Here are the 27 Growth Mentors of October 2023

1. Aatif Mohd

Describe yourself

I am a Search Engine Marketer who specializes in Saas SEO. I help create efficient, scalable, data-driven SEO campaigns with a clear plan of action for SaaS companies of various sizes.

Fast-paced agile startups have exposed me to an entire gamut of experiences that have nurtured my experimental & data-driven decision-making skills to be a better SEO.

In just one sentence, why do you want to become a growth mentor?

I specialise in SEO for B2B Saas Companies, having scaled a bunch of them leading to a growth in their ARR. I would like to share my learnings with others.

In your words, what does a growth mindset mean to you?

Being able to be 1% better in your actions, initiatives, and projects while being open to listening to contradictory opinions/viewpoints is how I define having a growth mindset.

It is okay to fail as long as you take the learnings from it & make iterations to the plan.

If you could mentor a startup on one topic, what would it be?

SEO for SaaS businesses, having worked with a ton of startups. I am very well aware of the urgency needed to succeed.

As long as the Company has a kick-ass product wanted by many I can help create a plan of action to reach 1 Mn in ARR.

Describe an out-of-the-box solution to a complex problem that made you proud of yourself.

While working with a fintech startup as an SEO my sole responsibility revolved around acquisitions from the organic channel.

While looking at the data it was very evident that the conversion rates from the signup flow are quite low & this needs to be improved

I came up with a plan of action on how we’d be improving the conversion rate.

This was highly appreciated by the CMO & CEO. Today this insight has been converted to a product feature that is used by more than 8,00,000 businesses.

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2. Abi Awomosu

Describe yourself

Hi, I’m Abi. I have 18+ years leading analytics and insights teams at major tech cos like Meta, Uber, eBay, Apple, and Microsoft. I’ve been mentoring startups for 5 years and help startups leverage the power of generative AI, agile research, and data analytics to grow their businesses. My hands-on mentorship focuses on:

• Identifying, rapidly validating, and prioritising high-potential ideas
• Validating market need and product-market fit
• Improving marketing and messaging
• Uncovering customer insights to guide decisions
• Avoiding common startup pitfalls
• Establishing data best practices
• Building top-notch data/research teams that drive decisions

I draw on decades of experience to help startups make smart, customer-driven product and marketing decisions, find product-market fit, and drive growth. Let’s connect to accelerate your startup.

In just one sentence, why do you want to become a growth mentor?

My heart breaks when over 90% of startups fail because of issues that could be solved with market research (e.g. no market need, product-market fit, ignoring customers, etc.); I want to help startups avoid common pitfalls by teaching them how to unearth customer wisdom from their data.

In your words, what does a growth mindset mean to you?

1. Passion for learning (actively seeking opportunities to expand your skills and knowledge)
2. Adaptability (being open to change, adaptable, and willing to step out of your comfort zone)
3. Out-of-the-box thinking (being curious, and pushing the boundaries to seek improvement).

If you could mentor a startup on one topic, what would it be?

Customer Insights and Data-Driven Decision Making – I help startups leverage the power of generative AI, customer research, and data analytics to unearth wisdom about their customers and make the right decisions for their businesses.

Describe an out-of-the-box solution to a complex problem that made you proud of yourself.

I worked with a startup struggling with poor retention and minimal customer data. My solution was to leverage their app reviews and use ChatGPT plugins to uncover insights and segment users into archetypes based on needs. This allowed us to create targeted, emotionally resonant messaging for each segment that helped reduce acquisition costs dramatically.

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3. Andrea Vian

Describe yourself

My name is Andrea, senior Digital Marketing and growth professional with over 15 years of experience. I am a T-shaped marketer, with a deep background in data-driven Performance Acquisition Marketing, complemented by expertise in other growth marketing areas, spacing from Engagement CRM to Organic Growth and Branding. I have been building and leading marketing teams for over a decade now, driving value to Web and Mobile App businesses.

In just one sentence, why do you want to become a growth mentor?

Help other professionals avoid the mistakes I made (and learned from).

In your words, what does a growth mindset mean to you?

To me, a growth mindset means learning from any possible situation, developing self-awareness, and being humble and open to feedback.

If you could mentor a startup on one topic, what would it be?

Acquisition Marketing and Growth Tactics.

Describe an out-of-the-box solution to a complex problem that made you proud of yourself.

