☀️ Yara A.

Cedar Rose

•	Writing the new cedar-rose website: www.cedar-rose.com 
•	Developing clear compelling copy for articles, brochures, video scripts, podcast scripts, internal newsletters. Samples available at www.yarawriting.com
•   Ghostwriting CEO's newsletter
•	Collaborating with the product managers, sales director, and the designer to understand project requirements and convey aligned messaging.
•	Editing and proofreading content for clarity, accuracy, and brand consistency

Bilingual Copywriter

Brand30

Member

eMcREY

• Developing, maintaining, and publishing Manuals for 20+ Apex & Cortex card & token management digital payment solutions. 
• Writing 50+ Arabic manuals as part of the ITAP project. 
• Translating & editing documents & presentations from English to Arabic & vice versa. 
• Maintaining & uploading all documents to Confluence.
• Coordinating with engineers for quality documentation.

B2B Content Writer 

Self-Employed

• Written web copy for solopreneurs: 
Sample ( after Publishing) : https://www.paseo.consulting/

• Written educational guide at the link: https://t.ly/WkGWv

• Contributed to different magazines like: Cloud961 magazine, the first digital magazine in Lebanon, 
as well as other magazines like Raseef22.net, and Responsible Business magazine.

• Served as VP for Community at JCI Beirut, whereby I played a major role in devising the After 
School What’s up? Fair, a project whose main aim revolved around helping 2000 students figure
out their future career. It involved the following stakeholders: 22 university representatives, 8 
NGOs, 5 UN agencies, 5 private companies, 5 entrepreneurs and 1 bank. 

• Devised and led the one day "Marketing Hackathon”. It involved selecting 30 students from diverse 
universities to work on solving four entrepreneurs’ marketing challenges. Its main aim consisted of 
bridging the gap between theoretical and real-life knowledge in marketing. It was so successful, 
that it was repeated twice, once in 2016 at Berytech, and another time at AUST University in 2017. 

• Served as Secretary General at JCI Beirut, whereby I brought in 2 new partners and mediated with 
the UN information center for 5 projects.

Freelance Writer

American University of Beirut

•	Researched, analyzed, and documented how well 10 banks were doing on social media and whether their marketing strategy was effective.

•	Analyzed Bank’s social media efforts using Twitonomy, Followerwonk, and other free social media analytics tools

•	Wrote the test key and corrected students’ social media analytics assignments for Marketing 227: “Social Media in Digital Business”.

Graduate Assistant/ Research Assistant

Medicals International

•	Increased Sales by 70% as a medical sales representative 

•	Introduced 12 ophthalmic doctors to INTACs and ICL surgical products through cold sales calls, one on one training sessions, and seminars. 

•	Monitored and trained Doctors through surgeries to ensure success.

Medical Sales Representative

Beirut Evangelical School for Girls & Boys, Rabieh

•	Taught English to seventh, eighth, and ninth graders

•	Utilized Prentice Hall Series in Grammar and Literature.

Middle School English Substitute Teacher

B2B Clarity Wordsmith l Content & Copy for B2B SaaS l MarTech, HR, Edtech l Speak your clients' language

🌟Whether you wish to admit it or not, too much technical jargon ends up killing your marketing efforts.

Rather than showcase your “know-how”, it hides the real meaning behind your brand, and makes it harder to make your offer stand out. 

Strong brands don't need to ramble on. 

They speak using clear concise words. 
This makes it easy for people to understand what they do, what they care about, and how they can help. 

That's where I come in:

🖋️ I help you write clear, concise writing that connects with your audience, educates them, and compels them to take action. 
By weaving all your system's intricacies – tips, notes, warnings, exceptions, and platform variations – into clear and helpful content, I prevent it from becoming an overwhelming mess. 

🎓 My 6+ years of experience  crafting user guides at eMcREY, coupled with my previous roles as an educator, medical sales representative, and graduate research assistant, equip me with the skills needed to bridge complex information gaps.

Both teaching and medical sales require a high degree of adaptability and learning agility. As a teacher, I had to adjust my teaching methods to my individual student needs, and as a medical representative, and full-time "How-to" writer, I had to learn quickly, decipher complexity, and pay attention to detail. 

This translates to an ability to adapt my writing style and approach to your specific requirements. 

What I offer: 
 
🌐 Web copy 
📝 Short & Long-form blog posts
📚 How-to Guides
📂 Case studies
✍️ Translating, editing & proofreading

What clients say: 

🔥Yara took my unorganized thoughts and expertise and crafted impactful services with unwavering attention to detail.

🔥She simplified complex ideas into engaging content, exceeding expectations with her attention to detail and unwavering dedication.

