WHERE THOUSANDS OF ENTREPRENEURS LEARN HOW TO GROW WEEKLY
How to Use Experimentation to Find the Right Areas of Entrepreneurial Focus; Importance of Rest & Play in Entrepreneurship with Amina Moreau, Co-Founder & CEO Radious
Learn from Amina Moreau, Co-Founder & CEO of Radious
You're viewing an archive of Get Sh!t Done Weekly Email Traction Briefings. Join free to receive your weekly 5-minute growth playbooks & grow alongside thousands of entrepreneurs
Hey, It's Alex! 💛
Welcome to your Weekly Traction Briefing - your 5-min weekly growth playbook where we break down what's happening in business, how to Get Sh!t Done, and how to grow. If this briefing is helpful to you, share it with your friends so they can grow with you & thousands of other entrepreneurs.
🍵 THIS WEEK'S TEA
"Quiet Quitting" is a distraction. "Quiet Firing" is the problem. You know those dumb companies forcing people to return back to the office? That's a ploy to get people to quit. Why? They don't want to pay severance Some of the worst forms of capitalism. Do NOT model this in your company unless you are ok with becoming the oppressor 500,000 jobs were created last quarter. Yup. LinkedIn is bombarding us with annoying a** layoff news every second but they're failing to tell us about a crap load of new jobs created. Tech only makes up 2% of the workforce. Great reminder that innovation goes beyond the tech industry. In f**k boy news, Miyoko Schinner, founder of THE Miyoko's brand is being sued by her board. "Is it just a competition where the winner takes all? The current model supports a few gaining a lot, and then some through consolidation, while others never get their foot in the door. See what the founder had to say here. This is a lesson to founders - don't get it twisted. Your board members and investors will have your back until you seem like a threat to their vision of returns. You are not the exception. #StayWoke
❓ GET YOUR GROWTH QUESTIONS ANSWERED❓
Want your growth questions answered on the podcast?
We're answering your specific growth questions with our guests! If your question is selected, we'll give you and your company a shout out on the podcast and in our weekly emails 🙌🏾
👑 Founder: Amina Moreau | Company: Radious | Location: Portland, OR
🧾 Receipts: Amina has scaled her business to 120+ spaces across two cities, 40+ corporate customers with 50% repeat business, growing waiting list across the country and beyond. She's also a serial entrepreneur who has successfully scaled and exited two other businesses.
💸 HERE'S YOUR TRACTION BRIEFING
How Rest and Play Is A Key Part of the Entrepreneurship Journey
Find Your Sweet Spot - "You have to find ways to make it playful. You have to find ways to enjoy it otherwise why are you doing it? What I realized though is that while playing for fun is fun, playing to improve is also fun. Playing to compete is also fun. However, you have to do it in a way that feels right for you, and figuring out what that sweet spot is takes some work." - Amina Moreau. Learn more about how Amina has approached rest and play to help her successfully scale three companies HERE.
🛠️ MORE TOOLS TO GET IT DONE: Learn how founders can practice self-care HERE.
🤗 BECOME A MEMBER: Ready to grow you? Join a powerful, hyper-connected, and supportive network helping you grow your business, reduce overwhelm, and teaching you how to hit goals consistently. Explore our membership HERE.
How to Find Your Focus
Experiment, Experiment, Experiment - If you're looking to find your focus and achieve success, there's one thing you absolutely can't skimp on: experimentation! By trying out new ideas, taking calculated risks, and keeping an open mind, you'll discover what works best for you and refine your approach to achieve success. And the best part? Experimentation helps you stay nimble and adapt to changing circumstances, ultimately leading to even greater success and fulfillment. HERE is how Amina approaches experimentation.
🛠️ MORE TOOLS TO GET IT DONE: Learn how to test digital business ideas HERE.
When Resources Are Limited, How Do You Experiment?