Managing Paid Search activities for a large-scale travel account, to fuel additional growth I have been detecting a new opportunity, deploying a new keyword category breaking the legacy system to bid on flight keywords (city, route, airport). Users can search for flights from cities, regions, islands, and so on. Scaling it across many European markets, we have been generating thousands of incremental sales per month.

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4. Antonino Capparella

Describe yourself

I help people to (try) avoid mistakes I have made in the past! Here are a few things that if you are struggling, I can help you with! 1) Conflict Management 2) Career Change (from agency to in-house and vice versa) 3) ) Channel Strategy (core skills are in Paid Search (8/10), Paid Social (7/10 & SEO (6/10).

In just one sentence, why do you want to become a growth mentor?

I love sharing my knowledge and use it to help people.

In your words, what does a growth mindset mean to you?

Growth mindset is about keeping your mind open – it applies at work as much as in life.

If you could mentor a startup on one topic, what would it be?

Company’s Politics/Dynamics

Describe an out-of-the-box solution to a complex problem that made you proud of yourself.

Designed and launched an experiment using Google’s ads APIS to run algorithms aimed at improving efficiency of our Google ads campaigns. Results: increased ROAS by 30%.

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5. Anushree Sharma

Describe yourself

I am Anushree the CPO of Nu Wardrobe. We are the first-of-a-kind fashion swapping platform and have raised from VCs like Nextview and Bethnal Green Ventures. I have been a product leader for 10 years and have scaled multiple successful start-ups across India, America, and the UK.

In just one sentence, why do you want to become a growth mentor?

I will learn new skills from them as they navigate their journey.

In your words, what does a growth mindset mean to you?

Growth for me always means something long-term and sustainable. I push myself to think of solutions that can make the user stay with the platform.

If you could mentor a startup on one topic, what would it be?

Growth Hacking

Describe an out-of-the-box solution to a complex problem that made you proud of yourself.

Well I mean raising a round of investment, being a female founding team esp in sustainability just on the back of a great product has been pretty great!

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6. Ben Williams

Describe yourself

Digital marketer with over 5 years of experience, mainly focused on Influencer marketing. Experience running Influencer campaigns across multiple regions for some of the world’s largest brands, and more recently setting up and implementing strategies to fuel performance and growth.

In just one sentence, why do you want to become a growth mentor?

I am passionate about growing brands and would love to share my experience running world-leading influencer marketing strategies.

In your words, what does a growth mindset mean to you?

Adopting a growth mindset means always looking for new opportunities, learning, and seeking advice from others who have paved the way before you.

If you could mentor a startup on one topic, what would it be?

Influencer Marketing – I am truly passionate about the power of this relatively new marketing channel. It can be an incredibly effective channel for building your brand and generating sales – the best of both worlds!

Describe an out-of-the-box solution to a complex problem that made you proud of yourself.

Encouraging massive amounts of organic and user-generated content with small budgets, all by setting up key structures and strategies to reward influencers based on defined KPIs.

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7. Beth Loyd

Describe yourself

After 9 years in tech working on the business side as a manager, I would love to share my experiences with founders who are looking for insights into growth, marketing, and leadership.

In just one sentence, why do you want to become a growth mentor?

I have 20 years of experience in media, production, and tech on the business side. I love to help people and learn from them as well.

In your words, what does a growth mindset mean to you?

Pushing towards goals with dedication and humility.

If you could mentor a startup on one topic, what would it be?

Structuring a team and leading towards growth through ambiguity.

Describe an out-of-the-box solution to a complex problem that made you proud of yourself.

Bringing business partners into each other is what works.

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8. Caroline Szewczyk

Describe yourself

Hi, I’m Caroline, and I have over 16 years of B2C growth and digital marketing experience. I’ve worked for start-ups and scale-ups through to bigger businesses, I’ve built teams and managed the whole marketing mix with a strong slant towards performance marketing.

In just one sentence, why do you want to become a growth mentor?

I want to share my knowledge as well as learn from others as a mentee.

In your words, what does a growth mindset mean to you?

Constantly striving to learn and grow and seeing problems as challenges to be overcome.

If you could mentor a startup on one topic, what would it be?

Customer acquisition strategy and building a team.

Describe an out-of-the-box solution to a complex problem that made you proud of yourself.

Running lead-gen ads on paid social (unusual for B2C com) using content offered for free, then converting those to paid customers using CRM workflows. This drove down CAC & increased ROAS and was more effective.

