Lucas Bean

CEO @ Social Proof | Leader, Ai, Adtech, Analytics, AiO, Fintech, Games, Entertainment, Web3, Creator Economy | ex Atari, Sony, Experian, Deloitte | User Acquisition Expert | speaker, advisor, ENTP

I’m a seasoned tech executive with deep entrepreneurial experience ready to help you build, scale and win.

I'm top 3 globally in:
• User acquisition
• Retention
• Community building
• UX optimization

20+ years in marketing, data science and product leadership
Author of Community Market Fit - Published April 2025 
Ex-Atari, Sony Pictures, Experian, Deloitte
Founder, CEO, GM, CMO, COO, SVP of Marketing & Ops

I specialize in scaling businesses fast through:
• User acquisition & retention strategy
• Data-driven marketing
• Product development
• P&L management
• Advanced automation
• Consumer experience design
• Growth operations

Proven wins:
✔️ Helped raise over $50M in venture capital
✔️ Built & exited a solo venture at $500K+/year
✔️ Took an adtech company public (founded in 2008, IPO in 2017)
✔️ Executive roles at 3 companies that exited for $1.4B+ combined

Marketing expertise:
• Copywriting
• SEO
• Email marketing
• Content creation
• Influencer strategy
• Video & display ads
• Marketing automation
• Flywheel effects
• Full-stack paid media (desktop/mobile)

Industry experience:
Fintech, Adtech, Gaming, Entertainment, Dating, Web3, Creator Economy, Social E-commerce

Leadership style:
I’ve built scrappy teams from scratch and turned underperforming teams into high-output machines.

I believe complex systems can be distilled into simple, marketable messages that resonate deeply with customers, fans, and stakeholders.

Now? I’m focused on helping others build fast, scale smart and stand out.
Open to clients, partnerships, and strategic opportunities.

GM & Head of Product 

Strategic Consulting to startups, founders, executive management of fortune 1,000 companies. Providing expert advice and execution on Web3, NFT, Operations, General Management, digital marketing efforts, Web3 onboarding, core operational issues, Data Analysis, Strategy, P&L Management, Product Development, Product Innovation, User Experience, User Acquisition & Retention. 

I help turn new and existing businesses into finely tuned digital powerhouses by auditing current 
 internal processes. I then use analytics, acquisition, retention, mentoring & media management to determine KPI's and hyper improve performance metrics with precise strategic tactics. 

Channels Leveraged: Analytics, Influence Marketing, Community Building, Social, Display, Search Paid + Natural, email, mobile.

Current Business fields of expertise (no one is an expert, always learning):
NFTs
Web3 (P2E Gaming, Metaverse etc.)
Gaming and esports 
Mobile Gaming
Fintech
Influence Marketing
e-commerce (social selling)
Entertainment 
Mobile Apps
Digital Products
Digital & IRL Events

Increase your luck surface area by showing up

90% of success is literally just showing up.

So create your own luck 

How many:

days
weeks
months
decades

were they showing up consistently? 

They showed up everyday and you call it luck?

It only takes that one time to land an opportunity of a lifetime or to miss it. 

Be consistent.


Follow me Lucas Bean for more

Lucas Bean 

20 years Marketing, Data Science & Product Executive | Author of Community Market Fit | ex Atari, Sony, Experian, Deloitte | User Acquisition & Retention Expert | consultant, speaker, advisor, Ai Automation Expert

How to practice extreme ownership:
(and say sorry less often) 

People say 'sorry' way too much in life

The value of a sorry means nothing now

You know what does have value? Owning it 


I used to say sorry for everything.

Even when it wasn't my fault:

↳ I'm sorry you have to get up
↳ I'm sorry you didn't like your choice
↳ I'm sorry you have to restart your computer 


 🚩 Over-apologizing hurts our credibility.

Here's how high performers handle apologies and maintain respect:

Asking Questions
❌ Sorry if this is stupid
✅ I'd like some clarity on...

