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

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

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

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

Today’s customers don’t just buy products — they buy into personalities, stories, and conversations. That’s why your brand voice  is one...

Picture this : you’re a startup founder on a Tuesday afternoon. You’ve had three coffees, answered 47 Slack messages that were all...

This is the first in a three-part series exploring how AI is transforming digital discovery. The Dawn of a New Search Era The way people...

When traction stalls, most founders rush to solve what’s directly in front of them: slower sales, feature delays, missed metrics. But in...

The SaaS go-to-market (GTM) landscape is shifting fast. For the past few years, Product-Led Growth (PLG) has been the darling of tech;...