Conduct Market Research - "One classic mistake that entrepreneurs often make is that they have this idea they want to put out into the world. Sometimes it works as is, but if you're unwilling to take feedback and make changes, you might not be building something that other people want. You might be building something that you want to put out there regardless of whether other people want it." - Amina Moreau. Market research is essential for entrepreneurs, especially when resources are limited and experimentation isn't an option. By conducting thorough research, you can gain a deep understanding of your target audience, competitors, and market trends, helping you make informed decisions and avoid costly mistakes. Learn more HERE.
🛠️ MORE TOOLS TO GET IT DONE :Learn why market research is important HERE.
RSVP TO THIS MONTH'S TRACTION TRAINING
Wednesday, March 1st @ 6pm EST: How to Apply for Grants & NOT Waste Your Time. RSVP
THIS WEEK'S GROWTH GUIDE
Learn how to bootstrap your way to the top by building a badass brand.
Learn how to scale by mastering different growth channels in the Traction Library.
🤗 BECOME A MEMBER: Ready to grow you? Join a powerful, hyper-connected, and supportive network helping you grow your business, reduce overwhelm, and teaching you how to hit goals consistently. Explore our membership HERE.
WANNA SUBSCRIBE?
If a friend forwarded this to you, subscribe here to get in on the (Tr)Action 😉
With Love & Impact,
Alex Batdorf
Chief Get Sh!t Done Officer
GET YOUR FREE 5-MIN WEEKLY GROWTH PLAYBOOKS
When Funders Said NO, She Grew To $10M+ in 5 Years with Whitney Headen, founder 19th & Park Inc.
Learn from Whitney Headen, founder of 19th & Park Inc.
You're viewing an archive of Get Sh!t Done Weekly Email Traction Briefings. Join free to receive your weekly 5-minute growth playbooks & grow alongside thousands of entrepreneurs
Hey, It's Alex!
🍵 Here's Your Weekly Tea
This weekend, I was on a long car ride with my friend who is a DEI champion. We talked about why the entrepreneurial ecosystem continues to fail at creating equitable outcomes. Whether that be an obsession with VC when less than 1% of ANY founders will ever raise or perpetuating business practices that harm the collective. But let's be real - how can we create equity by using the same models that have proven to be inequitable and expect a different outcome? This was amplified after seeing how a community "for founders" is under fire for acting like a cult and harming women. It's not surprising. Why? They studied and leveraged cult-like tactics to grow for growth's sake. They’re not the only ones and they have and will continue to be rewarded for it because they aren't incentivized to change. Startups are actually encouraged to be reckless until they implode. The business of entrepreneurship needs a reckoning. Everybody needs to ask themselves - am I really committed to building for the good of the collective OR am I doing this for power? If we are honest, the actions of many fall into the latter. Intentions are NOT enough. Actions are everything.
Let's get into your weekly briefing!
💸 HERE'S YOUR TRACTION BRIEFING
Founder: Whitney Headen | Company: 19th & Park Inc. | Location: New York, NY
Receipts: With no funding from banks and other sources, Whitney and her partners were able to bootstrap and scale to 8 figures and in only 5 years.
Here's your traction playbook...
How To Nail Business Development
Create Visibility Then Build Relationships: In their early days, 19th & Park wanted to create visibility for their business. They knew they had a killer offering, but how would they communicate that to potential clients? The first three years were all about getting people to know them and how awesome and unique their services were. In the process, they built strong relationships and built an impressive portfolio. 5 years in, that early ground work still pays off.
How To Sustain Your Business When You Have No Funding
Be Conservative With Your Funds/Bootstrap: "Being very conservative with funds was one of our main early reasons for our success." - Whitney Headen. Whitney and her partners were forced to bootstrap mainly because they couldn't get funding - even with $2.5 million in revenue. As a result they had to watch how they spent money, understand the ins and outs of accounting, and change their mindset around money and success in general. They are now self-sustaining and don't need funding anymore!
How To Diversify Your Services
Don't Do Too Much: "There was a point when we were over diversifying. We were trying to do too much and being everything for everybody. We realized very quickly that we weren’t making any money doing that and we weren’t providing a niche service." - Whitney Headen. Diversification is an unpredictable and sometimes high-stakes game. For 19th & Park, they relied on their collective skillset to decide whether or not to diversify. They also listened to what their clients wanted to decide whether it made sense to bring in a new service. Don't over-diversify, you might run yourself thin and ruin your reputation in the process.
