, forcing them to reorder inventory almost immediately, even though the money from earlier sales hadn't fully landed yet. She and her husband, Troy—who now run the business together—had already dipped into their savings, taken out an inventory line of credit, and curbed their leisure activities. "We were accustomed to multiple getaways throughout the year and dining out a couple times a week," she said. "We've had to cut back on a lot of that." Perell applauded Baker for staying lean. But she cautioned that every founder needs to define their financial breaking point. "You should know how much you're willing to lose," she said, "because at some point you have to take care of yourself too." For her, that number was $30,000—$10,000 from her grandmother and $20,000 on a credit card. Dr. Drew picked up on the emotional toll the business was taking, pointing out how much it was weighing on Baker and her relationship. "I'm getting a little sad listening to you talk," he said. "You've lost something between you and your partner. And you're willing to pay that price in the short term, but you have to be careful it doesn't become chronic." Baker admitted they'd come close to calling it quits. "We were almost there," she said. "And so far, it was like a light went on. If we didn't see that, I think we would have been very close to saying, 'Okay. We tried. It's not working.'" But the renewed momentum—and support from the Entrepreneur Therapy hosts—gave her hope. "We believe in you," Perell said. "You've got that winning spirit for sure." Entrepreneur Therapy is presented by Amazon Business. Smart business buying starts with Amazon Business. Learn more. Related: 'You Need Support:' Honest Advice for a Founder Trying to Do It All Alone
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
TechCrunch All Stage launches in Boston today — don't miss what founders are learning
Today's the day! TechCrunch All Stage is lighting up Boston's SoWa Power Station at 7:30 a.m. ET sharp. The stages are set, the speakers are ready, and the startup community is gathering for one powerful day of insight, innovation, and momentum. In Boston and ready to scale your startup faster and more efficiently? There's still time to join the founders and investors driving innovation and building what's next. Grab a pass, dive into the conversations shaping the future of startup growth, and make the connections that move the needle. Don't miss a moment — secure your ticket at the heart of today's startup action. We've got a powerhouse lineup of scaling and investing experts ready to deliver hard-hitting insights to an audience that thrives on growth, plus intentional, high-impact networking happening all day long. Check out the agenda for full session details and explore the speaker page to get to know the experts behind the ideas. Or better yet, join us in person today and experience it all firsthand. Just getting started on your startup journey? The Foundation Stage is your launchpad, packed with practical skills to help you build and grow from day one. All the Ways You Don't Realize VCs Are Evaluating Your Company at Pre-SeedCharles Hudson, Founder and Managing Partner, Precursor Ventures This topic is key for pre-seed founders. VCs often judge based on the team and idea. A mismatched co-founder signals hiring risk, and missteps in fundraising show a lack of prep. Do your homework. Preparing to Raise: Cap Table Best Practices to Help You Close FastLynne Zagami, Vice President, Customer Success, Fidelity Private Shares; John Andrews, CEO and Co-Founder, Darrell West, Co-Founder and CFO, DepositLink Raising funds? Make sure your cap table and data room are clean to avoid delays and costly legal fees. This session offers best practices and insights from legal, investor, and founder views. MVP in the Age of AI: When to Bot and When to NotChris Gardner, Partner, Underscore VC AI is changing how founders build. Learn how to use it to turbocharge your MVP without letting it take