Hiring a dedicated sales executive is a big step for a startup. Choosing the wrong candidate can keep your new business from meeting sales goals and growth expectations. To help ensure you find a good fit for your business, we have compiled a list of interview questions targeted to a startup sales executive position.  

Large established organizations can have sales executives that are more focused on one than the other. As a startup, you don’t have that luxury. The few sales executives that you hire need to be able to spend time cultivating current relationships and finding new clients equally well.

People often choose to do business with people they like and trust. This is what gets a sales executive in the door. Listen for signs of genuineness, empathy, and adaptability. If the sales candidate can’t communicate these traits to you during the interview, then he or she will not be able to convey them to your customers.    

Good sales executives can connect the dots between the client’s business objectives, pain points, and the product or service they are selling. At the very least, the candidate should be reviewing their customers’ website and LinkedIn information. Facebook and Twitter can also be utilized to provide personal information that can help in relationship building.

When hiring a sales executive, it’s important to find a self-starter that is willing to take initiative. This is especially true for a startup organization! The candidate should be able to communicate some form of an action plan while demonstrating an interest in learning about your organization and how you currently operate.       

This question gives you the ability to hear the candidate’s sales pitch at their current company. Listen for differentiators and how the sales executive leverages competitor information. How does he or she demonstrate and communicate value to the customer?

The candidate should be able to communicate the step-by-step process he or she used to close the sale. This will help you gauge his or her thought process using a real-life example. Listen for any challenges that had to be overcome to ensure success.  

How did the candidate approach the difficult prospect? Conflict is inevitable—what matters most is how it’s managed. Listen for a clear explanation of the circumstances, the steps the candidate had to take to turn the situation around, and the results of these actions.

The target market of your business may be very different than the candidate’s previous sales position but this question will help you gauge the amount of effort put forth to keep up to date. Websites such as Built in Chicago, business development software like Talent Ticker, conferences, and webinars are good examples. As a follow-up question, ask about something specific the candidate has learned recently about their target market and the source of the information.

The right answer to this question will depend on your organization’s process and sales cycle. However, 80 percent of sales require five follow-up calls so the more persistent the executive, the better. There’s also no such thing as a 9-to-5 salesperson, so the right candidate needs to be available to their customers.

Walking away is never easy—especially after spending time and energy fostering a relationship with the client. Sales executives must have the ability to know when to walk away from a deal that’s not a good fit. Every minute wasted chasing a difficult or low-value deal is time that could have been spent closing a more profitable one. Listen for signs that the candidate doesn’t try to force every deal and can recognize when a client is a poor fit. Sometimes it makes sense to walk away from a current client. If your selling consulting services—how easy is the client to work with? Sometimes sales executives hold on to difficult clients at low rates rather than using that time to pursue better clients that are easier to work with at higher profit margins.

Summary

Early-stage companies need executives that are willing to help create the sales process and can deal with whatever is thrown their way. Sales executives are naturally persuasive and good communicators— so as the interviewer—it’s important to ask detailed questions to uncover the sales candidate’s personality and probe beyond memorized answers. Hiring a sales candidate that may look the part—but ultimately can’t perform the job—could be a very costly mistake for a startup.  

The blog was written by Viaduct Director of Recruiting and Business Operations Tom Hausler.

When you think of the world’s most successful entrepreneurs, what comes to mind? You might think of people with innovative, outside-the-box ideas, coupled with that perfect combination of grit, charisma and idealism – the ones who are committed to making their visions a reality.

In practice, however, there’s much more to a successful entrepreneur than big dreams and a persistent attitude. The very best entrepreneurs, who build the most lucrative companies, are those who surround themselves with the most capable and enterprising teams who can execute and bring their ideas to fruition.

Of course, like so many aspects of building a business, finding the right people to round out your leadership team and staff is much easier said than done. That’s why we recently sat down with Peter Petrella and Carl Kutsmode with TalentRise, an Aleron company focused on executive search for emerging, high-growth companies, to talk about why and when startups should prioritize hiring as they start to secure more funding – and how to do it in the most effective way possible.

