I’m Zach Ronski, one of the directors at Fello Agency. We’re a Tech Marketing Agency based in Toronto, and for the past decade we’ve had the privilege of working with some of the most innovative companies in the world, from 3D printers and quantum computers to medical devices and advanced manufacturing technologies.
For 10 years, we’ve niched into this space, helping deep tech and hardware companies navigate the messy but critical path of commercialization. If you’re in the trenches of the early startup grind—seed stage, just starting to generate revenue, and aiming to position for a Series A, this article is for you.
I want to share three words of wisdom that I’ve learned from both our clients’ journeys and our own experience scaling Fello
1. Get to Market as Fast as Possible
Too many founders fall into the trap of chasing “perfect.” They delay launches, keep polishing, and hope that if they just wait long enough, their product will be bulletproof. But here’s the truth: going to market broken is always better than fading into irrelevance.
Why? Because momentum is oxygen. You need friends. You need clients. You need users. Every early conversation, even if it feels small, feeds your company’s ability to experiment, iterate, and find product-market fit.
At Fello, we’ve seen companies launch half-baked prototypes that eventually evolved into industry-leading products, because they had case studies, client feedback, and real-world validation from day one. Meanwhile, other companies with incredible tech never made it because they waited too long, missed the moment, and got lost in the noise.
If you’re a founder, remember: case studies are currency. Even if your first projects aren’t huge, they’re proof that your vision is real and your tech solves a problem. That proof is what gets investors, partners, and the next wave of customers excited.
2. Build Visibility Into Your Organization
This one surprises me every time. Even companies building cutting-edge tech often have no idea what’s actually happening in their own marketing and sales pipeline. Where are your leads coming from? What’s working? What isn’t?
You’d be amazed how many startups are flying blind. Without the right tools, you’re guessing, and guessing isn’t a strategy.
That’s why I always tell founders: invest early in marketing software that gives you visibility. Whether it’s HubSpot, Salesforce, or a leaner stack of tools, what matters is that you have clarity. You should be able to open a dashboard and immediately understand:
- Where traffic is coming from
- Which channels generate qualified leads
- How leads are moving through the funnel
- What your ROI looks like
This isn’t about “big marketing spend.” It’s about intelligence. With the right data, you can double down on what’s working and cut what isn’t. Without it, you’re scaling in the dark.
Think of it like engineering, you wouldn’t build a product without telemetry. Don’t build a business without it either.
3. Relationships Trump Everything
Here’s the piece most founders underestimate: your network will make or break you.
Yes, technology matters. Yes, execution matters. But in the early stages, relationships are the lifeblood of survival. That investor who takes your call, that first client who takes a bet on you, that partner who opens a door you couldn’t have opened alone, those relationships are everything.
And relationships aren’t just about fundraising or sales. They’re about credibility. Every meaningful connection reinforces that you’re not just another startup, you’re a founder worth betting on.
At Fello, we’ve built our entire agency on this principle. The reason we get to work with such incredible companies is because we invest in people, not just projects. We show up at events. We support communities. We connect dots for clients even when it doesn’t directly benefit us. Over time, that approach compounds into trust—and trust is the ultimate growth hack.
So, if you’re a founder grinding through the early stages: spend time building your network. Attend industry events. Reach out to peers. Join communities. Nurture the people who believe in you. Because when times get hard, and they will—it’s those relationships that keep your company alive.
Conclusion
The early startup stage is brutal. You’re trying to do the impossible with limited resources, constant pressure, and a thousand unknowns. But it’s also the most exciting chapter of your company’s story.
If you take nothing else from this article, remember these three things:
- Get to market fast. Perfection kills momentum; real-world feedback builds traction.
- Build visibility. If you don’t know what’s happening in your pipeline, you can’t scale.
- Prioritize relationships. Technology changes; people remember who showed up.
AtFello Agency we’ve spent 10 years helping companies like yours commercialize breakthrough technologies. As a B2B Marketing Agency, we understand the challenges founders face in those early grind stages and know that survival often comes down to getting to market quickly, building visibility, and nurturing the right relationships.
So, if you’re in the trenches right now, grinding toward your first big milestone: keep going. The world needs what you’re building.
The opinions expressed here by Guest Contributors are their own, not those of Rise Marketing.