Welcome to the fourth edition of TSL’s community-sourced newsletter. 💜 Enjoy the read!

Raffi Salama: From Working with David Beckham to Founder of Marketing Talent Marketplace - Passionfruit

Raffi is the CEO and co-founder of Passionfruit, a B2B freelance talent marketplace connecting marketing specialists to major global brands such as PepsiCo and Mars. With a focus on reshaping the freelance economy and future of work, Raffi has led Passionfruit through successful funding rounds, raising over £14 million.

In our conversation, we cover how the freelance economy is evolving (00:05:00), balancing demand and supply (00:07:25), cultivating strong client relationships (00:16:30), building a resilient, mission-aligned team (00:36:10), fundraising insights from pre-seed to Series A (00:39:00) and much more!

Key takeaways:

🏢 Embedding a Culture of Care: Raffi prioritised early hires based on genuine care and dedication, echoing the sentiments expressed in a speech by Jonathan Gray (Blackstone) on valuing client care (00:36:16). Creating a culture where employees see their contributions as a privilege, rather than an obligation, fosters deeper commitment and resilience, especially in challenging times.

🛠️ Retention Through Customisation: Passionfruit provides an API-like integration that allows brands to seamlessly plug in talent, enabling flexible workforce solutions. On the supply side, the “rehearsal room” helps freelancers prepare for client engagement and has a 97% adoption rate. This approach strengthens marketplace loyalty, demonstrating the importance of tailored support (00:20:14). Founders can add value by embedding tools that empower their users. For example, consider how tailored educational or prep tools might improve user outcomes in your service.

🧗 What helped Raffi take the Leap? Raffi compared his journey to high-jumping, constantly setting and clearing higher bars to test his limits (00:57:25). Founders should embrace calculated risk, using each challenge as an opportunity to stretch their capabilities.

Catch in-depth insights on your next commute by tuning in via YouTube, Spotify or Apple Podcasts!

Resources to help you take the Leap📚

📄Writing an investment memo for VCs (template included)

🚀29 business moats that helped shape the world’s biggest companies

📚9 Best Business Books for B2B Leaders

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TSL Team 💜