Traction

Lloyed Lobo
Traction

On the Traction Podcast, we bring you discussions with founders and CXOs of the fastest-growing companies in technology, covering everything from product, marketing, innovation, fundraising and more through proven strategies for rapid growth. Presented by: Boast.AI R&D Tax Credit Software - https://boast.ai Launch - https://www.launchacademy.ca Traction Community - https://tractionconf.io

  1. How I Raised My Last Round — Lessons From Starting, Pivoting and Raising $30M

    13 NOV

    How I Raised My Last Round — Lessons From Starting, Pivoting and Raising $30M

    In this episode, Aydin Mirzaee, CEO and Co-Founder of Fellow.app, shares his journey from founding his first startup to leading a successful meeting productivity platform. As a seasoned entrepreneur, Aydin highlights lessons he learned through building and pivoting startups and his unique strategies for scaling Fellow.app in the competitive SaaS space. Specifically, Aydin discusses: - Lessons learned from early failures and how these shaped his approach to future ventures. - Strategies for building Fellow.app as a “super manager’s” tool, focusing on productivity and effective meeting management. - How bootstrapping and navigating pivotal transitions have impacted the development of Fellow.app’s core offerings. - The value of testing product ideas with potential customers before investing heavily in development. - Methods for turning user feedback into actionable changes, leading to a more refined product. - Approaches to founder-led sales and why early customer engagement is essential. - Insights into the fundraising process, including timing, relationship-building with investors and navigating term sheet negotiations. Resources Mentioned: Aydin Mirzaee - https://www.linkedin.com/in/aydinmirzaee/ Fellow App | LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/appfellow/ Fellow.App | Website - https://fellow.app Super Managers Podcast - https://fellow.app/supermanagers/ “High Growth Handbook” by Elad Gil - https://www.amazon.com/s?k=high+growth+handbook&language=en_US&adgrpid=147623364602&hvadid=648027981812&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=20822&hvnetw=g&hvqmt=e&hvrand=124458736559167267&hvtargid=kwd-458383828502&hydadcr=21447_13447927&tag=phtxtgostdde-20&ref=pd_sl_1fazbcc4hn_e This episode is brought to you by: Leverage community-led growth to skyrocket your business. “From Grassroots To Greatness” by author Lloyed Lobo will help you master 13 game-changing rules from some of the most iconic brands in the world — like Apple, Atlassian, CrossFit, Harley-Davidson, HubSpot, Red Bull and many more — to attract superfans of your own that will propel you to new heights. Grab your copy today at FromGrassrootsToGreatness.com. Each year the US and Canadian governments provide more than $20 billion in R&D tax credits and innovation incentives to fund businesses. But the application process is cumbersome, prone to costly audits and receiving the money can take as long as 16 months. Boast automates this process, enabling companies to get more money faster without the paperwork and audit risk. We don’t get paid until you do! Find out if you qualify today at https://Boast.AI. Launch Academy is one of the top global tech hubs for international entrepreneurs and a designated organization for Canada's Startup Visa. Since 2012, Launch has worked with more than 6,000 entrepreneurs from over 100 countries, of which 300 have grown their startups to seed and Series A stage and raised over $2 billion in funding. To learn more about Launch's programs or the Canadian Startup Visa, visit https://LaunchAcademy.ca. Content Allies helps B2B companies build revenue-generating podcasts. We recommend them to any B2B company that is looking to launch or streamline its podcast production. Learn more at https://contentallies.com. #supermanager #meetingproductivity #bootstrappingsuccess #product #marketing #innovation #startup #generativeai #AI

    1h 14m
  2. Decoding Marketing Attribution in the AI Era with Mada Seghete and Alex Bauer

