From 200 No's to $1M ARR:

Описание: I’m joined by Natalie Barbu, CEO and co-founder of Rella, to unpack how her team went from 200 no’s to raising $1M and reaching $1M ARR. We get into the unfiltered truths of starting a tech company without a coding background, nearly running out of money, and the viral video that turned it around!

We discuss:
— How Natalie spotted the gap in creator/social workflow tools
— The step-by-step path from creator to tech founder (without writing code)
— How she found, tested, and committed to the right co-founders
— Surviving 200 investor rejections and landing the first yes
— The storytelling pitch that resonated with early-stage VCs
— Why Rella pivoted to businesses, and how they executed the rebuild
— The viral video that spiked trials (and what they did next)
— How to balance fundraising with running the company
— Tactical resources for first-time fundraisers and operators

RESOURCES MENTIONED
→ GTM Essentials Course: https://selinaho.com/gtm-essentials
→ Try Rella: https://getrella.com/ Use our code "CONFESSIONS" for 15% off
→ The Startup Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...
→ The Pitch Podcast: https://www.thepitch.show/

LET’S CONNECT
→ Newsletter: https://ceo-confessions.beehiiv.com
→ LinkedIn:   / selinaho  
→ Instagram:   / selinajho  
→ TikTok:   / selinajho_  

CONNECT WITH NATALIE
→ YouTube:    / @nataliebarbu  
→ Instagram:   / nataliebarbu  

START YOUR BUSINESS
→ Start a business with the free Build a Sustaining Business program: https://selinaho.com/basb
→ Define your version of success and build a blueprint to achieve it inside the free Your Success Roadmap: https://selinaho.com/roadmap

SCALE YOUR BUSINESS
→ Free GTM Essentials Course:    • GTM Essentials — FREE COURSE  
→ Secure Your Winning GTM Strategy: https://selinaho.com/consulting

TIMESTAMPS
00:00 Highlights
02:33 Welcome and Introduction
02:52 Starting Rella
04:55 The Journey to Becoming a Tech Founder
05:53 Finding the Right Development Team
06:47 Co-Founder Dynamics
09:38 Balancing Content Creation and Startup Life
10:36 Consistency in Content Creation
13:35 Fundraising Journey
14:30 Learning the Fundraising Process
15:54 Resources for Aspiring Founders
17:52 Friends and Family Round
19:18 Navigating the VC Round
22:00 The Power of Networking and Persistence
27:30 Handling Closed Rounds Respectfully
28:22 The Importance of Storytelling in Fundraising
29:11 Crafting a Compelling Pitch
31:42 The Decision to Pivot
32:52 Rebuilding and Relaunching Rella
33:55 The Viral Video That Changed Everything
37:10 Managing Growth After Going Viral
39:11 The Power of Content Creation for Founders
40:20 Balancing Personal and Business Content
42:12 Navigating Transparency and Privacy
43:30 Revamping the Podcast
45:08 Daily Routines and Personal Insights
46:47 Best and Worst Advice for Founders