12 unicorns. 13 exits. Can your GTM advisor say that?

On Thursday 8 May the legend that is Scott Leese presented a no-BS GTM masterclass of unfiltered insights.

Scott is one of the worlds top GTM minds, trusted by founders, sales leaders, and operators scaling companies from the ground up. In this insightful session Scott shared practical and provocative insights on go-to-market (GTM) strategy for startups. Drawing from decades of experience building and scaling sales teams, Scott emphasized the importance of founder-led sales in the early days and the need for brutal clarity around ICP (Ideal Customer Profile) and messaging.

Key takeaways:
• Founder Sales First: Founders should sell the product themselves early on to deeply understand the customer, objections, and positioning before hiring a sales team.
• Don’t Hire Too Early: Avoid rushing to hire a VP of Sales or scaling a sales team before reaching repeatability. Premature hiring can kill momentum and burn cash.
• “Sell the Vitamins and the Painkillers”: Understand both the aspirational and essential value your product delivers.
• Hire Hustlers, Not Veterans (early on): In early stages, look for sales hires who are gritty, creative, and adaptable — not just experienced.
• Keep It Simple: Nail your messaging in plain language. If your customer can’t repeat what you do after one meeting, your pitch is too complex.
• GTM Isn’t Just Sales: GTM includes product, marketing, customer success, and even support. Alignment across teams is crucial.
• Be Deliberate with Channels: Don’t assume outbound is the only way — test inbound, partnerships, community-led growth, etc.

Scott’s approach was direct, practical, and founder-first — challenging many startup myths around growth and scaling sales.

Big shout out to our friends at Rippling for hosting this epic session!

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