over. Discover where AI shines, where humans are essential, and how to avoid toaster copy. The TAM Myth: How the Best Startups Reshape MarketsJahanvi Sardana, Partner, Index Ventures Learn how top startups like Datadog and Airbnb created markets, not just sized them. Jahanvi Sardana of Index Ventures breaks down how to grow TAM and spot trends. A must for future-shaping founders. It's not 2021 anymore. Understanding the 2025 VC landscapeKristen Craft, Vice President, Business Partner Manager, Fidelity Private Shares; Samara Gordon, General Partner, Hyperplane; John Harthorne, Founder and Managing Director, Two Lanterns; Daniel Acheampong, General Partner, Visible Hands VC VC in 2025 favors strategic, high-impact deals. Learn how midstage startups can adapt, use regional strengths, embrace AI, and build strong models for growth and successful exits. Crafting the Perfect VC Pitch: Luck Meets StrategyTiffany Luck, Partner, NEA Join Tiffany Luck of NEA to learn how to pitch with clarity and impact. Get insider tips on what VCs value, how to avoid common pitfalls, and how to tell a story that wins funding. So You Think You Can Pitch? Watch three early-stage startups take the spotlight at So You Think You Can Pitch, delivering four-minute pitches and getting real-time feedback from a panel of seasoned investors. Ready to level up? The Scale Stage offers growth-stage founders actionable insights to take their startups to the next level. Fundraising Mistakes That Will Kill Your Round, and How to Avoid ThemAlysaa Co, Principal, Bain Capital Ventures; Kamila Khasanova, Founder and CEO, On Top Strategy; Dr. Richard Munassi, Managing Director, Tampa Bay Wave Raising funding as an early-stage startup is tough. This session reveals key mistakes to avoid and offers actionable tips to help founders optimize fundraising from pre-pitch to close for lasting success. The New Rules of Growth-Stage Fundraising: How to Win at Raising a Series C & BeyondCathy Gao, Partner, Sapphire Ventures Growth-stage fundraising is back, fueled by GenAI. Cathy Gao of Sapphire Ventures shares what it takes to raise a strong Series C+ and how to stand out in today's competitive VC landscape. The Operator's Playbook for Building and Scaling Sustainable CompaniesJon McNeill, CEO and Co-Founder, DVx Ventures Most startups chase product-market fit but miss scalable go-to-market plans, risking failure. Jon McNeill shows how validating both drives growth, profitability, and impact from day one. What to Think About Now If You Want to IPO SomedayMo Jomaa, Partner, Capital G Learn how to build for a public debut from Mo Jomaa of CapitalG. Get insights on metrics growth investors seek, from market to hiring, with advice for IPO readiness—whether near or far. Tech-Driven Fundraising: Making Financing Rounds Smarter, Faster, and Founder-Friendly Matt Derda, Director, Private Market Product Marketer, Fidelity Private Shares Raising capital is chaotic for early-stage startups. This roundtable shows how founders, investors, and legal teams can use modern tech to streamline due diligence, data rooms, planning, and post-close tasks. How to Successfully Build at the Inception StageEllen Chisa, Partner, Boldstart Ellen Chisa of Boldstart shares key lessons for early startups: how to choose the right capital, run fast experiments, and avoid common pitfalls to learn and grow quickly from day one. The 2025 VC Playbook: Where the Smart Money Is Going NextRob Biederman, Managing Partner, Asymmetric Capital Partners Rob Biederman of Asymmetric Capital Partners reveals 2025's VC trends, from hot sectors to deal shifts. Learn what drives investments and how founders can align with today's VC playbook. How Tech is Leveling The Playing Field So Anyone Can Be an Investor, Not Just the WealthyBrandon Krieg, Co-CEO and Co-Founder, Stash Brandon Krieg, CEO of Stash, shares how his platform helps 1.3M users build lasting wealth with simple investing. He'll discuss AI in finance coaching and fintech's focus on long-term