BRAVO, Bravado, for matching me with the HOTTEST startup!๐Ÿ™Œ๐Ÿ™Œ๐Ÿ™Œ๐Ÿ‘๐Ÿ‘๐Ÿ‘

Hats off to the incredible Bravado team who worked their magic. Been interviewing left and right to get out of the hell hole I've been in for way too long, and escape it's silo'ed, rigid, ancient ways under arguably the most incompetent leadership.ย 

Somehow, even with an average of 5-7 in-mails a day from recruiters as a result of The Great Resignation, the incredible team at Bravado matched me with what appears is the perfect fit on both sides. While I always preach "never say never," I look forward to never being employed by a publicly traded company unless they are a rare gem that operates like a startup.ย 

Over the last year, I've reflected and asked myself where I've been happiest, where I will thrive and make the biggest mark, and one thing became apparent: Early stage startups that have brilliant, humble, transparent and forward-thinking leadership, a game-changing product that that I can be SO passionate about based on how it solves customers' challenges and creates a better future for them, and allows me the autonomy to get my job done, AND...VALUES MY INPUT! Say what?!?! ย I made a top 10 list of those early stage startups after identifying what criteria is critical to assess a startup's likelihood of crazy future growth, and Bravado introduced me to two of those that were on my list!

I just wrapped an awesome and fast process and ecstaticly accepted the offer๐Ÿ™Œ๐Ÿ™Œ๐Ÿ™Œ๐Ÿ™Œ๐Ÿ™Œ๐Ÿ™Œ, and just in time to leave all of the bad of 2021 IN 2021, and crush life in 2022. Coming in as their second Sales hire, the opportunity is BONKERS. The ability to help build and shape all aspects of the company gives me chills. Cloud 9 baby.ย 

THANK YOU to the amazing team @Bravado๐Ÿ™Œ๐Ÿ’ช๐Ÿ‘Š.

To my fellow salespeople, Sahil and his team know which startups to watch, the ones that will explode. If you're even 1/8 as miserable as I was navigating corporate bullshit and politics, TAKE THE CHANCE. It will be the best learning experience, and the most fulfilling career move you'll make.ย 

#2022, ready or not, here I come๐Ÿ’ช๐Ÿ’ช๐Ÿ’ช๐Ÿ’ช๐Ÿ’ช๐Ÿ’ฐ๐Ÿ’ฐ๐Ÿ’ฐ๐Ÿ’ฐ๐Ÿ’ฐ
๐Ÿš€ Career Goals
๐Ÿค Interviewing/Offer
โ˜๏ธ Software Tech
46
poweredbycaffeine
WR Lieutenant
7
โ˜•๏ธ
YOU CAN FEEL IT IN THE AIR! OPPORTUNITY IS HERE!
SaaSBossLady
Catalyst
0
Senior Enterprise Account Executive
Sure is baby!
CuriousFox
WR Officer
6
๐ŸฆŠ
Congrats and good luck!
SaaSBossLady
Catalyst
1
Senior Enterprise Account Executive
Thanks fox!
Sunbunny31
Politicker
5
Sr Sales Executive ๐Ÿฐ
Congratulations!ย  ย That sounds like a great fit for you.ย  I can feel the happiness and excitement jumping off the page.ย  I hope you have a fantastic 2022!
SaaSBossLady
Catalyst
2
Senior Enterprise Account Executive
Itโ€™s as if youโ€™re in the room with me! Wishing you the same!
Rallier
Politicker
4
SDR Manager and Consultant
Oh shit good work!
SaaSBossLady
Catalyst
0
Senior Enterprise Account Executive
Thank youuuu, @Rallier ๐Ÿ™Œ
GeneralCorp
Notable Contributor
4
General of The War Room
Is this what a warm feeling in your soul feels like?
SaaSBossLady
Catalyst
1
Senior Enterprise Account Executive
If it doesnโ€™t, I donโ€™t know what does๐Ÿคท๐Ÿปโ€โ™€๏ธ
Beans
Big Shot
3
Enterprise Account Executive
Congrats!
SaaSBossLady
Catalyst
0
Senior Enterprise Account Executive
Thanks @Beans !!!
1nbatopshotfan
Politicker
3
Sales
Congrats!ย 
SaaSBossLady
Catalyst
1
Senior Enterprise Account Executive
Fanks @1nbatopshotfan ๐Ÿ˜ƒ
funcoupons
WR Officer
2
๐Ÿ‘‘
SaaSBossLady
Catalyst
0
Senior Enterprise Account Executive
Thank you, thank you!
SaaSBossLady
Catalyst
2
Senior Enterprise Account Executive
@Sunbunny31 itโ€™s like you were in the room with me when I wrote that!
Sunbunny31
Politicker
0
Sr Sales Executive ๐Ÿฐ
LOL, tossing in all those exclamation points.ย  :)ย  ย Super exciting.
SaaSBossLady
Catalyst
1
Senior Enterprise Account Executive
This app๐Ÿคฆ๐Ÿปโ€โ™€๏ธ, sorry for the repeated comment
Sunbunny31
Politicker
0
Sr Sales Executive ๐Ÿฐ
There are definitely issues!ย  ย It happens.ย  ย Still happy for you!
Incognito
WR Officer
2
Master of Disaster
Hereโ€™s my Christmas gift to you:ย 

Good job!

