Precursa: The Startup Journey with Host Cynthia Del'Aria

Thievery and Pie-Eating (The Stealth Mode Myth Revisited)

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 (startup@precursa.com [startup@precursa.com]). Check out our website (https://www.precursa.com [https://www.precursa.com]) for more information on getting your startup rolling. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy [https://art19.com/privacy] and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info [https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info].

Entrepreneur Experience: Tom Cooke, Founder of Spacely

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, [https://www.spacely.work/] 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/ [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 [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/ [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 (startup@precursa.com [startup@precursa.com]). Check out our website (https://www.precursa.com [https://www.precursa.com]) for more information on getting your startup rolling. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy [https://art19.com/privacy] and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info [https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info].

Entrepreneur Experience: Paige Goss, Strategic Spark Plug

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 [https://www.amazon.com/15-Commitments-Conscious-Leadership-Sustainable-ebook/dp/B00R3MHWUE]) Follow Paige through Point Solutions Group (https://pointsolutionsus.com/ [https://pointsolutionsus.com/]), on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/paigegoss/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/paigegoss/]), or by email at paige@pointsolutionsus.com [paige@pointsolutionsus.com]. 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 (startup@precursa.com [startup@precursa.com]). Check out our website (https://www.precursa.com [https://www.precursa.com]) for more information on getting your startup rolling. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy [https://art19.com/privacy] and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info [https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info].

Confidence and Humility: Trademarks of an Entrepreneur

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 [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 [https://pod.link/1565409670] on your favorite podcasting platform and tune in for the next episode! Email us with any questions or comments (startup@precursa.com [startup@precursa.com]). Check out our website (https://www.precursa.com [https://www.precursa.com]) for more information on getting your startup rolling. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy [https://art19.com/privacy] and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info [https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info].

Entrepreneur Experience: Mary Grothe, Sales and Growth Ninja

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 info@houseofrevenue.com [info@houseofrevenue.com] or follow her and connect on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/marygrothe/ [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 [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 [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/ [https://www.johnmaxwell.com/]) “The Hard Thing About Hard Things” by Ben Horowitz (https://www.amazon.com/Hard-Thing-About-Things-Building/dp/0062273205 [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 (startup@precursa.com [startup@precursa.com]). Check out our website (https://www.precursa.com [https://www.precursa.com]) for more information on getting your startup rolling. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy [https://art19.com/privacy] and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info [https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info].