At what point should startup founders start to build out their leadership teams?

Some founders are thinking about their eventual workforce from day one, even before their product or service is fully realized. This isn’t all that surprising, since it’s not only a desire to build something from the ground up that motivates so many entrepreneurs; many are also inspired by the idea of creating jobs and elevating other talented individuals within their communities.

“As a best practice, founders should really start to build out their leadership teams once they’ve completed their series A or initial round of funding,” Petrella advises. “At this point, it’s time to start putting your big plans into action, and realistically, that’s going to require the efforts and brainpower of more than one or two visionaries.”

It’s during this critical time, when your first round of funding is hitting the bank, that founders should be especially careful about stretching themselves too thin or operating too far outside of their wheelhouse.

“Good leaders often wear many hats, but they’re also self-aware. Founders need to be cognizant of their own shortcomings and where additional leadership team members with complimentary skills are needed most,” Petrella adds.

To ensure you’re hiring the best person for the job, Kutsmode cautions against hiring close friends and family into key leadership roles without exploring a range of other qualified candidate options for comparison.

“At this crucial stage of the business, hiring a family member or friend who could potentially do the job, but may not work out, could unfortunately end that relationship both professionally and personally. These complications could make the eventual decision to part ways extremely difficult, even if it’s the best thing for the business long-term,” he says.

Why should founders focus on rounding out their leadership team before hiring individual contributors?

“Strong, competent leadership is the bedrock of any successful business, and startups are no exception,” Kutsmode says. “Leaders who are working to get early-stage companies up and running are doing a lot. They’re constantly shifting gears. There’s less time and bandwidth for hand-holding, delegating, and managing. Anyone you bring on at this stage should be a proven self-starter and understand what needs to be done to get from point A to point B. That’s what will keep things moving on the right trajectory.”

And when the time comes to hire people for those individual contributor roles, having this foundation – a team of multifaceted but specialized leaders – will give your team a better grasp of what to look for and how to manage your growing workforce.

For example, a chief product officer should be able to offer expertise when building out the software development team, while a vice president of marketing can offer insights into what the social media manager’s job description should look like to set up your digital marketing efforts for success.

“As your company grows, it’s critical to have leaders working with you who can hire, manage, and scale high performance teams,” Kutsmode adds. “That means thinking longer-term and identifying people who will bring value not just in the early stages of growth but also as your business really starts to take off.”

Where and how should founders start their hiring process?

Your leadership team should consist of people who can help you meet your investors’ expectations. To that end, founders should seek out peers who bring a wide range of experience and expertise. While you’ll all share the same vision, diversity of thought is critical to startup success, which might require you to look beyond your go-to contacts and existing network.

“Founders often default to their own personal connections – former colleagues, classmates, etc. – when they begin to build out their teams,” Petrella explains. “In some cases, your existing network may be a great place to start. But you should also actively look for people outside of that circle to ensure you’re finding the best possible candidates.”

And in terms of timing, building out your leadership team is certainly a top priority. But that doesn’t mean it should be done so quickly that quality is lost in the process.

“Rushing to hire can be a bad move for any business, but this is especially true in the startup environment when resources are limited and you may only have one shot at doing it right,” Kutsmode adds.

You can also always reach out to the team at Viaduct to help you find the right individuals at any level to grow your startup.

Your employer value proposition is what you offer prospective employees when they ask, “What’s in it for me?” A strong EVP should effectively communicate your company’s benefits, explain key elements of your corporate culture, and offer compelling reasons why workers should consider a job opportunity with your company.

If your organization is committed to attracting top talent, it’s time to enhance your employer value proposition. Here are some strategies on how you can entice quality job seekers to apply for a position through an effective EVP.

How Businesses Can Improve Their Brand Awareness

What is your EVP?

When formulating an EVP, companies need to ask themselves how they’d like to be perceived in the eyes of prospective employees. What elements of your organization do you want to promote? How is your company different from others in its industry? What factors make your business a great place to work? An EVP should contain a message that’s both persuasive and compelling yet succinct and to the point—one that can be used for recruiting AND marketing purposes.

