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From: Collin Stewart <predictablerevenue-newsletter@mail.beehiiv.com>
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Subject: Intro chapter, first draft
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Good morning Andrew,=20

Today=E2=80=99s email is a little different.=20

I usually write these emails as a way of getting the core ideas for the boo=
k onto a page. There is nothing like a deadline and an audience of folks ex=
pecting an email to make sure that I hit my goal.=20

As I get closer to the first draft being ready, I=E2=80=99d like to start s=
haring the bones of the chapters I=E2=80=99m working on. There will be spel=
ling mistakes, terrible grammar, and duplicate content from previous newsle=
tters.=20

If this sounds good to you, today=E2=80=99s email is my working draft of th=
e Introduction for, =E2=80=9CThe Terrifying Art of Finding Your First Custo=
mers=E2=80=9D. =20

_Big thanks to Andy and others for their suggestions on adding =E2=80=9Cyou=
r first=E2=80=9D. _

Since what follows is a draft chapter, I=E2=80=99ll front-load my CTA: what=
 is one thing that you would keep and one thing you=E2=80=99d take out?=20

Here it is, thanks for your feedback and support getting to here.=20

Collin Stewart=20

=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=
=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=
=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=
=E2=80=94=E2=80=94

**=E2=80=9CPain is just the sensation of experience entering the body=E2=80=
=9D **
**=E2=80=93 Jerry Seinfeld=C2=A0**

I always wanted to work for myself. I remember sketching out video game des=
igns when I was a kid, building business models for dumb ideas in college (=
urinal sticker advertising company), and sketching wireframes for CRMs thro=
ugh my final years of working as a sales rep.=C2=A0

In high school, I remember reading about tech startups during the boom and =
the crash. It seemed like the only way to break into the valley at the time=
 was through Google=E2=80=99s APM program. My problem was that my grades we=
re only good enough to get me into the local community college. And, if I=
=E2=80=99m being honest, only because they didn=E2=80=99t look at my grades=
. The college was designed for working professionals and after two years I =
found myself both going to school and working full time as a salesperson. I=
 sold cell phone contracts, used car (yup, singular), wheelchair lifts, roo=
fing, kitchen cabinets for highrises, diesel generators, and specialty weld=
ing equipment.=C2=A0

I might have been in sales but I never lost that drive to start something. =
Every time I met an entrepreneur, I would tell them my dream and ask their =
advice. The number one most common reply was =E2=80=9Csales is the most imp=
ortant piece so get some experience before you start your own thing=E2=80=
=9D. The core of this advice is great, every company needs sales and in the=
 early days and those responsibilities will fall on the founder. However, t=
his advice was usually grouped in with advice that was either outdated or n=
ever true, that a great sales team could sell any product, in any market, a=
ll it took was great salespeople. It might have been true at some point but=
 in 2012 the collective =E2=80=9Cwe=E2=80=9D probably knew better. I howeve=
r was fully bought into both as gospel.=C2=A0

This belief that sales was the only thing that mattered gave me the confide=
nce to start my first company. I was pretty confident in my sales abilities=
 to put it mildly. It was also the belief that led me to ignore customer fe=
edback and build my own ideas anyway.=C2=A0

After all Steve Jobs said, =E2=80=9Cpeople don't know what they want until =
you show it to them. That's why I never rely on market research.=E2=80=9D I=
 weaponized these two ideas to justify my actions and it likely cost me mil=
lions. I spent 18 months butting my head up against a wall because I had a =
great insight but was trying to solve it in a way that customers didn=E2=80=
=99t want. Once we pivoted, we found strong product market fit very quickly=
. But two things happened. First, we were now 2 years behind 2 entrepreneur=
s with the same insight and more experience so it was going to be an uphill=
 battle instead of a greenfield opportunity. Second, after we scaled from $=
0 - $1m in just a few months, it gave me the false confidence that I could =
outsell our churn. When your core product is built for sending cold emails =
and it takes 2 weeks for the platform to send an email, you know things are=
n=E2=80=99t going to go well.=C2=A0

The hard part is that I received good advice, I read the right books, but I=
 still missed the through line. That breadcrumb trail that helps you find y=
our way through the forest.=C2=A0

I thought I was an expert because during the 10 years I had been in sales, =
I had been involved in a new CRM project at every company I worked for. It =
just kinda happens when you=E2=80=99re the only one in the office that know=
s what RAM stands for. I came across Salesforce around 2005 and could see t=
hat two things would be true.=C2=A0

First, this would be the new paradigm for CRM. Gone would be the hassle of =
trying to get 17 laptops, each with their own mySQL database, synced to a m=
aster database. Managers would have real time dashboards and reporting feat=
ures. And they wouldn=E2=80=99t have to copy and paste together 17 differen=
t spreadsheets or use Crystal Decisions just to see a holistic view of thei=
r pipeline.

