Keep Going

The Startup Show: How one founder stays close to her customers

On this episode of Startup Show, John Biggs sat down with Amrutha Gujjar, the CEO and co-founder of Structured, a revenue intelligence and observability platform. In simple terms, Structured is designed to help businesses understand their sales, marketing, and customer success data to identify high-value customer segments and drive growth. The platform simplifies the process of data analysis, enabling companies to pinpoint their best opportunities for growth using data.With Structured, businesses can determine when and where their products or services are most popular and who their top customers are. This allows companies to focus their sales and marketing efforts more effectively, ensuring they target the right audience with the right message.For example, if a company sells cheese sandwiches (John’s latest great idea), Structured could identify that these sandwiches are most popular on Sundays in February near a ball game, targeting specific geographic regions and age groups.The inspiration for Structured came from Gujjar’s experience as an engineer at Meta, where she worked on tools to make operations teams more effective with data. Her passion for user experience and interfaces led her to create a platform that simplifies data accessibility for revenue operations teams. The goal for the future is to enable small, highly strategic teams with data to drive growth, reducing the need for large teams and making businesses more efficient. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit startupstrats.substack.com

Keep Going: How a top negotiator learned to be humble

Adam Kahane, director of Reos Partners, shares his experience in helping people transform systems and the importance of learning from failure. He tells a story about a project with Manitoba First Nations in Canada, where he initially made the mistake of assuming he knew best. Through feedback and humility, he was able to change his approach and achieve success. Kahane emphasizes the need for both vertical and horizontal approaches in working with groups, and the importance of radical engagement in transforming systems. He is currently working on a book about everyday habits for transforming systems.You can check out Kahane’s book, Collaborating With the Enemy, here.Our theme music is by Policy AKA Mark Buchwald. (https://freemusicarchive.org/music/policy/) This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit startupstrats.substack.com

The Startup Show: How to get hired in this economy

The latest guest on Grit Daily Startup Show is Steve McKinney, the founder of McKinney Consulting, who has carved a niche in the executive search industry from his base in Seoul, South Korea. His firm specializes in finding top-tier executives for multinational companies, including Fortune 100s and SMEs, and is renowned for its tailored approach to executive search, ensuring the best fit for both the candidate and the company.In addition to his consulting work, McKinney is developing a book and online coaching programs aimed at sharing his extensive knowledge and experience. His initiatives focus on helping individuals and organizations achieve their full potential through strategic leadership and personal development, and he discussed it all with host John Biggs on Startup Show. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit startupstrats.substack.com

Keep Going: How a writer figured out how to make a life instead of a living

Samuel Lopez-Barantes, a novelist and musician living in Paris, discusses his perspective on success and failure in the creative world. He highlights the difference between the American and French attitudes towards art and how it is valued. Samuel shares his philosophy on success, which is centered around finishing a project and moving on to the next one. He also talks about his journey as a writer and the importance of recognizing what makes you tick and structuring your life around it. Samuel emphasizes the need to prioritize time over money and to be conscious of how you spend both.You can buy his new book on his website.Our theme music is by Policy AKA Mark Buchwald. (https://freemusicarchive.org/music/policy/) This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit startupstrats.substack.com

The Startup Show: Couch.com

Couch.com might sound straightforward — a digital marketplace for couches, yet it addresses a nuanced and complex issue: the overwhelming process of buying a couch. Most buyers, unsure of where to begin, face a barrage of choices from materials to retailers without a clear path forward. The platform simplifies this by gathering user preferences and guiding them to the perfect couch through a refined, almost concierge-like service online.The journey began with acquiring its domain, a tale as interesting as its business model. Back purchased the domain in 2023 from a high-net-worth individual involved in the early development of Google AdSense. Despite the domain’s hefty price tag and tough negotiations, Back secured a deal beneficial for his startup’s growth. This crucial step was not just about owning a URL but establishing a foundation for a brand that promises clarity and convenience in the cluttered furniture market.Want to be featured on The Startup Show? Email Spencer@gritdaily.com. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit startupstrats.substack.com

