1 Exotel

NPC 2013

My First 20 B2B Paying

Customers

The three year startup networking baggage

• Exotel is B2SME.

• Startups are SME too.

• Attended startup conferences to learn about starting up

• Used this network of “early adopters” to validate & sell

• Linkedin maintained & managed my network on my

behalf

• Bonus points: Helped in hiring too!

Asking for reference during validation pitches

• Pitched the deck to nearly 50 eclectic people (Including

my mom & our electrician)

• Asked them to think of someone/anyone they know for

whom the product might be useful for.

• How will it be useful for them?

• Can you do an intro?

My first twenty Company no 1 Friend’s brother

Company no 2 Startup friend

Company no 3 Startup friend & X-colleague

Company no 4 Friend

Company no 5 Intro through startup friend

Company no 6 Met at Geeks on a plane in mumbai during a pitch

Company no 7 X- Company secretary

Company no 8 Restauranteur friend & X-colleague

Company no 9 Startup Friend

Company no 10 Noticed exotel at Unpluggd (where we launched)

Company no 11 Friend working in a startup

Company no 12 TV show on ET-Now

Company no 13 Intro by X-Company Secretary

Company no 14 Startup friend

Company no 15 Tried to help me with my fundraise

Company no 16 From unpluggd

Company no 17 Friend who liked my previous startup

Company no 18 Reference by company volunteered to help with my fundraise

Company no 19 Startup friend

Company no 20 Startup friend

First 20 Take aways

• Your customer can come from anywhere. Keep eyes &

ears open, particularly to vendors

• Sell yourself along with the product. Pedigree matters

• Linkedin, Facebook, Twitter are your friends

• Ask for references shamelessly

• Grab every mic you get. Speak at every stage you can.

• Don’t be stupid