In this episode, Etgar Shpivak interviews Avishai Sam Bitton, a serial founder turned early-stage investor, about his journey and investment strategy. Avishai shares his approach to investing in founders rather than just the companies they build. He emphasizes the importance of connecting marketing goals to revenue and building a strong infrastructure for growth. Avishai also discusses the common mistakes founders make when working with their marketing teams and the misconception that running a VC-backed startup is easier. He advises founders to be mindful of legal aspects and know when to step aside if they can't bring the desired impact. Takeaways * Invest in founders who have the drive and determination to succeed, rather than just focusing on the company or industry. * Connect marketing goals to revenue and prioritize profitability and unit economics in the go-to-market strategy. * Avoid hiring marketers too early and focus on building a revenue growth team instead. * Understand the importance of data-driven decision-making and align marketing metrics with revenue goals. * Be cautious of the mental toll and pressure that comes with raising funding and running a VC-backed startup. * Know when to step aside as a founder if someone else can bring more impact to the company. Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Background 04:25 Connecting Marketing Goals to Revenue 06:02 The Importance of a Revenue Growth Team 06:58 Distinguishing Incremental and Non-Incremental Customer Acquisition Costs 11:23 The Challenges of Running a VC-Backed Startup 16:29 Hiring Growth-Focused Individuals for Marketing 22:50 When Should Founders Leave the Business? 25:30 The Surprising Lesson of Not Knowing Anything 27:04 The Common Misconception About Running a Startup 28:31 Advice for Younger Self and Final Thoughts Avishai’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/avishaib/ Etgar’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/etgar/ Thanks for reading Founders' Marketing Compass! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work. Keywords: founder, investor, investment strategy, revenue goals, growth, marketing team, infrastructure, mistakes, misconception, legal aspects This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit etgar.substack.com