Irina Scarlat is the VP of Growth at ICEO (a venture builder) and has built marketing and growth teams at Uber, Revolut, Bitpanda, and Pearson along the way. In this conversation, she reflects on pivotal moments in her career, sharing how they shaped her leadership style and personal development. Irina talks about the emotional challenges of going through corporate restructuring, the importance of maintaining work-life balance, and the tools she uses to combat workplace anxiety.

Irina opens up about:

1. Being forced to reapply for her job at Uber after a massive shakeup

2. The challenges of leading a company-wide restructuring at Bitpanda

3. Her journey with cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) to manage imposter syndrome and workplace stress

Things to listen for:

(00:00) Irina’s pivotal career moment: reapplying for her own job

(01:03) Early life in Romania and societal expectations

(07:54) How international experiences shaped Irina’s career outlook

(09:18) Transitioning into the tech world and early ventures

(12:30) Joining Uber and building the marketing team from scratch

(18:44) Leadership changes at Uber and the emotional challenges of restructuring

(24:16) Deciding to leave Uber and transitioning to Revolut

(29:59) Key feedback that transformed Irina’s approach to work and prioritization

(31:15) Thanks to our sponsors for this episode, Navattic & Appcues

(38:11) Managing anxiety, imposter syndrome, and the role of cognitive behavioral therapy

(52:19) Leading a restructuring at Bitpanda and the impact on team dynamics

Resources:

Connect with Irina:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/irina-nicoleta-scarlat-30a4b28/

Check out her website: https://irinascarlat.com/

Connect with Andrew:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewcapland/

Hire Andrew as your coach: https://deliveringvalue.co/coaching

Thanks to our amazing sponsors!

Learn more about Appcues: https://appcues.com/value

Learn more about Navattic: https://navattic.com/value

Meredith Rosenbloom - VP of Growth Marketing at Zola, reflects on some challenging moments in her career that molded her into the leader she is today. She recounts her journey from sports marketing to growth roles at companies like Grubhub and Parsley Health while opening up about the challenges she’s faced along the way. Meredith shares the impact of critical feedback, managing career transitions, and returning to work as a new parent.

Meredith opens up about:

• Being asked to take on more responsibility without a title promotion at Grubhub
• Receiving feedback about her voice inflection and how it made her self-conscious
• The emotional and professional challenges of returning to work after maternity leave

Things to listen for:

(00:00) Meredith’s early hardships

(02:44) Tough feedback on personal traits

(06:15) Growing up with a strong work ethic and early career experiences

(10:35) Transitioning from agency work to performance marketing

(15:10) Navigating a title mismatch and trusting your manager

(21:00) Overcoming self-doubt and building confidence with coaching

(24:15) Thanks to our sponsors of this episode, Navattic & Appcues

(27:22) Returning to work after maternity leave and finding balance

(32:50) The importance of mental health and protecting personal peace

(39:40) Using breath work and self-care for stress management

(46:15) Career goals, family balance, and the value of empathy in leadership

Resources:

Connect with Meredith:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meredithrosenbloom/

Zola: https://www.zola.com/

Connect with Andrew:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewcapland/

Hire Andrew as your coach: https://deliveringvalue.co/coaching

Thanks to our amazing sponsors!

• Learn more about Navattic: http://navattic.com/value
• Learn more about Appcues: http://appcues.com/value

In this episode, Joe Wilkinson, Founder and CEO at Artisan Strategies, discusses some of the challenges he’s faced in his career, his personal journey into handling workplace stress, and the lessons learned from handling transparency during company changes.

In this episode, you’ll hear about:

1. The time when Joe trained an individual to take over the team he was leading, just for him to transfer to a different team

2. When Joe was stuck between choosing his friend or the company he was working at

3. Joe’s boss telling him, “Great job everything is going amazing! You are the only one of your peers who won’t get promoted or a raise. No reason why.”

Things to listen for:

[03:32] When Joe gained the courage to go off on his own

[07:21] His ‘aha’ moment into entrepreneurship

[11:33] When Joe’s trainee was supposed to take over his team, but was persuaded to join a different team

[18:10] Will he choose his friend? Or the business?

[29:49] When Joe was told, “Great job! But you’re not getting a raise” at his performance review

[37:30] Feedback can either make or break a relationship

[41:16] Joe’s self doubt journey

Resources:

- Connect with Joe on LinkedIn

- Check out Artisan Strategies

- Connect with Andrew on LinkedIn

- Work with Andrew

- Learn more about Appcues

In this episode, Kate Syuma, growth advisor and creator of Growth Mates, reflects on the low points in her career, the challenges she faced in her transition to leadership at Miro, and her journey toward embracing uncertainty and authenticity as a solopreneur.

In this episode, you’ll hear about:

1. Adjusting her leadership style after receiving feedback about being too reactive

2. Having an open career conversation with her manager and deciding to stay at Miro

3. The hiring mistake that happened after ignoring her gut feelings

Things to listen for:

[17:26] The pivotal low points in Kate's career

[23:41] The moment when Kate decided to stay at Miro despite a job offer in New York

[29:18] When her learning speed started decreasing

[33:53] Her challenge of balancing authenticity and the perceived image of a leader

[44:50] When Kate judged her own leadership style

[51:36] The moment when Kate made hiring mistake because she didn’t listen to her intuition

Resources:

- Connect with Kate on LinkedIn

- Subscribe to Kate’s newsletter & Growthmates podcast

- Connect with Andrew on LinkedIn

- Work with Andrew

- Learn more about Appcues

- Learn more about Navattic

In this episode, Talia Wolf, CEO and Founder of GetUplift, shares her experiences growing up in a family that valued hard work, her early jobs as a waitress and skydiver, her transition into the tech, marketing, and CRO world - and many of challenging moments along the way, including balancing her career and motherhood, the need to ask for help from your support system, and navigating critical feedback.

In this episode, you’ll hear about:

Staying in a CMO role she didn’t like because she was afraid to start her own business

Being a woman in a male-dominated field and how she overcame her imposter syndrome

Receiving a “slap in the face” piece of feedback from someone on her team

Things to listen for:

[06:20] Talia's diverse career path, from skydiving to wedding planning and tech

[12:48] The challenges of being a woman in a male-dominated industry

[18:05] The creation of a supportive group among women to share vulnerabilities and experiences

[24:37] How having children changed Talia's perspective on work-life balance

[28:52] Learning from critical feedback and using it to improve as a leader

[33:17] The importance of accepting and building upon experiences or letting go in business

[37:44] Talia's upbringing and how it influenced her unconventional approach to CRO

[42:56] Struggling with self-doubt and imposter syndrome when starting her own business

[47:19] The impact of a supportive network in overcoming fears and boosting confidence

[52:03] Balancing the identity of a driven career woman with motherhood

[56:28] Learning to trust her team and achieve a better work-life balance after having children

Resources:

Connect with Talia on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/taliagw/?originalSubdomain=uk

GetUplift CRO Agency: https://getuplift.co/

Connect with Andrew on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewcapland/

Work with Andrew: https://deliveringvalue.co/get-started

Learn more about Appcues: http://appcues.com/value

In this episode, Samantha Leal, Growth Advisor, discusses her journey and experiences in the SaaS PLG marketing world, the importance of understanding and practicing critical thinking and effective communication in leadership roles, and the blend of art and science in marketing.