If you want to stop losing clients due to complex jargon, DM  me your questions, or book an appointment. 

We'll discuss how I can help your brand connect with your audience and achieve your goals.

𝗠𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘃𝘀. 𝗖𝗼𝗽𝘆𝘄𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴: 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁'𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗗𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲? 

Many teams treat messaging and copywriting like they’re interchangeable they’re not.

Diane Wiredu, messaging expert and founder of Lion Words, explains the distinction clearly: 𝘮𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘢𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘴𝘢𝘺 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘥𝘶𝘤𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘪𝘤𝘦𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘱𝘺𝘸𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘴 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘴𝘢𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵. 

Here’s the breakdown:

🧱 Messaging
– Defines what you stand for
– Clarifies who you're speaking to
– Shapes the overall narrative and positioning

✍️ Copywriting
– Brings the messaging to life
– Adapts it for emails, websites, and ads
– Uses tone, structure, and storytelling to drive action

If your marketing isn’t converting, it may not be the copy.
It might be that the message behind it isn’t clear enough.

Before adjusting your words, revisit the strategy behind them.

#Messaging #Copywriting #ExitFive #DianeWiredu #B2BMarketing #ContentStrategy #MarketingTips

Yara Abboud

B2B SaaS Content Specialist | HRTech & FinTech | Turning Complex Messaging into Buyer Ready Content | DM for a Free Copy Audit

Most brands don’t need bigger ideas. They need one idea people remember.

In categories where nearly everyone sounds alike, the easiest way to stand out is to repeat one message until your market connects it to you automatically.

A clear example is Slack.

Their message has been the same for years:
👉 “Where work happens.”

That line shows up everywhere:

 • Homepage

 • Product explanations

 • Ads

 • Customer stories

It creates a simple association. 
If you want a place where teams get work done, you think Slack.
They avoid long lists of features and stay focused on a single theme people can recall without effort.

For marketers and founders, this is a practical reminder.
You do not need to cover everything your product offers. 
You need one message that captures what you want to be known for, then reinforce it until it sticks.

 The Key Takeaway:
 Clarity and consistency beat volume every time.

What message do you want people to associate with your brand the moment they hear your name?

#B2BMarketing #SaaSMarketing #BrandStrategy
#Positioning #Messaging #GoToMarket #MarketingLeadership
#FounderLife #GrowthMarketing #MarketingTips #ContentStrategy
#DemandGen #ProductMarketing #MarketingMindset #BrandBuilding

B2B SaaS Content/Copywriter | I help HR Tech & FinTech companies turn complex messaging into buyer - ready content | Case Studies, Guides & Blog Posts

One message remembered is worth more than ten ignored messages.

Good writing does not start with words.
It starts with decisions.

Before any content is created, you must know:
• The single idea you want to land
• The outcome you want the buyer to see
• The problem you solve
• The stage of the journey
• The pain the reader already feels

This is why writing without clarity creates chaos.
You do the work twice.
Teams disagree.
Content gets rewritten.

Content strategy is not about producing more.
It is about producing with intention.

You know that feeling when you’ve written the same article twice because the direction kept changing?

Welcome to the content loop.

1️⃣ They make you repeat it because they weren’t clear about direction.
2️⃣ Everyone has something to say.

 The designer wants it shorter.
 The product manager wants their “product” words.
 The sales manager says, “Make it simpler.”
 Someone else says: “Make it longer and more technical.”
 Yes — you’re fed up.

 So you create a content brief to get things right from the start…
 but no one follows it.

That’s when you realise —
the only way out is to ask the right questions. 👇

1. Purpose: Why are we writing this, and what do we want the reader to gain?
 2. Topic & Angle: What are we talking about, and from which perspective?
 3. Audience: Who are we speaking to, and what do they need or struggle with?
 4. Benefits: How will this piece actually help them?
 5. Action: What do we want them to do or think differently?
 6. Vision: In an ideal world, how will this be better or solved?
 7. Delivery: What’s the best format — blog, video, or infographic — and where will it live?
 8. Extras: Tone, style, and any specifics that matter.

That’s it.

 A clear set of questions beats a messy brief every time.

Finding yourself involves losing old places, old jobs, even opportunities that do not align with who you re becoming. 

In the process, you shock yourself as well as those around you. Outwardly you sometimes still think you re the same person, though inwardly you know something has shifted. 

It’s this shift that shocks you and you find yourself saying no to anything that does not align with your internal compass. 

It may not make sense to anyone, but somehow it makes sense to you. 

You refuse what looks good on paper and prioritize what feels right in your gut.

Your post just hit 10,000 impressions and 200 likes.