    31 OCT

    Decoding Marketing Attribution in the AI Era with Mada Seghete and Alex Bauer

    On this episode, Mada Seghete, Co-Founder, CEO and Marketing at Upside, and Alex Bauer, Co-Founder, Product at Upside, share their journey of rethinking how businesses measure the true impact of their marketing and sales efforts. Drawing on years of experience in the tech industry, they provide insights into how companies can shift their focus from outdated models to more accurate and meaningful ways to track performance. Specifically, Mada and Alex discuss: - How marketing teams can move beyond traditional metrics to uncover hidden drivers of growth. - The importance of understanding the distinction between attribution and credit, and why this matters for long-term success. - Practical strategies for identifying which marketing and sales activities truly influence decision-making. - How businesses can foster collaboration across teams by recognizing the contributions of all stakeholders. - Why accurate attribution data is essential for proving the value of marketing and sales efforts to leadership. Resources Mentioned: Mada Seghete - https://www.linkedin.com/in/madalina/ Alex Bauer - https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexdbauer/ Upside | LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/upsidelabs/ Upside | Website - https://upside.tech/ This episode is brought to you by: Leverage community-led growth to skyrocket your business. From Grassroots to Greatness by author Lloyed Lobo will help you master 13 game-changing rules from some of the most iconic brands in the world — like Apple, Atlassian, CrossFit, Harley-Davidson, HubSpot, Red Bull and many more — to attract superfans of your own that will propel you to new heights. Grab your copy today at FromGrassrootsToGreatness.com Each year the U.S. and Canadian governments provide more than $20 billion in R&D tax credits and innovation incentives to fund businesses. But the application process is cumbersome, prone to costly audits, and receiving the money can take as long as 16 months. Boast automates this process, enabling companies to get more money faster without the paperwork and audit risk. We don’t get paid until you do! Find out if you qualify today at https://Boast.AI Launch Academy is one of the top global tech hubs for international entrepreneurs and a designated organization for Canada's Startup Visa. Since 2012, Launch has worked with more than 6,000 entrepreneurs from over 100 countries, of which 300 have grown their startups to seed and Series A stage and raised over $2 billion in funding. To learn more about Launch's programs or the Canadian Startup Visa, visit https://LaunchAcademy.ca Content Allies helps B2B companies build revenue-generating podcasts. We recommend them to any B2B company that is looking to launch or streamline its podcast production. Learn more at https://contentallies.com #marketingattribution #businessdataanalytics #salesstrategies #product #marketing #innovation #startup #generativeai #AI

    49 min
  3. Building Engineering Excellence with Bruce Wang, Netflix

    16 OCT

    Building Engineering Excellence with Bruce Wang, Netflix

    In this episode, Bruce Wang, Director of Engineering at Netflix, shares his journey from founding startups to leading engineering teams at one of the world’s biggest entertainment companies. With a rich background in tech leadership and a founder mindset, Bruce delves into the lessons learned from both his startup ventures and his time at Netflix. Specifically, Bruce discusses: - The importance of adaptability and dealing with change in engineering leadership. - How a reduced sense of fear and a high risk tolerance can drive success. - The value of networking skills in building relationships within a company. - Why psychological safety is key to building trusting and accountable teams. - Bruce’s framework for seeking excellence and driving customer delight in engineering. - Lessons learned from working in both startups and large corporations like Netflix. - The dangers of emulating big company processes in a startup environment. Resources Mentioned: Netflix - https://www.netflix.com/ Plato - https://www.platohq.com GitHub - https://github.com This episode is brought to you by: Leverage community-led growth to skyrocket your business. From Grassroots to Greatness by author Lloyed Lobo will help you master 13 game-changing rules from some of the most iconic brands in the world — like Apple, Atlassian, CrossFit, Harley-Davidson, HubSpot, Red Bull and many more — to attract superfans of your own that will propel you to new heights. Grab your copy today at FromGrassrootsToGreatness.com Each year the U.S. and Canadian governments provide more than $20 billion in R&D tax credits and innovation incentives to fund businesses. But the application process is cumbersome, prone to costly audits, and receiving the money can take as long as 16 months. Boast automates this process, enabling companies to get more money faster without the paperwork and audit risk. We don’t get paid until you do! Find out if you qualify today at https://Boast.AI Launch Academy is one of the top global tech hubs for international entrepreneurs and a designated organization for Canada's Startup Visa. Since 2012, Launch has worked with more than 6,000 entrepreneurs from over 100 countries, of which 300 have grown their startups to seed and Series A stage and raised over $2 billion in funding. To learn more about Launch's programs or the Canadian Startup Visa, visit https://LaunchAcademy.ca Content Allies helps B2B companies build revenue-generating podcasts. We recommend them to any B2B company that is looking to launch or streamline its podcast production. Learn more at https://contentallies.com #SoftwareDevelopment #TechLeadership #PlatformEngineering #Product #Marketing #Innovation #Startup #GenerativeAI #AI