Can't Attend
❌ Sorry I can't make it
✅ I have a previous commitment 

Making Requests
❌ Sorry to bother you
✅ When you have a moment...

Setting Boundaries
❌ Sorry, but I need...
✅ Here's what works for me

Running Late
❌ Sorry I'm late
✅ Thanks for your patience

Small Mistakes
❌ Sorry about that
✅ I'll fix this right away

Following Up
❌ Sorry to bug you
✅ I'm following up on our discussion

During meetings
❌ Sorry to interrupt
✅ I have something to add

Asking for Feedback
❌ Sorry if I did this wrong
✅ I'd like your feedback on this

Getting Feedback
❌ Sorry I messed up
✅ Thanks for the feedback

Getting Attention
❌ Sorry for talking so much
✅ Thank you for listening

Missing A Deadlines (don't miss deadlines is easier) 
❌ Sorry for the delay
✅ I appreciate your flexibility


Save "sorry" only when its truly needed. 

Your words have meaning. 
Your words shape how you are perceived 
Choose your words wisely.
_____

P.S. Which phrase would help you grow your career?

♻️ Repost to help your network elevate their performance!

 follow me for more Lucas Bean

No alternative text description for this image

I’ve learned not to hold people hostage 
to who they used to be.

We all carry outdated versions of ourselves: 

mistakes we’ve made
ignorance we’ve acted on 
pain caused before we knew better 

I’ve seen how one bad chapters can become someone’s whole story in the eyes of others 

But people grow
They stumble
They learn 

They often try to make things right. 

We all have regrets
but that doesn’t mean we can’t begin again.
I’ve watched friends become softer,
more grounded. 

Change isn’t always dramatic
it’s often slow and quiet. 


But it’s real. 


When we dismiss someone for who they were
we miss who they’ve worked to become.

No one should be forever judged
by a version they’ve outgrown.

If we offer ourselves grace
we should offer it to others too.

in 2026 let's all try to do a better job at this. 

♻️ Share this with someone who inspires you 
🔔 Follow me Lucas Bean for more

10 things to ask in your next Job Interview,
(And what NOT say):

Interviews are like any first meetings,
Awkward and uncomfortable.

They only give you 60 minutes to:

✅ See if you’re a fit.
✅ Sell your strengths.
✅ Show your enthusiasm.

To do your research is to be prepared
Practice what you'll say and how you'll say it

Avoid saying these 10 things:
(And what to say instead)

1/ "I don't have any questions."
↳ Why: Shows zero preparation or interest
↳ Instead: Ask specific questions about the team's current projects or culture

2/ "I’ll take any job right now."
↳ Why: Signals desperation, kills your negotiating power
↳ Instead: Highlight skills that match specific role

3/ "I don't like taking direction."
↳ Why: Makes you seem un-coachable
↳ Instead: Share how you've grown from feedback

4/ "I don’t have any weaknesses."
↳ Why: Sounds unrealistic and arrogant
↳ Instead: Share a real weakness and how you're improving

5/ "I hate my current boss."
↳ Why: Raises red flags about professionalism
↳ Instead: Focus on your career growth goals

6/ "I'll figure it out as I go."
↳ Why: Suggests you don’t prepare
↳ Instead: Emphasize your (proven) ability to learn quickly

7/ "This is a stepping stone for me."
↳ Why: Companies don't want to invest in short-term employees
↳ Instead: Share your interest in growing with the company

8/ "What's your work-from-home policy?" (too early)
↳ Why: Makes work flexibility seem like your top priority
↳ Instead: First discuss role, fit and get them interested

9/ "What time do people leave?"
↳ Why: Implies you're just watching the clock
↳ Instead: Ask about daily workflows and responsibilities

10/ "I don't handle stress well."
↳ Why: Suggests you'll crack under pressure
↳ Instead: Describe how you organize work to manage deadlines

Remember:
Be Prepared and be positive, they go a long way.