Second, the personal productivity system I had built into my Maximizer was =
about to be usurped. I love my hotkeys and could use that product blindfold=
ed. Having to use Internet Explorer 6 to access my personal productivity sy=
stem felt like trying to run in a pool of molasses.=C2=A0

It was these two insights, and 10 years selling, that made me believe I was=
 a CRM expert and it was this belief that killed my first company. The insi=
ghts were correct. It was my belief in my own expertise that closed me off =
to hearing any feedback that contradicted my vision.=C2=A0

I started working on voltageCRM by sketching ideas in a notebook and then i=
nterviewing sales leaders to ask their opinions. I weaponized Steve Jobs=E2=
=80=99 advice as a way of writing off customer feedback that didn=E2=80=99t=
 align with how I saw the world. In my roughly 100 customer development mee=
tings with sales leaders in various capacities, I heard **a lot **of commen=
ts that sounded like =E2=80=9Cwow, that=E2=80=99s a really smart idea=E2=80=
=9D. Which, when you have a Jobs=E2=80=99 complex, just feeds the ego. If y=
ou=E2=80=99ve read Never Split the Difference, you know there is a world of=
 a difference between =E2=80=9Cyou=E2=80=99re right=E2=80=9D and =E2=80=9Ct=
hat=E2=80=99s right=E2=80=9D. What I thought was validation was actually pe=
ople kindly telling me they=E2=80=99d had enough of me not listening.=C2=A0

I wanted to solve the sales productivity problem by competing with Salesfor=
ce. I knew it was probably a bad idea but I was convinced that unconvention=
al ideas were how you took big swings. Customers were practically begging m=
e to build this in a way to work with Salesforce but I pushed on without li=
stening. It wasn=E2=80=99t until a mentor of mine popped my =E2=80=98I=E2=
=80=99m a genius=E2=80=99 bubble that I realized I had been going about it =
all wrong.=C2=A0

=E2=80=9CI just can=E2=80=99t wait until you=E2=80=99re working on somethin=
g that has a chance of being successful=E2=80=9D =E2=80=93 Roger Patterson,=
 directed at me, summer of 2013.=C2=A0

Roger=E2=80=99s words were just the kick in the ass I needed. It sounds mea=
n but is actually the kindest thing anyone could have done for me at the ti=
me. It made me realize that I was so dug into being right I had lost sight =
of solving the problem for customers. I was so stuck on _validating_ _my id=
ea_ that I wasn=E2=80=99t listening to the real feedback that people were s=
haring with me. They had this problem, especially with their sales developm=
ent reps, and they wanted it to work with salesforce.=C2=A0

I came across the Startup Genome project shortly after Roger=E2=80=99s verb=
al ass-kicking. They released a report called [Why Startups Fail](https://s=
tartupgenome.com/reports/startup-genome-why-startups-fail-premature-scaling=
), they had surveyed 3200 startups and the report documented the reasons so=
me were successful and others failed. The big learning was that premature s=
caling was the number one startup killer. This meant investing in growth be=
fore you had strong enough product market fit to get a decent return on you=
r investments. Essentially, trying to sell something that nobody wanted.=C2=
=A0

They found that 74% of startups fail due to premature scaling. It was nice =
to know I wasn=E2=80=99t alone but I didn=E2=80=99t like being on this side=
 of the statistic. I have both experienced this myself and aided and abette=
d others in burning cash on premature scaling their go to market team throu=
gh my current company. I=E2=80=99ve spent the last 12 years helping founder=
 find their first customers using sales development as a channel. I=E2=80=
=99ve seen hypergrowth unicorns and companies on their last few investor do=
llars and just trying to find a path forward.=C2=A0

This experience has taught me that the strength of your product market fit =
has a direct impact on the effectiveness of your go to market spend. That i=
s, the stronger your product market fit is, the lower your cost to acquire =
a customer will be.=C2=A0

I started writing this book because I felt like Predictable Revenue needed =
a follow up, our community is still very strong and we felt we owed it to t=
hem. As I put pen to paper - really more like finger to keyboard - and star=
ted sharing it with others, it evolved into the book I wish I had when I fi=
rst started out. I felt like every book I read on how to start a company ha=
d a different =E2=80=9Cthis is the only thing that matters=E2=80=9D. They w=
ere all good points and it made it hard to see the path forward. Especially=
 as a bootstrapped founder with no investors to kick my ass in the right di=
rection.=C2=A0

When you=E2=80=99re trying to find your first customers, there are three cr=
itical steps:=C2=A0

* Find product market fit=C2=A0

* Find your first customers=C2=A0

* Build a repeatable sales model that doesn=E2=80=99t rely on the founder=
=C2=A0

For the worst results and highest chance of failure, tackle them in whichev=
er order you feel like. For best results, start with product market fit and=
 work down the list. I=E2=80=99ve started 3 companies (1 dud, 1 rocket ship=
 that crashed, and 1 that=E2=80=99s still going), and through these experie=
nces, I=E2=80=99ve learned invaluable lessons about the unpredictable natur=
e of entrepreneurship and the terrifying art of finding my first customers.=
=C2=A0

I wrote this book to help founders see that in order to grow a company the =
only thing that matters is tackling these three steps one at a time and in =
the right order. By the end of the book, I=E2=80=99ll share the milestones =
I=E2=80=99ve found for each step, benchmarks to help you figure out when to=
 advance, and stories of me screwing things up and somehow coming out alive=
.=C2=A0

I can=E2=80=99t promise that demand for your product exists, that you won=
=E2=80=99t run into roadblocks (you will), or that you won=E2=80=99t make a=
 bad hire (you will and that=E2=80=99s ok). This book was created to help y=
ou see the bigger picture so you can figure out for yourself what to do nex=
t.

