Marketing
If you’re getting PR, prep your SEO first
Hidden SEO jackpot that's easy to miss.
Mari Luukkainen
Pre-seed VC investor, growth operator, startup growth advisor, and keynote speaker. On this site, I share learnings about startup growth.
Startups
How butter chicken built my ultimate contact list
Thanks to butter chicken, I have Finland's best contact list of employment area directors.
Personal
In love with pain
Funding rejection number 174 just landed in my inbox, and it felt like a badge of honor.
Startups
How diversity shapes resilient founders
I talked about how diversity drives resilience and growth at Slush.
Personal
How Herizon achieved over 10% MoM growth by launching successful employment partnerships
Over 10% MoM growth story by using personalized outreach, and launching success-based city partnerships.
Startups
Startup founders could already be enjoying a 4-day work week
Achieve a shorter workweek by focusing on high-impact tasks instead of avoiding them.
Startups
You don't need €10k to validate your idea
Why early-stage founders should focus on validating ideas with resourcefulness, not large budgets or funding.
Startups
The "I need money for marketing to grow" trap
Simply adding money won’t solve your growth challenges.
Startups
The opportunity in overcomplication: a perfect time to build a simplified competitor
Seize the moment: build a simplified competitor as overcomplicated apps lose their focus and frustrate users.
Startups
You should raise your bridge round from your current investors
Why you should raise your bridge round from current investors: speed, trust, better terms, and avoiding valuation traps.
Startups
Founder's Associates: Trend worth considering?
Should you jump on the bandwagon?
Fiction
Mortuary
When the dead watch, escape is no longer an option. A horror short story.
Startups
Why startups should focus on industry standard traction numbers in their data room
Why making your numbers easy to digest makes sense.
Personal
Toilets and THC in the storage biz
Tales from the boring businesses: the unexpected twists in the world of storage unit rentals.
Personal
Queer eye for the VC guy (or gal): Why I'm joining an LGBTQ+ fund
This isn't just an impact decision; it's a strategic money decision for the future.
Herizon
My nonprofit is the startup I always dreamed of
"Mari, when will you start your own startup?" Here it is, finally.
Startups
Rise of SAFE monsters
It seems that in today’s opportunistic market, the concept of a clean cap table is becoming a thing of the past. Here's tips how to deal with it.
Startups
What investors really mean by "traction"
It's like being asked to explain the meaning of life in a single breath.
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