Confessions of a Conscious CEO
Selina Ho
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From Almost Shutting Down to $1M ARR: Natalie Barbu on Rella's Pivot, Fundraising, and Growth
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 toolsThe step-by-step path from creator to tech founder (without writing code)How she found, tested, and committed to the right co-foundersSurviving 200 investor rejections and landing the first yesThe storytelling pitch that resonated with early-stage VCsWhy Rella pivoted to businesses, and how they executed the rebuildThe viral video that spiked trials (and what they did next)How to balance fundraising with running the companyTactical resources for first-time fundraisers and operatorsRESOURCES 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/startup-podcast/id913805339 → The Pitch Podcast: https://www.thepitch.show/ LET’S CONNECT → LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/selinaho → Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/selinajho → TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@selinajho_ CONNECT WITH NATALIE → YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@NatalieBarbu → Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nataliebarbu 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 Podcast45:08 Daily Routines and Personal Insights 46:47 Best and Worst Advice for Founders
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