=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=
=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=
=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=
=E2=80=94=E2=80=94

CTA time again - what is one thing that you would keep and one thing you wo=
uld take out?=20


=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94

You are reading a plain text version of this post. For the best experience,=
 copy and paste this link in your browser to view the post online:
https://predictablerevenue-newsletter.beehiiv.com/p/intro-chapter-first-dra=
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</style></head><body class=3D"a" style=3D"margin:0px auto;padding:0px;word-=
wrap:normal;word-spacing:normal;background-color:#FFFFFF;"><div role=3D"art=
icle" aria-roledescription=3D"email" aria-label=3D"email_name" lang=3D"en" =
style=3D"font-size:1rem"><table role=3D"none" width=3D"100%" border=3D"0" c=
ellspacing=3D"0" align=3D"center" cellpadding=3D"0" class=3D"gg"><tr><td al=
ign=3D"center" valign=3D"top"><table role=3D"none" width=3D"670" border=3D"=
0" cellspacing=3D"0" cellpadding=3D"0" class=3D"aa" style=3D"width:670px;ta=
ble-layout:fixed;"><tr><td class=3D"bodyWrapper" align=3D"center" valign=3D=
"top" style=3D"padding:10px 5px 10px 5px;"><table role=3D"none" width=3D"10=
0%" border=3D"0" cellspacing=3D"0" cellpadding=3D"0" align=3D"center"><tr><=
td align=3D"center" valign=3D"top" style=3D"border:0px solid #FFFFFF;border=
-radius:10px;background-color:#FFFFFF;" class=3D"c"><table role=3D"none" wi=
dth=3D"100%" border=3D"0" cellspacing=3D"0" cellpadding=3D"0" align=3D"cent=
er"><tr><td class=3D"f" align=3D"right" valign=3D"top" style=3D"padding:20p=
x 15px;"><p> June 07, 2024 &nbsp; | &nbsp; <a href=3D"https://link.mail.bee=
hiiv.com/ss/c/u001.xDrLMY0giiSlGuELGCgU3vcTjpRMaSWzujUngxObjZYrCabQfdS8QeuI=
nKYXW1f7qQ9u6JfZhhiaSL62eOXBwGsm_RUMF_h-rxKPx8_mGi1pbKKPx1NNCgCVjBydO9CI3-s=
MH9_Oj_eO5rvt-Ndac8iSqcL28jn0VPD3m0oGPDa8uaO33QjkzsVZoybQw_3zFjsaWxKB_HyDwL=
yaBxQU1iW5CMlpS0u8CmiO4ftRAhU6--C5p_fjsyJRjseAJysKuG3C4T6AZeX0nmQaSEiGicIWa=
bYNdWNHELdqdklgo2rDaoLE9RjBXX4TTmU3fWAFbpc_eDDfo2BqnL32KbA5lWzgvX_kO4p_ssBk=
UMbG2QyUpX1r32fmknlJGC6OKOkmuCwkB2KKVLZbhPmDue6IWYOTXIieqefaM9K22aJ-wiP1apR=
88YGCOGr7hX-KV4yA4w3k-lb4tIDDspuXnLZrbrrgWysQvymXKtdOeqAeK6pcd8iTPwDhtGNS5G=
zds3TjXzethUQJRLluMD0xOJVEYBYR85-sDhmOvS1wpB4ueBvNSTanP8uBUgO4EuAedBLXul_d5=
J7akDKC1e6xrUYX-NVBlFxWbUXqw3zKkT-FZPg21OzwHlWxO2-GBW9NBE1ghLyy_KvuAUbO9h-H=
jOY2PcdVNvQUwg87MEZ2vgwK9VcI8TIqVHfSk6WBBfy-W30o/470/gfXB0hfxSom4hCZL0VVsYg=
/h0/h001.e-PifTdcIDO4mGwmkxnPMsRT2CPVcSeZu91EWYsV4Ts">Read Online</a></p></=
td></tr><tr><td class=3D"dd" align=3D"center" valign=3D"top" style=3D"paddi=
ng:0px 15px 20px;"><table role=3D"none" width=3D"100%" border=3D"0" cellspa=
cing=3D"0" cellpadding=3D"0" align=3D"center"><tr><td align=3D"center" vali=
gn=3D"top"><h1 style=3D"text-align:left;font-family:'Trebuchet MS','Lucida =
Grande',Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight:Bold;font-size:32px;color:#2A2A2A;pad=
ding:2px 0;line-height:38px;"> Intro chapter, first draft </h1></td></tr></=
table></td></tr><tr><td align=3D"center" valign=3D"top" style=3D"padding:5p=
x 15px;" class=3D"dd"><table class=3D"mob-block" role=3D"none" width=3D"100=
%" border=3D"0" cellspacing=3D"0" cellpadding=3D"0" align=3D"center"><tr><t=
d aling=3D"center" valign=3D"middle"><table role=3D"none" border=3D"0" cell=
spacing=3D"0" cellpadding=3D"0" align=3D"right" class=3D"socialShare mob-st=
ack"><tr><td align=3D"left" valign=3D"middle"><table role=3D"none" border=
=3D"0" cellspacing=3D"0" cellpadding=3D"0" align=3D"left" style=3D"width:14=
0px;"><tr><td align=3D"left" valign=3D"middle"><a style=3D"text-decoration:=
none;" href=3D"https://link.mail.beehiiv.com/ss/c/u001.UY7-jEMcRLZ5W6M0bzLp=
mxH7-WTt-1gChtTcndEMyBoSwgSdDaOALV1MAeTHOBSUWCqEjdMxJtRDlZvsKnAu88Z1YRIslV1=
dQgAoGeH-LlK989xEpf95Db8ika45SlwhTcebUM9PZMOxcEU8EIFTSAMY2YtQWfAuLl4BSypDye=
WyZG67p-rZCw637UCbzA3XMi6BjdGuZ3lgylZoNCgHr5ozdfPoLrbUwAAzZjcwWkmvwvO4ZbK7r=
GDzSZq_fzO1SeIZMLXtTwagoc5hzr0IRdMcDEX1j4x5EG19nuZfzm5ckf8cib2xPznhgY2y6-cF=
InxKUXC1vY1bRU29aTU5Hw/470/gfXB0hfxSom4hCZL0VVsYg/h1/h001.whOsAgV4lnENvZmcw=
ztOQv1HGAA3r5nQAwHnEjQQCXA"><img style=3D"display:block;color:#000000;max-w=
idth:28px;" width=3D"28" alt=3D"fb" border=3D"0" src=3D"https://media.beehi=
iv.com/cdn-cgi/image/fit=3Dscale-down,format=3Dauto,onerror=3Dredirect,qual=