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9. Cathy Meyer

Describe yourself

My name is Cathy Meyer and am a seasoned digital marketing leader with over 24 years of of digital media experience across all different digital media channels – programmatic display, paid search, paid social, affiliate, and CTV. I have built and led teams of client strategists, possess extensive experience in the implementation of sales and operations processes, as well as being a trusted advisor to my clients, counseling them on digital media strategies and managing their budgets across their paid media channels. I’d love to help anyone who is looking for advice on digital media strategy and where to spend their budgets (i.e. what their digital media mix should be), brainstorm ideas, offer advice or insight into what is new in the industry, or even help anyone who is new to digital media, kickstart their knowledge of the space. Happy to through any questions you have!

In just one sentence, why do you want to become a growth mentor?

I have truly enjoyed helping my teams grow and develop in their careers in digital marketing and would love to expand this to help others who want to grow and develop their skills in digital marketing.

In your words, what does a growth mindset mean to you?

Being open to learning new things, listening to new ideas, and wanting to improve oneself not just professionally, but personally as well.

If you could mentor a startup on one topic, what would it be?

How you should be looking at your digital media mix and the importance of each channel. This is one of the things I’ve enjoyed helping to advise my clients on.

Describe an out-of-the-box solution to a complex problem that made you proud of yourself.

At one of the companies that I started at, I noticed that there was low client satisfaction, so much so that we started to lose some clients. In looking at the structure of the account management team, we had separate pre- and post-sales teams, which led to a communication breakdown between what was pitched and sold (through the sales and pre-sales teams) and the actual delivery and execution by the post-sales team. To remedy this, I put a proposal and plan together to merge the teams together so the account management team would work with the sales team from the start of the pitch process to execution and management, eliminating the disconnect between pre- and post-sales teams. Once the plan was implemented and put in place, our client satisfaction improved, we were able to grow our revenue YoY, and as a bonus, our internal teams were much happier as well!

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10. Christopher Silvestri

Describe yourself

Hi, my name is Chris and I’m the founder and conversion copywriter at Conversion Alchemy. We help SaaS and e-commerce businesses turn more of their website visitors into excited and loyal customers.

In the past 8 years I’ve helped my clients understand their audience better than they know themselves, position their business to stand out, and grow their trial or demo sign-ups, and paying customers.

In just one sentence, why do you want to become a growth mentor?

I want to get more deeply immersed in my target audience. Get to know their problems and goals and at the same time, provide my help and guidance to those who might not be able to afford my services yet.

In your words, what does a growth mindset mean to you?

To me, a having growth mindset means never settling for the status quo. It means never relying solely on what you know you know, but making sure you do your best to find what you don’t know and get past it. And having a mentor is a great way to do that.

If you could mentor a startup on one topic, what would it be?

Conversion copywriting

Describe an out-of-the-box solution to a complex problem that made you proud of yourself.

Recently on a mentoring call, I showed a UX designer how to use ChatGPT to get inside the minds of their potential customers and grab language they could use on their website messaging. It’s basically a simulation of customer research that can get you 80% of the way there in a fraction of the time.

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11. Elena [Olena] Avramenko

Describe yourself

Hi, I am Elena, and I’m the Head of Product at Sitly – a babysitter marketplace. I was previously Head of Growth Programs at Miro, I joined just at the beginning of the pandemic and stayed through the whole hyper-growth stage from 300 people to 2500, reaching 50M users, and 300M+ ARR in just 2.5 years. I can advise on product strategy, growth strategy, and growth programs, such as the Startup Program or Agency Program building.

In just one sentence, why do you want to become a growth mentor?

I want to grow my mentoring skills and become a full-time mentor or fractional leader.

In your words, what does a growth mindset mean to you?

A growth mindset means for me – moving fast, failing, and iterating a lot.

If you could mentor a startup on one topic, what would it be?

Building and scaling Growth Acquisition programs [Reverse Trial].
Several examples of such: Miro for Startups, Miro for Education, Agency program for Consultants & Agencies.

Describe an out-of-the-box solution to a complex problem that made you proud of yourself.

For Miro for Startups, I built the program in a way that it creates an organic growth loop via partners [accelerators and incubators] so you enjoy a constant inbound of startups for the program.

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12. Elizabeth Irvine

Describe yourself

I have 16+ years of experience in the B2B marketing space, with particular emphasis on SaaS startups. I have built multiple marketing teams from the ground up and know what it’s like to have a small budget with big goals. My experience spans content marketing, sales enablement, event marketing, customer marketing, and all the little things that are required of a startup marketer.

In just one sentence, why do you want to become a growth mentor?