In this episode, you’ll hear about:

1. When Samantha knew she needed a radical shift in her approach and decided to hold a no-holds-barred feedback session with her team

2. Samantha’s boss telling her word-for-word she “lacked critical thinking skills”

3. The moment when Samantha had to take over the marketing and felt like she was failing continuously

Things to listen for:

[03:13] Writing started to feel draining for Samantha

[13:13] Her ‘welcome to the league’ moment when she felt ashamed for not knowing her role

[18:09] Samantha’s wakeup call from office gossip

[33:36] The constant feeling of failure that she felt in her new role

[34:45] When her CEO told her she “lacked critical thinking skills”

[49:17] Samantha’s goals at the stage she’s in right now

Resources:

- Connect with Sam on LinkedIn

- Work with Sam

- Connect with Andrew on LinkedIn

- Work with Andrew

- Learn more about Appcues

In this episode, Yuriy Timen, SaaS advisor and solopreneur, discusses career mistakes and growth, his experiences at Grammarly, including intense work ethic and empathetic leadership, and the importance of radical candor and strategic thinking in professional relationships.

In this episode, you’ll hear about:

1. How Yuriy's upbringing during the collapse of the Soviet Union shaped his values and work ethic

2. Career mistakes and feeling self-conscious about switching jobs every year

3. Being told he lacked empathy and didn’t put enough emphasis on building interpersonal relationships

4. His experience suddenly becoming unemployed during the 2008 financial crisis

Things to listen for:

[02:12] Yuriy reflects on career mistakes and the struggle with self-consciousness during job changes

[11:24] How Yuriy's upbringing during the collapse of the Soviet Union shaped his values and work ethic

[16:13] Discussing the experience of starting to work at a young age and the lessons learned from his entrepreneur parents

[22:50] Yuriy's journey from finance to digital marketing, including his transition to Grammarly

[28:37] The pivotal moment of receiving tough feedback about his lack of empathy from direct reports

[33:21] Plans for a career break that turned into advising roles and discovering fulfillment in solopreneurship

[51:09] The importance of networking intentionally and his regrets about not prioritizing it sooner

[57:34] Reflection on work-life balance, aiming to be "empathetically intense" in future roles

Resources:

- Connect with Yuriy on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yuriytimen/

- Connect with Andrew on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewcapland/

- Work with Andrew: https://deliveringvalue.co/get-started

- Learn more about Appcues: https://www.madkudu.com http://appcues.com/value

In this episode, Amanda Natividad, VP of Marketing at SparkToro, talks about some of the low points in her career, the toughest feedback she’s ever received, how she navigates burnout, and how she’s been able to find her authentic voice as a leader.

In this episode, you’ll hear about:

1. When Amanda was told ““Wow. Rand opened up a lot of doors for you!”

2. Amanda’s boss said it was obvious when she didn’t know what she was doing

3. When Amanda was told “You’re too junior” and “You’re too direct”

Things to listen for:

[06:34] When Amanda was told “Wow. Rand must have opened up a lot of doors for you”

[15:39] During the pandemic, she was furloughed from her job at Liftopia

[19:01] Amanda felt powerless in her personal and professional life…

[27:29] Being told “It’s so obvious you don’t know what you’re doing” by a manager

[31:11] Seeing feedback as positive and her co-workers wanting to help

[32:38] Being told “You’re too junior” and “You’re too direct”

[39:34] “I don’t know” shows maturity and awareness on a personal level

[45:57] The skills she wishes she worked on earlier

Resources:

- Connect with Amanda on LinkedIn

- Check out SparkToro

- Connect with Andrew on LinkedIn

- Work with Andrew

- Learn more about Appcues

In this episode, Collin Crowell, VP of North America at Kameleoon opens up about one of his most humbling experiences at work that led him to reevaluate his identity, he shares insights into receiving tough feedback and how he used that to fuel his drive, and also shares his strategic approach to building successful teams.

In this episode, you’ll hear about:

1. When Collin was told by readers that the titles he was in charge of were pieces of shit

2. The moment when self doubt creeped in for Collin because everyone was touting their success and great ideas on LinkedIn

3. When Collin worked his ass off for a company and was told by his favorite boss to ‘slow down’

Things to listen for:

[03:04] Being known as the “odd ball”

[04:08] The big leap moving from the US to alone in China

[08:25] Being told he worked at a ‘piece of shit’

[13:00] Flipping the switch to ‘I want to kick ass and take names’

[16:41] Knowing he lost before he even got in the game

[24:10] Major FOMO on LinkedIn

[34:05] Being told by his boss to slow down… and it was his favorite piece of feedback

[37:45] Most crucial advice to everyone

Resources:

- Kameleoon

- Connect with Andrew on LinkedIn

- Work with Andrew

- Learn more about Appcues

In this episode, Liz Christo, Investor and GTM Advisor for Stage 2 Capital, unravels her highs and lows in her workforce journey. From getting told “you’re too ruthlessly execution focussed” to having to dramatically change her working style, Liz’s story unpacks the power of feedback, why you should develop a culture of support, and the significance of vulnerability.

In this episode, you’ll hear about:

1. When Liz fought so hard to have a global org and ended up burning out and feeling stretched too thin

2. When Liz received the hardest piece of feedback, twice…

3. The story when Liz was not able to get companies to follow through, even when they were in complete agreement on what needed to happen

Things to listen for:

[07:33] Why Liz was described as “great at the “USA Crossword puzzle”

[09:19] Her biggest work burnout moment

[14:46] Not taking care of herself and the impact on her work

[18:53] Getting a new job and it testing her values and culture list

[28:28] Getting told everything that was negative about working with her

[36:34] Addressing feedback and making changes

[38:22] Her biggest imposter syndrome moment

Resources:

- Connect with Liz on LinkedIn

- Check out Stage 2 Capital

- Subscribe to Dear Stage 2 on Substack

- Connect with Andrew on LinkedIn

- Work with Andrew

- Learn more about Appcues

In this episode, Kevan Lee, co-founder of Bonfire, shares the most gruesome imposter syndrome he’s ever encountered, the biggest "welcome to the league" moment he experienced from getting rejected, and what it was like to leave a high-flying corporate job to walk the tightrope of entrepreneurship.

In this episode, you’ll hear about:

1. When Kevan realized his unique path was not climbing the corporate ladder, despite his family history of entrepreneurship

2. His “welcome to the league” when he was initially rejected for a content writer position at Buffer

3. The most frustrating career feedback Kevan has ever received

Things to listen for:

[04:53] Coming from a family of entrepreneurs, but never identifying as an entrepreneur

[11:22] His “welcome to the league” moment

[14:05] Choosing to knock on Buffer’s door again after rejection

[17:18] Having to pull the plug on a large project

[25:20] Moving past a huge career disappointment

[29:30] Being told he need to “speak up more” in a meeting

[37:27] The worst type of interview Kevan has experienced

Resources:

- Connect with Kevan on LinkedIn

- Check out Bonfire

- Kevan’s substack

- Connect with Andrew on LinkedIn or Twitter

- Learn more about Navattic

- Learn more about Appcues

Nobody deserves to be yelled at by their boss… ever.

That’s the situation Shanee Ben-Zur found herself in early in her career - and (after regrouping and then giving her notice immediately afterwards) it triggered a new career in tech-marketing. She’s gone to be become CMO at Earnest, with stops at Crunchbase, Dropbox, Salesforce, and NVIDIA.

In addition to the horrible yelling situation, Shanee talked about how her fear of failure caused her to micromanage her team, and shared the feedback that’s helped her grow into her own as a leader.

