🌟 From Hackathon to $100M+ Exit: Lessons from Later 🌟 In the heart of Vancouver, Later transformed from a hackathon prototype to a $40M ARR business, ultimately acquired for over $100M in 2022. Co-founder Ian MacKinnon recently shared his journey on The Product Market Fit Show podcast, revealing key insights into scaling a SaaS company outside of Silicon Valley. 🛠 Key Takeaways: Start small and solve specific problems. Embrace simplicity—iterate fast, over-engineer less. Leverage Vancouver’s talent, accelerators, and supportive community. Content marketing + SEO = a powerhouse growth strategy. Later’s story proves that Vancouver startups can achieve global impact with the right focus and strategy.
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𝐋𝐄𝐒𝐒𝐎𝐍 1: 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐔𝐏 𝐄𝐒𝐒𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐈𝐀𝐋𝐒 – 𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐓 5 🚀 𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐈𝐌𝐔𝐌 𝐕𝐈𝐀𝐁𝐋𝐄 𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐃𝐔𝐂𝐓 (𝐌𝐕𝐏) Startups thrive on learning—and the 𝐁𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝-𝐌𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐞-𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧 𝐋𝐨𝐨𝐩 is the engine that drives this process. 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐚𝐧 𝐌𝐕𝐏? The loop begins with a 𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐦𝐮𝐦 𝐕𝐢𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐭 (𝐌𝐕𝐏)—𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒊𝒎𝒑𝒍𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒑𝒐𝒔𝒔𝒊𝒃𝒍𝒆 𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒐𝒇 𝒂 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒅𝒖𝒄𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕’𝒔 𝒄𝒖𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒓-𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒚. It’s not about perfection but about gathering early feedback from real users. Here’s how it works: 1️⃣ 𝐁𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝: Develop the MVP. 2️⃣ 𝐌𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐞: Release it to customers and collect their feedback. 3️⃣ 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧: Use those insights to refine, improve, or even change direction. 𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐇𝐲𝐩𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐬 𝐅𝐚𝐢𝐥: 𝐏𝐈𝐕𝐎𝐓 🚦 Failure isn’t the end for a startup—it’s a chance to pivot and evolve. Take #Twitter as an example: 🔹 It started as #Odeo, a podcast subscription service. 🔹 When #iTunes entered the market, #Odeo couldn’t compete. 🔹 Instead of giving up, they pivoted to create a microblogging platform—and the rest is history! 𝐊𝐞𝐲 𝐓𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬: ✔️ Releasing an MVP allows startups to validate ideas quickly and cost-effectively. ✔️ Feedback isn’t just a tool; it’s the foundation for iteration and growth. ✔️ A pivot can open doors to unexpected, groundbreaking opportunities. 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭’𝐬 𝐍𝐞𝐱𝐭? In our next lesson, we’ll dive into the 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐚 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐩 𝐓𝐞𝐚𝐦—who you need by your side to turn your vision into reality. Big thanks to Valar Institute for this incredible lesson. Let’s keep learning, growing, and building the future! #Entrepreneurship #StartupLessons #MinimumViableProduct #Pivoting #ValarInstitute #LearningJourney #Innovation
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To create a consistent and concise content strategy, it's essential to define specific content pillars that align with your brand, whether it's a personal profile or a company's social media presence. 👩💼📱 For early-stage startups, these pillars might include themes like: - 'Building in public' 🏗️ - 'Product features' 🛠️ - 'Marketing automation' 🤖 Much like what we focus on at ContentRadar. 🧐📊 For a venture capital firm, such as our clients at Openseed.VC or Hustlefund.vc, the pillars could be: - 'Portfolio announcements' 📈 - 'Thought leadership' 🤔 - 'Events and conferences' 🎉 It's important to maintain diversity in your content to keep your audience engaged and interested. 👥🔍 At ContentRadar, we've introduced a new feature that allows you to mark your content with colorful labels, assigning different topics to help you easily manage and overview your content strategy. This visual organization ensures that you're consistently covering a range of topics. 🖌️🏷️ Our comprehensive content calendar view is particularly beneficial for teams, as it allows you to see who is working on which topics and monitor scheduled posts effortlessly. 🗓️👩💻