impact over quick wins. Founders & Counsel: Reducing Friction, Increasing EfficiencyDerek Fieldhouse, Customer Success Manager, Fidelity Private Shares Early-stage startups face costly, slow legal counsel. This roundtable explores how founders work with lawyers, what they avoid, and how tech can ease collaboration during funding and beyond. Thriving with Anxiety: How Startup Founders Can Turn Fear, Pressure, and Self-Doubt into Their Greatest AdvantageDavid H. Rosmarin, Associate Professor, Harvard Medical School Anxiety isn't the enemy of success. Dr. Rosmarin of Harvard shares how founders can turn fear and doubt into focus and drive, leading with authenticity while avoiding burnout. Navigating Legal Landmines: Essential Legal Considerations for StartupsSpencer Ricks, Partner, and Naomi Smith, Counsel, Latham & Watkins Spencer Ricks and Naomi Smith map the legal journey for founders—from formation to growth, IP, equity, employment, and fundraising. Get practical tips to build a strong legal foundation for your startup. Breakthrough or Burnout: Why Founders Get Stuck (and How to Fix It)Jason Kraus, Founder and CEO, and Christopher Dube, Chief Innovation Officer, Prepare 4 VC Startups fail not from bad ideas but founder struggles. Jason Kraus and Christopher Dube of Prepare 4 VC lead a roundtable on overcoming decision fatigue, burnout, and more with real tools to regain clarity and drive. AI Transformation for Business Growth: A Practical Roadmap for CompaniesUmair Javed, CEO, tkxel This roundtable explores how Agentic AI adds cognition to workflows, boosting automation and efficiency. Learn practical steps to start, test, and scale AI, while sharing real experiences. No hype, just clarity. Winning Capital in a Competitive Market: How to Fund Your AI-Native StartupRick Grinnell, Managing Partner, Glasswing Ventures This roundtable covers AI-native startups' pitching challenges with investors using old SaaS metrics and how to find investors who truly understand and support AI-driven growth. Startup M&A Readiness: How to Be Acquired or Acquire Without RegretDan Hoffman, Partner, and Stephen Ranere, Partner, Latham & Watkins As startups scale, M&A gets real. Daniel Hoffman and Stephen Ranere share legal and strategic tips on due diligence, deal terms, integration, and talent retention for smoother, smarter acquisitions. From Fundraising to IPO: How to Build a PR & Marketing Engine That Drives GrowthNikki Parker, EVP, Marketing and Communications, Insight Partners PR and marketing are key to winning investors, customers, and talent. Nikki Parker of Insight Partners shares must-have strategies to craft your story, build your brand, and drive real business impact. Building Team Intelligence: How Product-Led Innovation Transforms Collaborative Problem-SolvingJeff Chow, Chief Product and Technology Officer, Miro Founder and exec Jeff Chow shares how to build inclusive, AI-powered tools that boost team communication. Learn what to automate, what to keep human, and how to balance tech with real-world expertise. The breakout and roundtable sessions are just the beginning. The real magic happens in the Expo Hall, Networking Lounge, and on the Braindate app. Whether you're troubleshooting a product, seeking pitch feedback from a VC, or hoping to connect with a mentor, today's the day to make it happen. Use Braindate to set up 1:1 or small-group meetings — post your own topic or join one that speaks to you, then meet in person at the Networking Lounge. And don't forget the happening across Boston through July 17. Hosted by fellow attendees and sponsors, they're designed to keep the momentum going — and the connections coming — long after the main event ends. It's not too late to join us at TechCrunch All Stage! Grab your ticket now and join us — and the rest of the startup community — at SoWa Power Station in Boston. The event wraps at 5:00 p.m. ET, so don't miss your chance to join the scaling conversations and leave with practical, strategic advice.
