The closer we get to Web Summit Conference in Lisbon, the more my calendar fills with things like “pitch practice,” “side event RSVP,” and “order backup chargers.” And the more I realize… this isn’t just about our startup showing up strong. It’s about me  showing up strong. This is my first time attending Web Summit as the founder of an Alpha Startup. ZillyPlanet, our adaptive STEM learning platform, is in the mix this year as part of the Impact Startups group. Which means ye

Career Mapping sessions are aimed at aligning an employee's professional goals with the organization's opportunities, helping to identify clear pathways for advancement and skill development. This strategic approach supports not just the employee's growth but also enhances retention by showing a commitment to their career progression. For Manager and Team Member:  Provides a structured framework for the manager to understand and support the team member’s career aspirations, f

Many founders treat unit economics  like flossing, something they know they should do, but somehow never get around to. They tell themselves it’s too early. They’ll “get to it after launch.” Or they assume it’s only relevant once investors start asking for CAC-to-LTV ratios in spreadsheets color-coded by existential dread. But here’s the truth: understanding your unit economics early, when your startup is still running on hope, hustle, and ramen, can save you from scaling los

When vision sits above execution with nothing in between, each function fills the void with its own logic. Product chases requests. Sales pursues quick wins. Operations plugs gaps. Activity rises, compounding falls. The missing link is a small set of company objectives that translate vision into what must happen this year. The Tool: Vision and Strategic Objectives Map A one-page bridge between where you’re going and what you will achieve in the next 12–18 months. List three t

Navigating through a sprint retrospective can significantly impact your team's growth and productivity. The essence of a sprint retrospective lies not just in reflecting on what happened but in charting a course for future improvements. This guide is crafted to walk you through the steps of running an effective sprint retrospective, emphasizing the collaboration, insight gathering, and actionable planning that drive continuous improvement. While these guidelines will be the s

Have you ever wondered how successful companies leverage insights from their case studies to refine their products and strategies? Analyzing case studies can provide invaluable lessons for improving your own Minimum Viable Product (MVP). By dissecting various case studies, you’ll uncover actionable insights that can significantly enhance your MVP's development and execution. Step 1 Introduction Brief participants on the objectives and the process of case study analysis. Expla

The SaaS industry has spent the past few years perfecting the art of usage-based pricing. But as buyers grow more sophisticated and ROI expectations tighten, a new model is emerging: outcome-based pricing.

This is the second post in our three-part series on the evolution from SEO to LLMO. If you haven't read Part 1: The Rise of LLMO , we...

If your brand guidelines are still a dusty PDF sitting on your shared drive, it’s time to rethink. The pace of modern marketing demands more than a static style sheet, it needs a living, breathing playbook  that evolves with your brand and keeps your entire team aligned. Static Brand Guides Don’t Cut It Anymore Here’s the problem with the old approach: They’re hard to keep updated. They don’t flex for new platforms like TikTok or LinkedIn carousels. They stifle creativity wit

Have you ever been captivated by the unfolding narrative of a scientific discovery, where each data point and experimental outcome tells a part of a larger story? Science reports are a fundamental way to convey narratives in academic and professional settings, offering a structured approach to storytelling that is based on evidence and research. What if we applied this meticulous format to narrate the development of a software product? In this post, I will guide you through t

Sometimes, the hardest part isn’t solving the problem, it’s realizing you’re solving the wrong  one. I’ll be honest. At ZillyPlanet, we hit a serious wall while building our MCP model. Our prompts had the right intent, but they just weren’t landing. The model couldn’t quite “get” the learner's context. And no matter how many tweaks we threw at it, the results stayed... meh. Now, as both a CPO and founder, I’ve learned the hard way that stubbornly hanging on to broken systems