ity=3D80/static_assets/social_share/fb_round.png"/></a></td><td width=3D"14=
" style=3D"width:14px;">&nbsp;</td><td align=3D"left" valign=3D"middle"><a =
style=3D"text-decoration:none;" href=3D"https://link.mail.beehiiv.com/ss/c/=
u001.eT_HH9j2kUx6jXW0PHemwzOjQOpuqUKCn7LAbiCzlo1oxUN44u16xvalV9lCzdHNBiGxJ3=
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1_CF4bqIJejuuPeTmrN_wjmv3504P7ZvE6BAcxr3ve-sGTQ/470/gfXB0hfxSom4hCZL0VVsYg/=
h2/h001.rcQFJFuAkg4Sqd2LmAddPolCgq0hS1v7MHAGn3djQM0"><img style=3D"display:=
block;color:#000000;max-width:28px;" width=3D"28" alt=3D"tw" border=3D"0" s=
rc=3D"https://media.beehiiv.com/cdn-cgi/image/fit=3Dscale-down,format=3Daut=
o,onerror=3Dredirect,quality=3D80/static_assets/social_share/x_round.png"/>=
</a></td><td width=3D"14" style=3D"width:14px;">&nbsp;</td><td align=3D"lef=
t" valign=3D"middle"><a style=3D"text-decoration:none;" href=3D"https://lin=
k.mail.beehiiv.com/ss/c/u001.UY7-jEMcRLZ5W6M0bzLpm5Vsol3-4mO68bGpSvtYIyCFMP=
HZM3NHfCQCEvGpU3U82219i03ZXpcWbsDp4yL-p1i7f6hDWNjIp0cw1236CySaO_b2JfvcqfWpJ=
jaTinZwPqT1_vci0e7jxBohfGHEyneyMVM2VLo-3GephDJ4fBqOLiH9IOQCfLc3RO-up88Ymeyy=
E5wWiWZ0RQAFnBfSAs9b3d38-MbT-QveFGUCICB8SWBR9xbrSz-fw7ZujerPtYADg0Ibeq1RFS9=
W3HPjkdAZzB2EjE75uXg_fuphEAqdPpB5q_PvzjWQeJkalQPxj07ba8PBu03jO8diEfPJ6niZnU=
EWbmxcZs62ky0UorU/470/gfXB0hfxSom4hCZL0VVsYg/h3/h001.VM6jk2vMpNbgQMIXI2V9xs=
ClJpOzWlOU0xDJR_zhv0s"><img style=3D"display:block;color:#000000;max-width:=
28px;" width=3D"28" alt=3D"in" border=3D"0" src=3D"https://media.beehiiv.co=
m/cdn-cgi/image/fit=3Dscale-down,format=3Dauto,onerror=3Dredirect,quality=
=3D80/static_assets/social_share/linkedin_round.png"/></a></td><td width=3D=
"14" style=3D"width:14px;">&nbsp;</td><td align=3D"left" valign=3D"middle">=
<a style=3D"text-decoration:none;" href=3D"mailto:?subject=3DPost%20from%20=
Predictable%20Revenue%3A%20Founders%20Edition&body=3DIntro%20chapter%2C%20f=
irst%20draft%20%3A%20%0A%0Ahttps%3A%2F%2Fpredictablerevenue-newsletter.beeh=
iiv.com%2Fp%2Fintro-chapter-first-draft"><img style=3D"display:block;color:=
#000000;max-width:28px;" width=3D"28" alt=3D"email" border=3D"0" src=3D"htt=
ps://media.beehiiv.com/cdn-cgi/image/fit=3Dscale-down,format=3Dauto,onerror=
=3Dredirect,quality=3D80/static_assets/social_share/email_round.png"/></a><=
/td></tr></table></td></tr></table></td></tr></table></td></tr><tr><td styl=
e=3D"height:0px;width:0px;"><div style=3D"height:1px;" data-open-tracking=
=3D"true"> <img src=3D"https://link.mail.beehiiv.com/ss/o/u001.QDl44NxZBc1m=
RkS74rGpGQ/470/gfXB0hfxSom4hCZL0VVsYg/ho.gif" alt=3D"" width=3D"1" height=
=3D"1" border=3D"0" style=3D"height:1px !important;width:1px !important;bor=
der-width:0 !important;margin-top:0 !important;margin-bottom:0 !important;m=
argin-right:0 !important;margin-left:0 !important;padding-top:0 !important;=
padding-bottom:0 !important;padding-right:0 !important;padding-left:0 !impo=
rtant;"/> </div></td></tr><tr id=3D"content-blocks"><td class=3D"email-card=
-body" align=3D"center" valign=3D"top" style=3D"padding-bottom:15px;"><tabl=
e role=3D"none" width=3D"100%" border=3D"0" cellspacing=3D"0" cellpadding=
=3D"0" align=3D"center"><tr><td class=3D"dd" align=3D"left" style=3D"paddin=
g:0px 15px;text-align:left;word-break:break-word;"><p><span style=3D"color:=
rgb(44, 62, 80);">Good morning Andrew, </span></p></td></tr><tr><td class=
=3D"dd" align=3D"left" style=3D"padding:0px 15px;text-align:left;word-break=
:break-word;"><p><span style=3D"color:rgb(44, 62, 80);">Today=E2=80=99s ema=
il is a little different. </span></p></td></tr><tr><td class=3D"dd" align=
=3D"left" style=3D"padding:0px 15px;text-align:left;word-break:break-word;"=
><p><span style=3D"color:rgb(44, 62, 80);">I usually write these emails as =
a way of getting the core ideas for the book onto a page. There is nothing =
like a deadline and an audience of folks expecting an email to make sure th=
at I hit my goal. </span></p></td></tr><tr><td class=3D"dd" align=3D"left" =
style=3D"padding:0px 15px;text-align:left;word-break:break-word;"><p><span =
style=3D"color:rgb(44, 62, 80);">As I get closer to the first draft being r=
eady, I=E2=80=99d like to start sharing the bones of the chapters I=E2=80=
=99m working on. There will be spelling mistakes, terrible grammar, and dup=
licate content from previous newsletters. </span></p></td></tr><tr><td clas=
s=3D"dd" align=3D"left" style=3D"padding:0px 15px;text-align:left;word-brea=
k:break-word;"><p><span style=3D"color:rgb(44, 62, 80);">If this sounds goo=