In this episode, you’ll hear about:

1. The story behind when Shanee was screamed at by her boss in the middle of NYC - and what she did next.

2. Realizing her team was hesitant to provide honest feedback - which led her to seek coaching

3. The team turnover after a successful funding round and the beginning of the pandemic

Things to listen for:

[04:34] Being a child of immigrants influenced her into the wrong field

[09:01] Shanee’s boss screamed at her in the middle of NYC

[12:03] Playstation changed the trajectory of Shanee’s career

[18:31] What caused Shanee’s work tears

[25:31] Creating a culture of fear

[30:57] The goal is to hire people who are smarter than you

[34:44] Therapy changed Shanee’s life

[38:25] Benefit from learning how to communicate wins strategically

Resources:

- Connect with Shanee on LinkedIn

- Connect with Andrew on LinkedIn or Twitter

- Learn more about Navattic

- Learn more about Appcues

Diana Stepner shares three pivotal lessons from her journey transitioning from Product Manager to Leadership Coach. She discusses the importance of making your manager shine, navigating team dynamics, and why building trust is essential for career growth. Diana also reflects on why the characteristics that earned her praise early on in a company consistently turned into points of negative feedback.

Diana opens up about:

1. Why the same attributes that earned her praise could also create detractors

2. The challenges of being both overqualified and underqualified

3. Learning how to balance self-driven success with the importance of recognizing and celebrating her team and managers

Things to listen for:

(00:00) Intro

(03:22) Growing up in Silicon Valley and early exposure to the tech world

(06:43) Transitioning from communications to product leadership

(12:12) Struggling with being overqualified or underqualified

(15:05) Learning how to make your manager shine

(21:08) Thanks to our sponsor of this episode, Navattic

(25:18) Handling challenging feedback and finding balance in leadership

(30:47) When stepping aside wasn’t the right call

(35:59) Rebuilding after tough feedback

(41:24) Disbanding a future-focused team: the reality of working on the fringe

(46:38) The power of slowing down and building trust with your team

Resources:

Connect with Diana:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dianas/

Product Gold: https://www.productgold.com/

People-First Leadership: https://dianastepner.substack.com/

Connect with Andrew:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewcapland/

Hire Andrew as your coach: https://deliveringvalue.co/coaching

Thanks to our amazing sponsor!

Learn more about Navattic: http://navattic.com/value

Moving to South Africa with the entire family, working 75 hour weeks, and then getting the worst feedback from a new boss sounds sounds fun, right?

This is the exact situation that Dave Boyce found himself in. But Dave didn’t let that stop him. He used this experience as fuel to become a serial entrepreneur who evolved into a professor and writer. Dave is the author of "Product That Sells Itself,” he’s on the board of Winning by Design and Forrester, and is an advisor to a handful of startups.

In addition to the challenging feedback loops and international moves, Dave emphasizes embracing the unknown with confidence, how feedback has influenced his life, and the importance of developing strong boundaries and values.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

1. The toughest 2 pieces of feedback Dave has ever received and how those influence him today

2. The time when Dave was driving and got a call from George Zachary (investor in Twitter) saying, "this is going to be a tough call. Do you have a minute?"”

3. How Dave finds the courage to overcome imposter syndrome related to writing his new textbook on PLG

Things to listen for:

[04:52] What happened when Dave ignored his gut feelings

[12:26] Dave’s spontaneous decision to move to South Africa with his family and ended up receiving the toughest feedback in his career

[26:13] Receiving a call from George Zachary (CRV), saying "This is going to be a tough call. Do you have a minute?”

[32:53] The moment Dave experienced imposter syndrome and almost threw the towel in.

[36:50] Dave’s secrets behind what helped him pursue his dreams

Resources:

- Connect with Dave on LinkedIn

- Visit Dave’s website

- Subscribe to Dave’s Substack

- Connect with Andrew on LinkedIn or Twitter

- Subscribe to the Delivering Value Substack

- Learn more about Navattic

- Learn more about Appcues

In this episode, Mike shares his journey from getting fired at his first job to becoming CMO of a 7-figure startup. He outlines his decision making framework when a job no longer aligns with long-term goals, how he embraces the discomfort leaving something good to chase something potentially great, and the role of a strong network and clear personal values when making transitions.

In this episode, you’ll hear about:

1. The email Mike sent his two bosses that prompted them to say “don’t come back to work”

2. When Mike was thriving in his management consulting role, but knew it wasn’t the right fit

3. The moment when Mike realized that company values and culture is more important than company success

Things to listen for:

[01:18] Zigging while others were zagging

[08:07] Being told “don’t come back to work” by his bosses

[12:26] Mike’s REAL growth experience

[16:16] Getting comfortable being uncomfortable has never been a challenge

[21:56] Becoming CMO at a 7 figure company and realizing it’s not the right fit

[33:52] Playing the long game and expanding his network

[36:27] Take a leap of faith (when his wife wasn’t working)

[40:15] Sumo wrestling and burrito eating contests at work

[41:29] Yvonne Chouinard, the founder of Patagonia, calls Mike’s phone in the middle of a work meeting

Resources:

- Connect with Mike on LinkedIn

- Check out Moonwater

- Connect with Andrew on LinkedIn or Twitter

- Learn more about Navattic

- Learn more about Appcues

As a growth marketer, you’re faced with decisions every day.

What campaign should you run? Which metric should you optimize for?

But some decisions can strike you to the core of your values. That happened to Bradley Fehler, Growth Lead at Prolific, when his boss asked him to choose to focus on work or caring for his pregnant wife.

It’s a decision that’s often much easier to make in retrospect.

In this episode, Bradley shares stories about times when boundaries in his professional and personal life were tested, and dealing with the immense pressure of being the head of growth at a company that just wasn’t growing. Listen to realize that you aren’t alone in the struggles you face as a growth leader, and that the challenges you’re facing are temporary.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

1. Setting boundaries between your professional and personal life is crucial for maintaining balance

2. Be candid with your boss about what you can and can’t commit to as early as possible

3. Never forget to remain humble and curious, regardless of your company’s growth

Things to listen for:

[10:13] Cultivating candid feedback in relationships

[11:30] Choosing between work and a pregnant wife

[16:19] Learning to set boundaries at work

[20:08] Overcoming difficult choices at work

[21:56] Setting expectations with your manager

[26:25] When work bleeds into home

[36:31] A new segment: What Would You Do?

Resources:

- Connect with Bradley on LinkedIn

- Connect with Andrew on LinkedIn or Twitter

- Learn more about Navattic

- Learn more about Appcues

Should you continue working in-house or finally take a chance and start your own thing? If you struggle with this push and pull - you aren’t alone.

The safety of an in-house role can be alluring. But if you’re looking for something different Asia Orangio, CEO and Founder of DemandMaven has some advice - if you have the runway, then go for it.

In this episode, Asia talks about how while starting her own business has been extremely challenging, it’s also leveled up her skills faster than she thought possible. Listen in to learn how she overcame tough feedback from her mentor about her experience and the mindsets you need to succeed in your career.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

1. Mentors won’t always support your ideas, don’t take it personally

2. Real world experience can be an invaluable substitute for formal education

3. Don’t let the unknown unknowns stop you from moving forward

Things to listen for:

[06:07] Taking on bigger problems

[13:03] Receiving tough feedback from a trusted mentor

[24:03] Does starting your own business make you unemployable?

[25:28] Unlocking new levels in your life

[26:36] Meeting impossible goals in a toxic work environment

[32:49] Advice for people working at roles misaligned to their values

[35:42] What to do when you don’t know what to do

[38:28] Breaking old thought patterns

Resources:

- Connect with Asia on LinkedIn or Twitter

- Check out Asia’s newsletter

- Connect with Andrew on LinkedIn and Twitter

- Learn more about Navattic

- Learn more about Appcues

Receiving negative feedback is always tough. But when it’s coming from someone you really respect, It can feel brutal.

