Mike Troiano

M&A is often driven by revenue, but our CEO, Todd Olson, challenges that approach. After our second AI acquisition earlier this year, Todd Olson sat down with the M&A Science podcast to discuss how he approaches new M&A opportunities, retains a founder energy post-acquisition, and more. Dive into the episode now!

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From Zero to Rockstar: Building a Scalable Recruiting Engine for Startups BZ is still working on building out program guides for all facets of foundational HR for start-ups. This week we'll get into a bit of the recruiting space and what it takes to get something off the ground that isn't job board spray and pray. Part 1 – Hiring Mindset: From Panic to Strategy What it covers: 🎯 Why “just fill the seat” always backfires. 🎯 Defining the company’s talent philosophy (mission, values, culture add vs. culture fit). 🎯 Building a headcount plan aligned with budget and business goals. 🎯 Introducing the Talent Scorecard — a tool to get everyone on the same page about what “great” looks like. 💯 Key takeaway: Hiring is a strategic lever, not a fire drill.

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As you scale from Series A to Series B, the pressure to grow quickly and efficiently can be intense. So, what can help make that scaling journey less painful? In our experience, fractional expertise can really help unlock some of those common growth blockers. If fractional talent isn’t something you’ve considered before, here are some key benefits for your scaling journey… 1️⃣ Cost-effective hiring Hiring senior commercial leaders can often come with a tough decision between quality and affordability. With fractional leadership, you get top-tier expertise without the full-time price tag, allowing you to make tight budgets work harder for you. 2️⃣ Quicker timelines Hiring senior talent takes time, but fractional leaders can be onboarded in just 3-4 weeks and hit the ground running. 3️⃣ Less risk The wrong full-time hire can set you back months on your growth journey, and it’s an expensive mistake to make. Fractional hires don’t come with any of those strings attached and can be easily scaled up or down, depending on where you are on your journey. 4️⃣ Broad insights It can be hard to see the wood from the trees when scaling. Fractional leaders can provide fresh, objective perspectives, helping to make strategic decisions while drawing on examples and expertise they’ve gained in other roles. Ready to scale smarter? Let’s chat more about what fractionals can bring to the table. #FractionalHiring #Fractional #GTM #Hiring #Sales #Marketing

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📲 Go-to-market starts before your product is finished. On the latest episode of Tech Startup Network, we sit down with Courtney Greenwood, Founder of Greenwood Marketing Collective. Courtney breaks down what founders actually get wrong about GTM and how to fix it before you waste time and budget. In this episode, we cover: → Why go-to-market is bigger than marketing → The most common GTM mistakes startups make → What needs to happen before (and during) a beta launch → How to build demand, waitlists, and momentum before Day 1 → When it’s time to bring in a GTM expert → Why community, incubators, and ecosystem matter more than ever 🎧 Listen to the full episode here. https://lnkd.in/eVy4zzwY

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Founders often confuse profit with cash flow. Fractional CFO Lauren Pearl's advice? Be "endlessly unafraid" to ask why and clarify definitions. Lauren's financial savvy and practical wisdom should not be missed. Listen here: https://bit.ly/3UyTfXB

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When Matt Howard co-founded EatStreet, online orders were coming in via fax. Over the next decade, he scaled the company by hiring top talent and expanding into delivery through a strategic acquisition. In this episode of Venture Best, Partner Melissa Turczyn sits down with Matt to unpack the highs and lows of his entrepreneurial journey. He shares what it takes to lead a startup through uncertainty—and how his current role as a fractional CFO is helping other founders do the same with confidence. 🎥 Watch the full episode now: https://lnkd.in/gqq539bp #VentureBest #EatStreet #Entrepreneurship #FractionalCFO

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Smart people still get stuck. Here’s how to energize and align talent so they can actually fly: https://lnkd.in/ezwdBcC5 Shortcut to more research that’s relevant? That’s us. Brightrose Ventures takes GTM growth from strategy to execution, powered by the latest research. Follow us for our our daily blogs.