Your sales calendar? Still empty.
This is the engagement trap.

I interviewed 12 SaaS founders and marketing leaders to understand why content attracts reactions but not revenue.

Here's what they told me:

→ Viral posts bring visibility, but rarely bring buyers 
→ Motivational content collects applause, not interest 
→ "Fans engage publicly. Customers lurk silently"

The gap between viral content and booked meetings isn't about posting less.
It's about understanding what qualified buyers actually need to hear before they'll book a call.

I wrote about their insights on the mistakes that kill conversion and the messaging approaches that actually work.

#SaaSMarketing #B2BContent #ContentStrategy #LeadGeneration #SalesEnablement

What separates content that earns reactions from content that drives pipeline? Your LinkedIn post just hit 10,000 impressions and 200 likes, but your 

Open article: The Engagement Trap: SaaS Content That Gets Likes but No Sales Calls by Yara Abboud • 6 min read

The Engagement Trap: SaaS Content That Gets Likes but No Sales Calls

We often think, “More content = more leads.”
Actually, for B2B SaaS it’s often the opposite: 𝘓𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘱𝘴 𝘣𝘶𝘺𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘥𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘥𝘦 𝘧𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳.

Here’s the research:
• 76% of B2B marketers say content marketing helped generate demand/leads in the past year. (theinsightcollective.com) 

• Yet, decision-makers still consume on average just 3–5 pieces of content before engaging. ( The CMO) 

So the volume is high, but the quantity that matters is small, targeted, clear.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝗻𝘀:

When you publish dozens of long articles, webinars, and asset downloads without a clear message, your buyer gets stuck. They read, skim, get uncertain, and drop-off. 

When you instead publish fewer pieces, each with a clear value proposition, a simple message, and a direct path to next step, the buyer says: “Ah, I get it.” 

𝗥𝗲𝘀𝘂𝗹𝘁:
By using less content and making each piece sharper you speed up the funnel, reduce wasted effort, and increase conversions.

Is your white paper doing more harm than good?

Gordon Graham analysed what he calls the worst white paper ever and found eight major practices that collapse credibility:

 • Boring or misleading title : promises one thing, delivers another
 • Wrong length : too short (or too long) to make an argument
 • Poor design or typography : dense layout, hard to read
 • Missing or poor illustrations : visuals absent when expected
 • Too much hype and too little proof : big claims, zero data
 • Sales pitch in disguise : reads like a brochure, not an insight
 • Weak flow of ideas : lacks logical thread or narrative
 • Unprofessional writing : jargon, fluff and unclear tone

Avoiding these mistakes puts your white paper in the top half of performance. 

A truly effective paper focuses on the buyer problem, follows structure, is readable and backed by proof.

Which of these eight practices will you fix first in your next white paper?

Is your white paper doing more harm than good?

𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗿𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝘂𝘁, 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗼𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝗶𝘁 𝘄𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴.

Wynter's data found that when messaging broke down, marketing leaders pointed to the same themes again and again.

𝟭. 𝗕𝘂𝘇𝘇𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗱𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝗻 𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 (𝟭𝟴 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗰𝗲𝗻𝘁)
Internal or trending phrases slip into public messaging.
If customers need to translate a term, the message fails.

𝟮. 𝗢𝘂𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝘀𝘆𝗻𝗰 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗰𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗿 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 (𝟭𝟰 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗰𝗲𝗻𝘁)
Teams focus on features instead of the problem.
Buyers need clarity on the pain before they care about how the product works.

𝟯. 𝗚𝗿𝗼𝘄𝘁𝗵 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗮 𝗺𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘂𝗽𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲 (𝟭𝟰 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗰𝗲𝗻𝘁)
The product evolves, but the story does not.
Important capabilities stay hidden, pages fall out of sync, and buyers lose the thread.

So what do the few strong brands do?

 • 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘥𝘦𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘤𝘭𝘢𝘪𝘮.
 • 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘱𝘪𝘤𝘬 𝘢 𝘤𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘱𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘪𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘪𝘵.
 • 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘬 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘤𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘬.
 • 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘬𝘦𝘦𝘱 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘮𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘢𝘨𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘺 𝘢𝘤𝘳𝘰𝘴𝘴 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘯𝘦𝘭.
 • 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘬 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘭, 𝘤𝘭𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘺, 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘵 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘢𝘨𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨.

For the reasons companies play it safe, check the comments.

Meanwhile, which of these three mistakes shows up most in your category?

#B2BMarketing #BrandBuilding #ContentStrategy #SaaSMarketing #Messaging #GoToMarket #MarketingLeadership

Even a brilliant strategy will fail if your teams are not perfectly aligned behind it.