P.S. What's your #1 interview tip? 👇



♻  Repost toinspire your network 
🔔  Follow me (Lucas Bean) for more like this.

undefined undefined

This is why most people quit.

When
it takes
more work
than we thought
it would.

It’s way easier to:

- quit
- make excuses
- get discouraged
- go watch Netflix
- grab a bottle of booze
- go and smoke weed and zone out 


Instead, set yourself up to win by:

- setting time blocks
- setting expectations
- setting up exact tactics
- setting up a realistic timeline


Our aspirations are always greater
then the reality of how much work it is.

𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 > 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝗰𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻

Don’t let 2025 get away from you 


share this to help others in your community 
Follow me Lucas Bean for more
We miss you Mr. Obama

Be brave enough to suck at something new 


Scared to:

→ write that article 
→ publish that video
→ post that comment 
→ send that DM to someone
→ Just do it and figure it out later


Your goals should be that of action:

→ have a sense of urgency
→ take action instead of overthinking
→ Focus on the future, not on the past 
→ plan 20% and execute 80% of the time

A ship does not sail on yesterday's wind. 

________________________________

♻️ share to help others take the leap

Follow me Lucas Bean for more ♥️

10 Signs You're Emotionally Intelligent:
(and you might not know it)

First how do you define emotional intelligence?

Emotional Intelligence is the ability to recognize, 
understand and manage emotions in yourself and others.


The pros: 
These powerful skills help you bring out the best
in both yourself and others.


The cons:
They can leave you feeling drained and exhausted
having to manage peoples emotional state to get the best out of them. 


10 signs you are an emotional intelligent powerhouse:

1. You sense what people need
↳ You can tell when someone needs to talk
 vent or just be left alone.

2. You read between the lines
↳ A short “okay” in Slack tells you everything you need to know.

3. You absorb emotional tension
↳ People naturally calm down when talking to you
 even if you don't say much.

4. You speak everyone’s language
↳ You know exactly who needs all the details 
 and who just wants the headlines.

5. You catch unsaid questions
↳ You notice when someone wants to speak but stays silent.

6. You feel others' stress
↳ Deadlines, tough meetings you feel nervous for your coworkers 
 even when you’re not involved.

7. You notice fake enthusiasm
↳ You can tell the difference between genuine excitement
 and polite agreement.

8. You're everyone’s reality check
↳ People often ask, "How did that really go?" 
 because they trust your judgment.

9. You sense when meetings go off track
↳ You recognize the moment people start checking
 their phones more.

10. You spot hidden burnout
↳ You notice when colleagues aren’t themselves
 even if they try to hide it.


♻️ Repost to inspire someone.
🔔 Follow Lucas Bean for more.

9 ways to keep great employees for good: 
(without having to worry)

Your team is your greatest asset.
They keep the machine running.

To earn their loyalty they need to be:

1. Paid Well
↳ A well-compensated team is a motivated team.
↳ Make sure your pay rates are competitive.


2. Mentored
↳ Mentoring helps them learn and evolve.
↳ Invest in their professional development.


3. Challenged
↳ Stagnation causes boredom. Keep them challenged!
↳ Level up their tasks to keep them engaged.


4. Promoted
↳ No one likes to be stuck. Promote deserving employees!
↳ Use this to show you value their contributions.


5. Involved
↳ Transparency is key. Involve them in decision-making.
↳ Use this to create a sense of ownership.


6. Appreciated
↳ Recognition fuels motivation. Show them they're appreciated
↳ Celebrate their achievements, big or small.


7. Trusted
↳ Trust fosters loyalty. It makes them feel valued.
↳ Delegate tasks and show faith in their abilities.


8. Empowered
↳ Empowerment leads to innovation.
↳ Encourage them to take on new projects.


9. Valued
↳ Everyone wants to be valued. Show them they matter!
↳ Valuing them creates a productive environment.

____

Remember, It's not just about keeping your crew.
It's about helping them grow. 

