The Most Important Decision is Getting Started

Behrens Wu says the first important step is deciding to begin, without waiting for a grand idea. She and co-founder Simon started with an online marketplace for emerging designers, then found that shipping was a painful problem: rates were hard to compare, margins were tight, and the technology was outdated. They built Shippo to connect e-commerce businesses with shipping providers and help them get labels and tracking.

After rejections from Y Combinator and 500 Startups, Shippo joined 500 Startups on a later application. Behrens Wu pitched 125 angels and investors, received 150 no's, and eventually raised $2 million from 10 investors. She recommends practicing pitches, communicating candidly about team changes, and checking how prospective investors treat founders when things go wrong.

Before its seed round, Shippo grew shipping volume 40% week over week, and Behrens Wu says it helped to focus on one main success metric. For its Series A, the team coordinated investor meetings over several weeks and raised $7 million from Union Square Ventures, despite losing a senior technical leader and facing a lawsuit during due diligence. She advises founders to stay committed to their goals while changing tactics, and to treat setbacks as part of a larger picture.

Behrens Wu says founders should be authentic, understand their strengths and weaknesses, and hire people with complementary skills. She urges founders to shape a culture they want to work in, care for their own health, and ask for help from peers, coaches, and supporters. Her co-founder Simon complements her skills and shares the burden of running Shippo.

Behrens Wu describes being one of few women at CEO dinners and recalls a male investor calling Shippo a “cute little business.” She says hard work alone does not prevent discrimination, and that the problem lies partly in the system. Founders can help by building workplaces women want to join, serving as role models, and showing strong results.