🚀 Founders Associate Series: Camilla Beltrame

We’re excited to introduce Camilla Beltrame as our first contributor to our Founders Associate series, where we have existing operators from some of the fastest growing startups share their experiences in the role.

How would you describe the Founder Associate Role?

Defining the Founder Associate role can be difficult due to its significant variability across different startups. Essentially, being a Founder Associate entails acting as the right hand of the Founder, and your responsibilities are tied to the specific needs of the business. When the business requires additional support in a particular domain, and the founder's time is stretched thin, you become responsible for leading in that area, either independently or with a team.

What makes being a Founder Associate really cool is the opportunity to engage in diverse aspects of the business, such as sales, product development, or marketing (as I did) ! This multifaceted involvement gives you a holistic view of the company, enabling you to contribute your best efforts to foster its growth.

What are the best bits of being a Founder Associate?

I think that the best bits of being a Founder Associate role is the incredible learning opportunity you get as it exposes you to a multitude of teams and individuals, allowing you to learn different work methods, approaches as well as accumulate a wide range of valuable and diverse skills. This rapid growth and learning curve are truly unique to this role, providing an amazing chance for personal and professional development.

Also, since being a Founder Associate lets you try out different roles within the company, it helps you quickly figure out what you enjoy and what you'd rather avoid. This, in turn, guides you in finding your niche and where you want to focus in the future!

What are the difficult things about being a Founder Associate?

Becoming a Founder Associate comes with its share of challenges. Firstly, adept time management and strong organisational skills are important, as you're likely to juggle multiple tasks spanning various departments. Second, collaborating closely with the Founder might entail high expectations, which can occasionally be demanding. Lastly, when a specific area of the business demands substantial support, you may find yourself dedicating an extended period to that department. While this might seem like you're ‘stuck’ in one role, it's not a concern if you genuinely enjoy working in that department.

How do you think founders benefit from having a Founder Associate?

Founders can greatly benefit from having a Founder Associate, as they provide a reliable partner who progressively gains in-depth knowledge of various departments, enhancing the Founders’s understanding of the business's needs and pain points.

For instance, when I joined Sunsave, there was no Sales team, so I assisted the Founders in leading the sales efforts. This allowed the Founders to focus on other critical tasks, while I gained firsthand insights into what customers want, their needs, and their challenges. These experiences helped shape our product to align better with our customers' desires. Thus, a Founder Associate can offer invaluable insights about the business or customers that the Founders might not have otherwise.

What are the skills someone needs to excel as a Founder Associate?

I think that the skills someone needs to excel as a Founder Associate are: strong communication, organisational, problem-solving and adaptability skills. These skills empower you to navigate between various teams, meet deadlines, and exhibit resilience and creativity when faced with challenges and high demands. Above all, a genuine passion for and belief in the startup's mission are essential, as they fuel your enthusiasm for supporting and actively working toward the company's goals!

What advice would you give to someone who wants to become a Founder Associate?

The advice I'd offer to someone who wants to become a Founder Associate is to embrace the startup's mission, nurture your curiosity, and take risks. What makes this position amazing is the level of trust Founders place in you, so seize the opportunity to take initiative, offer your support, openly share your ideas, and take full ownership of your responsibilities. Above all, enjoy the experience and have fun! Being part of a startup means diving headfirst into action, so make the most of it, because it's through making mistakes that you truly learn and grow. Best of luck on your journey!