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How to Get Initial Traction in a Tech Startup In 2024, investors are highly unlikely to invest in your startup without significant traction proving the concept of your business. The challenge is: How do you get traction without any investment? The short answer is that it's extremely hard. Only a very few will make it. Here's how I achieved traction in my first company: Strategies for Initial Growth Content Marketing and Word of Mouth: $0 spent on ads Built a product I knew how to sell effectively Published extensive content that drove thousands of organic users to the site Implemented viral word-of-mouth marketing strategy Viral Growth Technique I offered free subscriptions to anyone who shared our platform within their university study groups (our target audience). This approach helped the word spread quickly, and we reached 178,527 active users in the first year, spending only $2,000 on marketing. Follow me to learn about startups! 🔔 I am the founder of an EdTech AI startup, building an AI-powered higher education and career- building tool. #StartupGrowth #TechEntrepreneur #BusinessStrategy #ContentMarketing #UserAcquisition #StartupTips #InnovationHacks #EntrepreneurLife
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🚀 Startups, it’s time to make your mark on LinkedIn! 🚀 Building a strong LinkedIn presence is vital for growing your startup’s brand, attracting clients, and showcasing thought leadership. But creating consistent, engaging content can be challenging, especially with limited time and resources. That’s where Trendmaker comes in. Our AI-powered content creation service helps startups: Generate high-quality, brand-aligned social posts and articles effortlessly. Maintain a consistent posting schedule without the stress. Engage and grow your audience with tailored, impactful content. Let us handle the content so you can focus on what you do best—growing your startup. 💡 Ready to elevate your LinkedIn game? Reach out to us and see the difference Trendmaker can make. #StartUpGrowth #LinkedInMarketing #AIPoweredContent #TrendmakerAI #DigitalEngagement #AusStartUps #Growth #AI
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In the fast-paced world of tech startups, content isn't just an asset—it's a lifeline. 🌐 If you're not leveraging content, you risk falling behind the competition and, ultimately, going out of business. Why Content Matters: 1. Attracts Investors: Quality content showcases your vision, strategy, and growth potential, making your startup more attractive to investors. 2. Engages Customers: Consistent, valuable content builds trust and engages your audience. 3. Boosts SEO: Well-crafted content improves your search engine rankings, increasing visibility and driving traffic. 4. Establishes Authority: Thought leadership content positions your startup as an industry expert. Don't let your tech startup be left in the dust. Embrace a robust content strategy today and secure your market position. P.S. What strategy are you using for your startup? Share below 👇🏻 📈 Stay ahead. Stay relevant. Leverage content.📈 #TechStartups #ContentStrategy #Technicalwriting #Tech #Web #StartupSuccess #BusinessGrowth
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🚀 Transparency Post: Building Trust Through Platform Association Just refined the "As seen on" section for my SaaS landing page. Here's the growth strategy: 1. Platform Selection: • Hacker News • X • TikTok • Instagram • Product Hunt • Reddit • LinkedIn Why? Because users trust these platforms more than a new startup. The Strategy: • Show logos pre-launch • Create platform-specific content • Launch strategically on each • Deliver value consistently Learned this from Marc Lou - one of the smartest solo dev I follow. Is it controversial? Perhaps. Will it work? The metrics will tell. Am I being transparent about it? You're reading this 😉 Building Social Media Manage AI app in public means sharing both conventional and unconventional tactics. What's your take on leveraging established platforms' reputation? #BuildInPublic #GrowthHacking #SaaS #Startups
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📢 StartupStage: What it is, How it Works, and Why You Should Apply… What is StartupStage? 💡 It’s a dynamic platform and publication designed for Innovators and Visionaries! StartupStage empowers your venture with seamless sign-up, weekly cohort competitions, community engagement, and lucrative comprehensive marketing campaigns for winners. 💲It offers cost-effective visibility, unrivaled networking, invaluable expertise, marketing amplification, and enhanced credibility. Register your startup today at https://StartupStage.app/. How StartupStage Works: ✍️ Sign Up: Founders register for free on StartupStage.app, creating a profile for their startup. 🚶♀️➡️ Enter the Contest: Startups submit their pitch to join our weekly cohort competition. 🏘️ Community Engagement: Once approved, startups are featured in our weekly voting, which allows our community of investors and enthusiasts to vote. 🗳️Weekly Voting Period: The voting period is active from Monday at 10 AM to the following Monday at 10 AM, during which startups encourage their network to vote for them on StartupStage. 🏆 Win and Grow: The startup with the most votes wins a week-long marketing and advertising blitz across our extensive network. Why Should You Apply? 0️⃣ Zero Cost, Maximum Exposure: Gain visibility among a community that matters without spending a dime. 🛜 Networking Opportunities: Connect with investors, mentors, and fellow innovators. 📢 Expert Feedback: Receive valuable insights from a knowledgeable audience to refine your business model. 📈 Marketing Boost: Winners receive a significant promotional push, amplifying your startup’s message to a broader audience. 😇 Credibility and Trust: Being featured on StartupStage adds a badge of credibility, attracting more attention to your venture. ⁉️What are you waiting for? — Apply for free now! https://startupstage.app/
