Precursa: The Startup Journey with Host Cynthia Del'Aria

Maybe you’ve felt it: that feeling of fear or dread when you realize that something you’ve worked hard on might be slipping from your grasp; or worse, has been taken from you in broad daylight. In this episode, we talk about our recent experience with a fellow entrepreneur encroaching on Precursa’s land, how we responded, and what’s next for our journey. If you’ve wondered how strongly we feel about the advice and teaching we give, this episode is where the rubber meets the road.

Be sure to like, share, and subscribe to Precursa: The Startup Journey on your favorite podcasting platform and tune in for the next episode! 

Email us with any questions or comments ([email protected]). Check out our website (https://www.precursa.com) for more information on getting your startup rolling. 

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today we go where few men and women have gone before, and talk about the future of gig economy work… in space! We are joined by Tom Cooke, founder of Spacely, the open-talent marketplace platform designed for anyone who wants to leverage their talents for the future of space. Tom started as career military flying planes in the Air Force, and then transitioning to space engineering. He then watched the entrepreneurial journey play out real time as he helped his wife build her kickboxing studio in Denver and caught the bug himself a few short years later. Now his vision is to connect people with opportunities and help anyone who loves space use their talents to advance humanity’s race to the heavens.

Tom talks about how he came up with Spacely and gives us some tips about how to find a cool idea if you want to become an entrepreneur. (Hint: Do what you know!) He also debunks some myths about the gig economy, what objections he hears from companies about working with contractors versus full-timers, and how he answers those objections to everyone’s benefit. Tom also shares his views on the theory that entrepreneurship requires everything you have to give and then some, and he gives us all hope that having a life while being an entrepreneur is not only possible, but it’s how things are supposed to be.

We then dive into a question that Tom has found himself asking a ton lately: do platforms need people or do people need platforms? And how do you strike the balance between people and platforms that accomplishes everyone’s goals and raises everyone’s boats? Tom talks about how the pace of technological change is the motivator for historically staid economies to continue to promote new ways of accomplishing the work we all want to get done.

He loves space (and wants to go there someday!), but Tom is anything but spacey. He’s funny, insightful, and has a ton of ideas that will have your head in the clouds.

Check out Tom’s recommended resources:

“The Ivy Podcast” (https://ivypodcast.com/)

Jon Younger’s articles on “freelancers” for Forbes (https://www.google.com/search?q=jon+younger+forbes+freelancer&spell=1&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjYp6XSqpL2AhWZHTQIHduwCJcQBSgAegQIARAy&biw=1587&bih=1209&dpr=1)

Get involved with Tom and start your own space race at Spacely.work (https://www.spacely.work/).

Be sure to like, share, and subscribe to Precursa: The Startup Journey on your favorite podcasting platform and tune in for the next episode! 

Email us with any questions or comments ([email protected]). Check out our website (https://www.precursa.com) for more information on getting your startup rolling. 

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode, we sit down with Precursa co-founder and CEO of Point Solutions Group Paige Goss, our favorite business development guru and strategic spark plug. Our conversation ranges from the realities of being an entrepreneur, to what early-stage investors are looking for in a startup, to what really creates change and diversity in a company culture. And Paige shows us it’s possible to move halfway across the country, have twins, and start a business… in just 43 days! Good things come in small packages, and Paige is proof… Listen now!

Check out Paige’s recommended resources:

“The 15 Commitments of Conscious Leadership” by Jim Dethmer (https://www.amazon.com/15-Commitments-Conscious-Leadership-Sustainable-ebook/dp/B00R3MHWUE)

Follow Paige through Point Solutions Group (https://pointsolutionsus.com/), on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/paigegoss/), or by email at [email protected]. 

Be sure to like, share, and subscribe to Precursa: The Startup Journey on your favorite podcasting platform and tune in for the next episode! 

Email us with any questions or comments ([email protected]). Check out our website (https://www.precursa.com) for more information on getting your startup rolling. 

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode, we are going deep into the balance (and seeming contradiction) between confidence as an entrepreneur and humility in listening to your customer, your market, and new data. Our founder, Cynthia Del’Aria, starts out by reminding us that building fast is not nearly as good as building right, and how important first impressions really are with your users. 

Then she gets into one of our favorite statistics here at Precursa, and one that you’ve heard us talk about many, many times: 9 out of 10 venture capital backed startups ultimately fail… But what if that statistic is changing? And what if we ignored the fact that more and more investors, and people we respect greatly in the investor community, are starting to push back and call BS on the stat? We explore whether there may be a true disconnect between the published, accepted “fact” and what the people involved are experiencing.

Cynthia also shares how this is a direct example of what Jim Collins is talking about in his book “Good to Great” (https://www.amazon.com/Good-Great-Some-Companies-Others/dp/0066620996), when encouraging founders and executives to confront the brutal facts and to understand data you can’t ignore… And what happens if you ignore it anyway? This episode will help you look at listening to your market and your customer in new and different ways, without checking your brain (or your gut!) at the door.

