26. Innovation in Early Stage Start-ups with Braydan Young cover art

26. Innovation in Early Stage Start-ups with Braydan Young

26. Innovation in Early Stage Start-ups with Braydan Young

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 In this episode of Innovation Meets Leadership, host Natalie Born sits down with Braydan Young, B2B tech entrepreneur, co-founder of Sendoso, and founder of Slash Experts, to unpack what innovation really looks like inside early-stage startups.Braydan shares hard-earned lessons from building and scaling multiple companies—covering everything from replacing traditional sales demos with peer-to-peer trust, to navigating rapid product cycles, delegation, feedback culture, and decision-making under uncertainty. [00:00 – 01:22] Welcome & Braydan’s Founder JourneyIntroducing Braydan Young and his background in B2B tech startupsFrom Sendoso to Slash Experts: why early-stage building still excites him[01:23 – 03:08] The Idea Behind Slash ExpertsHow customer “back-channeling” inspired a new go-to-market modelTurning real customers into trusted sales advocates[03:09 – 04:31] The Educated Buyer & Faster Sales CyclesWhy buyers now complete most of the sales journey before a demoHow trust accelerates deals and reduces friction[04:32 – 06:09] Scaling Principles: Delegation & FocusWhy founders can’t (and shouldn’t) do everything themselvesTrusting your team without micromanaging[06:10 – 07:48] Tools, Chaos, and Personal ProductivityClickUp, handwritten to-do lists, and managing multiple workflowsWhy speed matters more than perfection[07:49 – 09:55] Staying Innovative as a Small, Scrappy TeamWhy small teams outperform large ones at innovationRadical transparency: sharing board decks, finances, and goalsTreating employees like owners from day one[09:56 – 12:22] Rapid Product Development & Weekly ReleasesHow product cycles have shifted from quarterly to weekly releasesThe impact on sales enablement, marketing, and customer experienceWhy staying aligned internally is harder—but more critical—than ever[12:23 – 14:47] Curiosity, AI, and Learning at SpeedUsing AI tools to synthesize information fasterBuilding curiosity into hiring and company cultureWhy innovation requires awareness beyond your immediate market[14:48 – 17:26] Innovation, Risk, and Hypothesis-Driven LeadershipTreating decisions as hypotheses—not fixed truthsAsking the uncomfortable question: “Where are we failing?”Why early customers are your greatest innovation partners[17:27 – 20:52] Feedback, Failure, and Healthy CulturesWhy most organizations avoid real feedbackTurning failure into actionable learningCreating a culture of candor without ego defensiveness[20:53 – 22:45] Balancing Innovation with Day-to-Day ExecutionSprinting between customer work, prospecting, and internal systemsStructuring focus as teams grow toward 50+ peopleKnowing when your operating model must change[22:46 – 24:51] Growth Inflection Points & Company ValuesLessons from hypergrowth at SendosoWhy values must be defined before rapid hiringHelping people self-select into (or out of) your culture[24:52 – 26:34] Final Takeaways & Where to ConnectLeadership lessons from multiple startup cyclesBalancing ambition, family, and sustainable performanceWhere to find Braydan and learn more about Slash Experts“Product-market fit isn’t a milestone—it’s a question you should be asking on every call.” – Braydan Young“Your first customers stick with you because they believe in the idea, even when you’re still breaking things.” – Braydan Young“If you’re not asking where you’re failing, you’re probably missing your biggest opportunity.” – Braydan YoungLinkedIn: Braydan Young – linkedin.com/in/braydanyoung/Website: slashexperts.com🎙️ And don’t forget to check out Natalie Born’s book, Set It on Fire: The Art of Innovation—a powerful guide for leaders who want to rethink how innovation really happens. Available now at setitonfire.co.Visit innovationmeetsleadership.com and connect with us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, X, and YouTube.🔥 Don’t just get out of the box—break the box and set it on fire.Let’s go transform something!
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