As painful as it was for Leah Tharin, Growth Advisor for scaling B2B companies, to hear that she was thinking too small, it eventually defined how she worked, reset her expectations, and strengthened her leadership style.

In this episode, Leah shares her story of evolving in her growth career and overcoming the stumbles her ego caused along the way. Listen to discover how there’s always an opportunity for growth.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

1. Your biggest growth is on the other side of brutal, yet constructive feedback

2. Identifying your learning pattern allows you to better structure your self-education and retain the things you consume

3. It’s important to understand and notice your emotions and talk about them with others

Things to listen for:

[10:45] Growing in the messy middle

[13:04] The watershed moment that altered Leah’s career

[21:27] Learning to zoom out and slow down

[25:00] Continuing with a struggling business

[26:16] The superpower of a growth mindset

[28:53] Managing the spectrum of self-doubt

[37:14] Improving from poor presentations

Resources:

- Connect with Leah on LinkedIn

- Check out Leah’s PLG Course

- Listen to The Productea with Leah Podcast

- Connect with Andrew on LinkedIn or Twitter

- Learn more about Navattic

- Learn more about Appcues

When you look at some professionals, it’s easy to underrate their accomplishments because they were “lucky.” But ask any one of them and you’ll realize the long, arduous, stressful road they took to get there. Brendan Hufford, Founder of Growth Sprints, is one of those professionals.

In this episode, Brendan tells the stories of his bouts with overwork and taking on a role in a toxic, terrifying work environment to get to where he is today. Listen to discover what you need as a growth marketer to stay grounded and work sustainably, without sacrificing your health along the way.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

1. Surrounding yourself with people who love you for who you are is essential to avoiding burnout

2. Moving fast can be detrimental if you aren’t doing it thoughtfully

3. Broadcasting your wins to the company can help get people energized about the work you do

Things to listen for:

[09:45] Nothing replaces hard work

[13:38] Moving too fast

[15:17] Processing critiques and feedback

[27:38] Balancing how much effort to give

[28:24] Finding work that combines your expertises

[30:13] Avoiding the health risks of overwork

[33:45] Realizing the value of soft skills

Resources:

- Connect with Brendan on LinkedIn

- Subscribe to Brendan’s newsletter for the secret recipes of how SaaS companies *actually* get customers

- Connect with Andrew on LinkedIn or Twitter

- Learn more about Navattic

- Learn more about Appcues

It’s stating the obvious but leadership is tricky. You’ve got to find a balance between creating space for open dialogue while also filtering how much you actually share.

Margaret Kelsey, Founder and Marketing Advisor at TatCo, was forced to take a step back and look closely at her team culture when she got some very disheartening feedback during her time at Appcues. She quickly came to realize she’d created a toxic mini culture in her team by expressing frustration with the organization in an unproductive way.

In this episode, Margaret shares some of her struggles in aligning her team with the larger company and getting buy-in from higher ups on their strategies. She also discusses how she’s learning how to detangle her personal and work identities. Listen to discover how you can become more self-aware as a leader to lead teams effectively and continue being satisfied with your work.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

1. As a leader, you need to be responsible about what messages you filter through to your team

2. Every piece of feedback you receive is optional

3. It’s better to think of your company as a sports team rather than a family

Things to listen for:

[11:14] Rethinking hustle culture

[15:25] Filtering frustrations and leadership messages to your team

[18:22] Navigating the challenge of misaligned values at work

[28:49] Detangling your work and personal identity

[32:01] Dealing with “Executive thrashing”

[37:13] Leaning into your feelings rather than judging them

[40:04] Building self-awareness as a leader

[41:13] Setting boundaries and choosing what feedback to accept

Resources:

- Connect with Margaret on LinkedIn

- Check out Margaret’s podcast

- Connect with Andrew on LinkedIn or Twitter

- Learn more about Navattic

- Learn more about Appcues

When you’re leading a small growth team, every time someone leaves it can feel like a gut punch. That’s what Connor Bradley, Director of Product Growth at Jobber, felt when a member of his team left at the beginning of the pandemic. And then another person exited and Connor felt lower than low.

In this episode, Connor discusses the emotions he’s had to go through and process while building a growth team from scratch and overcoming the struggles, unexpected and otherwise, that comes with that path. Listen in to learn how you can build more tight knit teams and form solid connections to handle the ups and downs of a career in growth.

In this episode, you’ll learn how:

1. Approaching growth problems calmly allows you to remain focused on what’s most important for your company

2. Vocalizing your feelings is critical in remote work since so much non-verbal communication is lost through video calls

3. Building solid relationships at work helps you overcome the common problems of growth

Things to listen for:

[03:33] Why curiosity is critical to growth

[06:44] The period of his career Connor’s most proud of

[10:27] Hitting your lowest low and what comes next

[14:24] Maintaining a 10,000 foot view

[19:21] Advice for anyone feeling lonely or isolated

[22:49] Struggling with self-doubt

[26:55] Avoiding a reactive mindset

[30:41] Being okay saying “not right now”

Resources:

- Connect with Connor on Linkedin

- Connect with Andrew on Linkedin or Twitter

- Learn more about Navattic

- Learn more about Appcues

When you see someone with an impressive resume, it’s easy to think they’ve got it all figured out. But Patrick Moran, Head of Growth Marketing at Robinhood, shows that can be a pretty misleading indicator. Working at massive companies like Netflix, eBay, and Reforge has taught him valuable lessons that he carries with him to this day.

In this episode, Patrick shares three things he’s learned from the different mistakes he’s made in his career. Listen in and realize that no one’s career is perfect and you aren’t alone in your struggle to find success in your growth role.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

1. Your relationship with your manager is definitely two-way

2. The company shouldn’t guide or dictate your career - that’s in your hands

3. Understanding first principles is crucial to your growth in a company

Things to listen for:

[07:01] Realizing the importance of unit economics for growth roles

[12:31] Learning the value of managing up

[17:35] Balancing your career priorities with the company’s priorities for you

[19:58] Understanding the value of first principles thinking

[23:47] Adapting to a role you didn’t ask for

[26:44] Knowing when it isn’t the right fit

[30:12] Navigating doubts at work

Resources:

- Connect with Patrick on LinkedIn or the Finding Market Fit podcast

- Connect with Andrew on LinkedIn or Twitter

- Learn more about Navattic

- Learn more about Appcues

Starting growth from scratch in your company is a big responsibility. Not only do you have to teach people about its processes, but you also have to evangelize it, letting them know why they need it in the first place. It has plenty of ups and downs. Lauren Schuman, former growth at Sidebar, Mural, and Mailchimp) knows all too well.

In this episode, Lauren shares her story of starting growth from nothing at a growing company and how she’s learned to take feedback from other people. Listen to learn how you can effectively evangelize growth in your company while developing your internal relationships.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

1. Speaking a common language is essential to educating your team on the value of growth

2. Finding a professional peer group provides you with the support you need to push through tough situations

3. You shouldn’t apply every piece of feedback you receive, but know that each has some truth to them

Things to listen for:

[10:20] Starting growth from scratch at Mailchimp

[17:40] The value of a professional peer group

[19:51] Swallowing brutally honest feedback

[21:32] Dealing with significant changes within a company

[32:08] Being selective about the feedback you apply

[35:17] Finding the company that meets your standards

[36:42] Knowing when it’s time to move on

Resources

- Connect with Lauren on LinkedIn

- Connect with Andrew on LinkedIn or Twitter

- Learn more about Navattic

Natalie Marcotullio, Head of Growth at Navattic, takes us in for a behind-the-scenes look into the process of launching their freemium motion. Going through the strategic reasons behind the shift and how it fits into their overall growth strategy, she reflects on the challenges of aligning the sales team, navigating risk, and measuring success in both the short and long term.