Leadership is not about being in charge. 
It's about taking care of those in your charge. 


Which one of these is your favorite? 


♻️ Repost to help others 
🔔 Follow Lucas Bean for more

7 Simple Rules to Live an Amazing Life: 
(number 2 is my favorite) 

1. Let it go
↳Don't take yourself too serious 
↳ Don'r ruin a good day by thinking about a bad day

2. Ignore them 
↳ Don't listen to what other people think of you
↳ People want you to succeed but not more than them

3. Give it time
↳ Give it time, time heals all 
↳ People act out of emotions, don't let them affect you

4. Don't compare 
↳ Don't compare you act 1 to another act 13
↳ The people you compare yourself to are only human

5. Stay Calm
↳ Stay calm, its ok to not have everything figured out
↳ It's a super power to be calm when others are are upset 

6. It's on you
↳ You are 100% responsible for your life 
↳ Harsh truth, no one is coming to save you

7. Smile 
↳ You will never be as young as you are now
↳Life is short, enjoy the moment, this time right now


Which is your favorite? 
Tell me below  ↓ 



♻️ Repost this to help your community!

🔔 follow Lucas Bean or more.

7 simple rules for an amazing life 

Hard truth: every relationship is transactional
(here's how to make it work for you)
 
Every connection runs on exchange.
Some trade trust, others trade time or attention
The flow is always there.


Work is clear.
You get paid. You perform.
The deal is direct and defined.

Friendship is quieter.
No terms, but the contract exists.
Support, loyalty and time are traded.


Scarcity mindset
When you meet someone for gain,
you think short term.
You ask before you give.
Trust fades before it grows.


Growth mindset
See people as long term partners.
Invest first. Listen first. Give first.
That is how trust compounds.


Here are 8 ways to build social capital:

1. Play long term games
↳ Act like every bond will last decades.

2. Build before you need
↳ Offer help early, without a return.

3. Make introductions
↳ One link can create years of value.

4. Stay in touch
↳ Send notes. Celebrate wins. Show up.

5. Invest in depth
↳ Spend real time when it matters most.

6. Earn reputation
↳ Do work that speaks when you are silent.

7. Be patient with asks
↳ Quick favors reveal short term thinking.

8. Think in decades
↳ What if this person stayed for 40 years?


Charisma can open doors fast.
But trust keeps them open.
Short term charm fades.
Consistency endures.


Strong relationships are built slowly.
They outlast opportunity.


P.S. Do you agree? 

P.P.S. which is is your favorite? 


♻ Share if you believe real trust compounds.
🔔 Follow me Lucas Bean for more leadership

Here is a list of things that are not doing the thing:

“Preparing to do the thing 
isn't doing the thing.

Scheduling time to do the thing isn't doing the thing.

Making a to-do list for the thing isn't doing the thing.

Telling people you're going to do the thing isn't doing the thing.

Messaging friends who may or may not be doing the thing 
isn't doing the thing.

Writing a banger tweet about how you're going to do the thing 
isn't doing the thing.

Hating on yourself for not doing the thing 
isn't doing the thing.

Hating on other people who have done the thing 
isn't doing the thing.

Hating on the obstacles in the way of doing the thing 
isn't doing the thing.

Fantasizing about all of the adoration you'll receive once you do the thing 
isn't doing the thing.

Reading about how to do the thing 
isn't doing the thing.

Reading about how other people did the thing 
isn't doing the thing.

Reading this essay isn't doing the thing.

The only thing that is doing the thing is doing the thing.” 

— Strangest Loop

Now go do the thing

I’ve mistaken movement for momentum.
Being too busy, as if that’s winning.

It isn't.

I’ve seen teams sprint nonstop:

endless activity
new projects
new goals

And yet months later,
they wonder why nothing has changed.

Because motion isn’t momentum.
And being busy isn’t progress.

Speed is exciting.
It makes us feel like we’re ahead.

But without direction,
 you’re just running in circles, faster.