Keep Going: How one entrepreneur found himself stuck with a $20,000 bill on a project that seemingly failed

Adam Paulisick is the founder of SkillBuilder.io. He’s no stranger to publishing and and writing but when he trusted a company to help him build his next book, he wasn’t very careful. The result? A $20,000 loss and a lot of headaches caused by a business that turned out to be a fly-by-night operation.Our theme music is by Policy AKA Mark Buchwald. (https://freemusicarchive.org/music/policy/) This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit startupstrats.substack.com

Introducing the Startup Show

I’m doing a new show with my friends at Grit Daily. The podcast, which runs about 15 minutes, features an entrepreneur talking about what they’re building and why. You can read more about the companies here but for now I’ll be sharing the video with this list.Want to be featured? Ping me at john@biggs.cc. I’m happy to bring on folks who are making cool stuff. Now, for the first episode.Manali Yavatkar is a self-described “Biomedical Engineer turned AI Software Engineer turned consumer product inventor.” Her product, the Palm Bin, is a clever take on the traditional compost bit and she’s flipped the script by adding a cooler to the system so your scraps don’t get stinky.  The Palm Bin is designed to cool food waste, making compost collection clean, easy, and odorless. Manali shares her background in biomedical engineering and her passion for sustainability that led her to create this product. She talks about the challenges of hardware development and the importance of using sustainable materials. Manali also discusses her experience with crowdfunding on Kickstarter and offers advice for others looking to launch a campaign.Why compost? Yavatkar explained:"I moved to San Francisco. I had curbside composting for the first time and I started collecting my food waste in the kitchen and I found the experience to be awful,” she said.Check out the podcast above and her Palm Bin here. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit startupstrats.substack.com

Keep Going: What happens when you run off the stage during a Broadway show?

Jess Moore has had a wild career spanning from Broadway to the Beltway. In this episode, she discusses her career journey and the importance of resilience in the face of failure.For folks thinking about the influencer world, Jess also provides insights into that environment, emphasizing the need for business acumen and finding a unique niche. She advises aspiring influencers to focus on their passion and build an engaged community. Additionally, she highlights the importance of adapting to digital trends and continuously upskilling.Our theme music is by ⁠Policy AKA Mark Buchwald⁠. (https://freemusicarchive.org/music/policy/) This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit startupstrats.substack.com

Keep Going: How to face your fear

In this episode, I interview Dr. Arash Javanbakht, a psychiatrist and author of the book 'Afraid.' We discuss the intersection of fear, anxiety, and entrepreneurship. Arash shared his experiences working with anxiety and trauma in his clinic, as well as his own journey as an entrepreneur. We also explored why some people enjoyed fear and the role fear plays in motivating entrepreneurs. Arash also talked about the importance of knowing why you do what you do and the impact of fear on decision-making. He shares personal stories of conquering fear and the role of mentors in finding motivation and direction. The episode concludes with practical tips for managing anxiety and taking action in the face of fear.This was one of my favorite interviews and Dr. Javanbakht has some amazing things to say about managing anxiety and fear. Please check it out.Our theme music is by Policy AKA Mark Buchwald. (https://freemusicarchive.org/music/policy/) This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit startupstrats.substack.com

Keep Going: What to do when your entire business goes up in smoke

Brian Sloan sells s*x toys. For a long time he sold a lot of them and most of them sold through Amazon. Then, overnight, his competitors started to destroy his business. By breaking his advertising systems, undercutting his prices, and reviewing his products unfairly, they essentially turned millions of dollars in sales into bupkus.In this podcast Sloan describes how he lost $500,000 in one day, sold his products at a massive loss, and invented something that changed the course of his business, turning an abject failure into a roaring success.NOTE: This podcast discusses adult themes but we are careful not to describe too much. Our theme music is by Policy AKA Mark Buchwald. (https://freemusicarchive.org/music/policy/) This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit startupstrats.substack.com