Natalie also shares her perspective on the realities of product-led growth, the importance of soft-pitching ideas, and the unexpected lessons learned during the launch process.

Natalie opens up about:

• The excitement and pressure of launching a freemium plan
• The value of soft-pitching product-led growth strategies over time
• The challenge of aligning a sales team to embrace PLG leads

Things to listen for:

(00:00) Intro

(03:17) Why Navattic chose freemium over a free trial model

(05:53) The impact of freemium on pipeline and user conversion

(08:00) Navigating internal buy-in and the importance of soft-pitching PLG

(10:01) Testing and experimenting with lower-priced plans before going freemium

(12:13) Aligning the sales team with the PLG motion and managing challenges

(14:00) Modeling pipeline projections and the impact on MQL and PQL metrics

(16:19) The role of customer support in managing increased user inquiries

(18:42) Sales engagement with self-serve users and building trust

(20:25) Reflecting on early success indicators and word-of-mouth growth

Resources:

Connect with Natalie:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natalie-marcotullio/

Connect with Andrew:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewcapland/

Hire Andrew as your coach: https://deliveringvalue.co/coaching

Working in a new company means your day-to-day responsibilities have to be tied to a larger goal. But when you’re fresh out of college in your first role, it’s hard to understand that perspective and how others work towards it. Claire Suellentrop, Co-Founder and COO of Forget the Funnel, knows the struggle.

In this episode, Claire talks about how valuable an outside perspective would’ve been to her growth when she was starting out. Listen to learn how you can set up your network to create a foundation for your growth in the industry.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

1. Understanding how different people approach work will save you from miscommunications and wasted work

2. The best people to give you advice are the ones who are only a few steps ahead

3. An outside perspective of your problems will help you overcome them quicker

Things to listen for:

[04:25] How Claire fell backwards into growth

[11:39] Learning to catch up to a company’s pace

[14:47] The importance of learning from someone a few steps ahead

[18:11] Understanding everyone’s working styles

[23:46] Overcoming a skillset-company culture mismatch

[27:58] Leaning into your strengths

[30:23] Why heads of growth turnover so quickly

Resources

- Connect with Claire on LinkedIn or Forget the Funnel

- Forget the Funnel book

- Connect with Andrew on LinkedIn or Twitter

- Learn more about Navattic

- Learn more about MadKudu

Most growth roles are difficult to grasp and manage which makes mastering “soft skills” like communication, vital.

In this episode, Product Growth Advisor Rosie Hoggmascall shares her experiences around someone taking credit for her work, struggling with being put on the spot, and having the tough conversation about feeling stuck at work. Listen in to hear her tried and true phrases you can employ to avoid freezing in anxiety-triggering conversations at work and to be reminded why soft skills are what hard workers really need.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

1. Writing your thoughts on paper before a hard conversation at work can help you show up with confidence and clarity

2. Communication and managing up are two soft skills you need to hone to be an effective head of growth

3. You don’t have to accept all the feedback you receive but pay attention if you’re hearing the same things over and over

Things to listen for:

[11:35] Why you should always be applying for jobs

[12:51] Dealing with disrespectful managers

[15:51] Preparing for difficult conversations

[19:16] Breaking your self-deprecating internal monologue

[22:29] Speaking with your boss after a big mistake

[26:55] Phrases to use to avoid freezing

[30:15] Sifting through contrasting feedback

[32:46] Honing your soft skills

Resources:

- Connect with Rosie on LinkedIn, Medium, or Growth Mentor

- Connect with Andrew on LinkedIn or Twitter

- Learn more about Navattic

- Learn more about MadKudu

Alignment is one of the most important parts of working in growth, whether it's being aligned with your company about your role or how well you connect with the new hire. Hillary Pitts Miller works the intersection of Product and Growth at Whimsical and she came to understand the power of alignment when she realized that her company wasn’t actually ready for a growth team yet.

In this episode, Hillary shares her story of setting her ego aside for the sake of the company and her transition from her marketing background into growth (and back again). Listen in for Hillary’s insights and career advice on navigating the maturing but unpredictable growth landscape.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

1. That you shouldn’t be afraid to address the elephant in the room

2. Why it’s important to take time and suss out the company culture fit, whether you’re interviewing candidates or interviewing for jobs

3. Some companies might not need a growth role as much as they think they do

Things to listen for:

[03:45] Hillary’s Growth origin story

[09:04] How to overcome a failed hire

[14:50] Navigating impostor syndrome

[17:07] How being honest builds trust

[20:50] Setting your ego aside for the company’s needs

[29:23] Advice for struggling job seekers

[30:59] How to learn if a company is for you

Resources:

- Connect with Andrew on LinkedIn or Twitter

- Learn more about Navattic

- Learn more about MadKudu

Have you moved from one company to another just to feel like nothing changed? Like when you finally leave a role that drains your energy, only to find yourself in a company culture that’s a little too familiar? Joseph Fitzgibbon, Founder of Growth & Company, knows that feeling and his experiences taught him signs to look out for and tactics for avoiding falling into companies that just aren’t made for him.

In this episode, Joseph shares his journey into the growth industry and how he overcame the struggles of having a job that demanded skills and a personality that he didn’t have. Listen to learn how to find your sweet spot and to get out of dodge when the role doesn’t fit you and the value you bring to the table.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

1. Call things early. If you’re in a job that doesn’t feel right, it’s best to leave as soon as you can rather than perpetually hope that one day everything will work out.

2. When you’re interviewing for a new growth role, really try to understand what caused them to let go of the person you’re replacing. It helps you avoid making the same mistakes.

3. There is power in clear and frequent feedback, seek it out relentlessly.

Things to listen for:

[4:17] An average week at a growth consultancy

[12:06] Joseph’s path to the growth industry

[16:34] Identifying a mismatch in your role

[19:51] The value of clear feedback and performance reviews

[28:58] Setting expectations with your manager

[36:26] Managing the reality of business

[40:37] Advice for growth jobseekers

Resources:

- Connect with Andrew on LinkedIn or Twitter

- Learn more about Navattic

- Learn more about MadKudu

Having been the only woman in countless meetings and the youngest person at the table, Daphne Tideman, Freelance Growth Advisor and Consultant at Daphne Tideman Ltd., understands the struggle of getting your voice heard. It was frustrating for her. But, over time, she’s learned how to overcome it.

In this episode, Daphne shares how learning to speak other people’s languages has allowed her to be more convincing and resonate with others. But beyond that, she’s also discovered how to grow her confidence and value herself outside of the bounds of work. Listen to hear the valuable lessons she’s gained from her mistakes and strategies she uses to overcome the pressure of heading a Growth team, learning new skills, freelancing in Growth, and more.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

1. The power of speaking your executive’s language

2. To get to the heart of a matter keep asking the question “So what?”

3. Have goals and passions outside of work to help you find more balance in your life

Things to listen for:

[4:29] The crossroads that led Daphne to the Growth industry

[14:18] Being the only woman in a meeting

[17:35] Remembering work isn’t your whole life

[20:42] The power of joint goals

[21:54] How to get your ideas heard

[32:56] Focusing on things in your control

[35:28] Being in your comfort zone is OK

Resources:

- Connect with Daphne on her website and subscribe to her newsletter

- Connect with Andrew on LinkedIn or Twitter

- Learn more about Navattic

- Learn more about MadKudu

When you take the long-term perspective of your Growth career, it would be shocking if you didn’t get at least one bad performance review. That’s an insight Adam Fishman, Chief Product and Technology Officer at ResortPass and Executive in Residence at Reforge, has come to understand deeply.

