Why Founder-Led Growth Isn’t Optional: Jess Schultz on Early-Stage GTM, Metrics, and Startup Scaling

In this high-impact episode of The CTO Show, Mehmet sits down with Jess Schultz, a fractional CRO/CMO and angel investor, to unpack what truly drives early-stage startup success. From the importance of founder-led sales to building a go-to-market (GTM) motion that actually works, Jess shares practical advice that bridges theory and execution.

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Whether you’re a technical founder hesitant to sell, or an early-stage investor looking for better GTM signals, this episode delivers actionable insights grounded in Jess’s experience as both a growth operator and former VC.

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What You’ll Learn

• Why founder-led sales is non-negotiable in the early stages

• How to know when to hire your first sales rep or fractional GTM leader

• The signs of early product-market fit (it’s not just ARR)

• How to segment and prioritize ideal customer profiles

• Why building a personal brand as a founder accelerates GTM

• The truth about outbound vs. inbound in 2025—and how AI is changing both

• What metrics actually matter before you hit $10M ARR

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Key Takeaways

• Founder-market fit and coachability matter as much as traction to early investors

• The founder should drive top-of-funnel AND be the closer—until it’s time to slowly step back

• Thoughtful positioning and audience-building beats ad spend in early GTM

• Outbound still works, but only when highly personalized (and not AI-written)

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Listen to the full episode