Composing a well-written EVP

What should your company prioritize when composing your EVP? This statement should emphasize three main components of your organization:

(1) Your mission and purpose;

(2) Your long-term vision; and

(3) Your core company values

The key is to incorporate these three elements into your EVP without making the statement too long or unwieldy. Articulate the things that separate your organization from the rest of the pack—but try to remain brief with your description. A well-written EVP should be no longer than three or four sentences long.

Examples of exceptional EVPs

Here are a few examples of exceptionally written EVPs from some of the world’s most recognizable brands:

Bain & Company

“Picture yourself at one of the world’s best places to work, surrounded by teams and people who challenge you, support you, and inspire you to be extraordinary. If you’re ready to do more than you think you can do, take a bold step toward Bain and we’ll walk that path with you.”

Coca-Cola

“At The Coca-Cola Company, we are a diverse, global community of people who thirst for more. With about 200 brands, a truly global footprint, and the opportunity to refresh the world, we offer more for your career. Together, we are growing and learning, building on our iconic past to make an impact.”

Nordstrom

“Whether you’re in sales or stock, alterations or management, or are part of the behind-the-scenes glue that holds it all together, we’re all obsessed with serving our customers and oh, of course, fashion. Exciting and fast-paced, a career at Nordstrom means staying ahead of the trends, moving quickly, and being part of something we think is pretty awesome.”

Pfizer

“At Pfizer, we know that great things happen anywhere people come together with one shared goal. And the greatest rewards are sometimes where you least expect them. Join world-class scientists and leaders in all fields of healthcare and business who are dedicated to bringing therapies that will significantly improve patients’ lives. The future of medicine is happening at Pfizer.”

Tesla

“Solve the next generation of engineering, manufacturing, and operational challenges as we work to secure a clean energy future. It doesn’t matter where you come from, where you went to school or what industry you’re in—if you’ve done exceptional work, join us to rethink the future of sustainable energy.”

Formulating a startup EVP

For startups and emerging businesses, a clearly articulated EVP is critical to attracting talent. It’s no secret that high-profile candidates are considering job opportunities with high-growth organizations as a viable employment option—just look at Prince Harry! An early-stage company with limited brand recognition in the local market must formulate an employer value proposition that highlights its differentiators. Because startup cultures tend to be more unique, fast-paced, and forward-thinking, these unconventional attributes are undoubtedly appealing for job seekers. Emphasize the elements that make working in a startup environment special to attract greater populations of job seekers. 

Summary

Creating a compelling EVP takes time, effort, and considerable thought. After all, this statement will be prominently visible in the eyes of job seekers who are considering opportunities with your company, so it’s important to make sure this is an adequate representation of your organization. Integrate your EVP within your company’s website, careers page, and recruiting collateral to ensure your messaging and tone are consistent. Following these guidelines is imperative for success with your talent acquisition and recruiting initiatives.

Is your organization looking to hire talent quickly? Learn how startups can engage the candidates they need, when they need them.

In today’s candidate-driven labor market, job seekers have an important choice to make: do they prioritize a traditional annual salary, or do they take a chance on securing equity in a startup company? For emerging businesses, startup equity is much more prevalent in conversations around compensation—and is often viewed as a means of attracting talent. Although there is risk involved in taking on equity, the reward can be monstrous. Here’s what you need to know about accepting equity as a form of compensation.

What is equity?

In the startup world, equity is a term that is often discussed—but seldom understood. By securing equity in your company, you are being given an ownership stake in the business—meaning you can financially benefit from its growth and success. Dangling equity to startup employees is commonly used as a compelling candidate attraction tool for startups and emerging businesses. Job seekers know that if they join a high-growth, high-potential company, they could cash in on a hefty payday by controlling an equity stake in the organization. For example, if an employee is given one percent equity in their business, they are entitled to one percent of all shares of stock once the company has gone public.

What kinds of equity are there?

There are several forms of equity that startups and high-growth businesses can offer their employees:

What is a vesting period?

