Since starting Scalepoint Advisors almost four years ago, we have had the privilege of working with over one hundred companies - our sweet spot is companies in seed through B stage and largely focused on financial services (especially lending). 

Our work combines financial leadership with capital markets to accelerate a company through the early stages of growth. Every situation is a little different but there is some meaningful pattern recognition that we have developed over time. We are a lot smarter now than ever before; and we are still learning. Taking the entrepreneurial journey with so many great clients is a great business as well as doctorate level work in entrepreneurship. 

Earlier this year, we started working with a company led by two seasoned entrepreneurs; both have had exits and they have deep domain knowledge of their target market, ICP and partners.  They have made some tough (and good) decisions about their team, they have attracted capital and they are rapidly executing on a pipeline that should produce explosive growth for the business. 

They have the habits of highly successful entrepreneurs: 

1. Deep conviction on the business - because they’ve done a ton of research and work

2. Crisp professional communication style - quick phone calls over long emails

3. Highly organized in all aspects of their work

4. They aim carefully before they fire, but then they blast

5. Frequent communication to their investors, prospective investors and partners

This last habit is critical. We recommend all early stage founders proactively share their progress. Creating steady communication allows the founders to focus on wins, ask for help and keep their friends, investors and prospective investors and partners aware that progress is being made, problems are finding solutions and the work is being done relentlessly with focus and resolve. For the founders, it's a way of organizing thoughts, asking for help, and staying positive even during trying periods. 

But more importantly, having a goal to produce a monthly update letter gets a founder and the team focused on frequent, if even small wins, on the way to a much larger goal. We call this dynamic “An Escalating Series of Wows” and you know it when you see it. 

Some months we get to be part of the “Wow” - introduction to partners, investors, lenders, and other professionals that help move the business forward; other months we watch knowing that our work is foundational to the business and our founders have a deeper level of conviction on the business economics and trajectory that gives the confidence to lean in.

Either way, we want to see more Wows and between writing quarterly letters, we’re working on finding new ways to deliver them.