I’m currently mentoring one individual and would love to expand my scope. I enjoy helping marketers in a startup mostly because I know how I could have used that help when I first started. There are no counterparts, and no sounding boards when you are a marketing team of one or a few. They face such a difficult challenge and having learned by going through it, I want to mentor others.

In your words, what does a growth mindset mean to you?

A growth mindset requires fast iteration and constant learning. Experiment, fail, learn, adapt, repeat.

If you could mentor a startup on one topic, what would it be?

Strategically: Prioritization and coaching up. Tactically: content strategy and website personalization.

Describe an out-of-the-box solution to a complex problem that made you proud of yourself.

Our product at a SaaS startup helped many personas of different company sizes and industries. One-size messaging wasn’t working. I brought in a personalization tool to personalize the messaging for each visitor. We now generally see conversation rates on our site over 10% and tests for behavioral segments and industry segments see lifts just shy of 200%. Strategic segmentation and hyper-specific personalization brought us leads that wouldn’t have converted with one-size-fits-all messaging.

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13. Erika Ferszt

Describe yourself

Award-winning brand marketeer with extensive expertise in user/consumer behavior. I’ve collaborated with startups, consumer goods, and luxury brands helping them figure out where their brand communication (social, product, website, etc) is missing the mark in connecting with their target and showing them how to fix it. I am particularly focused on mentoring women-led businesses.

In just one sentence, why do you want to become a growth mentor?

I’m very passionate about putting my skills in the hands of the generation that is currently shaping the future.

In your words, what does a growth mindset mean to you?

For me, growth is a byproduct of having clicked with your user/consumer. So growing means a balance of great recipes and great execution.

If you could mentor a startup on one topic, what would it be?

Understanding why your product/company needs to exist (hint it’s not what you do).

Describe an out-of-the-box solution to a complex problem that made you proud of yourself.

I built a customizable white-label employee wellness content solution, using social media best practices, that cost pennies per employee and put evidence-based content in the hands of organizations with employees ranging from 5 to 5000.

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14. Gary Willmott

Describe yourself

I am a scrappy product manager with over 15 years of experience in the tech industry. I am known for my ability to get teams aligned and efficiently to deliver great digital products that delight customers.

In my previous role at GoDaddy, I launched a new product that enabled them to increase their influence over social first entrepreneurs. I also worked as an advisor at The Delta, where I helped founders refine and validate their startups.

In 2020, I launched my own SaaS HR startup, Hi5, which reached over 4,000 customers and remains profitable today. I am passionate about building something from nothing and getting the right people to play to their strengths. I am also addicted to the feedback loop in products.

For me, product management is not about tools and technology or the latest tech stack. It is about the team, the culture, the customer, and understanding the “Jobs to Be Done.” The rest follows.

In just one sentence, why do you want to become a growth mentor?

I want to be a mentor because I have 15+ years of experience and a natural passion for helping others succeed.

In your words, what does a growth mindset mean to you?

A growth mindset is the belief that your abilities can be developed and improved through hard work and dedication. You can demonstrate a growth mindset by:

Being open to feedback. When you receive feedback, don’t take it personally. Instead, see it as an opportunity to learn and grow.

Being willing to experiment. Don’t be afraid to try new things, even if they don’t work out perfectly. The more you experiment, the more you’ll learn and the better you’ll become at product management.

Being persistent. Don’t give up easily when faced with challenges. Keep learning and iterating until you find a solution that works.

Being humble. Don’t think you know everything. Be open to learning from others, even if they have less experience than you.

If you could mentor a startup on one topic, what would it be?

If I could mentor someone on just one topic, it would be how to validate and refine a founder’s “unicorn” idea. This is because it is the most important step in building a successful startup. If you don’t have a validated idea, you are wasting your time and money.

Here are some of the things I would teach my mentee about validating and refining a unicorn idea:

Start by understanding the problem you are trying to solve. What is the pain point that your startup is addressing? Who is your target market?
Do some market research to see if there is a demand for your product or service. Are there other startups that solve the same problem? How are they different from your startup?
Build a minimum viable product (MVP). This is a basic version of your product or service that you can use to test your idea with potential users.
Get feedback from potential users. Ask them what they like and dislike about your product or service. What features would they like to see added?
Iterate your product or service based on the feedback you receive. Keep testing and improving your product or service until you have a product that people love.

Describe an out-of-the-box solution to a complex problem that made you proud of yourself.

I noticed that the engagement and conversion rate of our Hi5 feature was only about 55%. I interviewed users and found that they were procrastinating on giving recognition to their coworkers because the form field was too long. They felt compelled to give a lengthy piece of feedback, which was a barrier to completing the form.

