Zero to Traction

Here are five signs your startup idea… might be garbage ??? In this week's show, Josh David Miller and Cameron R. Law are feeling unusually snarky — and that's on top of the pretty high baseline level of snark you've come to expect! The roast includes: ??“It’s like Uber for X” (No, it’s not.) ??“No one else is doing this” (Because no one wants it.) ??“Our TAM is in the billions” (You mean if every human on Earth buys it?) ??“We just need 1% of the market” (Oh, that’s all?) ??“People said they’d pay for it” (But did they tho?) And, of course, it would't be Zero to Traction if they didn't end with some frivolous thoughts to take with you: ? Cameron becomes an NBA conspiracy theorist (but he swears he didn’t get it off Reddit); and ? JDM recommends a Netflix show that hooked him ?? Listen in your podcast app of choice ? Subscribe on Substack https://lnkd.in/gtvuQC69

Most founders rush to build an MVP to test their idea — but that’s building before testing. The faster, smarter way? Rapid prototypes — quick, cheap, disposable experiments that test your riskiest assumptions before you spend time, money, or energy building something no one wants. A sketch, a landing page, or even a fake interaction can give you the signals you need. Josh David Miller, co-founder of the Traction Lab, breaks it all down in his latest article — a must-read for any founder looking to find traction faster (without the burnout). Check it out! ?? Check out blog here: https://lnkd.in/gH4QcUDN #startups #productdevelopment #prototyping #MVP #innovation #traction Carlsen Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship StartupSac Zero to Traction

We are fired up to announce the first Founder Forum of the Traction Lab! This awesome group of startups joining our portfolio have great promise, and we are geared up to support them in making tangible progress toward their next pivotal milestones. The Traction Lab methodology is all about milestone-based progression, and we are rolling up our sleeves and working with each of them in making a massive click forward. Startups in the Forum: 811spotter – Transforming underground utility detection to prevent costly damages and enhance safety. (Marc Krichman) LogRx – Revolutionizing the way pharmaceuticals are tracked and managed in real time. (Clive Savacool and Kristen Simoes) Strived.io – Shaping the future of education with data (Shweta Gandhi and Saumya Garg) Resolv – Streamlining rebate programs to maximize efficiency and consumer participation. (Sam Ruderman) Demotu – A super assistant changing the way you approach movement through deep insights into human performance (Evan Ledahl, @Praj Vedula, John Mohr) If you are interested in plugging in to the Traction Lab, feel free to comment below or DM the Lab’s founders, JDM and Cameron. This effort is funding in part by the California Office of the Small Business Advocate (CalOSBA)'s Accelerate CA Hub program and the City of Sacramento Innovation Accelerator Grant. Let’s do big things! #TractionLab #founders #portfolio #startups #venturebuilding

Episode Drop! ??? The “don’t practice what you don’t know” edition Wherein JDM (Josh David Miller) and Cam (Cameron R. Law) do a dive deep into desk tchotchkes, and how to make rapid forward progress in your startup — in that order. Watch here: https://lnkd.in/grZ4C3mr Be sure to check out this episode of Zero to Traction where they tackle the crucial topic of moving meaningfully towards success, rather than aimlessly “hustling”. They emphasize the importance of being intentional, understanding customer needs, and avoiding the pitfalls of focusing excessively on the product. If you’re a founder wanting to balance speed with purpose, this episode will resonate. Plus, don’t miss the light-hearted updates on the _Rings of Power_ series and the latest win from the Sacramento Kings.

Over the past few weeks, we've been cranking out some ?? new episodes of the Zero to Traction podcast, diving deep into the real, raw challenges founders face while building scalable startups. Whether you're in the trenches of your first startup or looking to sharpen your entrepreneurial edge, there's something here for you. ?? Here’s what we’ve been up to: ??? The "Fire, the Founder" Edition We explore the internal drive and resilience it takes to build something from scratch. ?? Listen here: https://lnkd.in/g_yCm2EN ??? The "But You Didn't Answer My Question" Edition We unpack the art of asking the right questions and how founders can cut through the noise. ?? Listen here: https://lnkd.in/gTgT5V4m ??? The "If Maslow Had a Startup" Edition What does the hierarchy of needs look like in startup life? We dive into how founders can prioritize what matters most. ?? Listen here: https://lnkd.in/gdzzp73Z ??? The "We Promise This Isn’t a Sales Pitch" Edition We get real about sales without the sleaze—because let’s face it, everything is sales. ?? Listen here: https://lnkd.in/gwJU3Yzs ?? Now’s the perfect time to plug in! Whether you're tuning in on your morning commute, during your next coffee break, or while brainstorming your next big idea—Zero to Traction is here to help you navigate the ups and downs of startup life. ?? Which episode resonates most with you? Drop a comment below—we’d love to hear your take! #ZeroToTraction #StartupFounders #Entrepreneurship #BusinessGrowth #Innovation #ScalingStartups #Sales #Resilience #FoundersJourney Traction Lab Venture Accelerator Carlsen Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship StartupSac Startup Challenge Startup Grind Sacramento Cameron R. Law Josh David Miller

