Sarah E. Brown

Lead Upwards


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       Library of Congress Cataloging‐in‐Publication Data is Available:

      ISBN 9781119833352 (Hardback)

      ISBN 9781119833376 (ePDF)

      ISBN 9781119833369 (ePub)

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      So, why haven't you been an executive before? It looks like you were qualified years ago.

      The venture capitalist's remarks were part of his due diligence in determining whether the early‐stage startup he invested in should hire me for a marketing leadership role. But upon hearing his backhanded compliment, my heart sank. While I was grateful for his affirmation that I was qualified to be considered for the position we were discussing, it made me wonder: why had I waited when my resume suggested I had enough experience for a startup executive position years earlier?

      In hindsight, I didn't aspire to become a startup executive earlier in my career because I didn't know it was possible. I didn't understand what qualifications were required or which skill gaps I might need to address. I knew that there was a startup leadership tier I wasn't yet part of, but I didn't know how to reach it. I was also unable to picture myself as a startup executive, with so few role models in the industry who were like me, an openly LGBTQ+ woman. Lack of visibility does make a difference and can be a self‐perpetuating cycle.

      Early in my career, I developed a passion for B2B SaaS and the cloud and its promise to provide tremendous value to businesses and users across the ecosystem. I've been a B2B SaaS marketer ever since. More than a decade later, I still love the space and feel grateful to be a part of it. At the time of publishing, I've had the privilege of being a marketing leader at five startups that have been sold for more than $300 million combined.

      Along the way, I became interested in improving diversity and inclusion throughout our startup ecosystem. I founded an LGBTQ+ technology group called Flatirons Tech in Boulder, CO, which is part of the NCWIT Affinity Group Alliance and partners with startups and global technology companies like Google, Splunk, Twilio, Twitter, Workday, and other technology companies to increase tech inclusion across the Front Range and beyond. I've also become a mentor at Techstars, a global accelerator with more than $19 billion in market cap, and Backstage Capital, which funds and champions founders from under‐represented backgrounds. Both organizations aim to increase inclusion within the startup landscape. I've discovered a calling supporting joiners from under‐represented backgrounds, and helping us achieve our best careers and lives possible within the startup ecosystem.

      The startup road isn't easy. A startup career can be rewarding, but navigating it can be challenging and confusing, as few resources exist to help startup employees advance. Unlike established companies, startups are disrupting markets or creating new ones, and career trajectories are often nonlinear. Startup employees must forge their own paths.

      As they grow and mature, startups are expected to behave more like enterprises, and this presents a challenge and an opportunity for rising leaders. How do you scale your own leadership to meet the demands of the market, including customers and shareholders, as your company grows?