    52 min
  4. Transforming a $1.4-Trillion Market with Spotnana’s Sarosh Waghmar

    2 OCT

    Transforming a $1.4-Trillion Market with Spotnana’s Sarosh Waghmar

    In this episode, Sarosh Waghmar, Founder, Co-chairman, and Chief Product Officer of Spotnana, shares his journey from building a self-funded $70-million business to launching venture-backed Spotnana with over $150m in funding. Sarosh dives into his experiences, detailing his passion for creating change and how he has navigated through various challenges to build a platform that redefines the travel ecosystem. Specifically, Sarosh discusses: - How his early fascination with frequent flier miles sparked his interest in the travel industry. - The importance of embracing failures and setbacks to fuel success. - His approach to launching Spotnana and the vision behind building a platform for travel agencies. - Why he believes in the difference between becoming rich and creating wealth. - The importance of staying true to one's values and principles when scaling a business. - The impact of adopting a customer-first mentality in building a tech platform. - How focusing on long-term goals and partnerships can drive innovation. - The significance of discipline in entrepreneurship and the importance of showing up consistently. Resources Mentioned: Sarosh Waghmar - https://www.linkedin.com/in/swaghmar/ Spotnana | LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/spotnanatechnology/ Spotnana | Website - https://www.spotnana.com/ This episode is brought to you by: Leverage community-led growth to skyrocket your business. “From Grassroots to Greatness” by author Lloyed Lobo will help you master 13 game-changing rules from some of the most iconic brands in the world — like Apple, Atlassian, CrossFit, Harley-Davidson, HubSpot, Red Bull and many more — to attract superfans of your own that will propel you to new heights. Grab your copy today at FromGrassrootsToGreatness.com. Each year the US and Canadian governments provide more than $20 billion in R&D tax credits and innovation incentives to fund businesses. But the application process is cumbersome, prone to costly audits, and receiving the money can take as long as 16 months. Boast automates this process, enabling companies to get more money faster without the paperwork and audit risk. We don’t get paid until you do! Find out if you qualify today at https://Boast.AI. Launch Academy is one of the top global tech hubs for international entrepreneurs and a designated organization for Canada's Startup Visa. Since 2012, Launch has worked with more than 6,000 entrepreneurs from over 100 countries, of which 300 have grown their startups to seed and Series A stage and raised over $2 billion in funding. To learn more about Launch's programs or the Canadian Startup Visa, visit https://LaunchAcademy.ca. Content Allies helps B2B companies build revenue-generating podcasts. We recommend them to any B2B company that is looking to launch or streamline its podcast production. Learn more at https://contentallies.com. #travelindustry #traveltech #travelsolutions #product #marketing #innovation #startup #generativeai #AI

    1h 12m
  5. Building a $7B Health Tech Platform with Rob Schutz, Co-Founder of Ro

    19 SEPT

    Building a $7B Health Tech Platform with Rob Schutz, Co-Founder of Ro

    Rob Schutz, Co-Founder of Ro and Founder of Snagged.com, shares insights from his entrepreneurial journey, creating successful companies in health tech and beyond. He details his path from healthcare consulting to becoming a key player in the telehealth industry.  Rob also discusses how his ventures have impacted sectors like men’s health, dermatology and mental health. Throughout the episode, Rob offers wisdom on finding opportunities, building audiences and staying nimble in changing markets. Specifically, Rob discusses: - How his background in healthcare consulting led him to entrepreneurship. - The challenges of building and scaling a vertically integrated healthcare company. - How starting with a taboo topic like erectile dysfunction paved the way for Ro’s success. - Why bootstrapping Snagged.com is a personal passion project after his time at Ro. - The importance of building organic email lists and leveraging community for growth. - His lessons on the power of negotiation in business. - The impact of transitioning from fast-growing startups to smaller, more personal ventures. - Why founders should balance family life with career aspirations. Resources Mentioned: Rob Schutz - https://www.linkedin.com/in/robschutz/ Ro’s | Website - https://ro.co/ Snagged.com - http://Snagged.com This episode is brought to you by: Leverage community-led growth to skyrocket your business. From Grassroots to Greatness by author Lloyed Lobo will help you master 13 game-changing rules from some of the most iconic brands in the world — like Apple, Atlassian, CrossFit, Harley-Davidson, HubSpot, Red Bull and many more — to attract superfans of your own that will propel you to new heights. Grab your copy today at FromGrassrootsToGreatness.com Each year the U.S. and Canadian governments provide more than $20 billion in R&D tax credits and innovation incentives to fund businesses. But the application process is cumbersome, prone to costly audits, and receiving the money can take as long as 16 months. Boast automates this process, enabling companies to get more money faster without the paperwork and audit risk. We don’t get paid until you do! Find out if you qualify today at https://Boast.AI Launch Academy is one of the top global tech hubs for international entrepreneurs and a designated organization for Canada's Startup Visa. Since 2012, Launch has worked with more than 6,000 entrepreneurs from over 100 countries, of which 300 have grown their startups to seed and Series A stage and raised over $2 billion in funding. To learn more about Launch's programs or the Canadian Startup Visa, visit https://LaunchAcademy.ca Content Allies helps B2B companies build revenue-generating podcasts. We recommend them to any B2B company that is looking to launch or streamline its podcast production. Learn more at https://contentallies.com #Entrepreneurship #Healthcareinnovation #Telehealth #Product #Marketing #Innovation #Startup #GenerativeAI #AI