Not even bringing up your old shitty posts.ย 

Oops. Guess Iโ€™m on the naughty list. Again.ย 
SaaSBossLady
Catalyst
0
Senior Enterprise Account Executive
Nah, Iโ€™m in a very forgiving spirit this week. Talk alllll the shit you want; all ears! A Christmas gift? I didnโ€™t know everyone celebrated Christmas!
SaaSsy
Politicker
2
AE
Congrats! Similar story over here so cheers to us in the startup world for a great 2022 ๐Ÿฅ‚
SaaSBossLady
Catalyst
0
Senior Enterprise Account Executive
YESSSSSSSS๐Ÿ™Œ๐Ÿ™Œ๐Ÿ™Œ, coincidence on our similar names? Go US๐Ÿ’ช๐Ÿ‘Š
amyhyoung
Politicker
1
Vp ops
congrats!!! I can feel your energy and passion coming through the screen! love itt
SaaSBossLady
Catalyst
1
Senior Enterprise Account Executive
Mission accomplished! Thanks for feeling that!
SaaSBossLady
Catalyst
1
Senior Enterprise Account Executive
Bless your soul!!!
Diablo
Politicker
1
Sr. AE
Woh that is great news! Have an awesome 2022
SaaSBossLady
Catalyst
0
Senior Enterprise Account Executive
Back at you! ๐Ÿ‘Š
SaaSyBee
Politicker
1
Founder
Ahh! Congrats!ย 
SaaSBossLady
Catalyst
0
Senior Enterprise Account Executive
๐Ÿ˜Š, thanks!
Wellss
Tycoon
1
Channel sales
Love a good success story! Congrats!
SaaSBossLady
Catalyst
0
Senior Enterprise Account Executive
Thanks Wellsssssss๐Ÿ˜ƒ
jefe
Arsonist
1
๐Ÿ
Great to hear, congrats @SaaSBossLadyย !!!
SaaSBossLady
Catalyst
1
Senior Enterprise Account Executive
Thanks, BossJefe!
queenops
Opinionated
1
Maker of Sales
Congrats to you @SaaSBossLady! This is amazing!
SaaSBossLady
Catalyst
1
Senior Enterprise Account Executive
Thanks QUEEN๐Ÿ™Œ๐Ÿ™Œ
GATSBY96
Executive
0
Closer
LFG!!!!
SaaSBossLady
Catalyst
1
Senior Enterprise Account Executive
๐Ÿ’ต๐Ÿ’ช๐Ÿ‘Š. Thanks Gatsby!
caS2ie
Good Citizen
0
All things people
That's awesome! Congrats!!
SaaSBossLady
Catalyst
0
Senior Enterprise Account Executive
Thank you, thank you!
YOTPO
Fire Starter
0
Account Executive
Noice!!! Congrats and best of luck in the new venture!

SaaSBossLady
Catalyst
0
Senior Enterprise Account Executive
Pumped. Thanks and wishing you the best!
RevenueArchitect
Executive
0
EVP Revenue
That's awesome - congrats and good luck!! How about sharing that Top 10 list?? :)
SaaSBossLady
Catalyst
0
Senior Enterprise Account Executive
Very similar to the one Sahil gave a shout out to on LinkedIn a while back. Wisely, MetaData, ClickUp (which I personally no longer recommend), and the one I chose were all the same as the ones he praised (donโ€™t quote me on ClickUp, not sure if he mentioned that one). Oh, Hopinโ€™, although the pay was wayyy too off + for me personally, I only would have wanted it earlier stage. Theyโ€™re already too big for my liking.
youngbuckaroo
Politicker
0
Sales Development Representative
Awesome! Congratulations @SaaSBossLady is it a cybersecurity company by any chance?
SaaSBossLady
Catalyst
0
Senior Enterprise Account Executive
Wondering if we landed the same gig? ๐Ÿ˜‰. That would be amazing. Itโ€™s not cybersecurity, but that is a VERY HOT space to play in and strongly recommend those startups addressing these increasing challenges. This is more AI-focused to help streamline a wide array of business operations.
LordOfWar
Tycoon
0
Blow it up
Warms the cockles of my heart to see our sales fam finding new loving homes.