Support Whitney in Scaling Impact: Tell a friend to tell a friend! Also, if there’s a creative who’s underappreciated and needs an opportunity, send them over to 19th and Park - they're always looking to grow awesome talent.
TRACTION TOOLS: How to get it done...
Startup Marketing for Founders: Join us for a LIVE #TractionClass
September 14th @ 1PM EST | RSVP NowFourth Floor X UBS Fellowship Program: Calling all BIPOC Founders! This is a great opportunity to grow and scale your company. Join The Fourth Floor X UBS Fellowship program and connect with a community of BIPOC founders and board candidates.
Ultimate Guide To Business Development: Find out here how the right business development strategy will grow your company.
How The Right Relationships Build Businesses: Here's how Alix Peabody used the relationships she had to help her build a multimillion dollar business.
How To Be Conservative With Your Funds: Learn here how fellow Queen Jennifer Eden self-funded and learnt how to manage her finances when scaling Tampon Tribe
To Diversify or Not To Diversify: Learn whether or not you need to diversify your business services here.
JOIN THE COMMUNITY: Join our community membership waitlist here.
GET YOUR FREE 5-MIN WEEKLY GROWTH PLAYBOOKS
How She Scaled a "Lifestyle" Brand in a Highly Regulated Market with Alix Peabody, founder Bev
Learn from Alix Peabody, founder of Bev
You're viewing an archive of Get Sh!t Done Weekly Email Traction Briefings. Join free to receive your weekly 5-minute growth playbooks & grow alongside thousands of entrepreneurs
Hey, It's Alex!
🍵 Here's Your Weekly Tea
Is it just me or do people not understand the true definition of the word - "wild"? If Finnish Prime Minister, Sanna Marin's leaked party pics are considered wild, me and my friends should be considered crazy! And nah - I'm not apologizing for it and neither should any woman, regardless of her position. There's nothing better than being around dope women, making moves in the world, while allowing ourselves to let loose and be free from the day to day pressures. This is Leadership to me. Experiencing all parts of being whole so I can lead from that place. Women are not compartmentalized versions of social expectations that we never asked for #Unsubscribe. Let's have a "wild" week, shall we?
Let's get into your weekly briefing!
💸 HERE'S YOUR TRACTION BRIEFING
Founder: Alix Peabody | Company: Bev | Location: Venice, CA
Receipts: Alix has been able to break into and succeed in a privately held and capital-intensive industry by thinking outside the box and having a strong conviction in what she is doing.
Here's your traction playbook...
How Scrappy Marketing Built A Business
Create Hype Around Your Product: Before having an actual product, Alix was able to build a strong brand for Bev through scrappy marketing. She created a strong social media presence for her product. Not only did this validate what she was trying to sell, but it also created hype and interest even before manufacturing. How did she create success with this method? She implemented her strategy little by little to gain momentum.
How To Shift The Culture Within An Industry
Partner with the right industry players: Bev's big why is transforming social spaces by creating a drinking culture that inspires equality, embodies inclusive fun, and powers communities for the better. Being in an industry that is associated with a lot of vice, Alix had to create a unique strategy that would shift the culture within the industry. By partnering with key players including bar owners, transportation companies and venue spaces, she was able to start conversations on how the alcohol industry could promote positive social change.
How To Stay The Course When You're Told No
Have Strong Conviction In What You're Doing: "I was turned down for capital financing 368 times before I got my first check. Over the course of two years. It was not all rainbow and butterflies. It was really tough in the beginning. That is why you need to have conviction in what you are doing." - Alix Peabody. Failure and rejection is part of the course for most if not all founders. A lot of the time you'll be the only one who has faith in your idea. That is why it's important to have a big why. A strong conviction in your idea and the purpose it serves within your industry.
Support Alix in Scaling Impact: Go check out your local liquor store and try out some Bev! You can also listen to more of her insight on her podcast - madebychicks.
