The 4 rules that got us to $10M in under 2 years

I know you’re probably sick of hearing the GrowthAssistant story by now, but humor me for a second: We hit $10M ARR in under two years.

A big reason? Adriane’s ability to find incredible talent and scale our operations.

But the other big reason is simple: My trusted relationships.

This newsletter is a simple window into my brain and my way of working. When it comes to getting to know people or “selling,” I don’t follow the typical playbooks.

I’m not Mr. Discovery Questions.

I’m not the Persuasive Speaking Guy.

And I definitely don’t love objection-handling or rebuttals.

My approach is way simpler: I want to build as much trust as possible.

So if you worked with me, here's how I’d coach you to do that.

My simple rule of thumb: Whatever value you create in the world, you'll get 20% of it back.

When I jump on a call with anyone — sales, recruiting, networking, fundraising — I start by figuring out where and how I can be helpful.

That means really getting to know the person, understanding their issues and making suggestions that might actually help them.

I coach a lot of founders on this, and here’s what trips them up: They think “adding value” means NOT selling. Wrong.

If you genuinely believe someone is the right client and your product/service solves their problem, then you ARE helping them by showing them what’s possible. That’s adding value.

The key is the mindset. If you join every call thinking, “How can I serve this person?” trust grows like crazy.

Pro tip: The easiest way to help someone in business is to find them a person for a job they’re hiring for.

I make it a habit to scan people’s job postings after calls and suggest folks I know. This move is magic in two directions: The person you recommend feels great because you thought of them, and the person hiring sees you as genuinely helpful.

This one sounds simple, but most people forget it.

Be authentic and earnest. Lean into vulnerability. If you don’t know something, say it. If you screwed something up, own it.

Laugh! Seriously, if something is funny, laugh. Don’t be a corporate robot just to “stay professional.” People buy from people they like.

And here’s the big one: No false expectations. If someone doesn’t want to buy, then move on. Don’t try to force it. That’s not trust-building, that’s manipulation.

When you hit resistance, meet it with curiosity: “Interesting. Tell me more about that.” You’d be surprised how often objections turn into insights that help you serve people better.

You are the ceiling of the energy in a room or on a call.

You set the tone. Period.

And I get it, you can’t be “on” all the time. So don’t try. Instead, manage three things:

• Schedule: Know when you’re at your best. We all have times of day when we’re sharper and more energized. Stack your important calls during those windows. Don’t fight your natural rhythms.

• Environment: Remove noise and distractions. Set your background and lighting. This isn’t vanity — it’s respect for the other person’s time and attention.

• Energy: Rest when you need to. Use breathwork before calls if it helps you center yourself. Find what works for you to show up present and energized.

The goal isn’t to be fake-energetic or “salesy.” It’s to show up as your best self because you’ve set yourself up for success.

Here’s what most people miss: Somebody needs to be the leader on every call. That’s you.

Even if you’re the one “selling,” you’re still leading the conversation. Set expectations upfront.

Here’s my exact agenda-setting framework:

“I’d love to hear what led you to take this meeting.” (Listen to them. REALLY listen.)

“After, I’ll share my story and what we’re working on.”

“Then, we can go over questions and see if this could be a good fit.”

“Does that sound good to you?”

See what I did there? I took control of the meeting structure, but I did it by serving them first. I’m leading, but I’m not dominating.

Most people walk into meetings hoping the other person will guide things. Don’t do that. You lead, and you’ll build way more trust because people feel taken care of.

That’s it. Four simple rules that have helped me build businesses on the back of trusted relationships.

And here’s the cool part: These rules work for literally any interaction. Sales, recruiting, networking, even just grabbing coffee with someone.

When you add value, show up as a human, bring energy and lead, people trust you. And when people trust you, everything gets easier.

-jesse

P.S. What’s your approach to building trust in business? Hit reply and let me know. I’ve been getting a lot of great replies to this newsletter. Keep it coming. I want to get to know you.