From 200 No's to $1M ARR: Natalie Barbu on Rella's Pivot, Fundraising, and Growth

I’m joined by Natalie Barbu, CEO and co-founder of Rella, to unpack how her team went from 200 no’s to raising $1M and reaching $1M ARR. We get into the unfiltered truths of starting a tech company without a coding background, nearly running out of money, and the viral video that turned it around!We discuss: How Natalie spotted the gap in creator/social workflow toolsThe step-by-step path from creator to tech founder (without writing code)How she found, tested, and committed to the right co-foundersSurviving 200 investor rejections and landing the first yesThe storytelling pitch that resonated with early-stage VCsWhy Rella pivoted to businesses, and how they executed the rebuildThe viral video that spiked trials (and what they did next)How to balance fundraising with running the companyTactical resources for first-time fundraisers and operatorsRESOURCES MENTIONED → GTM Essentials Course: https://selinaho.com/gtm-essentials→ Try Rella: https://getrella.com/ Use our code "CONFESSIONS" for 15% off → The Startup Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/startup-podcast/id913805339→ The Pitch Podcast: https://www.thepitch.show/LET’S CONNECT→ Newsletter: https://ceo-confessions.beehiiv.com → LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/selinaho → Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/selinajho → TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@selinajho_ CONNECT WITH NATALIE→ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@NatalieBarbu→ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nataliebarbuSTART YOUR BUSINESS→ Start a business with the free Build a Sustaining Business program: https://selinaho.com/basb→ Define your version of success and build a blueprint to achieve it inside the free Your Success Roadmap: https://selinaho.com/roadmapSCALE YOUR BUSINESS→ Free GTM Essentials Course: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLoxqvwU4q36bTLn_CVAaeyHPd2bjxIEz_ → Secure Your Winning GTM Strategy: https://selinaho.com/consulting TIMESTAMPS00:00 Highlights02:33 Welcome and Introduction02:52 Starting Rella04:55 The Journey to Becoming a Tech Founder05:53 Finding the Right Development Team06:47 Co-Founder Dynamics09:38 Balancing Content Creation and Startup Life10:36 Consistency in Content Creation13:35 Fundraising Journey14:30 Learning the Fundraising Process15:54 Resources for Aspiring Founders17:52 Friends and Family Round19:18 Navigating the VC Round22:00 The Power of Networking and Persistence27:30 Handling Closed Rounds Respectfully28:22 The Importance of Storytelling in Fundraising29:11 Crafting a Compelling Pitch31:42 The Decision to Pivot32:52 Rebuilding and Relaunching Rella33:55 The Viral Video That Changed Everything37:10 Managing Growth After Going Viral39:11 The Power of Content Creation for Founders40:20 Balancing Personal and Business Content42:12 Navigating Transparency and Privacy43:30 Revamping the Podcast45:08 Daily Routines and Personal Insights46:47 Best and Worst Advice for Founders

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