What if growing fast was actually putting your company at risk? In this episode of Executive Connect, host Melissa Aarskaug sits down with Eric Fiegoli and Kevin White, co-founders of Exbo Group, to talk about what it really takes to scale a startup the smart way. With backgrounds in consulting, venture capital, Amazon, and investment banking, Eric and Kevin bring years of hands-on experience helping companies raise capital, stay lean, and grow without burning out.
From fundraising pitfalls to building the right finance team, they share how companies get stuck between Series B and profitability, and what founders can do to break through. You’ll learn why tracking burn rate matters more than ever, how to avoid hiring mistakes that kill momentum, and the risks of chasing growth before you’re ready. Whether you're a founder, operator, or investor, this episode is packed with clear, practical advice you can use right now.
Timestamps:
00:00 Avoiding financial traps in the order-to-cash process
01:22 How Kevin and Eric started Exbo Group
03:08 What “growth stage” really means
05:10 Capital risks every scaling CEO should know
08:45 Fundraising in today’s market: What’s hot and what’s not
12:17 Why VCs are pulling back on Series B rounds
14:11 The #1 rule: know your numbers, stay lean
16:58 Common financial and ops mistakes in scaling
18:10 How to grow smart through M&A, and what to avoid
22:20 The people problem: hire slow, fire fast
25:00 The “rainmaker” myth and sales hiring mistakes
28:16 Why speed beats perfection in startup life
30:28 How to connect with the Exbo Group team
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