Be sure to like, share, and subscribe to Precursa: The Startup Journey on your favorite podcasting platform and tune in for the next episode! 

Email us with any questions or comments ([email protected]). Check out our website (https://www.precursa.com) for more information on getting your startup rolling. 

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Everyone likes to talk about scale and growth, but few people have dialed in the skill the way our guest on this episode has. Mary Grothe, founder of House of Revenue and host of Revenue Radio, joins us today to talk about how to build a winning go-to-market strategy, what it really takes to scale and grow your company, and the impact of the pandemic on practically every market in the world (and what to do about it). She’s brilliant, passionate, and can sell like no one we’ve ever met… This one’s a real treat!

Get in touch with Mary via email at [email protected] or follow her and connect on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/marygrothe/).

Check out Mary’s recommended resources:

Revenue Radio, with host Mary Grothe (https://www.houseofrevenue.com/house-of-revenue-radio)

“The Science of Scaling” by Mark Roberge (https://f.hubspotusercontent10.net/hubfs/6575667/Stage%202s%20Science%20of%20Scaling.pdf?_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8GRM1P_4jxvl56RlhGx4XT3E-6L0N4C3vUjPDL9SCEKLRp9qpcqdXALFm_bvrySZGfPKpKtrcQMc4NWkltwN3lV0mtr0u06SLIPLMn6KGn39CT1IY&_hsmi=86037264&utm_content=86037264&utm_medium=email&utm_source=hs_automation)

All things John Maxwell (https://www.johnmaxwell.com/)

“The Hard Thing About Hard Things” by Ben Horowitz (https://www.amazon.com/Hard-Thing-About-Things-Building/dp/0062273205)

Be sure to like, share, and subscribe to Precursa: The Startup Journey on your favorite podcasting platform and tune in for the next episode! 

Email us with any questions or comments ([email protected]). Check out our website (https://www.precursa.com) for more information on getting your startup rolling.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This episode is chock FULL of nuggets and pearls of wisdom that will absolutely blow your socks off. We are joined by Charles Fred, co-founder of TrueSpace, researcher extraordinaire, and serial entrepreneur, who has delved deep into the pitfalls, mistakes, and realities of entrepreneurs and investors through a research partnership with Gallup. TrueSpace is his latest venture, working with companies to grow into the middle-market space and hit the $10M mark, and the insights he has from his work and his research are invaluable to founders of companies that want to scale and grow their companies.

Our conversation with Charles starts out with how much the job-creation pool has changed in the last 4 decades, from “big business” being responsible for most job creation in the ‘80s, to entrepreneurs creating 7 out of 10 jobs today. We go deep into the types of customers in any business (spoiler alert: there are only 2 and they have very different impacts on your business), the distinction between capacity and capability, and the difference between an entrepreneur and an employee. 

Charles also lays out the statistics around getting to $10M in annual revenue, how long it takes on average and how many companies make it there. You’ll want to brace yourself, because the reality is shocking. Charles shares why he believes CRMs are making entrepreneurs dumber and worse at their jobs, and he talks about how you’re probably spending your time as a CEO (and why it’s actually hurting your business in ways you don’t even realize). He also offers advice and insight for entrepreneurs looking for investors and investors looking for better, more predictable returns from their portfolio companies.

There’s a ton of data, insight, and wisdom in this episode that will have you thinking hard about your priorities in your company, and if applied with smarts and intentionality, can have you back on a growth path in no time! 

Get in touch with Charles via email at [email protected] and get more support and insight at TrueSpace (https://www.truespace.com).

Check out Charles’s recommended resources:

“Limits to Growth” by Donnella H. Meadows (https://www.amazon.com/Limits-Growth-Donella-H-Meadows/dp/193149858X)

“The Infinite Game” by Simon Sinek (https://simonsinek.com/the-infinite-game)

“Thinking, Fast and Slow” by Daniel Kahneman (https://www.amazon.com/Thinking-Fast-Slow-Daniel-Kahneman/dp/0374533555)

“The Black Swan” by Nassim Nicholas Taleb (https://www.amazon.com/Black-Swan-Improbable-Robustness-Fragility/dp/081297381X)

(ADD: research materials from TrueSpace)

And remember: There’s no breaks as an entrepreneur, so always be learning!

Be sure to like, share, and subscribe to Precursa: The Startup Journey on your favorite podcasting platform and tune in for the next episode! 

Email us with any questions or comments ([email protected]). Check out our website (https://www.precursa.com) for more information on getting your startup rolling.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode, we are joined by media darling and serial entrepreneur Melinda Wittstock, founder of Podopolo, a platform that makes listening social and podcasting profitable for creators. Our conversation with Melinda ranges from the power of niching down and letting go of the “perfect” MVP, to the challenges women face in entrepreneurship and fundraising, to entrepreneurship as a form of therapy. Melinda has a wealth of knowledge to draw from and she shares her incredible journey in a way that will inspire and encourage the newest newbie and the most seasoned entrepreneur..