I ran A/B tests with different form field lengths and found that users were more likely to complete the form when the fields were shorter. The shorter form had a 30% better conversion rate, which confirmed that people prefer to interact with smaller interactions. This is known as Google’s “Micro-Moments” theory.

This small improvement had a big impact on the recognition conversion rate, which went from 55% to 85%. The average engagement rate also increased from 42% to 65%.

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15. Jona Doda

Describe yourself

Award-winning marketing leader with a decade of experience in Fintech, Proptech, and Web 3 startups. Renowned for scaling teams and delivering growth in diverse sectors (B2B, B2C, SaaS, API, software & consulting). Educational background from LSE
and the University of Leicester. Eager to leverage my skills and experience to drive growth for tech companies.

In just one sentence, why do you want to become a growth mentor?

Leveraging my extensive experience in marketing and proven track record in high-growth startups, I am passionate about guiding early-stage companies in realizing their potential and scaling sustainably.

In your words, what does a growth mindset mean to you?

It’s like always having your sneakers on, ready to run. No matter how many times you trip or face an obstacle, you believe there’s a way over, around, or through it. It’s about learning, tweaking, and diving back in, because you know there’s always room to do better.

If you could mentor a startup on one topic, what would it be?

If I were to mentor someone on a single topic, it would be “Marketing for Startups.” Through my journey, I’ve learned the ins and outs of establishing marketing foundations for young tech ventures. Sharing this knowledge could guide startups to navigate their early stages with clarity and purpose.

Describe an out-of-the-box solution to a complex problem that made you proud of yourself.

I’d like to share an example from when I was working for a fintech company that served as both a payment solution provider for merchants and as an e-wallet application for consumers. During this time, I identified an opportunity to cross-sell between our B2B and B2C segments, specifically targeting our event merchants and app users. I presented this idea to the CEO, and with their approval, I was granted the authority to negotiate adjustments in transaction fees in exchange for co-marketing efforts. This strategy enabled us to form partnerships with renowned event organizers, allowing our brand to be showcased at prestigious concerts featuring top artists like Dua Lipa, Martin Garrix, and Lenny Kravitz. Not only did this approach significantly increase our app’s adoption (as users noticed our brand alongside their favorite artists), but it also bolstered our market reputation. Within the first year, we saw a 100% increase in new merchant onboarding and tripled the number of new app users.

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16. Joshua Fryszer

Describe yourself

Howdy! I’m Josh and I’ve spent the past 6 years in the trenches working with some of the globe’s most exciting companies.

I’m looking to impart some of my wisdom and help early-stage teams grow their solutions through a customer-led approach.

In just one sentence, why do you want to become a growth mentor?

Because I get my energy from helping early-stage companies grow sustainably.

In your words, what does a growth mindset mean to you?

It’s about acknowledging and then recognizing that you don’t have all the answers.

Having a growth mindset involves recognizing these gaps and actively striving to find the answers, even when it feels uncomfortable.

If you could mentor a startup on one topic, what would it be?

Understanding why your customers REALLY buy.

I believe it’s the single most important thing for early-stage companies to get clarity on and impacts all aspects of the business.

Describe an out-of-the-box solution to a complex problem that made you proud of yourself.

I recently helped a client take their killer idea and talk to the right people about the idea in the right way. The same idea pitched differently changed everything.

In this mindset shift, it got them moving away from thinking their idea stunk, and giving up on the product. Oftentimes times there’s no need to throw the baby out with the bath water in order to achieve product-market fit.

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17. Kasia Ubysz

Describe yourself

Hi, I’m Kasia – a marketing manager with a love for spreading knowledge about recruitment marketing. I love helping others discover more agile ways to get the attention of the best candidates and keep their employees engaged. Let’s figure out the best recruitment marketing strategy for your organization together!

In just one sentence, why do you want to become a growth mentor?

My field of expertise is still new and I want more people to discover it and develop it!

In your words, what does a growth mindset mean to you?

It’s all about having an open mind and being curious enough to experiment and have fun while learning from both mistakes and winnings!

If you could mentor a startup on one topic, what would it be?

I’d love to mentor you on how to grow your team with marketing tactics!

Describe an out-of-the-box solution to a complex problem that made you proud of yourself.

Most ATS don’t have an option for returning candidates who didn’t finish their application process. I’ve figured out how to use marketing automation tools to make it happen for free. It helped companies to keep in touch with interested candidates and recruit them!