According to UpCounsel, a vesting period is known as the time before shares in an employee stock option plan are unconditionally owned by an employee. While there are several kinds of vesting periods—such as graded vesting and cliff vesting—the concept remains the same: employees must work at a company for a certain time period (usually three or four years) before their equity vests. For startups, vesting periods are commonly deployed to help companies ensure that workers remain with their company for an extended time without fear of a departure.

What does it mean to “go public”?

You might’ve heard of something called an initial public offering—or IPO for short. Going through the IPO process is how a startup can become a publicly-traded company and begin trading on the NASDAQ stock exchange. Once the company’s shares can begin being traded on the stock market, the organization can sell these shares to raise capital—presenting it with considerable opportunities to expand its business, increase the size of its staff, pay off debt, and pursue more strategic and longer-term growth objectives.

Why do companies offer equity?

For growth-stage companies like startups, cash can be hard to come by. Rather than promising to compensate a prospective employee with a high annual salary, an emerging business may choose to provide a lower base salary with an equity stake in the organization. This can serve as a motivational tactic for employees: by earning shares in the company, resources will work tirelessly to promote the startup’s brand and contribute to its growth and development. Startup founders and critical decision-makers know that the harder their employees work, the greater the odds that the company goes public through an IPO.   

Are there any downsides to taking equity?

While accepting an offer of employment from a startup where you’re given an equity stake in the company has tremendous upside, it can also be a risky proposition. If the company flames out quickly, you may be left with equity that is worth nothing—potentially costing yourself tens of thousands of dollars in potential earnings versus if you had accepted a job with a traditional company. While you may think the organization can become an ACV Auctions-like unicorn, it’s critically important to view the opportunity with an objective—not subjective—lens.

Equity vs. annual salary: which should you choose?

When formulating an ideal compensation plan, candidates should first evaluate the stage of life they find themselves in.

Why Now Is The Best Time to Switch to a Startup Job

Summary

Before accepting a job with a startup company, do your homework on your prospective employer. Study its product or technology compared to other comparable options on the market. Ask the organization’s leaders about its exit strategy. Discover if the owners have plans to sell the business, or if they want to aggressively pursue an IPO in five years. The company’s responses to these questions should heavily dictate your decision. A well-thought-out exit strategy—if executed properly by senior leadership—could help turn your equity stake into some serious cash. Make sure you are confident in the direction of the startup before agreeing to join the organization. By being prudent—and patient—in your job search, the odds of you making the right decision for your career will drastically improve.

Interested in learning about what makes working at a startup special? Here are Viaduct’s six reasons why you should take a job with an emerging business.

Looking to browse startup jobs with some of Buffalo’s hottest companies? Check out the Viaduct Job Board today to find an employment opportunity that’s right for you!

Pete Petrella, Managing Director at Viaduct—a proven provider of talent acquisition services for startups and emerging businesses—was recently named to Invest Buffalo Niagara’s Board of Directors.

Petrella will serve as Chair of the Be In Buffalo committee, an Invest Buffalo Niagara program dedicated to introducing—or reintroducing—a new Buffalo to generations of people with skills that can build an economy of the future. In this role, he will support the non-profit, privately-funded economic development organization by partnering with companies and candidates that are looking to relocate to the western New York region.

“As a lifelong resident of the Buffalo Niagara area, it is an honor to have been selected to the Board at Invest Buffalo Niagara,” said Petrella. “Bringing innovative businesses and highly qualified talent to Buffalo is a cause that I have grown incredibly passionate about, and I am excited to collaborate with Tom Kucharski, Jenna Kavanaugh, and the rest of the Invest Buffalo team to promote economic and business development initiatives for our region.”

As Managing Director of Viaduct, Petrella is heavily involved in the startup community. The organization assists high-growth companies in optimizing their talent acquisition efforts to support their growth and expansion strategies.

A graduate of both the University at Buffalo and Canisius College, Petrella has over 20 years of business development and marketing experience in the Buffalo area. He has served as a member of the board of directors for several local organizations, including the Amherst Chamber of Commerce, PUNT Foundation, Women and Children’s Hospital of Buffalo Foundation, and University at Buffalo Alumni Association.

