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#23 | Scaling the Founder Before the Company

Vijay Rajendran on intentional leadership, default investability, and aligning GTM with investor expectations

Vijay Rajendran is a venture builder, global executive coach, and author of The Funding Framework — Amazon’s #1 new release in Venture Capital.
He’s coached founders across 80+ countries, led Portfolio Value at 500 Global, and helped entrepreneurs turn reactive hustle into resilient, fundable leadership.

This episode is for founders navigating scale — and realizing they have to scale themselves first.


Listen to the Episode:

Vijay Rajendran on evolving from a sprinting founder to a marathon-ready CEO — and why your GTM motion is your fundraising edge.

Or search “GTM Vault” in your podcast app.


In This Episode:

  • Why confidence comes from clarity — and the 3 things every founder must articulate

  • How to evolve from a sprinting founder to a marathon-ready CEO

  • Why coaching beats advising — and what most leaders overlook

  • How internal misalignment leaks into your GTM motion

  • The shift from static PMF to continuous product iteration in 2025

  • How your GTM motion shapes your fundraising narrative

  • Fundraising outside SF & NYC: how to build trust, signal momentum, and get in the room

  • Founder-market-channel fit: what Vijay looks for in venture studio startups

  • The invisible habits that separate burned-out operators from clear, high-output CEOs


5 GTM Takeaways to Steal:

  1. GTM = Fundability
    Your go-to-market motion isn’t just about growth. It’s your path to becoming default investable.

  2. Lead With Rhythm, Not Reactivity
    You can’t scale chaos. Create systems that match your energy, calendar, and long-term vision.

  3. Product-Market Fit ≠ Done
    PMF is no longer a milestone — it’s a continuous loop. Don’t take your foot off the gas.

  4. Align Before You Pitch
    Clarity on why you, why now, and why this market separates fundable founders from forgettable ones.

  5. Founder Misalignment = Company Drift
    Unresolved personal conflicts leak into GTM, ops, and team morale. The real fix? Start with yourself.


Sponsor Spotlight: ZoomInfo

You might know ZoomInfo for contacts and emails — the fuel behind SDR teams. But ZoomInfo has quietly rebuilt itself into something much more powerful: a system that automates your entire GTM motion.

Signals come in. Outreach goes out. The list gets worked. Plays get triggered. Automatically.

ZoomInfo calls it GTM Intelligence. It’s not enrichment. It’s execution.

→ Learn more at ZoomInfo.com


Featured Toolkit:

The Funding Framework
A practical approach to raising capital with clarity and conviction
→ Learn more at MyStartupSystem.com


Also Inside:


Don’t just scale your startup. Scale your capacity as a founder.

Forward this to a founder navigating growth, or post your favorite insight on LinkedIn.

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Connect:

Follow:
LinkedIn: Vijay Rajendran
The Funding Framework

Follow Rick Koleta:
LinkedIn: Rick Koleta


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