107. Transitioning from Founder-led to a Scaleup: Lessons Learned and What’s Next with CampfireSocial’s Erica Bishaf

Are trade shows now a distant memory? In today’s time and with the climate brought about by COVID-19, trade shows look like a thing of the past. But one entrepreneur saw the opportunity to fill the gap in the space and modernize what used to be so common. CampfireSocial’s Founder and CEO Erica Bishaf shares her journey so far as a startup in its early stages. As the first omnichannel platform designed solely for industry verticals and organizations, they are at the forefront of what could be revolutionary. The path from startup to scaleup often starts with solving a problem. So this episode is sure to help you see what challenges a young startup faces as it builds and grows. We’ll talk about: Erica’s background and why she started CampfireSocial [01:20] What are trade associations and what are they for? [05:31] How Erica is modernizing the trade show [06:42] Applying the same idea in the pet space to trade associations [08:51] Her first priorities during the early days of her startup [13:05] Your team has to be on board with your passion [20:03] The impetus for her to start fundraising [22:30] The biggest challenges for her company [26:02] What would she have done differently [28:33] What’s next for CampfireSocial [30:28] Why feedback matters to them [33:33] The one thing Erica recommends [35:06] Resource Links: Brett Trainor Website (https://bretttrainor.com/) Download Startup to Scaleup: A 4-Part Framework to Grow Your B2B Business to $10 Million (https://bretttrainor.com/resources/) CampfireSocial Website (https://www.campfiresocial.io/) About Our Guest: A 20+ year veteran in market intelligence, strategy, and trade shows, Erica Bishaf is the Founder and CEO of CampfireSocial. A tech entrepreneur, Erica saw the need for a platform designed for industry verticals and organizations to cultivate communities and drive revenue growth.  Email Erica at [email protected] If you liked this episode, please don’t forget to tune in, subscribe, and share this podcast.  Connect with B2B Founder:  Subscribe on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCySoKsETeKxu-Fnf2VfE7Gg/