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𝗦𝗲𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗻𝘆’𝘀 𝗙𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 Mindful, selective hiring at the executive level transforms your growth from sporadic to systematic. Take the time to find those foundational leaders who can carry the mission forward and build a resilient organization. Great guidance from Kyle Holm at Sequoia. #ExecutiveHiring #StartupGrowth #LeadershipDevelopment #Sequoia #KyleHolm #FoundersAdvice #TalentAcquisition #PreMidMarket

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Funding isn’t a pitch problem—it’s a plan problem. 3 steps I use with founders: 1) Define the exact ask: amount, use of funds, runway. 2) Prove the math: revenue model + 12–18 month cash forecast. 3) Package the story: traction, risks, and next milestones in a clean deck + one-page plan. Want personalized feedback before you pitch? Request a Coaching Session: https://myhecs.com #startupfunding #businessplan #entrepreneurship #founders #smallbusiness #businessstrategy #coaching #HECS

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“The key to growing is to make sure that your leaders are people that other folks will follow.” Kyle Holm, Vice President, Compensation Advisory at Sequoia, shared advice for SMBs looking to grow. Bringing in strong leaders early on doesn't just fill a role; it sets the tone for the team. Discover how you can build a future-ready back office with Workday GO—so you can focus on finding inspirational leaders who will help your organization thrive: https://w.day/4pxvBss

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In our latest episode of Rethink Revenue, Arjun Pillai Co-Founder & CEO of Docket sat down with Stevie Case, CRO of Vanta to break down what a durable GTM looks like, especially when the market won't sit still. Watch the full episode here: https://lnkd.in/eDY9MHsP

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💸 “Don’t be greedy.” In this clip from Leaders in Cleantech #podcast, founder of tem, Joe McDonald, shares a candid perspective on early-stage fundraising and why founders need to think beyond just valuation. It’s a must-listen! 🎧 Catch the full episode here: https://lnkd.in/dB3vPya7

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The hard truth about venture-backed businesses? Most fail, especially after Series C. In the first episode of Next Exit, SuperSeed’s Dan Bowyer joins Kluster CEO Dan Thompson to unpack why that happens. In this clip, Dan shares: “We expect maybe two out of the 30 to do meaningful returns… and the remaining 50% will crash and burn.” If you’re building with an exit in mind, this is the reality check you need. 🎧 Listen on Spotify: https://lnkd.in/eJjg36ga 🎧 Listen on Apple: https://lnkd.in/eezddSVe 🎥 Watch on YouTube: https://lnkd.in/eeCZayRB

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Telling people what to do rarely builds alignment. Asking the right questions? That’s a different story. In this clip, Dave S., Director of Portfolio Operations at Rainier Partners, shares how he uses the Socratic method as a leadership tool. With it, he builds shared understanding and discovers what’s really driving resistance. Sometimes it reinforces your perspective. Other times, it changes it completely. ➡️ Get access to the full episode on any podcast platform, or click the link in the comments below!

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“The key to growing is to make sure that your leaders are people that other folks will follow.” Kyle Holm, Vice President, Compensation Advisory at Sequoia, shared advice for SMBs looking to grow. Bringing in strong leaders early on doesn't just fill a role; it sets the tone for the team. Discover how you can build a future-ready back office with Workday GO—so you can focus on finding inspirational leaders who will help your organization thrive: https://w.day/3JZhmNq

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What does it really take to turn an idea into something that scales? Programs like GENIUS NY are proving that innovation doesn’t happen in isolation, it happens in the right ecosystem. We’ve seen it firsthand with companies like ResilienX… and yes, VOTIX is part of that journey too. Being surrounded by the right partners, infrastructure, and vision makes all the difference, especially in industries like drones, AI, and operational intelligence, where execution speed is everything. https://lnkd.in/ewUCiKsA

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You mention ARR and TAM in your pitch. Investors nod politely. But what really drives their decision? Behind the scenes, investors look for signals beyond standard metrics. Team dynamics, GTM clarity, and market timing often weigh heavier than the numbers you highlight. Strong team chemistry, proven leadership, and founder–market fit inspire trust. Repeatable traction and scalable go-to-market strategies signal growth readiness. And smart timing, showing why your solution is needed now, adds urgency to the opportunity. At Equisy, we help founders craft pitches that speak to what investors really care about, not just what looks good on paper. Because great fundraising isn’t just about data, it’s about the story behind the numbers. #Equisy #Funding #Fundraising #Startupecosystem #Startup #Investment #Investmentreadiness #Valuation #Captable #Metrics #Dataroom #Venturecapital #Investor #Entrepreneur #Scenariomodeling #Pitchdeck #Fundraising #InvestmentReadiness #Startups #VC

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Check this out! There’s something powerful about third-party validation arriving before the broader market fully catches on. Seeing MELD featured in The Lynx List feels less like a milestone and more like confirmation of what many of us have already seen firsthand: strong execution, clear market pull, and a team building with unusual intentionality. What stands out most is that this recognition wasn’t engineered. It was earned. For early partners and investors, moments like this matter because they signal growing visibility at exactly the stage where momentum compounds fastest. Excited to keep watching MELD build. The trajectory is becoming increasingly difficult to ignore, especially under Katie McCormick Lelyveld's leadership.

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