In this episode, he shares his story of being one of the early employees at Lyft and how he had to learn to manage a Growth team before many people knew what Growth really meant. Listen to hear about overcoming career mistakes, understanding how being yourself and being successful can happen simultaneously, and dealing with the anxiety and pressure of leading large teams when you’re inexperienced.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

1. The importance of seeking outside mentorship because bosses can’t always be your coaches nor do they have all the answers you need

2. Why it’s best to be honest with your employers about what they can expect from you to help you decide as soon as possible whether a role is right for you

3. When to use soft skills to gauge whether a responsibility is just enough to grow someone or too much for them to handle

Things to listen for:

[5:52] The pivotal moment in Adam’s career from a marketer to a Growth leader

[11:11] A lesson from being the Head of Growth

[13:04] Learning from a bad performance review

[18:54] Why you should learn to ask for help

[24:59] The anxiety and pressure from high growth companies

[17:53] How to be yourself and be successful

[32:38] Adam’s experience dealing with high pressure and anxiety

Resources:

• Subscribe to Adam’s Newsletter
• Connect with Adam on LinkedIn
• Connect with Andrew on LinkedIn or Twitter
• Learn more about Navattic
• Learn more about MadKudu

Working in a Growth role for the first time is hard, especially since the field is always evolving.

In this episode, Liam MacCormack, Senior Growth Marketing Manager at MadKudu, shares his career journey from growth manager to head of growth. Along the way, he talks about why therapy and support systems are crucial for anyone in Growth, the mistakes that have made him a better person, and his path toward becoming a Growth leader.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

1. The importance of a support system for anyone in growth

2. How to deal with burnout and stress in a healthy way

3. Mistakes are inevitable; internalize the lessons to continue improving

Things to listen for:

[4:26] How Liam landed his first growth job

[14:18] A career mistake that’s stuck with Liam

[20:48] How to know you’re actually growing

[26:49] The peaks and valleys of being in a growth role

[37:20] Advice for dealing with burnout and overwhelm

[40:45] Pushing through the challenges and adversity that come in growth

Resources:

- Connect with Andrew on LinkedIn or Twitter

- Learn more about Navattic

- Learn more about MadKudu

John Short's life changed when his daughter had a seizure at school. As a parent, John found it challenging to balance work and family, but he wanted to provide extra support for his daughter.

In this episode, John shares how that experience made him rethink his priorities and realize the importance of a portfolio view of life. In light of this, he started his own company, Compound Growth Marketing, allowing him to focus on the most valuable use of his time and plan better for his family's future. Listen in to gain a deeper understanding of the personal challenges people face so you can lean into empathy and grace.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

1. How to set aside specific time for family to ensure you are present and focused not distracted by work and other obligations

2. Finding mentors who've successfully balanced family and career to gain insights and guidance on how to achieve the same

3. Significant life events can shift priorities and change career trajectories, think through the potential long-term consequences of important decisions and make choices that align with your goals and values

Things to Listen for:

[04:31] How parents struggle with work-life balance

[09:27] The stressors of working at an early-stage company

[15:37] Seeking out mentors who've been where you are now

[20:42] The benefits of choosing to be present

[25:16] Changing societal norms around a healthy work-life balance

Resources:

- Check out John's podcast

- Connect with Andrew on LinkedIn or Twitter

- Learn more about Navattic

- Learn more about MadKudu

So often, those in growth roles feel like there's no room for mistakes. Like their job is to know the answers to everything.

In this episode, Mario Araujo, VP of Growth at Graphext.com and Product Growth Advisor, discusses the soft-skills needed to develop your leadership style. Listen in for his insights on owning up to mistakes, being clear and empathetic in communication while seeking ways to improve, and creating an environment where colleagues feel comfortable having open and respectful conversations. Along the way, you'll also hear how to go from being the person who jumps on every idea the CEO utters to the person who challenges those thoughts in a productive and respectful manner.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

1. Strategies for direct, honest communication with your CEO

2. The impact leaning into “soft skills” has on culture and your own leadership style

3. How to own your mistakes and seek improvement rather than pretending to have all the answers

Things to Listen for:

[05:07] Mario's journey from technical trainer to growth expert

[13:08] The positive impact of cultivating an open, supportive culture

[21:48] Building trust through honest communication with your CEO

[29:23] Navigating office politics

[35:24] Owning up to mistakes and taking action instead of making excuses

[38:28] Valuing a healthy work/life balance

Resources:

- Connect with Mario on LinkedIn or his website

- Connect with Andrew on LinkedIn or Twitter

- Learn more about Navattic

- Learn more about MadKudu

As we wrap up the miniseries, I wanted to touch on the ‘big swings’ the Navattic team is taking in 2024 as well as the key takeaways from filming this show.

In the final episode of the Behind the Scenes Miniseries with the Navattic growth team, you’ll learn:

1. The different strategies Navattic adopts when taking "big bets," especially in growth roles

2. How startups, especially those at the stage of a "supersede round" of funding like Navattic, approach team expansion and resource allocation

3. The challenges and realities of working in growth-focused roles within a smaller company context

Things to listen for:

[00:47] Big swings Navattic is taking this year

[01:40] Potential threats to their plan

[02:33] Why going slower enables them to start faster

[04:07] Their hiring process and when they’ll hire a new growth team member

[06:30] The value of having a small team

[06:58] Natalie and Raman’s top takeaways

[07:33] Feeling like everyone else has it figured out

[08:08] The realities of filming this series

[08:25] The question Natalie and Raman hoped I’d asked

Resources:

- Binge the whole series on the Delivering Value Substack

- Connect with Andrew on LinkedIn

- Connect with Raman Khanna on LinkedIn

- Connect with Natalie Marcotullio on LinkedIn

- Learn more about Navattic

In this episode, Sarah Stockdale, founder of Growclass, shares her journey of overcoming burnout while leading growth teams at tech startups, addressing gender bias in the workplace, and building a thriving community for marketers. She reflects on how these experiences shaped her leadership style, approach to mental health, and entrepreneurship.

Sarah opens up about:

Witnessing a mass layoff and facing inappropriate comments from a coworker

Pushing herself so hard that she had a panic attack on her way to a partnership meeting

Making the bold decision to take a risk on a startup over a secure job because she wanted to optimize for learning.

Things to listen for:

(00:00) The wonderful humans that shaped Sarah

(06:39) Transitioning from a risk-averse upbringing to entrepreneurship

(08:04) Turning down a safe job offer for a learning opportunity in a startup

(11:26) Not true, but he said, “Sarah wasn’t fired because the boss wants to f*** her”

(18:42) Thanks to our sponsor of this episode, Churnkey

(20:33) “You get to decide your own worth and impact”

(25:33) Busting the hustle = success myth

(31:18) Liters of coffee, panic attacks, and burnout

(39:10) Sarah’s therapist told her to quit her job

(42:39) The impact of frentors (friend + mentor)

Thanks to our sponsor!

Learn more about Churnkey: https://churnkey.co/

Resources:

Connect with Sarah:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahstockdale/

• Growclass: https://www.growclass.co/

Connect with Andrew:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewcapland/

• Hire Andrew as your coach: https://deliveringvalue.co/coaching

In the 7th episode of the Behind the Scenes Miniseries with the Navattic growth team, you’ll learn:

1. How critical it is for growth teams to stay aligned with leadership and cross-functional stakeholders.

2. The systems Navattic has in place for sharing updates on experiments and results; how they leverage Slack channels and regular team meetings.