Strong alignment between sales and marketing is more than a nice-to-have, it drives revenue. Organizations with tight alignment achieve up to 208% higher marketing-sourced revenue compared with those misaligned. (𝘚𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘤𝘦: /𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘢𝘥𝘰.𝘪𝘰) 

Yet many companies stumble because their messages diverge: the website promises X, sales outreach says Y, and case studies whisper Z. 

𝘍𝘰𝘳 𝘦𝘹𝘢𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘉2𝘉 𝘚𝘢𝘢𝘚 𝘣𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘤𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘷𝘢𝘭𝘶𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘤𝘪𝘳𝘤𝘶𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘤𝘳𝘰𝘴𝘴 𝘳𝘦𝘨𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘮𝘴. 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘧𝘪𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘢𝘨𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘷𝘢𝘭𝘶𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯, 𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘰𝘳𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘲𝘶𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘧𝘪𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘥𝘪𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘢𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘴. 

-> The immediate effect: clear-er content, quicker decision cycles, more trust.

Your value proposition should answer this: 
“𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘲𝘶𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘧𝘪𝘵 𝘥𝘰 𝘸𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘰 𝘸𝘩𝘰𝘮, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘩𝘺 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘱𝘪𝘤𝘬 𝘶𝘴?” 

Universal shared language across teams makes that possible.
Alignment is not simply about workflow. 
It is the bedrock for a clear and consistent message to your market.

𝗣𝗹𝗮𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝘁 𝘀𝗮𝗳𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗼𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗰𝗸𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗼𝗿𝗲𝗱.

In markets filled with look-alike products, “different” isn’t a gamble.
It’s the only route to being remembered.

Yet most companies stay generic.
According to Wynter.com, here’s why:

𝟭. 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗱 𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 (𝟯𝟲 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗰𝗲𝗻𝘁)
“Buyers want familiar choices, so let’s not rock the boat.”
This assumption pushes teams toward safe, forgettable messaging.

𝟮. 𝗪𝗲𝗮𝗸 𝗱𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 (𝟮𝟲 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗰𝗲𝗻𝘁)
When products feel similar, teams rely on polished lines that sound good but say little.
This is exactly when voice becomes the separator.

𝟯. 𝗖𝗼𝗽𝘆𝗰𝗮𝘁 𝗯𝗲𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗼𝗿 (𝟮𝟬 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗰𝗲𝗻𝘁)
Everyone monitors competitors, so the category repeats the same language again and again.

𝟰. 𝗨𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗱 (𝟭𝟴 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗰𝗲𝗻𝘁)
Brand is treated like design updates instead of a shared direction.
Without a strong center, every team writes its own version of the story.

Which of these four patterns do you see most often?

#B2BMarketing #BrandStrategy #SaaSMarketing #Messaging #Positioning #MarketingLeadership #FounderLife #BrandBuilding

Andy Mewborn

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Founder & Customer Support

Taplio

Co-Founder

Outreach

Enterprise Sales

Sales Engineering Lead

Scaled the early success team to 14 people.

Manager - Customer Success

Early Employee.
Specialties: Data Sync, API, Onboarding, Platform Integrations, Partner Ecosystem

Product 

Start-Up Chile

Our team was selected for Generation 11 of Start-Up Chile (the YC of South America). We provided solar energy services and installed solar power systems.

Gridlee - Co-founder & Sales

Progress Chef

Sales Development Representative

Muhuru Bay Community Microgrid Project

Designed 3kW off-grid power system
Modeled renewable energy resources at remote site
Implemented system in Kenya
Tested and installed 11-channel GSM telemetry system

Electrical Engineer

Seattle City Light

Power Systems Engineer

Distribute.so

I use to be young & cool. Now I do b2b SaaS. 

Husband. Dad. Ironman. Pilot. Taco lover. 

Founder of Distribute // Co-founder of Taplio (acq. by Lemlist) // Early @ Outreach.io.

Creator

A community of over 4,000+ B2B professionals growing together on Linkedin.

• "Brand30 absolutely did wonders for my business." -Maritha Koortzen

• "Brand30 changed the trajectory of my life...To say it’s opening doors for me is an understatement" - Amanda Stern

• "Brand30 provided the group accountability and expert advice I needed to more than double my LinkedIn engagement in just one month" 

🚀 Start Building An Audience Of Potential Buyers On LinkedIn In 30 Days👇

• https://www.brand30.io/

8 months ago, we had 0 users. Today, Distribute.so has 15,000+ users. I’ve helped build a $250M company before, but this feels different.

Building a startup is glamorized on social media. But the reality is messy. Here are the 7 ugly truths about building fast in 2025 that nobody talks about:

1. Hitting a wall is normal 
I've been stuck at revenue plateaus multiple times. It feels terrible. But you can get moving again if you don't freeze.