d to you, today=E2=80=99s email is my working draft of the Introduction for=
, =E2=80=9CThe Terrifying Art of Finding Your First Customers=E2=80=9D. </s=
pan></p></td></tr><tr><td class=3D"dd" align=3D"left" style=3D"padding:0px =
15px;text-align:left;word-break:break-word;"><p><span style=3D"color:rgb(44=
, 62, 80);"><i>Big thanks to Andy and others for their suggestions on addin=
g =E2=80=9Cyour first=E2=80=9D. </i></span></p></td></tr><tr><td class=3D"d=
d" align=3D"left" style=3D"padding:0px 15px;text-align:left;word-break:brea=
k-word;"><p><span style=3D"color:rgb(44, 62, 80);">Since what follows is a =
draft chapter, I=E2=80=99ll front-load my CTA: what is one thing that you w=
ould keep and one thing you=E2=80=99d take out? </span></p></td></tr><tr><t=
d class=3D"dd" align=3D"left" style=3D"padding:0px 15px;text-align:left;wor=
d-break:break-word;"><p><span style=3D"color:rgb(44, 62, 80);">Here it is, =
thanks for your feedback and support getting to here. </span></p></td></tr>=
<tr><td class=3D"dd" align=3D"left" style=3D"padding:0px 15px;text-align:le=
ft;word-break:break-word;"><p><span style=3D"color:rgb(44, 62, 80);">Collin=
 Stewart </span></p></td></tr><tr><td align=3D"center" valign=3D"top" style=
=3D"font-size:0px;line-height:0px;padding:30px 0px;" class=3D"dd"><table cl=
ass=3D"j" role=3D"none" width=3D"50%" border=3D"0" cellspacing=3D"0" cellpa=
dding=3D"0" align=3D"center"><tr><td> &nbsp; </td></tr></table></td></tr><t=
r><td class=3D"dd" align=3D"left" style=3D"padding:0px 15px;text-align:left=
;word-break:break-word;"><p><span style=3D"color:rgb(44, 62, 80);"><b>=E2=
=80=9CPain is just the sensation of experience entering the body=E2=80=9D <=
/b></span><br><span style=3D"color:rgb(44, 62, 80);"><b>=E2=80=93 Jerry Sei=
nfeld=C2=A0</b></span></p></td></tr><tr><td class=3D"dd" align=3D"left" sty=
le=3D"padding:0px 15px;text-align:left;word-break:break-word;"><p><span sty=
le=3D"color:rgb(44, 62, 80);">I always wanted to work for myself. I remembe=
r sketching out video game designs when I was a kid, building business mode=
ls for dumb ideas in college (urinal sticker advertising company), and sket=
ching wireframes for CRMs through my final years of working as a sales rep.=
=C2=A0</span></p></td></tr><tr><td class=3D"dd" align=3D"left" style=3D"pad=
ding:0px 15px;text-align:left;word-break:break-word;"><p><span style=3D"col=
or:rgb(44, 62, 80);">In high school, I remember reading about tech startups=
 during the boom and the crash. It seemed like the only way to break into t=
he valley at the time was through Google=E2=80=99s APM program. My problem =
was that my grades were only good enough to get me into the local community=
 college. And, if I=E2=80=99m being honest, only because they didn=E2=80=99=
t look at my grades. The college was designed for working professionals and=
 after two years I found myself both going to school and working full time =
as a salesperson. I sold cell phone contracts, used car (yup, singular), wh=
eelchair lifts, roofing, kitchen cabinets for highrises, diesel generators,=
 and specialty welding equipment.=C2=A0</span></p></td></tr><tr><td class=
=3D"dd" align=3D"left" style=3D"padding:0px 15px;text-align:left;word-break=
:break-word;"><p><span style=3D"color:rgb(44, 62, 80);">I might have been i=
n sales but I never lost that drive to start something. Every time I met an=
 entrepreneur, I would tell them my dream and ask their advice. The number =
one most common reply was =E2=80=9Csales is the most important piece so get=
 some experience before you start your own thing=E2=80=9D. The core of this=
 advice is great, every company needs sales and in the early days and those=
 responsibilities will fall on the founder. However, this advice was usuall=
y grouped in with advice that was either outdated or never true, that a gre=
at sales team could sell any product, in any market, all it took was great =
salespeople. It might have been true at some point but in 2012 the collecti=
ve =E2=80=9Cwe=E2=80=9D probably knew better. I however was fully bought in=
to both as gospel.=C2=A0</span></p></td></tr><tr><td class=3D"dd" align=3D"=
left" style=3D"padding:0px 15px;text-align:left;word-break:break-word;"><p>=
<span style=3D"color:rgb(44, 62, 80);">This belief that sales was the only =
thing that mattered gave me the confidence to start my first company. I was=