3. How Navattic manages cross-functional collaboration and gets ahead of potential roadblocks.

Things to listen for:

[00:39] Why managing expectations is so important for growth teams

[01:08] How they stay aligned with leadership

[03:00] Their internal sharing operating system

[04:08] How often Navattic is sharing growth results/ learnings in a typical month

[05:17] Letting teammates come along for the ride and see work in progress

[05:52] How they approach collaboration with other teams

[07:25] Getting feedback from other teams

[08:25] Mistakes they have made around communication

[09:45] Why sharing “learners” is so important

[11:15] Balancing competing priorities with other teams

[11:30] Pre-mortems to surface potential concerns and pitfalls

Resources:

- Binge the whole series on the Delivering Value Substack

- Connect with Andrew on LinkedIn

- Connect with Raman Khanna on LinkedIn

- Connect with Natalie Marcotullio on LinkedIn

- Learn more about Navattic

Solid systems, open communication, and self-care are the practices allowing Natalie Marcotullio to thrive as Head of Growth and Operations at Navattic.

In this episode, Natalie shares her experience as a one-person Head of Growth and how she's tackled the challenges she faced, such as understanding individual communication styles to achieve cross-functional alignment. Listen in for her insights on improving productivity, taking time for yourself, and tactfully prioritizing tactics based on current needs.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

1. Be intentional about when you do certain tasks and create a system that helps ensure you're ready for the day ahead

2. Take into account the communication styles and objectives of your team members to communicate effectively

3. Clearly lay out experiments, strategies, and tasks in a visible way to keep everyone on the same page and able to prioritize what will help you achieve your goals

Things to Listen for:

[03:58] Natalie's journey from growth hacker to growth leader

[13:40] The role of effective communication in go-to-market success

[18:16] The importance of tactical prioritization for company growth

[27:19] Understanding your colleagues' communication styles and objectives

[35:32] How to be intentional about what you do and when you do it

[41:25] Tackling imposter syndrome

Resources:

• Connect with Andrew on LinkedIn or Twitter
• Learn more about Navattic
• Learn more about MadKudu

In the 6th episode of the Behind the Scenes Miniseries with the Navattic growth team, you’ll learn:

1. How Natalie and Raman approach their portfolio of growth bets.

2. How they blended qualitative insights (like customer feedback and market trends) with quantitative data (like metrics and analytics) to make approach a pricing challenge.

3. How Natalie and Raman navigate the pressures to deliver wins and substantial results in a challenging 2024 economic climate.

Things to listen for:

[00:55] The biggest challenges Natalie and Raman face working in growth at Navattic

[01:55] How the team approaches their portfolio of bets

[03:00] A recent growth challenge Navattic has faced and how they conquered it

[03:55] Using a blend of qual and quant to problem solve

[05:17] Signals they should have public-facing pricing

[06:03] The two things needed to prioritize a problem

[06:58] Balancing qualitative and qualitative signals for pricing discovery

[08:15] The pressure to deliver and perform right now

[09:40] The realities working in growth in 2024

[10:02] Raman’s ramp-up process and early-wins

[12:03] The value of the 30-60-90 day plan

Resources:

- Binge the whole series on the Delivering Value Substack

- Connect with Andrew on LinkedIn

- Connect with Raman Khanna on LinkedIn

- Connect with Natalie Marcotullio on LinkedIn

- Learn more about Navattic

Scott is the VP of Growth at Persefoni, and his wide-ranging growth experience includes time at Reforge, HubSpot, co-hosting the Growth TL;DR podcast with Kieran Flanagan, and working on the Signals product with Brian Balfour.

In our convo, we talked at length about why growth roles tend to turn over so frequently, what makes a strong leader, and more:

• Navigating the “messy middle” between senior IC and growth leader
• How a lack of clear expectations and boundaries shortens role tenures
• Why rapid feedback cycles are important, whether you are working on a landing page, a board presentation, your comms, or your vision
• Four traits of strong leaders: simplify everything, empower everyone, learn from everywhere, and have a sense of humor

[00:18] Introducing Scott Tousley and his background

[08:50] Scott’s work at Persefoni and some of the challenges he experiences

[13:47] Why do growth leaders often have short tenures in companies?

[18:16] Learning and developing the skills that benefit a growth leader

[24:49] On feedback

[29:15] Patterns and traits of strong leaders that Scott wants to exemplify

[36:02] On work-life balance and how being a parent has affected how he prioritizes things

[40:55] On his career growth

[45:50] Connect with Scott

Links:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scotttousley/

This episode was sponsored by Navattic and Madkudu.

[00:22] Introducing Shirin Bradfield and her background

[08:23] Transitioning into a new role

[17:54] Her work as Head of Growth and Self-Service

[25:54] Soft skills that are beneficial in the growth space and a role like Shirin’s

[37:50] Discussing Impostor Syndrome

[41:01] On adapting to unknowns

[42:45] On professional goals and career growth

[49:05] Resetting focus and managing fulfillment

[51:26] Connect with Shirin

Link:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shirinbradfield/

In the 5th episode of the Behind the Scenes Miniseries with the Navattic growth team, you’ll learn:

1. What’s in Navattic’s growth dashboards (and what isn’t).

2. What gets shared internally, how often, and with who.

3. Their biggest challenges when it comes to tracking and reporting - and how they navigate those.

Things to listen for:

[00:46] What KPIs they look at on a regular basis

[01:15] The two dashboards that get presented weekly

[02:05] The role of drill-down views broken down by channel

[03:04] What gets shared at the company level

[03:28] Sharing individual experiment data in a Slack Channel

[04:10] Metrics they don’t track - but feel like they should

[05:28] Their north star metric

[05:54] What stresses them out the most about KPIs?

[06:55] Handling the “why is this metric down?” question

Resources:

- Binge the whole series on the Delivering Value Substack

- Connect with Andrew on LinkedIn

- Connect with Raman Khanna on LinkedIn

- Connect with Natalie Marcotullio on LinkedIn

- Learn more about Navattic

In the 4th episode of the Behind the Scenes Miniseries with the Navattic growth team, you’ll learn:

1. How the Navattic team manages and implements growth experiments using tools like Notion

2. Why certain tools like Trello were passed over in favor of an all-in-Notion system and the benefits from this decision

3. How the team collaborates on experiments, their scheduling of reviews and brainstorming sessions, and the informal yet structured approach they take towards retrospective meetings

Things to listen for:

[00:35] Tools Navattic uses to get growth projects done

[01:18] The project management systems to manage the work

[3:522] Their growth experimentation “home base” artifact

[05:02] What a typical week of meetings looks like for Raman and Natalie

[06:28] The role of team retros

[07:01] Their biggest operational challenges

[08:01] Who needs to approve their work

[08:38] Navattic’s process behind price experimentation

Resources:

- Binge the whole series on the Delivering Value Substack

- Connect with Andrew on LinkedIn

- Connect with Raman Khanna on LinkedIn

- Connect with Natalie Marcotullio on LinkedIn

- Learn more about Navattic

[0:00:42] Introducing Benyamin Elias and his background

[0:12:43] Growth and success in the tech industry

[0:19:42] Developing the ability to instinctually know where to find value

[0:25:43] On the challenge of adapting to a fast rate of change

[0:30:08] How to avoid being bogged down by Impostor Syndrome

[0:34:33] On learning from your mistakes through taking responsibility

[0:42:33] On receiving feedback

[0:51:24] On fast career growth and receiving more responsibility to the point of overflowing

[0:55:34] Advice on managing work stress

[1:01:30] Connect with Benyamin

Links:

Twitter: www.twitter.com/benyaminelias

Articles: https://diamondpencils.substack.com/

I’m joined by Ben Williams — former VP of Product Growth at Snyk, current founder and full-time advisor at PLGeek.

