Matt Lerner

Startup growth strategist, Ex PayPal, 500 Startups VC, Founder @ SYSTM

I founded SYSTM to help startups find their big growth levers - the small actions that can have the biggest impact on their growth. We’ve worked with over 200 companies and earned a 96% founder “likely to recommend” score.

Before founding SYSTM, I was the London-based Partner of 500 Startups, an early-stage VC fund, where I built and ran an accelerator seed-stage growth program for our portfolio companies.

Prior to joining 500 Startups, I worked for many years building and managing growth teams for three  startups (two disasters, one exit), and later at PayPal. 

I approach my work first as a general manager and then as a marketer, product manager or both, as needed. My lens is quantitative, but rooted in deep customer insights and testing, and based on fast iteration. I’m always learning, and I really enjoy teaching and helping those around me to learn and improve. Skip to the references below, you'll see that I'm regarded as a thought leader in many areas of business, and an inspiring people manager who reliably delivers ahead of expectations.

Founder & CEO

At SYSTM (formerly Startup Core Strengths), our mission is to help early-stage startups find their big growth levers (and pull them). We've noticed that great startups don't waste time on small stuff, so we  focus everyone on the most impactful work.

First Round Capital

Leading our editorial efforts, including the First Round Review, a long-form online magazine dedicated to sharing untapped knowledge and incredible insights that can transform the way people build companies.

Editorial

Writer

Evernote

Wrote some words, working on everything from longer-form blog posts and Medium articles to campaign concepts and email newsletters to tiny bits of copy for social channels and web pages.

Marketing Copywriter

McChrystal Group

• Ghostwrote bylined articles for firm’s senior leaders, (appearing in HBR.org, Inc, Fortune, Entrepreneur)
• Managed content marketing editorial calendar, drafting and editing posts for LinkedIn and Medium
• Developed brochures and in-depth white papers to assist in the sales process
• Managed firm’s social media presence (LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook); new initiatives led to increased engagement and +4500 new followers; ran advertising campaigns
• Wrote speeches/keynote presentations for senior leaders
• Rewrote website copy, gaining WordPress and basic HTML/CSS experience

Marketing Associate/Staff Writer

Researcher, writer, and editor on General McChrystal’s 2015 New York Times bestseller, Team of Teams: New Rules of Engagement for a Complex World

• Wrote sections of copy, conducted and synthesized research on various topics
• Edited and fact-checked entire manuscript, creating robust end-notes section and adhering to Chicago Manual of Style
• Coordinated with publishers on final pass efforts, including copyediting, layouts and cover design, logistics
• Assisted in publicity planning, talking points, media training, media tour, social media campaigns

Research/Writing Assistant

U.S. Department of Commerce

•Interned in the office of Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Office of Europe and Eurasia, in the International Trade Administration’s Market Access and Compliance division.

Intern - Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Office of Europe and Eurasia

U.S. Department of State

Interned at US Consulate in St. Petersburg, Russia while studying abroad.

Public Affairs Intern

U.S. House of Representatives

Interned for Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz.

Legislative Intern

Interned at US Embassy in Budapest, Hungary.

Political/Economics Intern

Editorial at First Round Capital

Storyteller with extensive experience in communications and content. Whether it's writing long-form profiles, ghostwriting, interviewing, editing, comms and messaging, or social media management, I've spent my career helping tech companies, executives, and leaders tell their stories.

taplio

The Battle

Matt Lerner

Jessi Craige Shikman

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?