2. You will mess up 
I've hired the wrong people. I've built the wrong features. I've spent money on things I didn't need. It's part of the game.

3. People will copy you 
We just beat 4 competitors for a deal. They are going to look at our product and copy it. Let them. By the time they copy us, we will be onto the next thing.

4. Saying "No" is painful 
To close those 18 killer logos, we had to say "no" to hundreds of other ideas. It hurts to say no to customers. But if you try to please everyone, you please no one.

5. Cash flow is everything 
It doesn't matter how cool your idea is. If you run out of money, you die. We watch every dollar.

6. It takes longer than you think 
People overestimate what they can do in a year. And underestimate what they can do in a decade. We are playing the long game.

7. Just start 
Every successful founder started with nothing. No revenue. No customers. No audience. The only difference is they didn't quit.

I’m documenting the whole ride here. The wins. The losses. And the lessons.

Follow along if you want to see how we get to the next level. Just keep building.

Andrew Mewborn

Click my profile, get a free taco 🌮 (also I automate your follow-ups)

7 ugly truths about building fast in 2025

Everyone told me I was crazy. "You can't sell to Enterprise logos without a massive sales team." "You can't be Product-Led and Sales-Led at the same time."

I disagreed. We have 15,000+ users on our self-serve app. But we also just closed 18 massive killer logos in 3 months.

Here is the 7-step playbook we used to move upmarket without losing our soul:

1. We stayed lean intentionally 
Most founders hire 10 reps the moment they get traction. We didn't. We used our own product to handle the volume.

2. We looked at our own backyard 
We didn't buy cold lists. We looked at our 15,000 free users. We found the ones who were using the product every day. Then we asked them: "Who is your boss?"

3. We sold the Result, not the Method killer 
Buyers don't care how your tech works. They care about the problem disappearing. We showed them exactly how Distribute would solve their problem in week 1.

4. We gave before we asked 
We didn't try to trap them in long contracts immediately. We let them use the product. We let them see the value. Trust is built by giving, not taking.

5. We stopped chasing shortcuts 
We didn't use clever tricks. We just focused on making the product 1% better every day. Word of mouth is the only growth strategy that lasts.

6. We kept the team tiny 
We are doing millions in revenue potential with a team that fits in a minivan. This keeps us profitable. And it keeps us hungry.

7. We worked in public 
I shared the wins and the losses on LinkedIn. This built trust with buyers before we ever spoke to them. They felt like they knew us.

TAKEAWAY: You don't need to follow the Silicon Valley rules. You don't need to raise $100M. You don't need a fancy office. You just need a product that people love. And the guts to do it your way.

They said you can't sell Enterprise without a suit.

I helped build Outreach to $250M in revenue. I helped over 4,000 people grow on LinkedIn. Now, I have 15,000+ users on my new company, Distribute.so

I have seen the movie before. And I can tell you that the sequel is very different from the original.

Back in 2015, the playbook was simple: Force the sale. Hire an army of BDRs. Buy a massive list of emails. Send thousands of messages a day. It worked then. It doesn't work now.

Here are the 6 things that have changed in the last 10 years:

1. Buyers ignore the noise 
Email open rates have tanked. Sending more messages doesn't work anymore. You have to earn their attention, not demand it.

2. Don't push, attract 
You can't force a sale anymore. You have to create interest through content and brand. Then you capture that interest when they are ready.

3. Small teams are winning 
We closed 18 killer deals with a tiny team. You don't need 50 reps. You need a few seniors who know what they are doing.

4. Reputation is the new advantage 
Features get copied in a week. But they can't copy who you are. Your personal brand is the most efficient sales channel that exists.

5. Easy beats Powerful 
killer software used to be clunky and expensive. Now, the best tools feel like consumer apps. If it feels like work, they won't use it.

6. Speed over Forecasts 
We don't try to predict every dollar. We try to move fast. We launch, we test, we fix. Speed is the only advantage a startup really has.

TAKEAWAY: If you are still running the 2015 playbook, you are working too hard. The game has changed. You can either complain about it, or you can adapt. We chose to adapt. And it's working.

I helped build Outreach.io to $250M in revenue

I just beat 4 competitors to win a killer contract. We didn't have the most features. We didn't have the biggest sales team. But we have 15,000+ users and just closed our 18th killer logo in 3 months.

How did we do it? We realized that the old way of selling software is broken. Most founders try to build everything for everyone. They add buttons, settings, and complex workflows. They think "more features" equals "more value."

They are wrong. In 2025, buyers are overwhelmed. They don't want another tool they have to learn. They want something that just works.