“On behalf of our entire team, I am thrilled to welcome Pete to our Board of Directors,” said Tom Kucharski, President and CEO of Invest Buffalo Niagara. “His exceptional business acumen, extensive professional network, and lifelong ties to the area will be valuable in helping our region to attract outside companies, generate new job growth, and spur ongoing economic progress.” 

To learn more about Invest Buffalo Niagara, click here.

Asking questions to your prospective employer is a critical part of the interview process for any candidate. Not only can job seekers affirm their interest in the role, but they can also discover some interesting nuggets of information about the organization, its people, and its culture.

8 Steps to Crushing Your Next Job Interview

To impress your interviewer, keep these 10 questions in mind when taking part in your next job interview:

Who would my manager be? Would I have any direct reports to oversee?

Managers can make—or break—an employee’s workplace experience. That’s why it’s important to understand who your boss will be. If possible, try to have a conversation with this individual to get a feel for their personality and see whether you could envision yourself meshing with their leadership style. For senior-level interviewees, ask about the number of team members you’d be overseeing and how much experience these employees have. Gathering a basic understanding of your new team will be crucial to hitting the ground running with this group if you choose to accept the position.

What are some immediate needs or urgent projects that I could be working on?

Looking for an idea of what types of tasks you might be working on if you choose to join this prospective company? Ask your interviewer about the types of projects and assignments that you’ll be pitching in on during your first few weeks on the job. Some ventures may pique your interest, while others might seem bland and uninteresting. Based on the response that you receive, this could sway you toward—or away from—the organization.

What types of learning and development opportunities are available at the company?

Learning and development opportunities are important for optimizing performance and enhancing long-term professional advancement. It’s imperative to understand whether your prospective organization has a dedicated L&D department to support these ongoing growth initiatives. Is there any sort of mentorship program that is offered to employees? Can you take classes to enhance your skills? Will you have the chance to attend industry-leading conferences and seminars? These L&D opportunities can provide tremendous value to your professional maturation.

What is the performance review process like?

Formal assessments are critical ways to improve your on-the-job performance. Not only can these reviews recognize you for your contributions to your company, but they can also provide valuable feedback while helping you set goals for the future. Employees always crave feedback, so determine how often performance reviews are conducted. It may be a cause for concern if these assessments aren’t held on a regular cadence. The more frequent evaluations, the better!

What do typical long-term growth plans look like at the company?

For curiosity’s sake, it may be interesting to get an idea of how long it normally takes employees to be promoted within the organization. Some organizations prefer to promote employees within several months, while others prefer to wait a few years. While advancement is largely dependent on production and quality of work, some high performers will be eager to develop a long-term goal on how quickly they can begin to move up the ranks.

What is your favorite part about working for the company?

Asking specific questions about the interviewer’s personal work experience can tell you a lot about the company as a whole. Does the individual love his/her coworkers? Are they pleased with compensation and benefits? Is there an exceptional corporate culture that makes them proud to work for the organization? Posing these more casual questions can also allow you to build a better rapport with the interviewer. 

If you could change one thing about the company, what would it be?

While this question may put your interviewer on the spot, it’s a great one to ask nonetheless. It may be hard to get a truthful answer, but the individual might leave some subtle clues as to what they are displeased about. Be mindful of the fact that every company has its qualms, so try not to read too much into what your interviewer is saying. 

Can you describe the company’s culture in three words?

This is a thought-provoking question that can help better understand the company’s corporate ethos. While it might take a few moments for the interviewer to respond to this query, their answer can disclose a lot about the organization. Keep an eye out for prevailing themes among the interviewer’s responses. Some great adjectives that they could use include transparent, accountable, empathetic, supportive, collaborative, and diverse.

Historically, what has turnover been like for this role?

Interested in seeing how long employees usually last in your prospective new position? This can give candidates a great idea of what to expect in terms of workload and responsibilities. Employees in high turnover roles often suffer from burnout and mental or physical exhaustion. By understanding what attrition numbers look like, you can potentially save yourself from these perils while preserving your health and well-being.

