Author: Shaun Porcar
-
CSM or AM?
Your first post-sales hire and how it scales Customer Success Manager and Account Manager are not the same job, but they both own revenue. The distinction is what levers they pull to drive it, and whether you’re splitting those levers across two people or keeping them with one. More importantly, the title you choose signals…
-
I built a SpaceX (SPCX) tracker. Is the hype justified?
The best way to learn something is to build a thing you’d actually use or find interesting. SPCX priced today and starts trading tomorrow, half my group chats won’t stop talking about it, and the easiest way for me to understand a business is to model it. So while I was digging through the filings…
-
FDE ≠ CSM
FDE and CSM are not the same job. At a time when nearly every established market leader is facing competition from emerging startups, there isn’t a post-sales leader who isn’t rethinking how value gets delivered. That pressure is real, and it’s producing some shortcuts. That distinction matters more now that Forward Deployed Engineer has become…
-
Exploring Startup Opportunities
How I Evaluate Early and Scale-Stage Startups I’ve spent more than 15 years inside startups. In that time, I’ve been a co-founder, the first customer success hire, early sales and strategic account management, and part of leadership teams at many stages in between. I’ve helped build companies that were acquired for nine figures. I’ve also…
-
QBRs Still Suck…But They Don’t Have To (Webinar)
This week, I joined my friends Louise Razzagone, CAPP, Moussa Gherbi, and Aaron Thompson for a webinar on one of my favorite controversial topics, aptly titled ‘QBRs Still Suck… But They Don’t Have To.’ We had a great discussion on how to make QBRs and EBRs actually matter. Building the right executive relationships early, uncovering…
-
The Hard Truth About AI Startups
Currently, nearly every new startup pitch includes the same two letters: AI That makes sense. The technology is exciting, developing quickly, and opening up countless practical applications. However, it also presents investors, founders, and early employees with a harsh reality. Many AI applications run the risk of becoming features of established companies or being completely…
-
Be More Strategic
As a veteran of numerous startups, few phrases are more frustrating than hearing someone in a leadership role providing feedback to a direct report or a colleague that they need to be more strategic without actually describing what they’re looking for. Afterward, the recipient of this masterclass in eschewing leadership responsibility is left to fend…
-
Developing Your Personal Board of Directors
Jan Young and I gave this talk during a recent edition of the weekly Success Hour, hosted by The CxXchange Summary A Personal Board of Directors is a carefully selected group of independent advisors who bring their trust, feedback, guidance, and collaboration skills to help you navigate your career. These advisors are usually a mix…
-
Email Introductions – Part Two
Building meaningful connections is one of the keys to success. One of the most effective tools for creating new connections and opening doors in your professional journey is the email introduction. Whether you’re a startup founder seeking partnerships, a salesperson looking to build relationships, or a jobseeker aiming to expand your network, the ability to…
-
How to Ask for an Email Introduction
Mastering the Art of Writing Forwardable Email Introductions Building meaningful connections is one of the keys to success. One of the most effective tools for creating new connections and opening doors in your professional journey is the email introduction. Whether you’re a startup founder seeking partnerships, a salesperson looking to build relationships, or a jobseeker…