I’m joined by Natalie Barbu, CEO and co-founder of Rella, to unpack how her team went from 200 no’s to raising $1M and reaching $1M ARR. We get into the unfiltered truths of starting a tech company without a coding background, nearly running out of money, and the viral video that turned it around!We discuss:

• How Natalie spotted the gap in creator/social workflow tools
• The step-by-step path from creator to tech founder (without writing code)
• How she found, tested, and committed to the right co-founders
• Surviving 200 investor rejections and landing the first yes
• The storytelling pitch that resonated with early-stage VCs
• Why Rella pivoted to businesses, and how they executed the rebuild
• The viral video that spiked trials (and what they did next)
• How to balance fundraising with running the company
• Tactical resources for first-time fundraisers and operators

RESOURCES MENTIONED → GTM Essentials Course: https://selinaho.com/gtm-essentials→ Try Rella: https://getrella.com/ Use our code "CONFESSIONS" for 15% off → The Startup Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/startup-podcast/id913805339→ The Pitch Podcast: https://www.thepitch.show/LET’S CONNECT→ Newsletter: https://ceo-confessions.beehiiv.com → LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/selinaho → Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/selinajho → TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@selinajho_ CONNECT WITH NATALIE→ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@NatalieBarbu→ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nataliebarbuSTART YOUR BUSINESS→ Start a business with the free Build a Sustaining Business program: https://selinaho.com/basb→ Define your version of success and build a blueprint to achieve it inside the free Your Success Roadmap: https://selinaho.com/roadmapSCALE YOUR BUSINESS→ Free GTM Essentials Course: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLoxqvwU4q36bTLn_CVAaeyHPd2bjxIEz_ → Secure Your Winning GTM Strategy: https://selinaho.com/consulting TIMESTAMPS00:00 Highlights02:33 Welcome and Introduction02:52 Starting Rella04:55 The Journey to Becoming a Tech Founder05:53 Finding the Right Development Team06:47 Co-Founder Dynamics09:38 Balancing Content Creation and Startup Life10:36 Consistency in Content Creation13:35 Fundraising Journey14:30 Learning the Fundraising Process15:54 Resources for Aspiring Founders17:52 Friends and Family Round19:18 Navigating the VC Round22:00 The Power of Networking and Persistence27:30 Handling Closed Rounds Respectfully28:22 The Importance of Storytelling in Fundraising29:11 Crafting a Compelling Pitch31:42 The Decision to Pivot32:52 Rebuilding and Relaunching Rella33:55 The Viral Video That Changed Everything37:10 Managing Growth After Going Viral39:11 The Power of Content Creation for Founders40:20 Balancing Personal and Business Content42:12 Navigating Transparency and Privacy43:30 Revamping the Podcast45:08 Daily Routines and Personal Insights46:47 Best and Worst Advice for Founders