Hey look — Cameron and Josh found more trouble to get into Check out the region's newest venture building lab ??

It's about time Cameron and I got some adult supervision... We were joined by Brooke B. of Moneta Ventures on this week's episode of Zero to Traction to talk about how investors hear your pitch: ? Startup pitch pet peeves ? Pitching vs presenting ? Transparency vs TMI And, of course, frivolity! ?? Listen now → https://lnkd.in/gZKy6s-6

The "Screw It, We'll Do It Live!" Edition is here! This time, we’re shaking things up with a LIVE session recorded at the Carlsen Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship during Global Entrepreneurship Week Sacramento! ?? In this special episode, Cameron and Josh David Miller (JDM) take listener questions in an interactive Ask Us Anything format. ?? Here’s what’s inside: - Reflections on the intense mentor sprint that just wrapped up. - A deep dive into the critical role of feedback for entrepreneurs. - The importance of connecting founders with resources and building thriving communities. - Insights into innovation accounting and why it matters for startups. - A behind-the-scenes look at how we’ve adapted the podcast format and the value of real customer engagement. - Practical advice on balancing immediate actions with long-term networking strategies in the startup ecosystem. And as always, we wrap up with our frivolous thoughts: ?? Cameron’s hot take on early holiday decorations ?? JDM’s surprising reaction to the Matlock reboot (he watched an entire episode)! ?? Tune in now to get a front-row seat to the live energy and actionable insights for your startup journey! ?? Listen here: https://lnkd.in/g7jhvyH8 ?? Don’t forget to share your thoughts in the comments. We love hearing from the Zero to Traction community! #ZeroToTraction #LivePodcast #Entrepreneurship #FeedbackMatters #Networking #GlobalEntrepreneurshipWeek #CarlsenCenter #Startups #InnovationAccounting #CommunityBuilding

It’s Global Entrepreneurship Week in Sacramento. I started my day yesterday mentoring Entrepreneurs at the Carlsen Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship at Sac State. Was in attendance for a live episode of Zero to Traction podcast by Josh David Miller and Cameron R. Law. Ended my day at Growth Factory for NorCal AngelCon put together by Monique Brown, Cameron R. Law, Nikki Sims, Mark Haney and Rick Spencer. Sacramento has an amazing ecosystem helping entrepreneurs reach their goals and I’m proud to be part of it. Small businesses are the backbone of this country and the future is bright in Sacramento!!

Really enjoyed hearing updates on the state of #entrepreneurship in some of the key sectors in our region at the Carlsen Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship Monday night, as well as hearing some wisdom from Cameron R. Law and Josh David Miller earlier today at the live shooting of their Zero to Traction Podcast. #Veterans in the #Sacramento region, be sure to sign up for tomorrow's session designed just for you, "From Serving Our Nation to Customers" at 12:30pm. Link ? : https://lnkd.in/gZzpbU-h Let's build a community of support around veteran entrepreneurship! Timothy Swaney Andrew Hughan (Veteran) Daniel Morrison Anthony Winn Jarrad Gilk, MBA Nathan Champion, PMP, ASM, CSSBB Thomas McKenzie Marcus Haney Luis Pesantez Cade Younie Jaclyn Kirkwood, MBA, PMP?, RBLP-T?, LSSBB Angela Tom David Webb Curtis Hayes Shannon Yourkvitch, SPHR Daniel Romero SERGIO ROBLES Jason Nietupski Steve Peterson Anthony Piccirilli Sam Haye Rich Foreman Manuel Macabunga, PMP/PMI-ACP/CSM/ServiceNow CSA/CIS-ITSM Kristy Kenyatta Mark Allard Sean Arnold JP Mora, MBA, PHR Courtney Hardy-Wagner Ryan Wilson, MBA