Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in business development but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Gabriel Pana, Co-Founder and CEO of Traction Keys, located in London, UK.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
Traction Keys is a Venture Builder and Startup Incubator started with the sole purpose of providing growth, scale, lead generation, and marketing services to Startups and Early Stage Companies. Our first projects include White Pipe, Framework AI, SpeakBee, Pretto Management, and The Daily Innovation. The company was founded in 2022 by myself (Sales @ UiPath, Druid AI, other exits) and Catalin Sandu (Digital and Automation @ EY, Aggranda). Our goal is to help other Startups and Early Stage Companies achieve great success and eventually become Unicorns. We've built a team of prior founders, sales leaders, digital transformation champions, marketing gurus, and legal advisors to provide the proper support.
Tell us about yourself
Sure, I am the CEO & Co-Founder of Traction Keys, Co-Founder of White Pipe, and an Investor in many other Startups.
Before this, I enjoyed my time at UiPath, where I've been the Americas and EMEA SVP of Sales for 6+ years. I joined UiPath in early 2016 when the company was doing around 1M ARR, becoming the first seller to go towards EMEA and the Americas. I've opened new markets and enjoyed a successful IPO while supporting and leading the teams to get closer to 1B ARR (which happened just a few months after my departure).
I opened the first New York, California, and then Texas offices ensuring the company reached around 50M ARR in the region before moving to a strategic leadership role. Starting with September 2020 and until April 2022, I moved back "home" to Europe and led Strategy and Key Accounts in EMEA for UiPath - a team of over 50 sellers, RVPs, industry experts, and consultants. Under my leadership, the Key Accounts in EMEA grew by 250%+ Year-over-Year.
I am also an avid investor in startups and businesses. I've started a few of my own and enjoyed some successful exits (network business - 2008 exit, dance school - 2008 exit, local restaurant - exit 2021, consulting business - exit 2021, real estate development - initial exit in 2013, restarted in 2021).
I am a brother, dad, and husband. I am also a friend to everyone that wants to do fun things! And that includes building and scaling startups!
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
Growing a team and making sure we all play towards a common goal. Growing UiPath from that 1M ARR company to where it is today while building a great business network across four continents is something that I'll always enjoy! My biggest accomplishment is the team and network I built around myself and the company!
What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?
Managing expectations both vertically and horizontally. Working with 4-5 ventures at a time, with investors and employees, can sometimes prove challenging but can be done nicely with some good teamwork. This is why we love keeping our organizations horizontal and having everyone contribute.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
First, there is no good time to start - do it!
Second - make sure you build a team that is as focused on the goal as you are.
Third - always be humble - no matter how high you grow, there is always someone more intelligent or better to learn from.
Always remember your goals and make sure you're going towards them!
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.tractionkeys.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gabrielrpana/
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
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