Theory Catalyst’s Post

CTO stands for two different things depending on your type of company. It's either Chief Today Officer or Chief Tomorrow Officer. In an early stage startup there is only TODAY. How do we get this shit to market ASAP and get some traction before we run out of time or money. LET'S GO! 🚀 In a large corporation, they only think about TOMORROW. We spent forever planning all the things we most likely won't even do, and if we do them, they will be way behind schedule. 😴 The trick is trying to be somewhere in between. Which CTO are you? Shout out to Jay Aigner for this idea.

Usually, when talking to startup founders, I like to reccomend the “MVP pyramid” as a guide for building their product and not getting lost with just being functional. To successfully launch in the market, it's crucial to have a balance among the various aspects of the product, allowing them to build the best version while maximizing value. Ask yourself “What version of my product can I build that captures the most of the value”

Over the years, working with startup clients has been one of the most rewarding and revealing aspects of my journey as a strategist. Startups bring a unique blend of energy, innovation, and, yes, a bit of chaos! For anyone who hasn’t had the opportunity to work closely with these passionate founders, it’s an experience that sharpens not just your skills but your perspective. And here’s what I’ve learned along the way.

☕ 𝟭𝟬𝟬 𝗖𝗼𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗲 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗲! ☕ 8 down, 25.33 to go. ✅ (doing 1/3 of 100 coffees) Caught up with Go-To-Market (GTM) expert Rob Cassidy today. Rob has helped multiple startups scale + exit and experienced the good, bad, and ugly in all things growth. In Feb, he launched Xsellerate Pty Ltd, helping founders with their GTM strategy. 𝗞𝗲𝘆 𝗧𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗮𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀: 🎯 Validate before launch: Many founders skip idea validation, risking time and resources on products that may not solve real problems. 💡 Focus on traction over funding: In early stages, prioritize getting customers over raising capital. 🇦🇺 Australian context: Securing investment without a product or customers is super challenging and time-consuming. ⏱️ Launch fast, get customers: Time spent chasing early investment can be better used in rapid launching and customer acquisition.

Couldn’t resist myself to share this headlines from The CapTable! It is very important that the business is given enough time to innovate, perform and build value for investors/shareholders. If the company is making run on a treadmill for user growth and then for profitability, it may miss out to build a good product for customers. Building a profitable business has many essential elements in it. Time is one of those essentials! It is definitely a patience test of founders, team members and shareholders to build value in long term. Not sure if all three of them are aware about this bitter truth of startup life!

🙏Thank you Balance The Grind and Steve Grace for featuring Scalare Partners in your recent interview and shining a spotlight on our commitment to fostering early stage tech companies. 🐣 🧗If this sounds like your journey and you'd like to hear more, please don't hesitate to reach out the the Scalare team at hello@scalarepartners.com 💪We are here to help. #gamechangers #techfounder #startup #technology  #Innovation #businessgrowthtips Carolyn Breeze GAICD | Jenny Li | Nick Roberts | James Walker | Tim Griffiths | Giles Bourne | Pernille Aggerholm | Sarah Macaulay | William Hartanto 

I work with startup founders across all industries, helping them refine their stories and pitch for the biggest impact! Make sure your deck is concise, engaging, and strategically aligned with your funding target to accelerate traction and growth. Swipe to see some of the many mistakes startup founders make! Find this valuable? Follow Peter Korbel for more. P.S. What did I miss? Feel free to add more in the comments.

Many thanks to the amazing ☁️ Mark Birch 🚀 for publishing my thoughts on "the startup CTOs journey". Whether you are a startup CTO or are a founder looking to hire one, hopefully it'll give you a little context about the long, but exciting road ahead from inception to IPO! Link in first comment.

I’m obsessed with this one line from Codie A. Sanchez: 👉 Never fall in love with something that can’t love you back. This hits especially hard for founders. I’ve been advising early stage startups for a few years now, and I’ve seen far too many fall into this trap: 🛑 They fall in love with their solution. I call it Solution Blindness—and it’s dangerous. When you lose objectivity, you stop seeing the flaws in your product. You miss critical opportunities to iterate and grow. But here’s the hard truth: The market doesn’t care about your solution. It only cares about the problem it solves. ✅ Fall in love with the problem, not the solution. ✅ Poke holes in your own product—relentlessly. ✅ Stay hypercritical if you want to build something truly great. This is the only way your solution gets better and stays ahead.

Many founders tell themselves, "This is my one big shot". They pour everything into their first startup, thinking they’ll rest after they exit. But here’s the kicker: most founders don’t stop after one venture. They keep going. I'm building my 11th company. And it's certainly not my last. Once a founder, ALWAYS a founder. That’s why it’s so important to build habits and systems that sustain you—now and in the future. Because this isn’t just about one company. It’s about the long road ahead. If you’re feeling burned out, ask yourself: What small shift can I make this week to support my well-being for the long term? What’s one habit or boundary that’s helping you play the long game? Share it below👇 ♻️ Share if you agree. Follow Dave Bailey if you want to achieve Venture Scale.