TechCrunch
3 days ago
- Business
- TechCrunch
TC All Stage launches tomorrow in Boston, and ticket prices rise
TechCrunch All Stage officially kicks off tomorrow at 7:30 a.m. ET at SoWa Power Station in Boston — and that's when ticket prices jump to full rate. This isn't just another founder event. It's the summit built to help startups fundraise smarter, scale faster, and lead with impact. Whether you're tightening your pitch, planning a raise, or navigating team growth, TC All Stage delivers the tactics and tools to take you further. Right now, until the doors open tomorrow, Founder Passes are just $100 and Investor Passes are $200 — the lowest rates available. Once the event begins, prices go up. Lock in your pass while you still can. Register here to lock in up to $475 in savings. Practical insights. Proven strategies. What sets TC All Stage apart? Real-world lessons from investors, builders, and operators who've scaled startups at every stage. Here's what's happening tomorrow in Boston: Breakout sessions on scaling growth-stage companies, raising capital, hiring top talent, and building with AI on scaling growth-stage companies, raising capital, hiring top talent, and building with AI Roundtables that tackle startup challenges with tactical, honest advice that tackle startup challenges with tactical, honest advice ' So You Think You Can Pitch ' — founders pitch live on stage and get direct feedback from seasoned VCs ' — founders pitch live on stage and get direct feedback from seasoned VCs Curated 1:1 and small-group networking powered by Braindate to help you meet founders, funders, and operators who matter Satellite events and founder meetups across the city Founders and investors engaging in high-impact networking at TechCrunch Early Stage 2024 in SoWa Power Station in Boston. Image Credits:Halo Creative Roundtable session at TechCrunch Early Stage 2024 at SoWa Power Station in Boston. Image Credits:Halo Creative Meet the voices behind the sessions Check out the full agenda to see who's taking the stage and what you can't miss. Charles E. Hudson from Precursor Ventures is one of the judges at Startup Battlefield at TechCrunch Disrupt 2022 in San Francisco on October 19, 2022. Image Credits:Haje Kamps Final hours to save TC All Stage is just hours away. Don't miss your chance to join the startup epicenter — and save up to $475 before doors open at 7:30 a.m. ET at SoWa Power Station. Register now to join the conversations, gain practical takeaways, and pocket ticket savings.
Fast Company
3 days ago
- Business
- Fast Company
The first 90 days: Bringing order to startup chaos
Over more than a decade of working at early-stage startups and high-growth tech companies, I've seen how the same forces that drive early success can eventually get in the way of scaling. In the early days of a startup, speed is everything. Teams are small and nimble, decision-making is fluid, and early breakthroughs come from people who can move quickly and solve problems on the fly. At this stage, I've seen really small teams accomplish the impossible. When I first joined Uber in LatAm, I was part of a team of four that managed end-to-end operations in Peru, bringing in hundreds of millions of dollars in annualized bookings. In a startup's early days, the focus is often singular: growth and speed. Everyone focuses on capturing new users, building product-market fit, and scaling operations. But as companies mature, what worked during the zero-to-one phase starts to break down. Informal, ad hoc processes become bottlenecks. Growing headcount makes alignment harder. Eventually, leaders face a critical challenge: how do you introduce enough structure to support scale without sacrificing the speed and scrappiness that got you there? Through multiple scaling transitions, I've learned that building structured operating models isn't about creating process for process's sake. As priorities shift from pure growth to a more balanced focus on growth, profitability and customer experience, teams need a shared framework that helps everyone understand where the company is headed and how their work contributes to that goal. The first and most critical step is aligning on the company's overarching objectives. This may sound obvious, but it's surprisingly common for early-stage companies to operate without clearly defined priorities. Growth typically dominates at first, but as companies scale, priorities become more complex and start competing. If these shifting priorities aren't clearly communicated, teams may continue operating under old assumptions. Some may still optimize for growth at all costs, while others focus on