    1 hr
  6. How To Build a Scalable Go-to-Market Machine  with TK Kader

    4 SEPT

    How To Build a Scalable Go-to-Market Machine with TK Kader

    In this episode, TK Kader, Founder of ToutApp, Inc. and TK | Unstoppable, shares invaluable insights on how to build a scalable go-to-market machine that not only drives 3x growth but also sets the foundation for long-term success in SaaS businesses. TK breaks down the essential strategies that can propel startups to $3 million in ARR and beyond. Specifically, TK discusses: - The importance of embracing sales and marketing to achieve success in startups. - Why 96% of startups fail and how to be part of the successful 4%. - The three core pillars of a successful startup: great product, ripe market and scalable go-to-market strategy. - How to craft a market strategy by identifying an urgent and important problem. - The critical role of simplifying your product strategy to make it easy to sell. - How to avoid common go-to-market traps and focus on the right execution. - The concept of a “Broadway show” and its importance in consistent go-to-market execution. - Why founders often underprice their products and how to optimize pricing for net dollar retention. Resources Mentioned: TK Kader - https://www.linkedin.com/in/tkkader/ ToutApp, Inc. - https://www.linkedin.com/company/toutapp-inc-/ TK | Unstoppable - https://www.linkedin.com/company/tk-strategies/ TK's YouTube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/c/TKKader This episode is brought to you by: Leverage community-led growth to skyrocket your business. From Grassroots to Greatness by author Lloyed Lobo will help you master 13 game-changing rules from some of the most iconic brands in the world — like Apple, Atlassian, CrossFit, Harley-Davidson, HubSpot, Red Bull and many more — to attract superfans of your own that will propel you to new heights. Grab your copy today at FromGrassrootsToGreatness.com Each year the U.S. and Canadian governments provide more than $20 billion in R&D tax credits and innovation incentives to fund businesses. But the application process is cumbersome, prone to costly audits, and receiving the money can take as long as 16 months. Boast automates this process, enabling companies to get more money faster without the paperwork and audit risk. We don’t get paid until you do! Find out if you qualify today at https://Boast.AI Launch Academy is one of the top global tech hubs for international entrepreneurs and a designated organization for Canada's Startup Visa. Since 2012, Launch has worked with more than 6,000 entrepreneurs from over 100 countries, of which 300 have grown their startups to seed and Series A stage and raised over $2 billion in funding. To learn more about Launch's programs or the Canadian Startup Visa, visit https://LaunchAcademy.ca Content Allies helps B2B companies build revenue-generating podcasts. We recommend them to any B2B company that is looking to launch or streamline its podcast production. Learn more at https://contentallies.com #SaaS #entrepreneurship #scalingstartups #product #marketing #innovation #startup #generativeai #AI

    1h 15m
  7. Leveraging Product-Led Growth and Acquisitions to Become a $3B Company with Doug Winter of Seismic

    21 AUG

    Leveraging Product-Led Growth and Acquisitions to Become a $3B Company with Doug Winter of Seismic