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18. Katharina Sommerkamp

Describe yourself

I have 12 years of experience across Europe and LATAM launching products and businesses, incubating new functions from scratch, and designing systems, tools, and processes to drive growth – particularly at early-stage ventures. All my work is underpinned by a keen interest in understanding what makes people tick and a strong love for solving problems through great design.

In just one sentence, why do you want to become a growth mentor?

I believe that the knowledge that is useful in startups (especially for mid-level talent) is not knowledge you can find in a textbook – it’s trapped inside the heads of the people who have faced a similar/the same problem and are just a few steps ahead of you. That’s why I believe in mentorships (and am a strong ambassador for peer-to-peer mentoring).

In your words, what does a growth mindset mean to you?

Appreciate the process just as much as the outcome.

If you could mentor a startup on one topic, what would it be?

How to tackle high-uncertainty problems using design methods.

Describe an out-of-the-box solution to a complex problem that made you proud of yourself.

As a Lead Business Designer at Polymath Ventures, one of the roles I held was VP of Talent Acquisition for the venture studio and its portfolio of companies. One of my tasks was to hire a Director-level for the studio, which usually would take 5-6 months to close. I applied a product mindset on hiring: defining clearly who the target persona is, what they look for, and what our value proposition is for them – and then launched weekly experiments to test and iterate. This approach helped us open up to new profiles, channels, and offers – and with this, close the role in less than 6 weeks. I’m also happy to say, it was a mutual match: he’s still working for the company after 4 years!

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19. Kelsey Burnes

Describe yourself

A Marketing Leader experienced in a wide range of marketing functions including strategy creation, department management, lead generation, digital, events, content, communications, partnerships, and more. Expertise in demand generation/growth marketing and B2B SaaS start-ups (Seed – Series C/D). A forward-thinking, people-person with a passion for marketing strategy and helping companies grow.

In just one sentence, why do you want to become a growth mentor?

I have worked in building marketing programs for startups for 6+ years and would love to help others do the same.

In your words, what does a growth mindset mean to you?

Curiosity, agility, willingness to test. Challenge all assumptions.

If you could mentor a startup on one topic, what would it be?

Building out a robust demand generation engine from scratch, using the resources available to you. Including marketing operations, technology, digital marketing, content, events, partnerships, affiliates, and more.

Describe an out-of-the-box solution to a complex problem that made you proud of yourself.

Building consistent and successful go-to-market plans that hit new business pipelines, customer retention, and partnership targets at the same time. I jumped from Senior Manager of Marketing to VP of Marketing early on in my career due to these plans.

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20. Kelsey Lee

Describe yourself

Hi! I’m Kelsey, a London-based Product Manager with experience in operations, partnerships, and policy. In the last 10 years. I helped establish Facebook’s first global escalations team, aiding in rapid response to ongoing issues, and developed our company’s early verification policies on Facebook and Instagram. More recently I worked for Instagram building products for commerce ads.

In just one sentence, why do you want to become a growth mentor?

I want to help others (namely young professionals) grow and succeed as they navigate the tech world.

In your words, what does a growth mindset mean to you?

Growth mindset consists of two primary steps: 1) being open and reflective to change and learning, and 2) considering and acting on applying what you’ve learned to your career and life.

If you could mentor a startup on one topic, what would it be?

Staying resilient through change.

Describe an out-of-the-box solution to a complex problem that made you proud of yourself.

In my past role, I tended to be the person who helped rally others to figure out the answer. Getting on the phone. In all seriousness, sometimes the seemingly complex can be distilled into a clearer problem when you understand and can empathize with the person who knows the issue best. Once you have that relationship established, you can provide the perspective that allows you to develop a solution together.

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21. Lizabeth Murphy

Describe yourself

I’m Elizabeth Murphy, and I’m excited to share my journey with you. I studied Art Education and Psychology at Pratt Institute, where I discovered the fascinating connection between creativity and the human mind. My strong passion for special education, driven by my own experience with learning disabilities, led me to pursue a Master’s degree from Brooklyn College. Later on, I earned a PhD in Organizational Psychology from the University of Phoenix, where I delved into the study of human behavior in organizational settings.

For the past 15 years, I’ve been deeply involved in the world of NYC startups, serving as a Founder and COO, and contributing to their growth and success. Beyond my professional life, I have a deep love for animals, a passion for exploring different cuisines, and a unique way of expressing myself through fashion choices and ever-changing hair colors.

I’ve proudly called Brooklyn my home for two decades, and I hold dear the friendships I’ve cultivated here, which have become my cherished community.