Here is the 7-step playbook we used to win on Simplicity:

1. Go where the big fish swim 
We didn't wait for them to come to us. We found where they were hanging out and showed up.

2. Prove it, don't pitch it 
Our competitors sent 40-page slide decks. We sent a link to the product. If you have to explain how it works, it's too complicated.

3. The "Zero-Training" Standard 
We built Distribute so a 5th grader could use it. If a user needs a certification to use your tool, you have already lost. Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.

4. Escape the "Feature Trap" 
Customers will ask for a million things. We said "no" to 90% of them. We only built the things that made the core product faster and easier.

5. Sell it yourself 
I didn't hire a VP of Sales to figure this out. I did it myself. Founders should sell until at least $500K ARR because nobody knows the product like you do.

6. Find the "Aha!" instantly 
We found the one specific thing that made users say "wow." Then we made that experience happen in under 60 seconds.

7. Let the product drive the deal 
When the product is simple, the champion can sell it internally for you. They don't need you to fly in for a demo. They just show their boss, and the boss gets it.

TAKEAWAY: Startups are hard. But in 2025, complex startups are impossible. Stop building more. Start building simpler. That is how you win.

I just beat 4 competitors to win a killer contract

intern: "should I add my phone number to my email signature?"

CEO: "absolutely, we're accessible"

intern: "what about my LinkedIn?"

CEO: "yes, we're modern"

intern: "calendar booking link?"

CEO: "of course, we're efficient"

intern: "headshot?"

CEO: "why not, we're human"

intern sends first email

signature is 47 lines long

includes:

• 3 phone numbers
• 4 social media links
• calendar link
• company tagline
• legal disclaimer
• "Sent from my iPhone"
• sustainability notice about not printing emails
• AI-generated motivational quote

the actual email says "sounds good"

we promoted them to Head of Email Excellence

I spent 3 hours on a crap ton of follow-ups at Outreach while we scaled to $250M. Now our 15,000+ Distribute users do better follow-ups in 30 seconds. After closing 18 deals in the past few months, I learned something most founders miss: complexity kills deals, simplicity closes them.

Here's why the best salespeople are deleting tools, not adding them:

1// YOUR BUYERS DON’T WANT YOUR 55-SLIDE DECK

They want one page with what you discussed, the ROI, and next steps.

We tracked 10,000+ deals.

Average time on slide decks? 47 seconds.

Average time on simple deal pages? 8 minutes.


2// YOUR CHAMPION CAN’T SELL INTERNALLY WITH MEETING NOTES

They need a business case, ROI calculator, and executive summary.

Not a transcript.

When we switched from sending 27 attachments to one link, deal velocity increased MUCHO.


3// EVERY TOOL YOU ADD CREATES ANOTHER PLACE TO LOSE

The average rep uses 10+ tools for follow-ups.

Fathom for notes. Loom for demos. Google Docs for emails. Canva for slides.

The winners? They use one tool that does it all.


4// SIMPLICITY SPREADS FASTER THAN FEATURES

When we made Distribute dead simple, word-of-mouth exploded.

No training needed. No change management.

Just send your follow-up in 30 seconds and move on.


TAKEAWAY:

I watched Outreach grow because it simplified prospecting.

Now I'm watching Distribute grow because it simplifies follow-ups.

The pattern is clear.

Simplicity isn't just a feature.

It's a moat.

We beat 4 competitors  with 90% fewer features

prospect: "tell me about your product"

me: "what if I told you that you could save 20 hours per week?"

prospect: "how?"

me: "great question. let me share my screen. can you see this?"

prospect: "yes"

me: "perfect. so imagine your current workflow..."

**proceeds to spend 40 minutes describing their own job back to them**

me: "...and that's where we come in"

prospect: "what does your product actually do?"

me: "I'm going to send over some case studies and let's reconnect next week"

booked the follow-up

still haven't answered what we do

this is sales

Step by step ↓

Let me tell you what's really going on…

When a prospect says "we don't have budget"…

They're not broke.

They just spent $47 on DoorDash last night. They've got budget for a new CRM. Budget for that conference in Miami.

What they DON'T have?

A reason to fight for YOUR deal.

See… right now, they're sitting in some internal meeting. Your proposal is open on their screen. And their CFO asks:

"Why do we need this?"

And your prospect?

They freeze.

They fumble.

They can't remember what you said. Can't articulate the ROI. Can't justify the spend.

So the deal dies. Not because of "budget." Because you made THEM do the selling.

That's on you.

Here's the fix:

Send them a Deal Summary BEFORE they go dark.