    On this episode, Doug Winter, Founder and CEO at Seismic, talks about how he grew Seismic from a small startup to a major player in sales enablement. Doug shares the key moments and strategies that helped Seismic succeed, including important acquisitions and staying focused on goals. Specifically, Doug discusses: - How Seismic started and the tough decisions they made along the way. - Why they focused on big companies to find their place in the market. - The reasons behind their Series A funding and staying in San Diego. - Their approach to acquisitions and how competition played a role. - How buying Lessonly boosted growth for both companies. - The importance of company culture and people in making acquisitions work. - What they learned about the challenges of merging with competitors. - Why having clear goals is crucial for successful mergers and acquisitions. Resources Mentioned: Doug Winter - https://www.linkedin.com/in/doug-winter/ Seismic - https://seismic.com/ Jackson Square Ventures - https://www.jacksonsquareventures.com/ Lessonly - https://www.lessonly.com/ This episode is brought to you by: Leverage community-led growth to skyrocket your business. From Grassroots to Greatness by author Lloyed Lobo will help you master 13 game-changing rules from some of the most iconic brands in the world — like Apple, Atlassian, CrossFit, Harley-Davidson, HubSpot, Red Bull and many more — to attract superfans of your own that will propel you to new heights. Grab your copy today at FromGrassrootsToGreatness.com Each year the U.S. and Canadian governments provide more than $20 billion in R&D tax credits and innovation incentives to fund businesses. But the application process is cumbersome, prone to costly audits, and receiving the money can take as long as 16 months. Boast automates this process, enabling companies to get more money faster without the paperwork and audit risk. We don’t get paid until you do! Find out if you qualify today at https://Boast.AI Launch Academy is one of the top global tech hubs for international entrepreneurs and a designated organization for Canada's Startup Visa. Since 2012, Launch has worked with more than 6,000 entrepreneurs from over 100 countries, of which 300 have grown their startups to seed and Series A stage and raised over $2 billion in funding. To learn more about Launch's programs or the Canadian Startup Visa, visit https://LaunchAcademy.ca Content Allies helps B2B companies build revenue-generating podcasts. We recommend them to any B2B company that is looking to launch or streamline its podcast production. Learn more at https://contentallies.com #salesenablement #businessscquisitions #leadershipgrowth #product #marketing #innovation #startup #generativeai #AI

    21 min
  8. 4 Things We Did To Go From 0 to 120 Million Users with Prashanth Chandrasekar, Stack Overflow

    7 AUG

    4 Things We Did To Go From 0 to 120 Million Users with Prashanth Chandrasekar, Stack Overflow

    In this episode, Prashanth Chandrasekar, CEO of Stack Overflow, shares lessons from growing to over 100 million users.. Specifically, Prashanth discusses: - 4 key pillars in the journey of scaling SaaS companies - The importance of assessing the direction of company progress. - Building with the community, not just for the community. - The passion required to build a community from scratch.. - Lessons from the entrepreneurial journey. Resources Mentioned: Prashanth Chandrasekar - https://www.linkedin.com/in/pchandrasekar/ Stack Overflow for Teams - https://stackoverflow.com/teams This episode is brought to you by: Leverage community-led growth to skyrocket your business. “From Grassroots to Greatness” by author Lloyed Lobo will help you master 13 game-changing rules from some of the most iconic brands in the world — like Apple, Atlassian, CrossFit, Harley-Davidson, HubSpot, Red Bull and many more — to attract superfans of your own that will propel you to new heights. Grab your copy today at FromGrassrootsToGreatness.com. Each year the U.S. and Canadian governments provide more than $20 billion in R&D tax credits and innovation incentives to fund businesses. But the application process is cumbersome, prone to costly audits, and receiving the money can take as long as 16 months. Boast automates this process, enabling companies to get more money faster without the paperwork and audit risk. We don’t get paid until you do! Find out if you qualify today at https://Boast.AI. Launch Academy is one of the top global tech hubs for international entrepreneurs and a designated organization for Canada's Startup Visa. Since 2012, Launch has worked with more than 6,000 entrepreneurs from over 100 countries, of which 300 have grown their startups to seed and Series A stage and raised over $2 billion in funding. To learn more about Launch's programs or the Canadian Startup Visa, visit https://LaunchAcademy.ca. Content Allies helps B2B companies build revenue-generating podcasts. We recommend them to any B2B company that is looking to launch or streamline its podcast production. Learn more at https://contentallies.com. #SaaS #CommunityBuilding #ProductStrategy #Product #Marketing #Innovation #Startup #GenerativeAI #AI

    47 min

About

On the Traction Podcast, we bring you discussions with founders and CXOs of the fastest-growing companies in technology, covering everything from product, marketing, innovation, fundraising and more through proven strategies for rapid growth. Presented by: Boast.AI R&D Tax Credit Software - https://boast.ai Launch - https://www.launchacademy.ca Traction Community - https://tractionconf.io

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