This week we are joined by Elio Narciso , founder of ScaleStack , who discusses his journey as an entrepreneur and the challenges of building and selling companies.He shares insights from his time at AWS and the lessons he learned about go-to-market strategies. Elio explains the creation of ScaleStack AI and the importance of problem-solving before incorporating AI. He emphasizes the significance of founder-led sales and building trust with customers. Finally, Elio introduces the Revenue Engine Masters podcast and its focus on revenue operations and sales operations professionals. About Elio Narciso: Elio Narciso, the Co-Founder and CEO of Scalestack, leads a team focused on innovating sales operations. Before founding Scalestack, Elio worked at AWS as a Principal BD and Program Manager, developing a GTM program that helped startups like Notion, Webflow, and Zapier. His operator background includes starting and selling two mobile internet companies and taking on advisory and investment roles in startups such as Bitbrand and Instal. Elio earned his MBA from MIT Sloan, concentrating on entrepreneurship and finance, and is fluent in three languages. In this episode, we discuss: (01:25) Elio recounts his journey from Italy to the U.S. for an MBA at MIT, where his entrepreneurial aspirations took root. (06:19) His experiences building Mobave, learning from its acquisition, and the importance of co-founders (13:19) The creation and legacy of the AWS Global Startup Program (23:11) Why his startup Measure It's failed due to a focus on technology over market needs (25:07) The thrill of seeing users engage with and love a product, underscoring the importance of creating valuable solutions. (26:32) Why founder-led sales in early-stage startups is critical for direct learning and ensuring product-market fit (33:43) The importance of personal communication, like texting, in building deeper customer relationships. (37:57) ScaleStack's approach to automating sales processes, emphasizing efficiency and the use of AI (41:18) Elio’s podcast targets rev ops and sales ops professionals, focusing on efficiency and innovation in sales. Fast Favorites: 🎙- Favorite Podcast: Lex Fridman 📰- Favorite Newsletter / Blog: Money Stuff 📲- Favorite Tech Gadget: Phone, Sonos 📈-  Favorite New Trend: Productivity gains 📚- Favorite Book: Guns, Germs, and Steel 🤔 - Favorite Life Lesson: Be A Better Listener Follow Matt Cohen and Tank Talks here! Podcast production support provided by Agentbee.ai