Scaling your startup during an investment slowdown

Reading the mainstream business press, you might think that tech companies are going begging in their pursuit of investment capital. But when you work in martech, there’s another story.

There has undoubtedly been a slowdown in startup investments over the past 18 months.  

There is far less appetite for larger, cash-hungry businesses without the metrics to show near-term profitability. Instead, investors are looking to make smaller investments, far earlier in a business’s life cycle, in order to achieve strong ROI at lower risk.

In this special episode of Martalks we assemble insights for martech leaders who are planning their pathway through the present economy, with some practical suggestions for how to secure their businesses’ ongoing success.

We’ll look at:

• The types of companies most affected by the investment slowdown. While the investment ‘slowdown’ plays out amongst more mature scaleups in certain solution categories, early-stage firms, particularly those which propose to have a direct impact on companies’ profitability - are continuing to experience significant momentum.
• Then, we’ll look at some examples of businesses which have scaled successfully – including during previous downturns - and see what lessons can be applied to todays’ scaleups.  Those lessons include pivoting/positioning your product and business model, to leaning off partnerships in order to affordably grow your marketing footprint.
• Finally, I’ll share some thoughts on the role of effective leadership in winning investment – and new business - that I’ve picked up through over two decades of collaborating with, and investing in, early-stage martech firms. There are certain leadership profiles that are always better set up for long-term success, but the current market will more quickly shake out those leaders who are cut from a different cloth.

You can read a summary article of the podcast on The Rosenstein Group website: https://bit.ly/3P7dRDe.

Rosenstein Group: martech & ecommerce executive search

Rosenstein Group is the only martech-specialist exectutive search firm. For over 20 years, we've been matching leadership talent in sales, marketing and customer success to pioneering startups in ecommerce, supply chain and sales enablement, and for digital agencies.

Our experience with recruiting e-commerce technology leaders for companies like SAP Hybris and Demandware has established us as an authoritative and trusted liaison for startups seeking their first sales leader, and scale-ups on their way to IPO.

Visit RosensteinGroup.com to find out more.