True momentum requires:

✅  Clear goals
✅ Aligned priorities
✅ Consistent execution

The ones who live their dreams
aren’t the fastest.

They’re the most focused.

💡 Progress isn’t about speed.
 It’s about moving forward with intention.


👉 Do you ever confuse busy with progress?


♻ Share this with someone chasing clarity

🔔 Follow me (Lucas Bean) leadership + growth

Rules to be 500% better at networking:
(In 5 minutes or less) 


People remember how you made them feel, not what you said


Follow these rules and you’ll win:


1. Do Your Research First
↳ Look them up on Google, YouTube, LinkedIn.
↳ Know their past jobs, passions, and recent content.


2. Know Your Goal
↳ Be clear: are you here to make friends, get a contact, or land a client?
↳ No wrong answer but clarity wins.


3. Listen to Actually Listen
↳ Don’t wait to talk—pay attention.
↳ Repeat what they said, then add value. 
They’ll feel heard.


4. Find Common Ground Fast
↳ Talk about the venue, their drink, a mutual interest.
↳ Bonding happens when there’s shared joy.


5. Lead with Humor
↳ Make a tasteful, self-deprecating joke.
↳ Confidence is being able to laugh at yourself.


6. Don’t Overshare
↳ Keep your mess to yourself.
↳ Stay positive. No one needs your trauma dump at a networking event.


7. Add Real Value
↳ Buy a drink, make an intro, or offer a solid compliment.
↳ Over-deliver, even in small moments.


8. Respect Their Time
↳ Keep your ask short and clear.
↳ Know when to leave, exit on a high note.


9. Exit Smoothly
↳ “It was great meeting you, I’m off to [X]. Hope we connect again soon.”
↳ Always leave them smiling.


10. Follow Up Like It Matters
↳ Your follow-up is your brand.
↳ Treat every one like it could change your life.



Which one are you going to use at your next event?

#3 changed the game for me.

—

♻️ Share this with someone trying to level up.
🔔 Follow me Lucas Bean for more.

How to be great at networking in 5 minutes or less 

What’s Michael Phelps secret to success? 
 It’s these 3 things:


1.  Show up everyday 


2.  Especially on the days you don’t 
want to, put in the work anyway. 


3.  Do this for 5 years without missing a day. 


This is what it takes to be successful.


Is today is today the day you start? 



Share this with your community ♻️ 


Follow me Lucas Bean for more

Two things that hold most people back:

1. Fear of failure.
2. Fear of embarrassment. 

Everyone has to climb cringe mountain 
to make it to the land of cool. 
Easy to say right?

The only true way to beat the thing
is by doing the thing. 

So just start doing it.

don't think about doing it
don't write about doing it 
don't say you're gonna do it tomorrow
don't tell someone else you're doing it 

just do the thing. 

when you find one path that doesn't work
take another path.

You're aloud to change course 
anytime you want to, 
as many times as you want. 

who cares what anyone thinks. 


When I ran marketing for a fortune 500 brand
I had major restrictions on me

→ My job
→ My boss
→ The optics 
→ The company I worked for

You're not aloud to be an online person
when you worked at a fortune 500 company
and anytime you're speaking anywhere
you are speaking for that brand

today, its different. 

brands are looking for:

→ people that have audiences already. 
→ that can articulate and communicate well. 
→ That aren't scared to talk to people or the camera. 
→ That think fast on their feet. 

Today you have access to the biggest stage in the world
You don't need a Tedtalk

You need your smart phone and thick skin. 

Thats it. 

Use that smart phone
Develop that thick skin 
or you'll always fear
going for it.

♻️ Share this with some one who needs to hear it 
Follow me Lucas Bean for more

Be courteous to all 
but intimate 
with few 

and let those few 
be welled tried before 
you give them your trust 

Happy Holidays my friends.

Feeling stuck? 
That's because 

you are.

New results don’t come from old habits.
Change isn’t luck. 
It’s action.

