Baptiste Simonis

5 Ways To Bootstrap Your Business Without Sacrificing Growth: Credits to Lise Kuecker, make sure to follow her! _____ I’ve bootstrapped 7 companies to 7 and 8 figures... Without sacrificing growth. Too many entrepreneurs believe bootstrapping means accepting slow progress. But, that's never been my reality. Bootstrapping forces you to be: - Resourceful - Relentless - Strategic While knowing how to do more with less And making profitability a priority. Here are my top 5 bootstrapping strategies: 1. Say No to Anything That Doesn’t Drive Revenue in Months 1-6 - Every role should have a clear ROI with Performance Metrics. - This has allowed us to scale sustainably from 3 to 60 employees and reach 8-figures in revenue. 2. Sell First, Build Second - If it doesn’t sell, it doesn’t scale. - I always start with a solid sales plan, testing whether the product is something my ideal customers will buy. 3. Become a Marketing Pro - As a bootstrapper, marketing is your growth engine. - Learning to market yourself gives you the power to scale at will minus the agency fees. 4. Spend Aggressively When You Find What Works - Once you’ve tested your way to effective marketing, invest, invest and invest some more. - Congrats: You've met the Meta Money Tree. If you can put in a $1 and get back $2 spend as much as you can. 5. Stay Obsessed with the Numbers - Set “no-go” ranges for key metrics - this makes it easy to double down on what works while stopping what doesn't. - Numbers don't just keep growth on track...they keep you on track. The truth? Bootstrapping doesn’t have to mean small. It just requires a mindset of discipline, creativity, and focus. By keeping control, you can build something big without giving up ownership or vision. Are you bootstrapping your business? Let me know what’s working for you! _____ Follow Justin Mecham for more daily insights!

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3 elements that separate unforgettable pitches from forgettable ones After analyzing dozens of successful pitches, the pattern became crystal clear. The best presenters don't just share information → they create experiences. Here's what makes the difference: Element 1: Complete Commitment ↳ They own every single word they speak ↳ No hesitation, no second-guessing ↳ Full investment in their message from start to finish Element 2: Authentic Confidence  ↳ They command the room from second one ↳ Lead the conversation instead of following ↳ Make everyone feel they're in expert hands Element 3: Infectious Energy ↳ Their passion becomes contagious  ↳ Audience feels energized just watching ↳ Maintain momentum throughout the entire presentation The secret sauce? They don't pitch products → they tell stories. They don't share features → they create connections. They don't just inform → they transform. Every great pitch combines these three elements with storytelling that hits emotional triggers and ends with something simple yet unforgettable. The question isn't whether you have natural talent. The question is whether you're ready to develop these skills. What's the most memorable pitch you've ever seen? Share your thoughts below and let's learn from each other's experiences. ♻️ Repost if this resonates with you ➕ Follow me for more insights on presentation mastery

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Many growing companies expand with the help of Employer of Record services. While expensive, it’s a convenient way to enter a new market and hire talent fast. What’s interesting is that EORs are most often used by knowledge-driven firms in software, AI, and biotech — the very companies creating the kinds of jobs regions are fighting to attract. Yet, more often than not, they remain invisible to the systems meant to find them. I’ve seen this so many times. A company builds a small team, tests a market, maybe hires a few people through an EOR. So far not surprising, companies explore quietly all the time. But what’s striking is how many stay like that for years, building real teams and traction without ever showing up in any official data. That’s what our latest Upsite blog post, “The Hidden Companies Next Door,” is about. It explores how global hiring models have made many firms invisible to economic development organizations, and why this blind spot matters more than most realize. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/e527F_7d At Upsite Systems, we’re building tools to make this visible — to uncover hidden footprints, help EDOs spot early growth, and understand where companies are already investing in local talent.

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Dear CEO, your business is at risk… if you can’t answer these 10 questions: Many businesses struggle to scale even when they have: ✅ Great products ✅ A strong team ✅ A solid market Often, the problem comes down to blind spots: ❌ Not delegating enough ❌ Not tracking real growth drivers ❌ Not preparing for the next big industry shift These are high risk problems. To protect your business from risk, ask yourself: 1️⃣ Would the business still grow if I stepped away? ↳ If not, you’re the bottleneck. ↳ Build systems, not dependencies. 2️⃣ What’s the biggest challenge in our way? ↳ Not the small fires, but the real obstacle  blocking your path to growth. ↳ Face the problem head-on. 3️⃣ Are we measuring what truly drives growth? ↳ Vanity metrics won’t pay the bills. ↳ Track what actually moves revenue. 4️⃣ Are we investing in the right areas? ↳ More spending doesn’t always lead to growth. ↳ Make sure you're voting for what actually matters. 5️⃣ What’s our biggest risk right now? ↳ The threats you ignore are often the ones that sink you.  ↳ Identify it. Mitigate it fast. 6️⃣ Are we ahead of the next big industry shift? ↳ By the time a trend is obvious, it's often too late.  ↳ Spot trends before competitors do. 7️⃣ What’s slowing down decision-making? ↳ If speed wins, what’s killing yours? Bureaucracy is your enemy. ↳ Simplify, delegate, and move faster. 8️⃣ Is our leadership team ready to scale? ↳ Growth breaks weak teams. ↳ Strengthen before it’s too late. 9️⃣ Is our culture helping us keep top talent? ↳ Good people leave bad cultures. ↳ Build a culture worth staying for. 🔟 Can customers instantly see why we’re the best? ↳ If your value proposition needs explaining, it  needs simplifying. ↳ Ask yourself: Would you buy from you? These questions aren't magic—they're a mirror. They show you: What you've been avoiding. What you've been missing. Where your true path forward lies. Your next step: Pick one question.  The one that keeps you up at night. Answer it this week. Then tackle the next. One by one, these answers will shape your roadmap. Will it be easy to follow? Not at all. Will it be worth it? 100% yes. Remember, the choice is yours. P.S. Want a PDF of my 10 Questions Every CEO Must Answer Infographic? Get it free: https://t.ly/AFVhO ♻️ Repost to help a founder in your network. Follow The CEO Accelerator by Eric Partaker for more on founder insights. — 📢 Want to lead like a world-class CEO? Join my FREE TRAINING: "How to Work with Your Board to Accelerate Your Company’s Growth" Thu Jul 10th, 12 noon Eastern / 5pm UK time https://t.ly/0jEIm 📌 The CEO Accelerator starts July 23rd. 20+ Founders & CEOs have already enrolled. Learn more and apply:  https://t.ly/Pent_

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