Ben shared why he gifted a book with a personalized message to a new PM, how he reframed negative feedback so it stopped making him feel sick, and how he had way more fun after he stopped putting pressure on himself to know every answer.

[00:14] Introducing Ben Williams and his background

[04:10] Ben’s journey in growth and the bumps along the way

[09:40] How his experience in the space influences his interviewing methods

[12:01] His career “detour”

[16:03] On the fear of failure and the characteristics that contribute to one’s success

[25:14] Advice for people feeling uneasy in a new role

[29:54] On being a leader for people who are struggling with impostor syndrome or fear of failure

[34:34] On giving/ receiving high-impact feedback

[44:32] How your values can influence your motivation and success

[45:57] On realizing that you don’t need to have all the answers to deserve success

[51:13] Where to connect with Ben

Links:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/semanticben/

Website: www.plgeek.com

In this second episode of the Behind the Scenes Miniseries with the Navattic growth team, you’ll learn:

1. What growth is at Navattic, how they’ve scaled their team, and what their growth operating system looks like.

2. Areas of the growth model they have ownership and accountability for.

3. The challenges faced by small growth teams; resource allocation, focusing on impactful experiments, and managing ideas from cross-functional stakeholders.

Things to listen for:

[00:37] What is growth at Navattic?

[01:20] Balancing increasing metrics and learning in their experiments

[02:00] The areas of the model growth owns

[03:00] How they categorize their tests

[03:25] Areas of the growth model that are “off limits”

[04:05] Roles and responsibilities on the team

[05:55] Slow is smooth and smooth is fast

[06:27] Hiring Head of Growth before Head of Marketing

[07:42] KPIs they’re accountable for

[08:46] Getting resources to scale the team

[10:12] Hardest part of being a two-person growth team

[11:19] Systems to manage all the growth ideas being suggested

[13:27] Managing experiments across channels

[14:09] Running in sprints

Resources:

- Binge the whole series on the Delivering Value Substack

- Connect with Andrew on LinkedIn or Twitter

- Connect with Raman Khanna on LinkedIn

- Connect with Natalie Marcotullio on LinkedIn

- Learn more about Navattic

In this episode, Aakash Gupta shares his journey from a tech-savvy kid in Kalamazoo, Michigan, to a successful product manager and creator in the Product Growth space.

He shares his tough feedback experiences, how he’s been able to overcome imposter syndrome, and how building a failed startup impacted his career. Aakash emphasizes the importance of self-care, emotional intelligence, and supportive mentorship in navigating corporate roles and leadership challenges.

Aakash opens up about:

How the collapse of a startup with 350k users reshaped his career and mindset

Getting specific feedback from a CMO that rattled his confidence

Navigating a sticky situation when a team member on a PIP attempted to turn the entire company against him

Things to listen for:

(00:00) Intro

(01:03) Aakash’s journey: From VP to Creator

(03:08) Debate skills shaping his product career

(05:29) First SaaS job building sports tools

(08:07) Lessons from his failed startup

(12:26) How mentorship changed his mindset

(14:17) Tough feedback from a CMO at Threadup

(16:33) The role of emotional intelligence in leadership

(28:08) Handling a difficult pip situation

(37:01) Dealing with imposter syndrome

(44:06) Personal habits for productivity

[00:48] Introducing Sam Richard and her background

[05:07] On a career in growth

[11:14] Navigating the difficulties in startups and companies that are seeing fast growth

[15:33] Advice for people who are having difficulty adjusting to a fast-growing company

[17:30] Impostor syndrome in the growth space

[21:38] On getting and responding to performance feedback

[26:26] Navigating work anxiety

[29:17] Growing from traumatic experiences in her career

[33:10] Soft skills that need to be given more importance in growth careers

[35:19] Advice for people who need to develop their ability to see the big picture

[36:31] Advice to help people work through adversity at work

Links:

Sam’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sam-crowell-richard/

Sean Fanning: https://twitter.com/seandougfan

In this third episode of the Behind the Scenes Miniseries with the Navattic growth team, you’ll learn:

1. What the Navattic growth team is focused on right now, why those things, and how they get buy-in.

2. How they make sure they’re solving the right problems, and get aligned with execs.

3. How they manage the tension between staying agile and being laser focused.

Things to listen for:

[00:33] What Navattic is focused on right now, why those things, and how they got buy-in

[01:30] The two main pillars Navattic is focused on

[02:30] Specific KPI's related to their goals

[03:08] Getting internal alignment and approval with execs

[04:55] Defending the dissertation

[06:06] Making sure we’re solving the right problems

[06:50] We have our growth strategy - now what?!

[07:35] Managing the growth roadmap

[08:43] Biggest concerns about their growth strategy

[09:26] The importance of adaptability in growth

Resources:

- Binge the whole series on the Delivering Value Substack

- Connect with Andrew on LinkedIn

- Connect with Raman Khanna on LinkedIn

- Connect with Natalie Marcotullio on LinkedIn

- Learn more about Navattic

We kick-off the miniseries by exploring the background and scale of the Navattic business to contextualize many of the growth challenges they’re facing and systems they use (which we’ll explore in upcoming episodes)

In this first episode of the Behind the Scenes Miniseries with the Navattic growth team, you’ll learn:

1. How Navattic got started and settled on building interactive demos for the PLG market.

2. Navattic's go-to-market approach, size/scale of the business, funding strategy, and current funnel.

3. The hardest part about working in growth at this stage of the company.

Things to listen for:

[00:52] What is Navattic and how did it start?

[01:45] Getting into Y Combinator

[02:24] Discovering the PLG use case

[02:52] How Navattic makes money / go-to market model

[03:43] The scale of the Navattic business

[04:10] Fundraising history

[04:54] Number of employees

[05:43] The pros and cons of not raising a huge round

[06:07] A deep dive into Navattic’s funnel

[07:26] The hardest part about working in growth at this stage of the company

Resources:

- Binge the whole series on the Delivering Value Substack

- Connect with Andrew on LinkedIn or Twitter

- Connect with Raman Khanna on LinkedIn

- Connect with Natalie Marcotullio on LinkedIn

- Learn more about Navattic

In this episode Adam Goyette, founder of Growth Union and former VP of Marketing at Help Scout and G2, shares his journey into marketing and we explore the three biggest speed bumps he encountered in his career. Along the way, he shares the impact of professional relationships on career development and growth and his strategies for handling stress, self-doubt, and early career hurdles in marketing.

In this episode, you’ll hear about:

1. When Adam’s boss left and the company promoted their intern, who had an Ivy League MBA, over him

2. When Adam couldn’t explain why they had a bad month and his CFO walked out of the meeting

3. The story of when Adam first got promoted to VP of Marketing in a tough environment

Things to listen for:

[02:26] The risk that led to a huge reward for Adam

[07:17] When he put in his resignation, but was persuaded to stay

[11:02] The intern was promoted over him…

[16:48] Showing off losses made his company see major growth

[28:07] The gut-wrenching moment Adam’s CFO walked out on their meeting

[36:18] Beware of bad marketers at prestigious companies!

[39:59] Advice on building career relationships

Resources:

- Connect with Adam on LinkedIn

- Check out Growth Union

- Sign up Adam’s Substack: The Friday Growth Note

- Connect with Andrew on LinkedIn or Twitter

- Learn more about Navattic

- Learn more about Appcues