You want a new future?
Do something different today.

Hard truth:
You’re not stuck because life’s unfair.
You’re stuck because comfort feels safer than change.

♻️ Share this with someone who needs to hear it 
🔔 follow me Lucas Bean for more

What People Think Marketing Is:

→ Cold emails
→ Pop-up ads
→ PR headlines
→ Trendy logos
→ Funny TikToks
→ Clever taglines
→ TV or radio spots
→ Weekly newsletters

What Marketing Really Is:

 → Split testing
 → Earning trust
 → Crafting offers
 → Guiding prospects
 → Tracking data + ROI
 → Mapping experiences
 → Building communities
 → Knowing buyer behavior

And that’s just the start.
Most assume marketing is about being loud, catchy or viral.

But real marketing isn’t surface-level.

It’s about creating trust,
guiding decisions,
and building relationships that last.

♻ Repost if you agree 
🔔 Follow Lucas Bean for more insights.

Post inspiration from Tom Pestridge give him a follow

Ferenc Fekete

Helping non-tech Founders transform Ideas into SaaS products @ VeryCreatives | Product Agency, SaaS & MVP Development | Startups

I've watched many startup founders fail at the same exact point: turning their validated idea into actual software.

They waste months (or even years):
→ Trying to hire the right developers
→ Burning cash on poor planning and execution
→ Second-guessing every technical decision along the way

Meanwhile, competitors move faster, investors demand traction, and the pressure to deliver keeps building more and more.

After watching this pattern destroy countless promising startups, we built VeryCreatives to fix it.

But here's what makes us different:

We don't just build your MVP and disappear. We're product people who think like founders, not just developers who code to spec.

👉 𝗩𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻-𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵: We start by pressure-testing your assumptions before writing a single line of code. If the market doesn't want it, we'll tell you straight.

👉 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗱𝘀𝗲𝘁 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗼𝗻𝗲: We build like it's our own startup, obsessing over user experience, scalability, and investor readiness from the first sprint.

👉 𝗙𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗮 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝘅𝗶𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗯𝗲𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗱: Whether you're at napkin sketch or Series B, we've been there. We've helped founders go from zero to acquisition, and we stick around for the entire journey.

For the past 14 years, we've built products for venture-backed startups, fast-growing scale-ups, and globally recognized brands like Red Bull, Nestlé, and Philips.

The startups we work with have:
✅ Launched investor-ready MVPs in under 90 days
✅ Secured funding from top-tier investors and VCs
✅ Scaled from first users to thousands of paying customers
✅ Successfully exited to strategic acquirers

Got a SaaS idea that's been sitting in your head for months? 
Let's map out your 90-day path to launch → https://verycreatives.com/book-a-call

Co-Founder

At VeryCreatives, we are a team of expert developers who create powerful SaaS apps that solve problems and drive growth for founders with initial funding. We believe in empowering our clients with innovative software that helps them achieve their goals and stand out in their industry.

Our audience consists of driven and ambitious founders who have just received initial funding for their startup. They are looking for a software development partner who understands their vision, can help bring their ideas to life, and deliver results that will help them achieve their business goals.

Founders with initial funding have a pressing need to build their product quickly and efficiently to maximize their chances of success. At VeryCreatives, we understand this need and are dedicated to creating high-quality SaaS apps that not only meet their requirements but also exceed their expectations. We are committed to delivering value and results that help our clients succeed.

VeryCreatives stands out in the market for our ability to deliver high-quality, innovative solutions that meet the needs of our clients. Our unique approach to software development, coupled with our expertise and commitment to excellence, is what drives us to provide outstanding results to our clients.

Industries our clients operate in, using the SaaS products we've built: 
- Digital marketing, Event marketing & Influencer marketing SaaS
- Foodtech & Delivery 
- Fintech, Banking & Investments
- 2-sided marketplace platforms
- Agriculture & Livestock management
- Packaging compliance & Waste

Markets we cover: UAE, EU, UK, US.