Best of luck in 2022!
SaaSBossLady
Catalyst
1
Senior Enterprise Account Executive
Especially when this member of the fam just escaped what Iโ€™d describe as a torture chamber. WORST COMPANY EVER, maybe?! And ty!
LordOfWar
Tycoon
1
Blow it up
Glad you've found greener pastures friend. I've worked for some shit companies and it is soul sucking.ย 
SaaSBossLady
Catalyst
1
Senior Enterprise Account Executive
Soul sucking, nailed it.
phantom
0
Admin
Congrats!!
SaaSBossLady
Catalyst
0
Senior Enterprise Account Executive
Thanks ๐Ÿฅ‚
Upper_Class_SaaS
Politicker
0
Account Executive
Glad to hear it works, congrats! What was the process like for you?
SaaSBossLady
Catalyst
2
Senior Enterprise Account Executive
Sure does work! Had 2 awesome Bravado folks text me when either the startup indicated interest in me based on my profile, OR, theyโ€™d be proactive and run me by a startup they thought might be a good fit. So theyโ€™d text me and say โ€œmind if I intro you to X @ X company?โ€ Then theyโ€™d email the hiring managers with me ccโ€™d, & we would take it from there, and keep whoever made the intro ccโ€™d throughout.
There were two opps: First one was great at first glance, and spoke to three people, with the fourth call with a very highly esteemed employee like Iโ€™ve never seen. The three I interviewed w prior said โ€œwelp, as long as you pass the {NAME} test.โ€ So I had to โ€œpass that employeeโ€™s test,โ€ which I didnโ€™t. It was clear this โ€œemployee of the centuryโ€ had no clue going in who I was or even had my resume, and was 5 min late which I wouldnโ€™t have cared about if he at least knew some context. I read up on him so much I had 12 pages of notes. Hiring manager didnโ€™t even give me a reason, just the annoying as f โ€œdecided not to move forward.โ€ Which after that, I obviously lost interest.
The one who set me up with this company was unbelievably amazing and so apologetic, to which I told her she had no way of knowing and has nothing to be sorry for. These were quick, 30 min calls, so it wasnโ€™t a huge investment of time. *These startups move super fast bc you typically go straight to the decision makers as opposed to recruiters and all that BS. *
So she finds another one that looked awesome, so I gladly accepted an intro. I think there were a total of 4 calls, and of the seemingly hundreds of interviews I went through over the last few months, they were the most accommodating and legit when they said they move fast. They also knew I had another offer towards the end so they sped through. Awesome and seamless and very human interview process.
Also worth noting: Sahil was so great; heโ€™d text / call me & it was clear he was in the know about everything. He was objective too. You can just tell the team has A+ communication.
I donโ€™t think itโ€™s a coincidence that given the amount of opps I vetted and interviewed for, I landed and chose the second one they graciously threw my way.
Pay and other aspects of offer were also insanely good compared to the others. Sometimes Iโ€™m used to taking a cut bc startups lack resources when they are so early stage, but not the case with these that work w Bravado. So if youโ€™re unhappy, get after it, bc they are paying the big bucks and then some to get you, especially now. Hope this helps!!
Upper_Class_SaaS
Politicker
1
Account Executive
Super detailed and helpful
Dogfather_Dan
Valued Contributor
0
Deal closer
Congratulations!ย 
SaaSBossLady
Catalyst
0
Senior Enterprise Account Executive
Thanks!
Dogfather_Dan
Valued Contributor
0
Deal closer
I wish you the most success in 2022 @SaaSBossLady! I hope to be able to follow in your footsteps and share a similar story in the near future.
SaaSBossLady
Catalyst
0
Senior Enterprise Account Executive
I have no doubt you will, @Dogfather_Dan! If I can help in any way, donโ€™t hesitate!
Dogfather_Dan
Valued Contributor
0
Deal closer
Is there any chance you'd be open to connecting for 5-10 minutes? I'd love to connect to hear more about your journey in SaaS sales and if nothing else to network for the futureย =)
SaaSBossLady
Catalyst
0
Senior Enterprise Account Executive
You bet! How do we connect anonymously๐Ÿ˜‚?
Dogfather_Dan
Valued Contributor
0
Deal closer
Haha, easy...we just need to get the same mask from Money Heist or V for Vendetta (choice is yours) for a video call and boom half the work is done for us right there! ๐Ÿ˜‚
bandabanda
Tycoon
0
Senior AE Mid Market
@SaaSBossLadyย I'm extremely late to the game, but this is incredible. Congrats!

That middle stage re: early stage startups - I'm similar. I'd love to know the criteria you assessed will make a startup successful?
ppg
Catalyst
0
All around good guy
Hey, what's it like 6 months later?ย  Thanks
SaaSBossLady
Catalyst
0
Senior Enterprise Account Executive
Iโ€™m SO sorry for the insanely delayed response. Full transparency, everything was going amazingly well. It was exactly as they depicted. I broke the golden rule and burned bridges. A month into working there, my previous dream job with an incredible leadership team that went to bat for me like no one ever has for 2.5 years but couldnโ€™t escape the risk of me coming from a competitor even though it had been over a year, due to an intense hatred between the CEOs, reached out. They said they finally could make it work and I said I just canโ€™t do that, that it didnโ€™t feel right and that I tried to wait around for them for too long. I was eventually persuaded, and had to make a very difficult decision, but ultimately put myself first for the first time. I handled it as humbly and apologetically as I could.

Turns out, it was the best decision. Not even a month after, my (now former) direct was axed. He was a HUGE reason I joined the startup in the first place. And what he told me, despite knowing thereโ€™s three sides to every story, was pretty fucked up, so I feel like I escape a bad situation.

In a weird place these days with companies & my career. Iโ€™m happy where I'm at, but feel increasingly cynical about corporate America. Need more โ€˜people over profitโ€™ orgs. Hope that changes.