The Startup Velocity Question: What CANNOT be Fixed?

Within the runway of a venture-funded startup, it is excruciatingly difficult to fix core technology problems. 

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The Startup Velocity Question: What CAN be Fixed?

The lowest hanging fruit in terms of what CAN be fixed in a B-to-B SaaS venture is Positioning.

Even in B-to-C, Positioning can be fixed.

Sometimes, we switch from B-to-C to B-to-B.

If you are facing velocity challenges in a venture funded startup, look closely at your Positioning.

The Startup Velocity Question: Is it Positioning?

We are in 2024.

Almost every market is super crowded.

Most often, the problem is not with the sales team, nor with the technology.

The problem is with Product Positioning.

Video FAQs

The Startup Velocity Question: Is it the Sales Team?

When things are not going right, especially in B-to-B SaaS, the blame falls on the sales team.

As a company switches from Founder-led Sales to a Repeatable Sales Process, often, sales do falter.

Velocity cannot be achieved without a repeatable sales process.

The Startup Velocity Question: Is it the Market?

Entrepreneurs often bet on markets that are yet to develop.

Good entrepreneurs often create new markets. Steve Jobs CREATED the smartphone market.

VCs bet on such bets.

The Startup Velocity Question: Is it the Product?

Product and Technology are not the same. 

While technology failures are difficult to recover from, product issues can be addressed.

Often, once a startup starts to engage with the market, it develops a more sophisticated understanding of the market’s needs. Features, functions, integrations, APIs – a lot of input comes into the company through customer immersion.

The Startup Velocity Question: Is it Technology?

At the heart of most tech companies is, of course, technology. Today, the market is particularly frothy around Artificial Intelligence. AI is a technology that is notorious for not working as envisioned.

Best of Bootstrapping: Bootstrapped Pura Vida to $130M

If you haven’t already, please study our free Bootstrapping Course and Investor Introductions page. 

When we spoke in 2020, Pura Vida CEO Co-founder Griffin Thall and his partner had turned an investment of $200 into a $130 million company. Amazing execution!

Sramana Mitra: Let’s start at the beginning of your journey. Where are you from? Where were you born and raised? What kind of background did you have?

Griffin Thall: I grew up in LA. I went to school at San Diego State. After graduating from college in 2010, my business partner and I went on a trip to Costa Rica. We were there for five weeks to travel, surf, and explore.

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