Most first-time SaaS founders hire the wrong team at the wrong time. Then wonder why they're burning cash with nothing to show for it.

The problem isn't finding talent. It's knowing which talent you actually need right now.

Are you building from 0 to MVP? Scaling an existing product? Or dealing with a short-term bottleneck?

Your answer directly defines what kind of help you need.

👉 Hire a sprint team when you're starting from scratch

You've identified a real problem and want to turn your idea into something real, fast. But not just fast – something designed with your core value in mind, aligned with your go-to-market plan, and scoped to validate your riskiest assumptions.

At this stage, you need more than just developers. You need people who've done the grunt work before, like user journey mapping, wireframing, and usability-first development.

Short, focused sprints that generate real learnings are where a sprint team shines. Typically 6-10 weeks to go from idea to working MVP.

👉 Hire freelancers when you already have a team and a working product

You're growing and already have a roadmap. Now you just need temporary help to push it forward. Whether you want to ship a feature faster or tackle a backlog item, freelancers can be great support.

The typical downside is that you can't expect long-term commitment from them. And their role is usually execution-focused, so strategic input might be limited.

But for that specific integration before a big demo? Perfect fit.

👉 Hire an internal team when you're playing the long game

Hiring an internal team only works if you already have:

- The time and budget to hire and retain top talent
- Someone in-house to lead the team and set priorities
- Already built infrastructure (HR, PM, dev ops, internal comms)

It typically takes 3-4 months to hire senior devs, plus another 1-3 months to get them productive.

So for most early-stage teams, unless you're going deep tech or building something highly complex that absolutely needs to stay in-house, an internal team might not be the best starting point.

The key is matching your hiring strategy to your actual stage and constraints.

Most early-stage teams don't need a massive team or long hiring cycles. All they need is clarity, speed, and a clear plan to validate fast.

That's exactly why we built our MVP Sprint model the way we did. Start small and validate fast. Then decide what to build next.

DM me if you want help turning your idea into a scalable SaaS product.

Helping startup founders & innovation labs validate and scale ideas into exit-ready products @ VeryCreatives | 🔥 Two decades in tech

If product discovery does not live on your calendar, it will die in your backlog. Open your calendar from the last 14 days:

How many sales calls, and how many real user conversations?

If that second number is close to zero, your roadmap is guesswork.

Here is a 2 week discovery rhythm for founders who hate calendars:

Total slot time, 4 hours that will feel like 5 or 6 with context switching.

👉 Week 1: Talk to humans

Pick one sharp question.

Examples:

→ "Why do trials stall after day 3?"
→ "What made you almost not sign up?"

Block a 90 minute slot on Tuesday morning.

Stack three 25 minute calls with current users or fresh churn.

Use a simple invite line:

"Can I steal 20 minutes to learn what almost made you quit? I am not selling anything, I am fixing things."

Right after the last call, spend 30 minutes dumping notes into one messy doc.

Tag comments by problem, not by feature request.

👉 Week 2: From insights to action

Block 60 minutes on Monday.

Read your notes, pull out 3 patterns that keep repeating.

Ask one hard question:

"If we change only one thing next sprint, which pattern would move the needle most?"

Block another 60 minutes on Thursday.

Write a tiny change your team can ship in under a week:

→ A new success email on day 2 of trial.
→ A one line change on the pricing page.
→ A simple in app prompt for stuck users on day 3.

I saw too many founders skip this rhythm for 3 months.

Their backlog fills with guesses, their team builds faster, and they learn slower.

You are not too busy for discovery.

You are just letting everything else win.

taplio

The Battle

Lucas Bean

Ferenc Fekete

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance ScoreLucas Bean's LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreFerenc Fekete's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

taplio

The Battle

Lucas Bean

Ferenc Fekete

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}Lucas Bean's LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreFerenc Fekete's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

Performance ScoreLucas Bean's LinkedIn Performance