What will make me most successful if I am hired for this position?

Arguably the most valuable question that any candidate could ask is this one: what can I do that will best attribute to my success on the job? Your interviewer might be able to provide some hints that will help you to become an instant contributor if you’re offered—and ultimately accept—the position. Some organizations value employees that arrive early and stay late, while others place a greater priority on team members that check their egos at the door and do whatever is necessary to help the team. See if you can pick up a few ideas during your interview that’ll help to step up your game.

Looking to browse open employment opportunities with local startups? Dive into Viaduct’s job board to find a role that’s right for you!

Are you a job seeker looking for more application and interview tips? Check out our Viaduct blog.

For startups and emerging businesses, name recognition is almost always an initial hurdle to success. As your company is in its early stages, people may not have any idea who you are or what you do. This may prove difficult when trying to attract candidates to join your team.

So what can these nascent startups do to improve brand awareness and enhance their reputation? Our Viaduct team compiled a list of strategies that can help your company become more prominently known in your community and beyond.

Establish a presence on social media

In the twenty-first century, social media is king. Companies without a social media presence are missing the boat on a tremendous opportunity to grow their brand. Ultimately, there are several different ways to approach your social media game plan. Do you want to provide relevant and insightful information to a targeted audience? Do you want to play off of funny and relatable TikTok, Twitter, or Instagram trends? Do you want to playfully interact with potential customers while continuously engaging current ones? Regardless of industry, some of the most recognizable brands in the world have spent tremendous amounts of time refining their social media strategy. Be sure to formulate an initial plan and stick to it.

Are you a candidate looking to build a strong social media presence? Learn how to present yourself on social media.

Utilize public relations tactics

Building and maintaining the reputation of your business takes time—and success won’t come overnight. Seeking out opportunities to be put in the spotlight could be just the thing you need to drum up some support for your brand. With help from some simple PR tricks, your organization could benefit from a huge boost to its name recognition. Whether your company executives are being interviewed by a local news station, promoted in a newspaper or magazine article, or featured in a podcast, these opportunities could be a boon for your business. As Vanna White once said, “All press is good press”—so never turn down an opportunity to talk to a media outlet.

Speaking of good press… check out this article from Buffalo Business First about Viaduct!

Take part in job fairs and community events

Making your company more visible at public events is a great way to enhance your brand. Setting up a table at a high-traffic location can get your organization in front of dozens of attendees—especially if you have some cool giveaway items with your logo on them. Choosing to sponsor the event can further turn heads and improve your visibility. Getting involved in job fairs can better position your business to appeal to and attract qualified job seekers. The more socializing you do in your company’s early stages, the more popular your brand will become.

Want to get involved in the Buffalo community? Check out Viaduct’s upcoming events schedule.

Highlight your employees

Your employees are often some of the greatest advocates of your company’s brand. Allow them to tell the story about what they think makes your organization so special and what they find so passionate about their work. Quick, one-to-two-minute videos offer a perfect way to spread knowledge about your business to people who may be unfamiliar with its purpose. By posting these videos on social media sites like LinkedIn and tagging your featured employee, you can easily and effectively enhance overall awareness of your brand while bringing greater traffic to your page. What’s more, this idea provides an awesome way for your company to recognize and reward its high performers.

Publish a blog

Adding a dedicated blog to your website can provide some subject matter expertise for your audience to enjoy. By researching—and then writing about—trending topics that are top of mind for prospective buyers, you can judiciously tap into new pools of customers that may end up supporting your business. Blog posts can be easily shared with your company’s followers on social media. It may behoove you to consider engaging with well-known industry or business professionals to take part in a blog post. Partnering with these prominent figures could further improve your brand recognition to an even wider audience.

Interested in reading more posts from our Viaduct blog? Check out our valuable content for startups, emerging businesses, and candidates here. 

In recent years, working for startup companies has become an incredibly attractive employment destination for workers—both young and old. As new and innovative concepts are brought to life by creative entrepreneurs, the possibilities of success are endless. Don’t believe us? Just take a look at ACV Auctions—a one-time startup that is now trading publicly on the New York Stock Exchange. Talk about making it big time!