In just one sentence, why do you want to become a growth mentor?

I want to become a mentor to share my extensive leadership and business experience, including 15 years in various roles and a Ph.D. in business management, to guide and support aspiring individuals, contribute to their success, and stay current in the field while leaving a lasting legacy in shaping future leaders.

In your words, what does a growth mindset mean to you?

Is all about believing that we can get better at things with practice and learning. It’s the idea that our abilities and smarts aren’t set in stone but can improve if we put in effort and bounce back from setbacks. Instead of thinking that failures mean we’re no good, it’s about seeing them as chances to learn and grow. Basically, it’s about staying open to the idea that with some hard work and a willingness to try new things, we can keep getting better and reach our goals, no matter what life throws at us.

If you could mentor a startup on one topic, what would it be?

Burnout

Describe an out-of-the-box solution to a complex problem that made you proud of yourself.

Running a company on an extremely tight budget for an extended period of time is a complex challenge that demands innovative thinking. In my experience, one “out of the box” solution that made me feel proud of my problem-solving abilities was implementing a co-working and resource-sharing model.

Instead of trying to cut costs by minimizing essential expenditures, we collaborated with other small businesses in our area that were facing similar financial constraints. We proposed the idea of sharing office space, utilities, and even certain personnel, such as administrative staff and IT support. This way, each company contributed a fraction of the expenses, significantly reducing our individual financial burdens.

To make this solution work effectively, we established clear agreements and schedules for resource sharing, ensuring that it didn’t disrupt our respective operations. Additionally, we leveraged digital tools and flexible work arrangements to maximize the efficiency of our shared resources.

Over the course of a decade, this innovative approach not only allowed us to survive on a shoestring budget but also fostered a sense of community and collaboration among the businesses involved. It demonstrated that even in the face of severe financial constraints, creative thinking and cooperation can lead to sustained success. Reflecting on this solution, I couldn’t help but think, “Damn, I’m pretty good!” It underscored the power of unconventional ideas in solving complex problems.

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22. Luc Lammers

Describe yourself

I’m a VP of Sales by day, and a proud dad full-time. I’ve been in sales for over 12 years and have been leading sales teams + scaling companies for more than 5 years.

I like to think I’m tech-savvy, a good communicator, and have a decent sense of humor. FYI: some friends and colleagues might disagree with the “humor” part, and that’s fine! 😄

In just one sentence, why do you want to become a growth mentor?

I’ve been successfully scaling sales teams and startups. I would love to share what I’ve learned with others.

In your words, what does a growth mindset mean to you?

The ongoing process of trying to become more knowledgeable every single day while – at the same time – contributing positively to others.

If you could mentor a startup on one topic, what would it be?

Scaling sales teams

Describe an out-of-the-box solution to a complex problem that made you proud of yourself.

Embarking on a mission to scale the company massively, we completely reshaped our 30-member sales team within a few weeks. Shifting from 15 SDRs and 15 Account Executives, we empowered all 30 to be Account Executives.

The SDRs who became Account Executives got a huge motivational boost because suddenly they could close leads themselves. It was seen as career development. Moreover, these new Account Executives had cold-calling in their DNA, so they were happy to do daily cold-calls to fill their pipelines. This also decreased the dependence on marketing to give every Account Executive enough leads to close.

Simultaneously, the older and seasoned Account Executives encountered competition from the new and hungry Junior Account Executives. Fueled by these new and highly motivated team members, the more senior Account Executives soared to greater heights after feeling the urge to prove themselves again.

Our unified approach supercharged efficiency, boosted revenue closing and bonded the team cohesively.

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23. Naman Nepal

Describe yourself

I’m Naman, an SEO expert with 10+ years of experience, specializing in executing performance and model-driven SEO strategies that generate leads and revenue, not just pageviews, for DTC eCommerce and SaaS companies. Fluent in the language of writers, developers, creatives, and executives, I’m adept at solving growth problems and bridging the gap between teams.

My approach to organic growth, marketing, and SEO is thoughtful, performance-driven, and rooted in my entrepreneurial spirit, combined with a creative and data-driven mindset. I excel at making sites easier to crawl and content easier to rank, bringing tangible results.

In just one sentence, why do you want to become a growth mentor?

Empower and accelerate startups by sharing my proven SEO expertise and ultimately helping them achieve their full growth potential.

In your words, what does a growth mindset mean to you?

