Joining us for this episode is Erik Kostelnik, the co-founder and CEO at Postal.io, a leading B2B offline engagement platform that automates direct mail and gifting in the sales and marketing world, helping businesses to improve their customer acquisition and better engage with prospects. While their customer base might seemingly tell a different story, this company has been operational for only 78 days and has achieved remarkable growth amid the pandemic and the economic crisis facing many other companies. Erik shares how their technological advancements have allowed their customers to achieve unusual results, explaining that regular mail is often better received than email and, since it has been proven that the coronavirus cannot live on mail pieces, it has remained a trusted form of communications between businesses and their customers. Postal.io works on a subscription basis that caters to a range of customer needs, from the most basic $19/mo package to a comprehensive one for teams of plus-minus a thousand. Erik talks about why businesses should consider scaling their direct mail and gifting, why they had to adjust their industry and persona market fit early on, the success they had with the growth strategies of creating a marketplace and maintaining a close relationship with integration partners, and how they went about hiring the best executive staff. TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES:[00:41] Before we jump into today’s interview, please rate, review, and subscribe to the Leveling Up Podcast![00:24] Erik talks about his sales and leadership story over the last 20 years.  [01:01] Get a sense of what postal.io offers and an example of a practical use case. [02:18] How the firm’s technology has enabled their customers to achieve unexpected results. [04:05] The importance of scaling your personal direct mail, gifting, donations, and more.   [04:28] Erik talks about their subscription-based model that offers something for everyone. [05:52] The firm’s impressive customer count after just 78 days and amid the pandemic. [07:37] Why it is 100% safe to receive and open physical mail and packages. [08:13] How people’s response to mail and email differs and how it can be leveraged.[09:52] Erik responds to a question about how long it will take them to get to product-market fit.  [11:52] Why they have had to adjust their industry and persona market fit.[12:38] The success they have had with the growth strategy of creating a marketplace.[13:45] Maintaining a close relationship with integration partners and providing value to them.   [14:21] Erik shares how he defines and thinks about risk analyses.[15:49] Why technology entrepreneurs must take a step back at times. [17:23] How they went about hiring a full staff of executives from their trusted network. [17:48] The tool that Erik uses to read without the bother of advertisers and blockers. [18:14] Erik’s app for getting the most important summaries from all kinds of business books. Resources From The Interview:Erik Kostelnik on LinkedInPostal.ioOutreachHiveCiscoVMwareSalesforceSalesLoftZapierMarketo MayfieldJust ReadgetAbstractCoronavirus IX: Evictions (John Oliver)Must-read book: Lincoln on Leadership 

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