Startups and emerging organizations are often notorious for fostering a culture that is different than any other large-scale corporation. But what makes this startup environment so special? Our team at Forge Buffalo is here to tell you why working for an emerging company is worth your while.

The Growth of Fintech Startups

Benefitting from high growth potential

We’ve all seen what can happen when a startup company reaches its full potential on its way to becoming a unicorn. With a passionate team of like-minded individuals working toward a common goal, the sky’s the limit on what can be achieved through a startup. Not only will the organization make a name for itself, but so too will its employees. If you’re looking for a role with limitless potential, working for a startup might be right for you.

Making an impact

From healthcare and artificial intelligence to education and finance, startups have the innate ability to change the lives of everyday people forever. It’s not uncommon for these emerging companies to focus on social causes and look to leave a positive mark on the world. The more impactful product or service that your startup provides, the more motivated you’ll be to make a noticeable difference in your professional endeavors.

Creating a compelling brand

When joining a startup—particularly at its earliest stages—you’re starting from ground zero. Your company will likely have limited name recognition in the market, making it a fun and rewarding challenge to spread your brand. Beyond producing a creative logo and designing an engaging website, your efforts will be critical in strategizing and brainstorming how to most effectively position your organization for long-term success in the market.

Enjoying a casual workplace environment

Do you envision yourself working in an office that promotes a laid-back dress code, promotes freedom and autonomy, frequently engages in friendly competition, and makes each team member feel like part of a larger extended family? If so, working for a startup might be the place for you. While there’s plenty more to an emerging company than foosball tables and beanbag chairs, the kind of environment that is fostered within the walls of a startup can help energize and invigorate employees to enhance productivity, increase profitability, and benefit from greater positivity.

Learning to multi-task

It’s no secret that things move incredibly quickly at startups. With plenty of urgent initiatives and pressing projects happening all at once, the environment can be especially fast-paced compared to more traditional businesses. For startup employees, learning how to multi-task and collaborate on several different assignments at one time is a valuable skill that will translate to any industry or business line. By juggling multiple tasks at a time, workers can gain a greater understanding of the business and its wide-ranging objectives.    

Becoming multi-faceted

If you work for a startup, chances are you’ll be picking up more responsibilities than what was originally included in your job description. But that’s just part of what makes this kind of environment so special. Not only will you master your own craft—you’ll also pick up new skills and abilities that will help you become a more well-rounded and versatile professional. And becoming more multi-faceted will only benefit you as you prove your worth and progress throughout your career.

Interested in exploring the startup world once and for all? Check out this article to learn more about why now is the best time to switch to a startup job. To browse available employment opportunities with startups in the Buffalo area, check out Viaduct’s job board here.

It’s not uncommon for startups and emerging companies to disrupt the world around us with their innovative products and ideas. Across nearly all industries, startups have found increasing levels of success in enhancing the quality and efficiency of our everyday lives with inventive new technologies. Not only have emerging companies changed the way we live, but they’ve also influenced the way our businesses operate.

Compared to traditional organizations, startups tend to have more unique job titles for their upper-level management and executive positions. So what do these titles really mean? Here’s how you can decipher the roles and responsibilities associated with each position.

4 Tips for Getting Involved in a Startup

A rule of thumb

Most employees that work for startup companies are multi-faceted and possess a broad range of abilities that allow them to contribute to various projects and initiatives. When you’re thinking about quintessential startup talent, these are often people with a jack-of-all-trades skillset—and this should be considered when evaluating startup job titles. Sometimes, responsibilities that a manager or executive is in charge of will not be included in the person’s job description. But that’s what makes these emerging companies so successful—the selfless and team-first nature of the entire organization helps drive exceptional business performance. So when you’re reviewing the following job titles, understand that the roles included below might not be all-encompassing.

Working for a Startup vs. Corporation: Which Should You Choose?