To me, a growth mindset means embracing challenges, continuously learning, and adapting to change in order to foster personal and professional development, while maintaining an unwavering belief in one’s ability to evolve and overcome obstacles, ultimately driving success and innovation.

If you could mentor a startup on one topic, what would it be?

Results-driven SEO

Describe an out-of-the-box solution to a complex problem that made you proud of yourself.

There was a time when a client’s website was suffering from low organic traffic and poor search rankings despite having high-quality content. Traditional SEO techniques didn’t seem to make a significant impact, so I devised a comprehensive plan to leverage the power of link-building and content syndication platforms to amplify the website’s reach and visibility.

I identified and partnered with industry influencers and thought leaders to share and promote the website’s content. Additionally, I utilized content syndication platforms to repurpose and redistribute the content in various formats across multiple channels. This approach substantially increased organic traffic, improved search rankings, and ultimately, higher conversion rates.

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24. Renga Padmanabhan

Describe yourself

I have been building product, engineering, and design organizations for the past decade at Deloitte Digital and Nike. I also teach product and product marketing at a number of institutes like Pluralsight and CareerFoundry. Happy to give back to this community with the limited knowledge I have.

In just one sentence, why do you want to become a growth mentor?

I think of growth mentorship as an opportunity to give back to this wonderful GM community to share the little that I know about building and marketing products.

In your words, what does a growth mindset mean to you?

Be humble enough to know that you might not have all the answers, but have access to the people who do 🙂

If you could mentor a startup on one topic, what would it be?

Continuous learning

Describe an out-of-the-box solution to a complex problem that made you proud of yourself.

Every day at my work involves solving challenges. With humility, I think my biggest flex is I have gotten better at resisting the urge to go back to a day job and get better at building my network.

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25. Rhys Orwin

Describe yourself

I’m Rhys, I’m a problem solver. I know what to look for and where to look in order to answer the questions that have been holding you back.

Having spent over $100m on performance marketing and branding across my career I’ve made nearly every mistake and every discovery.

In just one sentence, why do you want to become a growth mentor?

I have been in the growth space for a long time and seen a lot of poor advice and know I can bring huge value to almost any business.

In your words, what does a growth mindset mean to you?

It means looking absolutely everywhere for impact opportunities. It means taking calculated risks and going against conventional wisdom if that’s where the data points.

If you could mentor a startup on one topic, what would it be?

Customer value and the pivotal role it must play in every area.

Describe an out-of-the-box solution to a complex problem that made you proud of yourself.

Found opportunities in a very high-performing, well-established user journey to increase average transaction value by 35%.

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26. Rob Winters

Describe yourself

Hey! I’m Rob, and I’ve been helping companies create value and understand their opportunities using data for more than 15 years. I love helping folks of all disciplines understand what effective use of insights, analytics, and data science can do for them.

In just one sentence, why do you want to become a growth mentor?

I have had the incredible fortune to learn what impact data can have on businesses, and I want to help new companies and ideas get the same opportunity.

In your words, what does a growth mindset mean to you?

It means constantly challenging your own understanding, your capabilities, and pushing to be better than you were before.

If you could mentor a startup on one topic, what would it be?

Analytics, because the majority of organizations I’ve met with see data as a tool for measurement, not leveraging it to make better choices.

Describe an out-of-the-box solution to a complex problem that made you proud of yourself.

I came up with a way to hack together various off-the-shelf components to build a functional and performant AI solution, cutting weeks off the expected development of the proof of concept.

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27. Santiago Tacoronte

Describe yourself

I am a problem solver with extensive experience in Data Analytics, Business Strategy, and Change management. I have worked for more than 15 years for Corporations and Startups. I have successfully implemented new business models and processes through data-driven insights.

In just one sentence, why do you want to become a growth mentor?

Mentoring is one of my passions.

In your words, what does a growth mindset mean to you?

A belief that one’s abilities, intelligence, and talents can be developed and improved through dedication, effort, and learning.

If you could mentor a startup on one topic, what would it be?

Productivity and Worklife balance.

Describe an out-of-the-box solution to a complex problem that made you proud of yourself.

I rarely think I am pretty good at something but I have solved some people’s career blockers quite efficiently.

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Interested in becoming a growth mentor?

What we’re looking for:

• Growth marketers, product managers, and designers, with extraordinary track records of success
• Inspirational founders that have “been there and done that.”
• Friendly people that take joy in helping other people.
• At least 5 years of demonstrable experience working in growth.
• GrowthMentor is a #givefirst platform. You should be cool with mentoring for free until you have three reviews.