StartupStage
startupstage.app
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Startups often dilute their messaging by talking to too many audiences at once. At Plug and Play Tech Center's Silicon Valley Summit, Jacques Benkoski compared this to turning on all the lights at the start of a show—no one knows where to look. Instead, use a single spotlight to direct attention. That was such a powerful analogy and so completely true. At RevUp, we specialize in founder-led #content strategies that spotlight your unique expertise and position the value of your technology to your MOST valuable customer. With clear, focused messaging, your #startup becomes the main event in your niche. No greater words to grow your business..."When you speak to everyone, you speak to no one," ~Seth Godin
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You don’t need a co-founder or VC funding to succeed. If you want to grow your followers on X massively, here’s something powerful. 1. BOOST WITH X BLUE Using X blue can double your reach. 2. BOOST VIA ENGAGEMENT 💡 Likes: 30x boost 💡 Comments: 50x boost 💡 Reposts: 20x boost 3. AVOID LIMITED REACH CONTENT 💡 Links and misinformation – avoid these! 💡 Getting unfollows will limit your reach as well. 4. LEVERAGE BIG CREATORS 💡 Turn on notifications for big creators (think: Elon Musk types). Allocate 20 minutes per day to engage with their posts right after they publish. 💡 This will train the algorithm to connect your content with theirs, pushing your posts further. 5. ENGAGE STRATEGICALLY 💡 Find a successful account in your niche. 💡 Follow 100 people from their list, and engage with their posts. 6. PRUNE NON-ENGAGERS 💡 Unfollow those who don't follow back after you hit 1000 followers. 💡 Keep your niche-specific focus. 7. CAPTURE ATTENTION INSTANTLY 💡 Capitalize on meme marketing to get started. 💡 Once you've reached 500-1000 followers, shift to educational content. 💡 Use tools like Save to Notion to capture ideas fast and Tweet hunter's side bar to recreate best-performing posts monthly. 8. CREATE ENGAGING CONTENT 💡 Keep it brief and punchy. 💡 Use keywords. 💡 Stick to one passion topic. 9. BE AUTHENTIC 💡 Share your unique perspective. 🚀 Here's how you can do it: 🔹 Share valuable, fun, and engaging content. 🔹 Comment early and often on posts from highly followed creators. 🔹 Use meme marketing to build initial traction. 🔹 Switch to more educational content as you grow. Consistency and authenticity are your best friends in this journey. Like the post and reply with "Guide" and I'll send you the in-depth guide on growing your X followers for FREE. Must be following me to receive DM. Join us in the F/MS Startup Game to validate your startup idea in the SANDBOX with your AI co-founder PlayPal and take your first step today. 🫡 𝐁𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐩 𝐧𝐨𝐰: https://femaleswitch.app 🔈🔈🔈 🫵 𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐩 𝐚𝐝𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐮𝐫𝐬, 𝐡𝐢𝐭 𝐅𝐎𝐋𝐋𝐎𝐖 #startups #femalentrepreneur #zerocode #ai
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Yung Studio was invited as a speaker to join Empowered Startups’ webinar series. Empowered Startups is a global innovative startup incubator with over 300 early-stage founders on the platform. Our topic was “How to use brand as a growth tool.” We shared some inspiring real-world examples of how effective branding can drive success in business development, marketing, recruiting, fundraising, and product development. Not only does it unlock defined and differentiated storytelling, it puts speed in your business. We also shared some tips and tricks for founders on first-time brand-building, from forming the right team to creating a cost-efficient process to getting to a GTM brand. It’s so hard to unpack an hour-long webinar into a short memo, but here are our 3 key considerations to build a “MVB” (minimum viable brand): https://lnkd.in/g-VtXYar And, of course, an AI question came up, “Can AI play a significant role in helping startups during the brand launch phase, as it provides cost-efficient methods compared to the traditional methods like hiring influencers? I answered, but I'd love to hear your thoughts from my network here. What do you think? - Special thanks to Zoya Brar for the kind invite. 😺 🙌🏽
How to build a “MVB” for growth
yung.studio
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Partner at Mistral | Seed VC
2moGlad you liked the episode!