TRACTION TOOLS: How to get it done...
Startup Marketing for Founders: Join us for a LIVE #TractionClass
September 14th @ 1PM EST | RSVP NowHow To Find Capital To Scale In A Capital Intensive Industry: Find out here how Leah Caplanis was able to raise $4.5M and scale within the alcohol industry.
How She Built The Fastest Growing Whiskey Brand: Here's how Fawn Weaver was able to build Uncle Nearest on 99% earned media.
What Is Scrappy Marketing: Learn more about scrappy marketing and how it makes you more agile here.
Has Your Investment Been Rejected?: Here are 10 steps to help you handle business rejection by investors.
JOIN THE COMMUNITY: Join our community membership waitlist here.
GET YOUR FREE 5-MIN WEEKLY GROWTH PLAYBOOKS
How $15K in Savings Scaled to $1 million in 12 months with Breanne Acio, founder Sekr
Learn from Breanne Acio, founder of Sekr
You're viewing an archive of Get Sh!t Done Weekly Email Traction Briefings. Join free to receive your weekly 5-minute growth playbooks & grow alongside thousands of entrepreneurs
Hey, It's Alex!
🍵 Here's Your Weekly Tea
"I don't get why people fight what is. It is what it is. If you don't like it, do something different." I heard this for the first time a few years ago. I live by it now, especially how I leverage my business to scale impact. It echoed in my head when I saw the news about Andressen Horowitz backing Adam Neumann (again) and the fury it sparked. Men failing forward is not new. It is what it is. Is it irritating AF? Yup. But you know what’s more frustrating? Collective rage ignited by expectations of systems rooted in self-interest to change. It is what it is but the reaction is like deja vu. Our time and energy are valuable. What if we did something different?
Let's get into your weekly briefing!
💸 HERE'S YOUR TRACTION BRIEFING
Founder: Breanne Acio | Company: Sekr | Location: San Diego, CA
Receipts: Breanne has been able to bootstrap a company to $1 million in 12 months and raise $3 million for another by creating a strong and authentic community that was passionate about her vision and mission.
Here's your traction playbook...
How To Validate Your Problem
Find Out What People Want: Having a conviction in your idea can only go so far. You need to understand if there is actually a problem that you are solving and if the market is receptive to your idea. In her initial stages of Sekr, Breanne employed the lean startup model. While It might not great for everything, it taught her how to validate problems without spending money.
How To Recruit Top Talent With Limited Resources
People want to be something that is bigger than themselves: "People want to have an impact and I was giving them an opportunity to have an impact." - Breanne Acio. In her first year of creating Sekr, Breanne had a dedicated team who chose to work for her free of charge! How did she manage do this? She found people who truly believed in her mission. People who were motivated by what she was doing and who wanted to have an impact within the same space.
How To Creating Networks Plays A Factor In Helping You Raise
Get Champions In Your Corner: It's all about building relationships. A strong network will not only put you in connection with the right people, but they will also act as your champions - encouraging you to pursue different avenues and ultimately help you realize your potential. What Breanne did well when seeking funding was creating a network and finding role models who pushed her in the right direction and helped her believe in herself.
Support Breanne in Scaling Impact: Tell people about Sekr! Download the app on Google Play and other app stores. She is also currently looking for capital investors.
TRACTION TOOLS: How to get it done...
Fearless Fund's Education Day: A hybrid experience tailored towards educating founders on everything about VC and entrepreneurship. Get your tickets and more info here.
How To Find Top Talent In A Competitive Market: Find out here how Kaitlyn Knopp was able to hire the best team in a competitive hiring market.
How To Validate Your Idea: Here's how Tiffany Dufu was able to validate her concept by creating a landing page.
Maximize Your Network To Increase Funding: We speak a lot about networking. Here's exactly how it plays a role in helping you raise funds for your startup.
The Lean Startup: This scientific methodology helps you get your product to your customers faster.
JOIN THE COMMUNITY: Join our community membership waitlist here.