cost-cutting or operational improvements. I saw this firsthand at Kyte. When we transitioned from a growth mindset to a profitability one, some early employees struggled to grasp the importance of building structure and efficiency after years of focusing on top-line growth. That's why, especially in the first 90 days as a new leader, it's essential to drive conversations to clarify the company's current focus. What are we optimizing for right now? How do we balance revenue growth, profitability, and customer satisfaction? What trade-offs are we willing to make? What investments are worth making today for long-term payoff? Once defined, these objectives become a north star that allows teams to prioritize accordingly. They also serve as anchor points for decision-making when trade-offs arise. Just as important, these objectives must be cascaded throughout the company. Every person should understand how their work contributes to achieving these goals. BUILD GOVERNANCE TO REDUCE COORDINATION OVERHEAD Once objectives are established, the next challenge is managing company-wide orchestration as headcount grows. Early on, coordination happens organically: people sit together, hop on quick calls, or resolve issues through Slack. But as teams grow past 30, 50, or 100 people, informal coordination becomes unsustainable. Interdependencies and cross-functional conversations multiply, and teams spend more time just trying to stay aligned. This is where governance comes in. Not as bureaucracy, but as a system that keeps people focused on the right conversations at the right time. Good governance creates structured spaces where teams can surface issues, unblock each other, track progress, and stay aligned. Without it, unstructured meetings proliferate, decisions stall, and execution suffers. In my experience, effective governance tends to include the following meetings: Weekly Business Reviews (WBRs): Weekly meeting to assess performance against key metrics, keeping everyone focused on top priorities. Monthly OKR Reviews: A meeting to track quarterly objectives, recalibrate priorities, and adjust resources as needed. Functional Syncs: Department-level or cross-functional meetings for tactical coordination on critical initiatives. Leadership Check-Ins: Regular executive meetings to stay aligned on key decisions and trade-offs. The goal is to replace reactive coordination with proactive alignment. Done well, governance creates fewer but more effective meetings that help teams move faster, not slower. RUTHLESSLY PRIORITIZE STRATEGIC INITIATIVES Even with clear objectives and governance in place, one of the biggest risks in high-growth companies is trying to do too much. In early-stage companies with limited resources, it's easy to launch many initiatives at once. Individually, each may seem worthwhile, but collectively they dilute focus and slow execution. Once core objectives are defined, leaders should ruthlessly prioritize the top initiatives that will drive the biggest impact. This often means deliberately delaying or deprioritizing worthwhile projects that don't directly support the company's most important goals. That may sound simple, but in practice it requires constant discipline. In the words of Jony Ive, Apple's former Chief Design Officer, 'What focus means is saying 'no' to something that you, with every bone in your body, think is a phenomenal idea […] but you say no to it because you're focusing on something else.' I've seen these tough choices play out firsthand. At Uber, it meant eventually slowing expansion, leaving markets, and deprioritizing bold bets to focus on profitability. At Kyte, it meant shelving certain product features and narrowing our customer focus to maximize ROI. These were difficult decisions, but freeing up capacity to focus on what mattered most allowed us to stay nimble and set up the business for long-term success. PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER High-growth startups are often built on speed and scrappiness, but sustainable growth requires structure. As companies mature, the absence of clear objectives, governance, and prioritization can quickly turn fast-moving companies into unfocused and inefficient ones. In my experience, new leaders who take the time in their first 90 days to (i) align on company objectives, (ii) build governance to reduce coordination friction, and (iii) ruthlessly prioritize initiatives are better positioned to help their teams scale efficiently without sacrificing agility. The result isn't bureaucracy, it's clarity and alignment. And that's what allows teams to execute efficiently, even as the business becomes more complex.