 pretty confident in my sales abilities to put it mildly. It was also the b=
elief that led me to ignore customer feedback and build my own ideas anyway=
.=C2=A0</span></p></td></tr><tr><td class=3D"dd" align=3D"left" style=3D"pa=
dding:0px 15px;text-align:left;word-break:break-word;"><p><span style=3D"co=
lor:rgb(44, 62, 80);">After all Steve Jobs said, =E2=80=9Cpeople don&#39;t =
know what they want until you show it to them. That&#39;s why I never rely =
on market research.=E2=80=9D I weaponized these two ideas to justify my act=
ions and it likely cost me millions. I spent 18 months butting my head up a=
gainst a wall because I had a great insight but was trying to solve it in a=
 way that customers didn=E2=80=99t want. Once we pivoted, we found strong p=
roduct market fit very quickly. But two things happened. First, we were now=
 2 years behind 2 entrepreneurs with the same insight and more experience s=
o it was going to be an uphill battle instead of a greenfield opportunity. =
Second, after we scaled from $0 - $1m in just a few months, it gave me the =
false confidence that I could outsell our churn. When your core product is =
built for sending cold emails and it takes 2 weeks for the platform to send=
 an email, you know things aren=E2=80=99t going to go well.=C2=A0</span></p=
></td></tr><tr><td class=3D"dd" align=3D"left" style=3D"padding:0px 15px;te=
xt-align:left;word-break:break-word;"><p><span style=3D"color:rgb(44, 62, 8=
0);">The hard part is that I received good advice, I read the right books, =
but I still missed the through line. That breadcrumb trail that helps you f=
ind your way through the forest.=C2=A0</span></p></td></tr><tr><td class=3D=
"dd" align=3D"left" style=3D"padding:0px 15px;text-align:left;word-break:br=
eak-word;"><p><span style=3D"color:rgb(44, 62, 80);">I thought I was an exp=
ert because during the 10 years I had been in sales, I had been involved in=
 a new CRM project at every company I worked for. It just kinda happens whe=
n you=E2=80=99re the only one in the office that knows what RAM stands for.=
 I came across Salesforce around 2005 and could see that two things would b=
e true.=C2=A0</span></p></td></tr><tr><td class=3D"dd" align=3D"left" style=
=3D"padding:0px 15px;text-align:left;word-break:break-word;"><p><span style=
=3D"color:rgb(44, 62, 80);">First, this would be the new paradigm for CRM. =
Gone would be the hassle of trying to get 17 laptops, each with their own m=
ySQL database, synced to a master database. Managers would have real time d=
ashboards and reporting features. And they wouldn=E2=80=99t have to copy an=
d paste together 17 different spreadsheets or use Crystal Decisions just to=
 see a holistic view of their pipeline.</span></p></td></tr><tr><td class=
=3D"dd" align=3D"left" style=3D"padding:0px 15px;text-align:left;word-break=
:break-word;"><p><span style=3D"color:rgb(44, 62, 80);">Second, the persona=
l productivity system I had built into my Maximizer was about to be usurped=
. I love my hotkeys and could use that product blindfolded. Having to use I=
nternet Explorer 6 to access my personal productivity system felt like tryi=
ng to run in a pool of molasses.=C2=A0</span></p></td></tr><tr><td class=3D=
"dd" align=3D"left" style=3D"padding:0px 15px;text-align:left;word-break:br=
eak-word;"><p><span style=3D"color:rgb(44, 62, 80);">It was these two insig=
hts, and 10 years selling, that made me believe I was a CRM expert and it w=
as this belief that killed my first company. The insights were correct. It =
was my belief in my own expertise that closed me off to hearing any feedbac=
k that contradicted my vision.=C2=A0</span></p></td></tr><tr><td class=3D"d=
d" align=3D"left" style=3D"padding:0px 15px;text-align:left;word-break:brea=
k-word;"><p><span style=3D"color:rgb(44, 62, 80);">I started working on vol=
tageCRM by sketching ideas in a notebook and then interviewing sales leader=
s to ask their opinions. I weaponized Steve Jobs=E2=80=99 advice as a way o=
f writing off customer feedback that didn=E2=80=99t align with how I saw th=
e world. In my roughly 100 customer development meetings with sales leaders=
 in various capacities, I heard </span><span style=3D"color:rgb(44, 62, 80)=
;"><b>a lot </b></span><span style=3D"color:rgb(44, 62, 80);">of comments t=
hat sounded like =E2=80=9Cwow, that=E2=80=99s a really smart idea=E2=80=9D.=
 Which, when you have a Jobs=E2=80=99 complex, just feeds the ego. If you=