GET YOUR FREE 5-MIN WEEKLY GROWTH PLAYBOOKS
💪 From Passion Project To An 8-Figure Business with Gloria Hwang, founder Thousand
Learn from Gloria Hwang, founder of Thousand
You're viewing an archive of Get Sh!t Done Weekly Email Traction Briefings. Join free to receive your weekly 5-minute growth playbooks & grow alongside thousands of entrepreneurs
Hey, It's Alex!
🍵 Here's Your Weekly Tea
This year, I started quarterly recharges. Instead of waiting for one big vacation, I take breaks quarterly. This started last December because I was extremely burnt out. It wasn't my first rodeo either. This time was different though. My therapist looked at me and said "you're on the brink of depression so you get to decide." So I decided to prioritize myself. More importantly, I had to tell my team why and model the behavior. That was a game changer. This week I'm recharging while my team holds it down and only doing what I want. How do you recharge?
Let's get into your weekly briefing!
💸 HERE'S YOUR TRACTION BRIEFING
Founder: Gloria Hwang | Company: Thousand | Location: Los Angeles, CA
Receipts:Turning a passion project into an 8-figure businesses is unheard of but Gloria Hwang was able to do this by creating a product and community rooted in forming the right partnerships and relationships.
Here's your traction playbook...
How to Define Your Target Market
Go Beyond What Your Competitors Are Doing: While the bicycle helmet market was declining, Thousand wasn't focused on enticing the existing customer base. Their focus was on appealing to the 60 to 70% of bicycle riders who were not already wearing helmets. By focusing on this market, they molded their brand in a way that was uniquely appealing.
How To Create A Community Around Your Brand
Define Your Values: A big factor that catapulted the growth of Thousand was the strong community that they created. Sounds familiar? Their community of customers acted as advocates and salespeople. Part of creating a solid community is having clear values that you actively practice and stand for. It's also advocating for your customers and putting their needs before your sales goals.
How To Find The Right Distribution Partners
Build Relationships From The Onset: "I rarely asked for the sale in the beginning. But because I built good relationships and they saw the quality of the product, they brought us in. So for me, trying to get to know people better built a good foundation for great long-term relationships." - Gloria Hwang. In the rush and urgency of making a sale, a lot of entrepreneurs might forget to foster and steadily develop meaningful relationships along the way. People are more willing to do business with people who they can relate to.
Support Gloria in Scaling Impact: Visit Thousand and find something you and/or your loved ones would be interested in.
TRACTION TOOLS: How to get it done...
Fearless Fund's Education Day: A hybrid experience tailored towards educating founders on everything about VC and entrepreneurship. Get your tickets and more info here.
How To Build Partnerships: Find out here how Maria Po Campo built partnerships to help her scale her own micro-mobility movement.
Build A Strong Community: Here's how to build a meaningful and massive community for your brand - even with limited budget.
Master Large-Scale Distribution: Here's how Tanya Van Court mastered large-scale distribution with limited money in the bank.
Define Your Market: This playbook helps you define your market and the jobs they're trying to get done.
Nail Sales By Building Relationships: Here's how you can increase your sales by building relationships.
How to Network and Build strong relationships here.
JOIN THE COMMUNITY: Join our community membership waitlist here.
GET YOUR FREE 5-MIN WEEKLY GROWTH PLAYBOOKS
Alternative Funding Sources Available to Startups; Customer Service as a Key Differentiator; How to be Capital Efficient in a Tight Market with Melissa Widner, CEO Lighter Capital
Learn from Melissa Widner, CEO of Lighter Capital
You're viewing an archive of Get Sh!t Done Weekly Email Traction Briefings. Join free to receive your weekly 5-minute growth playbooks & grow alongside thousands of entrepreneurs
Hey, It's Alex! 💛
Welcome to your Weekly Traction Briefing - your 5-min weekly growth playbook where we break down what's happening in business, how to Get Sh!t Done, and how to grow. If this briefing is helpful to you, share it with your friends so they can grow with you & thousands of other entrepreneurs.