Chief Growth Officer (CGO)

A position that has seen growing adoption and popularity in recent years, the Chief Growth Officer is responsible for controlling all organizational revenue and marketing streams. Qualified candidates will take charge of revenue-generating teams and leveraging internal marketing efforts to build successful partnerships. This role slightly differs from the Chief Financial Officer in that the CFO normally has a background in finance or accounting, while the CRO most likely cut their teeth in sales and/or marketing.

Chief of Staff

Serving as the right-hand person to the startup’s founder or CEO, the Chief of Staff controls organizational priorities, oversees internal operations, and leads special initiatives. At early-stage companies, this role is also responsible for developing business partnerships with clients and taking charge of recruiting efforts in the event of high priority needs. The Chief of Staff should have a penchant for making continuous improvements and internal enhancements to the organization.

User Experience (UX) Designer

In any organization, the user experience has a tremendous impact on the success of the business. The same is true for startups—which makes the User Experience Designer position an integral role within emerging companies. Whether it be through software, products, digital apps, or websites, UX Designers ensure a seamless digital experience for their clients and end-users. Qualified candidates for this role will often have prior experience with and knowledge of development—including an understanding of front-end coding and JavaScript concepts.

Sales Engineer

Otherwise known as a Solutions Engineer, a Sales Engineer is motivated to drive new business by helping customers understand the value of the startup’s product or service. From initial product reviews to production, the Sales Engineer develops relationships throughout the sales cycle and incorporates customer suggestions into the final product. Ultimately, this position is critical to the sales process by educating potential clients on the value of the product and the ROI it can generate for their business.

Customer Success Manager

For individuals who are determined to make a positive difference in the life of their clients, the Customer Success Manager role is a great place to achieve these goals. This position is responsible for ensuring successful relationships are in place with clients by diagnosing product or service problems and offering innovative solutions. In addition, Customer Success Managers help to accelerate the process of turning prospective leads into current clients.

Summary

Despite some of the unconventional monikers that some emerging companies have given to managers and executives, these titles aren’t much different than those at traditional organizations. Ultimately, it’s the work ethic of the collective company—not the individual titles of each executive—that makes the true difference. As there are several unique positions that comprise each startup, each person plays a critical role in contributing to the overall success of the organization. That’s just a small part of what makes working for an emerging company so exciting.

Did you hear that Prince Harry joined a startup? Here are some reasons why you should consider the idea, too.

This blog was written by Viaduct Managing Director Pete Petrella.

The growing wave of fintech startups is sweeping across the world with incredible speed. From the Americas, to Africa, to Asia, new and innovative companies seem to be emerging almost by the day—and investors are taking notice.

Infographic: The Growth of Fintech Startups

Increasing Investment in Fintech

According to Media Radar, venture capital investors poured $44.4 billion into young fintech companies in 2020 compared to just $1.1 billion a decade earlier. This represents a whopping 3936% increase from venture capitalists—further demonstrating the incredible rise of fintech organizations in recent years. But according to some experts, this investment is only just beginning.

Sustaining Long-Term Growth

In an article published in The New York Times, investor Mark Goldberg believes that current investment in the fintech industry is only scratching the surface of its potential. Over the next 20 years, Goldberg anticipates up to $1 trillion of market value being poured into new fintech companies—and these investments will likely be funded by traditional financial institutions.

Support from Big Banks

As global technology continues its rapid evolution, banks and financial services companies will need to keep pace. From enhancing their overall customer experience to innovating with new and improved products, this sector must stay atop the latest tech trends to survive among fierce competition. And as industry giants like Goldman Sachs, Citibank, and JPMorgan & Chase continue to ramp up their fintech investments, look for other institutions to follow suit.

Summary

While it remains to be seen just how much growth and expansion will come within the fintech industry, the global buzz surrounding these emerging companies is incredibly encouraging. As more entrepreneurs with innovative ideas enter the fintech market, the results could change the world of finance as we know it. One thing has become increasingly clear: the future of fintech is bright!

Looking for more eye-popping statistics on the growth of fintech startups? Check out Viaduct’s latest infographic above to learn about the expected expansion of this growing industry!