Find Melinda on Podopolo,

Twitter @podopolonetwork https://mobile.twitter.com/podopolonetwork

Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/podopolo/?hl=en @podopolo).

Check out Melinda’s recommended resources:

“Rocket Fuel” by Gino Wickman and Mark C. Winters (https://www.amazon.com/Rocket-Fuel-Essential-Combination-Business/dp/1942952317)

Wings of Inspired Business podcast (https://melindawittstock.com/wingspodcast/)

“The Big Leap” by Gay Hendricks (https://www.amazon.com/Big-Leap-Conquer-Hidden-Level/dp/0061735361)

“The E-Myth Revisited” by Michael E. Gerber (https://www.amazon.com/Myth-Revisited-Small-Businesses-About/dp/0887307280)

Jim Collins, author (https://www.jimcollins.com/books.html)

“The Surrender Experiment” by Michael A. Singer (https://www.amazon.com/Surrender-Experiment-Journey-Lifes-Perfection/dp/080414110X)

And remember to find a meditation or prayer practice to get in tune with your intuition and maximize your flow potential!

Be sure to like, share, and subscribe to Precursa: The Startup Journey on your favorite podcasting platform and tune in for the next episode! 

Email us with any questions or comments ([email protected]). Check out our website (https://www.precursa.com) for more information on getting your startup rolling. 

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This episode is unique and filled with inspiration as we sit down with Devon Kerns, visionary, coach, and facilitator of transformation. Devon shares his story of becoming an entrepreneur, learning hard lessons about creation early on, and how he’s turned everything that came before into an opportunity to support other entrepreneurs and shift conversations in the world of business. You don’t want to miss this one, as it’s packed to the gills with pearls of wisdom that just might change your life.

Get in touch with Devon at Night Owl Partners (https://www.nightowlpartners.com/).

In true Devon-form, in lieu of resources and input, he encourages us to stop filling our heads with other people’s stuff! He suggests being still and letting the universe speak to you and work through you.

Be sure to like, share, and subscribe to Precursa: The Startup Journey on your favorite podcasting platform and tune in for the next episode! 

Email us with any questions or comments ([email protected]). Check out our website (https://www.precursa.com) for more information on getting your startup rolling. 

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode, we dive into the realities of choosing a co-founder or partner or sharing equity with someone else. We talk about how to do this in a fair way that sets you and others up for success, and we share the potential pitfalls that you need to be wary of before going too deep too fast with someone. Whether you know it or not, this decision sets up your startup culture for years to come, and can make or break your venture… So protect yourself (and your relationships) from the beginning.

Cynthia shares these resources in this episode:

Slicing Pie (https://slicingpie.com/)

“The Four Obsessions of an Extraordinary Executive: A Leadership Fable” (https://www.amazon.com/Four-Obsessions-Extraordinary-Executive-Leadership/dp/0787954039)

Culture Index (https://www.cultureindex.com/)

DISC Assessment (https://www.discprofile.com/what-is-disc)

Myers-Briggs Type Indicator® (https://www.myersbriggs.org/my-mbti-personality-type/mbti-basics/)

Be sure to like, share, and subscribe to Precursa: The Startup Journey on your favorite podcasting platform and tune in for the next episode! 

Email us with any questions or comments ([email protected]). Check out our website (https://www.precursa.com) for more information on getting your startup rolling.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode, we have a very special treat to kick off the New Year. Joining us today is COO, CFO, and co-founder of Precursa, and accounting genius, Sarah Jolly! Sarah shares her story of the transition from corporate to entrepreneur, talks about the challenges women and minorities have with raising money, and shares her thoughts about what we can do to shift that dynamic to create a more equitable world for all founders. This episode is absolutely packed to brimming with wisdom and insight you won’t want to miss!

Follow Sarah Jolly on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahjolly1/).

Check out Sarah’s recommended resources here:

“Grow the Pie” by Alex Edmans (https://www.amazon.com/Grow-Pie-Companies-Deliver-Purpose/dp/1108494854)

“Radical Candor” by Kim Scott (https://www.google.com/aclk?sa=l&ai=DChcSEwiR0frBwOT0AhX2FtQBHQmQBt8YABAAGgJvYQ&ae=2&sig=AOD64_2sIM2sde03Zq4dM2IZ5D3xmnEYaQ&q&adurl&ved=2ahUKEwj2iefBwOT0AhVQk2oFHeVyC5YQ0Qx6BAgDEAE)

And here’s that link to Dr Dana Kanze’s TedTalk about why female entrepreneurs get less funding (and the research she did behind it): https://www.ted.com/talks/dana_kanze_the_real_reason_female_entrepreneurs_get_less_funding?language=en

Be sure to like, share, and subscribe to Precursa: The Startup Journey on your favorite podcasting platform and tune in for the next episode! 

Email us with any questions or comments ([email protected]). Check out our website (https://www.precursa.com) for more information on getting your startup rolling.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.