🍵 THIS WEEK'S TEA
Bing is having a hot girl season and it looks like it's gonna last. Microsoft 10X'd the price of Bing's search API, and unlike Google which just lost $100B after rushing Bard to market, Microsoft can innovate because they don't rely on an ad model to thrive. ChaptGPT is a direct threat to the revenue models of search engines and news-based businesses that rely on ads. Think about it - if ChaptGPT summarizes everything, are you really going to pay for gated content or waste time going through search where the 1st page is basically 50% ads anyway? And ain't nobody looking through the 1 Billion search results Google offers up. Bing's new hot girl, Sydney, is supposedly Bing's "unhinged" side-chick but the crazy ones are who we typically desire - admit it. It's a reminder that tech is a product of the people behind it. OpenAI promises to fix the biases. Usually, I wouldn't hold my breath but the mastermind CTO behind ChatGPT is a QUEEN so I actually have hope.
❓ GET YOUR GROWTH QUESTIONS ANSWERED❓
Want your growth questions answered on the podcast?
We're answering your specific growth questions with our guests! If your question is selected, we'll give you and your company a shout out on the podcast and in our weekly emails 🙌🏾
👑 Founder: Melissa Widner | Company: Lighter Capital | Location: Sydney, Australia
🧾 Receipts: Melissa has led two companies to successful exits returning over a 10x return to her investors. She is now the CEO of Lighter Capital, the pioneer and leader in revenue based financing for tech start ups and scales ups and co-founder and Chairperson of Sydney based Heads Over Heels.
💸 HERE'S YOUR TRACTION BRIEFING
Revenue-Based Financing As An Alternative Funding Source
Retain Your Equity & Control - "One of the nice things we’re doing at Lighter Capital is allowing companies to grow without giving up any equity or control so when that exit does happen they are getting 100% of it or close to 100% of it." - Melissa Widner. Revenue-based financing (RBF) is a flexible alternative that provides startups with capital without giving up equity or control of the company. RBF also allows companies to avoid the dilution of ownership that comes with equity financing, and investors are motivated to help the business grow and succeed since they are invested in the company's revenue. HERE is Melissa's take on alternative funding sources.
🛠️ MORE TOOLS TO GET IT DONE: Learn how revenue-based financing works HERE.
🤗 JOIN THE COMMUNITY: Ready to grow your revenues consistently? Want access to the right people & expand your network? Tired of going at it alone? Join our community membership waitlist here.
How Founders Can Stay Afloat In The Current Market
Be Capital Efficient - We all know that the current market is tough. Funding sources are scarce, and cash is in short supply. Capital efficiency is about maximizing the value of your resources and minimizing unnecessary expenses. By being capital efficient, startups can stay lean and agile, adapting quickly to changing market conditions. This allows them to make strategic investments in areas that will generate the most return. HERE are more insights into how businesses can survive the current market.
🛠️ MORE TOOLS TO GET IT DONE: Learn how to create a capital efficient startup HERE.
Why Customer Service Is Your Business's Key Differentiator
Creates Brand Loyalty - "Customer service and customer relationship really is a competitive barrier to entry." - Melissa Widner. How often do you hear "Thank you for your great service" from your customers? If the answer is "not enough", then it's time to up your customer service game. Sure, having a great product or service is important, but it's not enough to differentiate your startup from competitors. In today's competitive landscape, excellent customer service is the key to creating a loyal customer base. HERE is how Melissa used quality service to differentiate her businesses.
🛠️ MORE TOOLS TO GET IT DONE:Learn how to know which funding options are right for you HERE.
Elizabeth Carter ESQ walks you through alternative funding structures that you can tap into.
Learn how to scale by mastering different growth channels in the Traction Library.
🤗 BECOME A MEMBER: Ready to grow you? Join a powerful, hyper-connected, and supportive network helping you grow your business, reduce overwhelm, and teaching you how to hit goals consistently. Explore our membership HERE.
WANNA SUBSCRIBE?
If a friend forwarded this to you, subscribe here to get in on the (Tr)Action 😉
With Love & Impact,
Alex Batdorf
Chief Get Sh!t Done Officer