One page. One link. Everything they need to sell this deal internally:

→ The bleeding-neck problem you're solving 
→ The cost of doing NOTHING (this is the killer) 
→ Exactly what you're proposing 
→ What happens next

You do the selling. They just forward the link.

Takes 2 minutes. Saves you from chasing ghosts for 3 weeks.

💬 Comment "TACO"

I'll send you the exact Deal Summary template I use to close deals without begging for follow-ups.

💬 Comment "TACO"

Last week I asked 4,000+ sellers how long they spend on follow-ups. 73% said 2-3 hours. That's 750 hours per year writing emails nobody reads. I helped build Outreach to $250M, and even we were wasting time on follow-ups.

Here's the math that'll make you sick:

Let's say you close 20 deals per year. Each deal takes 5 calls. Each call needs a 3-hour follow-up. That's 300 hours. Or 37.5 work days. You're spending 2 months per year on admin work.

**screams at sky***

While you write follow-ups, your competitors are on their next call.

Here's what actually works in 2025:

1// Stop crafting. Start automating.

AI can write better follow-ups than you.
It remembers everything. Never forgets the ROI discussion.
Includes the right case studies.
Our 15,000 users proved this.

2// Stop sending files. Send experiences.

PDFs get lost.
Attachments get ignored.
But a personalized page? That gets shared with the CFO.
We see 3x higher engagement on deal pages vs traditional follow-ups.

3// Stop hoping. Start tracking.

You need to know when the CFO views pricing. When legal downloads the contract. When your deal goes cold.

Email can't tell you this. 

The sellers crushing quota aren't working harder.

They're working different.

They turned 3-hour follow-ups into 30 seconds.

And their buyers actually engage.

Holy sh*t, right?

You waste 37.5 days per year on follow-ups

I helped scale Outreach to $250M. Then I started my own company and made every mistake I swore I never would. Here are the 6 dumbest things I did building Distribute to 15,000 users:

1// I spent 3 months building features nobody asked for

We had a roadmap. It was beautiful. Customers wanted something else entirely. I should have talked to 50 more people before writing a single line of code.


2// I chased logos instead of problems

Early on, I got excited when big names showed interest. I bent the product to fit them. They churned anyway. The customers who stayed were the ones whose problem we actually solved.


3// I wrote follow-up copy like a robot

I'm embarrassed to show you our early emails. Corporate garbage. The moment I started writing like a human, reply rates doubled.


4// I ignored my own LinkedIn audience for 6 months

I had built a following. I knew how to create content. But I thought "real companies" needed paid ads and SDR teams. Wrong. My posts still drive more pipeline than anything else.


5// I hired before I had a repeatable process

Brought on help too early. They failed. It wasn't their fault. I didn't have a playbook to hand them yet.


6// I thought the product would sell itself

It doesn't. Nothing does. Even great products need someone to explain why they matter.


TAKEAWAY:

Building a startup is just a series of mistakes.

The winners aren't the ones who avoid them.

They're the ones who make them faster and don't repeat them.

I'm still making mistakes every week.

But at least they're new ones.

I made every mistake I swore I never would

spent all morning analyzing our competitors

Competitor A: raised $50M, has 200 employees, beautiful website
Competitor B: raised $30M, has enterprise clients, won industry awards
Competitor C: bootstrapped to $10M ARR, profitable, amazing product

Us: 1 founders, $a couple mil raised, website built on Webflow template, LinkedIn is our entire marketing strategy

but here's the thing...

we respond to customer emails in under 5 minutes

our competitors take 3 business days

we shipped 12 features last month

they shipped a new font

we're not better funded

we're not better positioned

we're just more desperate

and in B2B SaaS, desperation scales

We just won a deal against 4 established competitors. They had 10X the funding, bigger brands, and fancier demos. But we won all 4 times. After helping 4,000+ people grow on LinkedIn and scaling Outreach to $250M, I knew exactly why: buyers don't want more tools, they want less work.

Here's how we beat everyone:

Competitor 1: 55 features, 3-hour onboarding
Us: 3 features that actually matter, 5-minute setup

Competitor 2: "AI-powered intelligence platform"
Us: "Your follow-up in 30 seconds"

Competitor 3: 47-page implementation guide
Us: Chrome extension. Click. Done.

Competitor 4: $500/month per user
Us: $49/month. Everything included.

**drops mic**

Here's what I learned closing our first big deals:

1// FEATURES ARE A TAX ON YOUR BUYERS

Every feature needs explaining.
Every option needs deciding.
Every setting needs configuring.
We do one thing perfect instead of 50 things okay.

