Gus Bartholomew

Startups don’t starve, they drown. Knowing what to work on, and getting to the right answer, quickly, is half the battle. No matter how talented you are, or how fast you are running, if you are not taking the shortest path to the finish line, someone else with less talent and speed is likely going to get there before you. I expect you currently have an overwhelming backlog of tasks that are all important and urgent. Having been in the trenches as a founder, I’m here to provide the help I wish I had had - actionable advice to prioritise what is important and provide the extra horsepower to take your business forward. I specialise in initial operational set-up and Go To Market strategy- Strong operational foundations help you get out of the weeds, dramatically reducing the time you spend on menial tasks. Understanding the levers of your growth model help to focus your efforts on things that have the biggest impact.

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  Advice on funding

  As a founder I led on all investor relations and successfully raised 2 rounds totalling £2.5m from leading European VCs including Episode 1, Ascension and Tiny VC. At Grain, we raised $20m Series A from Tiger Global, Slack and Zoom Funds. I can help you with: Pitch decks Introductions to Investors Running a successful process Fundraising tracker Financial Modelling

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  Building a team

  Founders consistently cite hiring as their biggest challenge as a leader, and it so often is the thing that leads to ultimate failure. I've obsessed about how to build the right teams and what the right organisational design is for each stage of business. I can help with: Org Design Job Descriptions Comp packages Interview process Screening candidates

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  Go to market strategy

  At Grain I established a clear growth model that aligned the whole company & enabled more effective prioritisation of projects with the highest potential impact on short and medium-term growth. It Increased paid customer base by 50% from 800 to 1,200. I love to dive into the details of how to build a compelling GTM motion - It's unique for every company, which makes it incredibly rewarding.

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  Pricing strategy

  User-based pricing? Usage-based pricing? Subscription? One off Monthly? Annual? Onboarding Fees? Add-ons? Freemium? Trial? PLG? There are so many options. Pricing is hands down the most under-utilised lever to drive growth in your business. Let's get down into the nitty gritty of what will make it easy to understand for your customers and deliver you the results you need.

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  Amplitude

  8 years of experience

  I used Amplitude in my role at Grain to dive deep into understanding user behaviours which ultimately helped to influence our pricing and packaging strategy.

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  Asana

  14 years of experience

  I was a chartered surveyor in a previous life and worked as a project manager for a number of years managing highly complex projects. When I switched to tech moving from those tools to asana made everything so easy.

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  Hubspot

  12 years of experience

  Foundational and Advanced set-up of CRM Marketing and Sales modules for 2 businesses. I love to automate tasks and ensure your team always have squeaky-clean data to work with. CRM hygiene shouldn't be a chore.

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  SaaS

  As an expert in the Software as a Service (SaaS) sector, my experience spans product conceptualization, growth strategies, and customer acquisition. I understand key SaaS metrics (MRR, CAC, Churn) that inform business operations and drive revenue growth. My versatile experience includes working with startups to established firms, managing cloud-based challenges, and implementing data security measures. My continuous learning about emerging trends ensures up-to-date, effective advice.

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  E-Commerce Platforms

  With a robust background in E-commerce, supply chains, and manufacturing, my expertise is at the nexus of technology and operations. I excel in optimizing logistics, enhancing product quality, and improving delivery times. I am skilled at identifying cost-saving opportunities in supply chains and implementing efficient manufacturing practices. Staying updated on industry trends, I provide forward-thinking strategies for E-commerce success.