Forbes
3 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
Crossing The Chasm: Why Strategic Support Helps SaaS Companies Scale
Dan Teixeira is Managing Director at e-Core and Advisory Board member at UConn's Digital Frontiers Initiative. Scaling a SaaS product from early adoption to the mainstream is one of the toughest challenges startups face. Geoffrey Moore's 'crossing the chasm' concept shows that reaching mass adoption takes more than a great product—it requires a scalable customer experience. Yet, from what I've seen in the industry, product support is often overlooked in this transition. Startups tend to focus on product-led growth—new features, roadmaps and acquisition—while neglecting the support foundation that drives engagement and retention. Without it, a single poor experience can stall momentum and block entry into the early majority. The Early Adopter Advantage: Why It Isn't Enough Early adopters quickly embrace new solutions. They're actively looking for a solution to a problem, and when they find a product that fits, they engage with it deeply. These users don't need much convincing—they already want to try something new. But scaling beyond this group is where most SaaS companies struggle. The early majority, the next phase of users, aren't just looking for innovation—they need reliability. They need to trust that the product will work, they'll get the help they need and their experience won't be a headache. This is where product support stops being just a cost center and starts becoming a growth driver. The Founder's Dilemma: Scaling Support Without Losing Customer Intimacy A great way to illustrate the importance of customer support is through a restaurant analogy. Imagine discovering a new restaurant where the owner is the chef, the host and even the waiter. The food is excellent, and the personal attention makes the experience memorable. But as the restaurant gains popularity, the owner can't be everywhere at once. At first, everything is great—the food, the service and the experience. But one day, you visit and the owner isn't there. The new waiter seems distracted, and the food is off. You mention it, but the waiter responds with attitude. It's not a disaster, but the mix of poor service and a disappointing meal makes you reconsider coming back. This is the same challenge SaaS companies face as they scale. The founder, who once had direct insight into customer needs, can no longer handle every interaction. If the company doesn't invest in a structured, high-quality support system, it risks losing customers, even if the product itself remains strong. In the early days of a startup, the founder is often directly involved in everything—including customer support. This approach, known as founder's mode, refers to when a founder remains deeply engaged in day-to-day operations, ensuring quality and a hands-on customer experience. It works well when there are only a handful of customers, but as the company grows, it becomes increasingly difficult to sustain. This is where many founders hit a wall. They can't stay involved in every interaction, yet they don't want to lose the high-touch experience that made their product successful in the first place. The solution isn't to simply step back—it's to build a structured support system that retains that level of engagement without requiring the founder to be at the center of it. Balancing Automation And Personalization In Product Support To scale without losing the personal touch, companies must automate the foundational layers of support, ensuring that repetitive tasks and basic inquiries are handled seamlessly. This creates space for strategic support teams to provide high-touch service where it truly matters. A good example is something I experienced at Starbucks. The basic service expectation is simple: Order through the app, pick up your drink and go. That's the automated foundation. But what keeps customers engaged isn't just the efficiency—it's the personalized experience. Writing a generic 'Have a great day!' on a cup might seem nice, but it's the specific details that build real engagement. One day, I picked up my order and noticed a note on my cup: 'How's Lola?' The barista had remembered my dog from previous visits. That small, personal touch caught my attention. It wasn't just a nice gesture—it made me feel valued as a customer. This balance between automation and personalization is what SaaS companies should strive for in their product support strategy. The foundation (ticket automation, self-service knowledge bases and AI-driven responses) must be flawless, but what differentiates companies is the human element—understanding customer needs, providing proactive support and making sure users feel valued. Make Support A Strategic Part Of Your Go-To-Market Plan If you're preparing to scale, here's how to approach support with intention—not just as a fix-it function, but as a growth lever: 1. Map the customer journey. Use empathy maps and journey mapping to identify user pain points, motivations and workflow dependencies. Knowing where users struggle helps refine both product and support experience. 2. Build a knowledge base early. Start documenting recurring questions and issues the moment patterns emerge. This not only improves self-service, but it also helps your team identify areas where the product or onboarding process may need adjustment. 3. Leverage AI for scalable support. Implement AI tools to manage Tier 1 interactions while your experienced team handles complex cases. This increases efficiency and keeps your high-skill agents focused where they add the most value. 4. Extract insights from support data. Track common complaints, feedback loops and feature requests. Support data is a direct line to understanding adoption barriers—and a source of valuable product strategy input. 5. Keep the human element front and center. As you scale, don't lose the nuance that made your early support memorable. Personal touches—like referencing a customer's previous experience—are what turn service into loyalty. Support As A Growth Strategy, Not A Cost Center Too often, companies view support as an expense. But when designed with intention, it becomes a key driver of customer satisfaction, product adoption and loyalty. Crossing the chasm isn't just about product-market fit. It's about ensuring that as your company scales, your customer experience scales with it. And that's where strategic product support makes all the difference. Forbes Technology Council is an invitation-only community for world-class CIOs, CTOs and technology executives. Do I qualify?