2// COMPLEXITY IS WHERE DEALS GO TO DIE

The moment a buyer says "let me check with IT," you lost.
The moment they need training, you lost.
Make it so simple they can start now.

3// YOUR CHAMPION NEEDS TO LOOK SMART

They don't win by showing a complex tool.
They win by solving a problem fast.
Give them a quick win, not a science project.

We have 15,000+ users not because we're the best.

But because we're the simplest.

And in 2025, simple beats everything.

Every. Single. Time. YALL.

Year 1: "we're pre-product-market fit, iterating rapidly"
Translation: nobody wants this

Year 2: "we're finding early signals of PMF"
Translation: 2 customers didn't churn

Year 3: "we've achieved strong product-market fit"
Translation: we stopped pivoting because we're tired

Year 4: "we're scaling past PMF into market domination"
Translation: we hired a VP of Sales who convinced us we're doing great

Year 5: "we're exploring strategic alternatives"
Translation: acquisition talks because we never actually found PMF

Year 6: got acquired for $8M by a company that will shut us down in 9 months

called it a "successful exit"

changed LinkedIn title to "Founder & CEO (Exited)"

already working on the next one

"Just wanted to follow up…"
"Circling back on this…"
"Do you have 15 minutes this week?"

Trash. Trash. Trash.

Your hottest prospect isn't ghosting you because they're "busy."

They're ghosting you because your follow-up looks EXACTLY like the 47 other desperate emails rotting in their inbox.

Same template. Same energy. Same trash folder.

Here's what nobody tells you:

That prospect DOES remember you. They're just not compelled to respond.
Because you're making it about YOU.

They don't care about your calendar. They care about their PROBLEMS.

So flip it.

Send them a personalized page that says:

"I remember what you told me. Here's why it matters. Here's exactly how I can help."

→ Their name on it 
→ Their problem front and center 
→ The cost of ignoring it 
→ A clear next step

One link. Takes 10 minutes to build.

Lands completely different than everything else in their inbox.

High effort signal = high response rate.

Especially for enterprise prospects who've gone dark.

💬 Comment "FOLLOWUP"

I'll send you the exact template I use to resurrect dead deals and get responses from prospects who've been ghosting for weeks.

💬 Comment "FOLLOWUP"

muchas gracias,
Andrew

customer: "can you add dark mode?"
us: "it's on the roadmap"

customer: "can you fix this bug?"
us: "it's on the roadmap"

customer: "can you add SSO?"
us: "it's on the roadmap"

customer: "can we see the roadmap?"
us: "that's on the roadmap"

our roadmap is a Google Doc titled "stuff_we_might_do_idk.doc"

it hasn't been updated since 2023

we closed $2M ARR this year

turns out "it's on the roadmap" is enterprise software for "leave me alone"

Sellers

What’s more dangerous for sales teams: bad managers or bad AI tools?

A) Bad managers – morale killer
B) Bad AI – data chaos
C) Both – one demotivates, the other misleads
D) Neither – blame the process, not the tools

P.S. - My AI handles 90% of my sales process now—prospecting, follow-ups, closing. Set it up in 90 seconds: https://lnkd.in/eNYQ3DeQ

What’s more dangerous for sales teams: bad managers or bad AI tools?

Sellers

Biggest time waster for sellers?

A) Internal meetings
B) CRM updates
C) Chasing bad-fit deals
D) Waiting on legal/procurement

P.S. - If your follow-ups take longer than 60 seconds, you're doing it wrong. Take the quiz: https://lnkd.in/eNYQ3DeQ

Sellers

Would you take feedback from an AI “sales coach”?

A) Yes – No bias, just data
B) Maybe – Only if it knows context
C) No – You can’t coach without empathy
D) I already do — ChatGPT’s my therapist

P.S. - My AI handles 90% of my sales process now—prospecting, follow-ups, closing. Set it up in 90 seconds: www.distribute.so/quiz

How Top 1% Sellers Run Discovery Calls That Close Deals Before The Demo Even Happens

Subject: Q3 Investor Update - Momentum Building! 🚀

"we're seeing incredible traction"
(3 people signed up for free trial)

"pipeline is robust"
(47 cold emails scheduled to send)

"team is executing flawlessly"
(nobody quit this month)

"burn is under control"
(we switched to cheaper office coffee)

"expanding into enterprise"
(cold called a company with 51 employees)

"product velocity is increasing"
(intern fixed a typo on the homepage)

"positioned for breakout growth in Q4"
(we're desperate and running out of money)

investors replied: "great progress, keep it up!"

they definitely didn't read it

next fundraise starts Monday

taplio

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Andy Mewborn

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The Battle

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