=E2=80=99ve read Never Split the Difference, you know there is a world of a=
 difference between =E2=80=9Cyou=E2=80=99re right=E2=80=9D and =E2=80=9Ctha=
t=E2=80=99s right=E2=80=9D. What I thought was validation was actually peop=
le kindly telling me they=E2=80=99d had enough of me not listening.=C2=A0</=
span></p></td></tr><tr><td class=3D"dd" align=3D"left" style=3D"padding:0px=
 15px;text-align:left;word-break:break-word;"><p><span style=3D"color:rgb(4=
4, 62, 80);">I wanted to solve the sales productivity problem by competing =
with Salesforce. I knew it was probably a bad idea but I was convinced that=
 unconventional ideas were how you took big swings. Customers were practica=
lly begging me to build this in a way to work with Salesforce but I pushed =
on without listening. It wasn=E2=80=99t until a mentor of mine popped my =
=E2=80=98I=E2=80=99m a genius=E2=80=99 bubble that I realized I had been go=
ing about it all wrong.=C2=A0</span></p></td></tr><tr><td class=3D"dd" alig=
n=3D"left" style=3D"padding:0px 15px;text-align:left;word-break:break-word;=
"><p><span style=3D"color:rgb(44, 62, 80);">=E2=80=9CI just can=E2=80=99t w=
ait until you=E2=80=99re working on something that has a chance of being su=
ccessful=E2=80=9D =E2=80=93 Roger Patterson, directed at me, summer of 2013=
.=C2=A0</span></p></td></tr><tr><td class=3D"dd" align=3D"left" style=3D"pa=
dding:0px 15px;text-align:left;word-break:break-word;"><p><span style=3D"co=
lor:rgb(44, 62, 80);">Roger=E2=80=99s words were just the kick in the ass I=
 needed. It sounds mean but is actually the kindest thing anyone could have=
 done for me at the time. It made me realize that I was so dug into being r=
ight I had lost sight of solving the problem for customers. I was so stuck =
on </span><span style=3D"color:rgb(44, 62, 80);"><i>validating</i></span><s=
pan style=3D"color:rgb(44, 62, 80);">=C2=A0</span><span style=3D"color:rgb(=
44, 62, 80);"><i>my idea</i></span><span style=3D"color:rgb(44, 62, 80);"> =
that I wasn=E2=80=99t listening to the real feedback that people were shari=
ng with me. They had this problem, especially with their sales development =
reps, and they wanted it to work with salesforce.=C2=A0</span></p></td></tr=
><tr><td class=3D"dd" align=3D"left" style=3D"padding:0px 15px;text-align:l=
eft;word-break:break-word;"><p><span style=3D"color:rgb(44, 62, 80);">I cam=
e across the Startup Genome project shortly after Roger=E2=80=99s verbal as=
s-kicking. They released a report called </span><a class=3D"link" href=3D"h=
ttps://link.mail.beehiiv.com/ss/c/u001.9DNaIjoJK2sCLpx4GhmW2_xGrGvfUN3TUhhJ=
uD5hzQ21BxDIrIYfbqFIBuPA0r-bvGzfCdle_Q6QUdCHVdURM4LTycwZIk7DYumoF8yCxUsV2tY=
bxeLgO9aim5zBypUq7MD1-4MNycRaE83G11qFSiNpLCg4hb9VAduEj96-o3DvjlT2fynS6rTRIm=
2Ka35jBDfifjnTEFYZ4QwajlrH0fgCrFF4SSwQENGIcOoG5mCVf2FZXcZ3IebZ20-uLBetfnyD2=
4bZ4P4flWm1m-TYAg/470/gfXB0hfxSom4hCZL0VVsYg/h4/h001.z5JVRQee2ANuJgmVpHdnkX=
pQ1CXxLz7I41djeEE29jE" target=3D"_blank" rel=3D"noopener noreferrer nofollo=
w"><span>Why Startups Fail</span></a><span style=3D"color:rgb(44, 62, 80);"=
>, they had surveyed 3200 startups and the report documented the reasons so=
me were successful and others failed. The big learning was that premature s=
caling was the number one startup killer. This meant investing in growth be=
fore you had strong enough product market fit to get a decent return on you=
r investments. Essentially, trying to sell something that nobody wanted.=C2=
=A0</span></p></td></tr><tr><td class=3D"dd" align=3D"left" style=3D"paddin=
g:0px 15px;text-align:left;word-break:break-word;"><p><span style=3D"color:=
rgb(44, 62, 80);">They found that 74% of startups fail due to premature sca=
ling. It was nice to know I wasn=E2=80=99t alone but I didn=E2=80=99t like =
being on this side of the statistic. I have both experienced this myself an=
d aided and abetted others in burning cash on premature scaling their go to=
 market team through my current company. I=E2=80=99ve spent the last 12 yea=
rs helping founder find their first customers using sales development as a =
channel. I=E2=80=99ve seen hypergrowth unicorns and companies on their last=
 few investor dollars and just trying to find a path forward.=C2=A0</span><=
/p></td></tr><tr><td class=3D"dd" align=3D"left" style=3D"padding:0px 15px;=
text-align:left;word-break:break-word;"><p><span style=3D"color:rgb(44, 62,=
 80);">This experience has taught me that the strength of your product mark=
et fit has a direct impact on the effectiveness of your go to market spend.=
 That is, the stronger your product market fit is, the lower your cost to a=
cquire a customer will be.=C2=A0</span></p></td></tr><tr><td class=3D"dd" a=
lign=3D"left" style=3D"padding:0px 15px;text-align:left;word-break:break-wo=
rd;"><p><span style=3D"color:rgb(44, 62, 80);">I started writing this book =
because I felt like Predictable Revenue needed a follow up, our community i=
s still very strong and we felt we owed it to them. As I put pen to paper -=
 really more like finger to keyboard - and started sharing it with others, =
it evolved into the book I wish I had when I first started out. I felt like=
 every book I read on how to start a company had a different =E2=80=9Cthis =
is the only thing that matters=E2=80=9D. They were all good points and it m=
ade it hard to see the path forward. Especially as a bootstrapped founder w=
ith no investors to kick my ass in the right direction.=C2=A0</span></p></t=
d></tr><tr><td class=3D"dd" align=3D"left" style=3D"padding:0px 15px;text-a=
lign:left;word-break:break-word;"><p><span style=3D"color:rgb(44, 62, 80);"=
>When you=E2=80=99re trying to find your first customers, there are three c=
ritical steps:=C2=A0</span></p></td></tr><tr><td style=3D"padding-bottom:12=
px;padding-left:37px;padding-right:27px;padding-top:12px;" class=3D"ee"><di=
v style=3D"margin-left:0px;" class=3D"edm_outlooklist"><ul style=3D"list-st=
yle-type:disc;margin:0px 0px;padding:0px 0px 0px 0px;"><li class=3D"listIte=
m ultext"><p style=3D"padding:0px;text-align:left;word-break:break-word;"><=
span style=3D"color:rgb(44, 62, 80);">Find product market fit=C2=A0</span><=
/p></li><li class=3D"listItem ultext"><p style=3D"padding:0px;text-align:le=
ft;word-break:break-word;"><span style=3D"color:rgb(44, 62, 80);">Find your=
 first customers=C2=A0</span></p></li><li class=3D"listItem ultext"><p styl=
e=3D"padding:0px;text-align:left;word-break:break-word;"><span style=3D"col=
or:rgb(44, 62, 80);">Build a repeatable sales model that doesn=E2=80=99t re=
ly on the founder=C2=A0</span></p></li></ul></div></td></tr><tr><td class=
=3D"dd" align=3D"left" style=3D"padding:0px 15px;text-align:left;word-break=
:break-word;"><p><span style=3D"color:rgb(44, 62, 80);">For the worst resul=
ts and highest chance of failure, tackle them in whichever order you feel l=
ike. For best results, start with product market fit and work down the list=
. I=E2=80=99ve started 3 companies (1 dud, 1 rocket ship that crashed, and =
1 that=E2=80=99s still going), and through these experiences, I=E2=80=99ve =
learned invaluable lessons about the unpredictable nature of entrepreneursh=
ip and the terrifying art of finding my first customers.=C2=A0</span></p></=
td></tr><tr><td class=3D"dd" align=3D"left" style=3D"padding:0px 15px;text-=
align:left;word-break:break-word;"><p><span style=3D"color:rgb(44, 62, 80);=
">I wrote this book to help founders see that in order to grow a company th=
e only thing that matters is tackling these three steps one at a time and i=
n the right order. By the end of the book, I=E2=80=99ll share the milestone=
s I=E2=80=99ve found for each step, benchmarks to help you figure out when =
to advance, and stories of me screwing things up and somehow coming out ali=
ve.=C2=A0</span></p></td></tr><tr><td class=3D"dd" align=3D"left" style=3D"=
padding:0px 15px;text-align:left;word-break:break-word;"><p><span style=3D"=
color:rgb(44, 62, 80);">I can=E2=80=99t promise that demand for your produc=
t exists, that you won=E2=80=99t run into roadblocks (you will), or that yo=
u won=E2=80=99t make a bad hire (you will and that=E2=80=99s ok). This book=
 was created to help you see the bigger picture so you can figure out for y=
ourself what to do next.</span></p></td></tr><tr><td align=3D"center" valig=
n=3D"top" style=3D"font-size:0px;line-height:0px;padding:30px 0px;" class=
=3D"dd"><table class=3D"j" role=3D"none" width=3D"50%" border=3D"0" cellspa=
cing=3D"0" cellpadding=3D"0" align=3D"center"><tr><td> &nbsp; </td></tr></t=
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x;text-align:left;word-break:break-word;"><p><span style=3D"color:rgb(44, 6=
2, 80);">CTA time again - what is one thing that you would keep and one thi=
ng you would take out? </span><br></p></td></tr></table></td></tr><tr><td c=
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