I recently went one on one with Rytis Lauris, co-founder and CEO of Omnisend.

Adam: Thanks again for taking the time to share your advice. First things first, though, I am sure readers would love to learn more about you. How did you get here? What experiences, failures, setbacks, or challenges have been most instrumental to your growth? 

Rytis: First off, it has always been my dream to build a global company. I was 21 when I took the first step toward that goal and started my first business focused on environmental services. I’ve run multiple regional businesses in Lithuania since then. Some had great exits. Others failed. Across the board, one of the greatest hurdles was accessing capital. In particular, our initial fundraising efforts at Omnisend failed, forcing us to adopt a bootstrap approach. This was a huge challenge that turned out to work in our favor. We have never relied on external funding. We’re extremely proud that we have built an organization that is completely funded by our customers. Therefore, we are truly customer-centric—everything we do is driven by our customers’ needs.   

Adam: How did you come up with your business idea? What advice do you have for others on how to come up with great ideas? 

Rytis: The precursor to Omnisend was a different startup of mine, a digital marketing agency. I developed a relationship with one of our customers, Justas Kriukas. Together we worked on a solution for a need that he had and pivoted the business. He eventually became my co-founder of Omnisend. 

So my advice is to listen to your customers. They are the ones who have the needs, which should guide and shape your ideas. If you don’t currently have a business and are itching to start one, do your research. Talk to people working in the industry you’re looking to break into to understand their pain points.  

Adam: How did you know your business idea was worth pursuing? What advice do you have on how to best test a business idea? 

Rytis: My previous startups taught me a very important lesson. There are nice-to-have solutions, and there are must-have solutions. Providing a must-have solution is what makes a business sustainable and growth-worthy. On the flip side, if your business revolves around a solution that’s largely viewed as ideal but not necessary, you’re fighting an uphill battle. 

We knew our business idea was worth pursuing because it was based on a need among smaller and mid-sized businesses struggling with resource challenges. Still, it took two years to understand where we could create value for our customers and gauge what they’re willing to pay for. We launched the product even though we knew things were missing. It was the best way for us to learn. Our own customers told us what they needed. Some churned because our product didn’t meet their needs. There’s no better way to test your business idea than by getting feedback from your customers. That also includes exit interviews from those who churn.  

Adam: What are the key steps you have taken to grow your business? What advice do you have for others on how to take their businesses to the next level?

Rytis: I believe in a concept called the 20-mile march, which was developed by author James C. Collins. Imagine that your goal is to cross the United States on foot, going from one coast to the other. Collins says the best way to manage such a trek is to travel 20 miles every day, no more and no less, and no matter how easy or difficult it becomes. The key is maintaining a consistent pace. The same goes for working toward the goals of taking a business to the next level. We work bit by bit each day. Like bad weather, there’s a lot of things we can’t control. Daily goals keep us focused, and help us to ignore distractions. Along with that, an experimental mindset is key to growth. They help you make decisions faster, as well as learn from mistakes.  

Adam: What are your best sales and marketing tips? 

Rytis: My answer ties directly into our product and mission—hands down, my tip is to make your marketing relevant. Digital revolutions have afforded every company access to much more data than was available even 20 years ago. That means there’s a lot of customer data to be mined. If your company isn’t using it to your advantage, you’re missing out on ways to more deeply connect with your customers and prospects. Use the data to make your outreach personalized. There’s no need to rely on the much-less effective “spray and pray” method.    

Adam: In your experience, what are the defining qualities of an effective leader? How can leaders and aspiring leaders take their leadership skills to the next level? 

Rytis:  

Three traits I routinely see in effective leaders are:

1. Consistency. Whether it is the quality of work or how someone manages time in their day, knowing they will bring their A-game each and every time not only helps a company move forward but also sets an example for others to follow.    

2. Dependability. Consistency breeds dependability. Knowing someone will deliver what they promise isn’t something that can be taught. Being able to count on others to do what is expected is indispensable when growing a business. 

3. Continuous learning. Leadership comes in all styles and no two people are alike. The best leaders consistently expand their skillsets and knowledge through books, podcasts, soft-skills training programs, or one-on-one coaching.

Adam: What is your best advice on building, leading and managing teams? 

Rytis: I don’t believe that bureaucratic organizations with complicated structures are conducive to growing a fast and nimble company, which is what we’re always striving to be. I believe in team play, and always say that Omnisend is like a sports team. Building a team starts with hiring the right people who share the same goals. From there, it’s important to develop a culture where you bond people together into smaller teams, and also build personal relationships between those teams. Everyone should feel comfortable asking questions of each other or working on tasks cross-functionally, without the need to work through top-level managers. I also encourage everyone to challenge each other by providing candid feedback. The ability to give and receive feedback is one of the best things for any organization, as it allows for us all to grow and ultimately improve service to our customers. 

Adam: What are your three best tips applicable to entrepreneurs, executives and civic leaders? 

Rytis: 

1. Be willing to learn from your failures and not repeat the same mistakes. No one is perfect, and no one has all the answers when starting a business or running one.  

2. Read all you can. I’ve always got a business book on the nightstand. Look to other successful business leaders and organizations to see what they’re doing right.   

3. Be willing to adapt quickly. Devising a plan is great, but it’s important to recognize when changes are needed and, more importantly, be ready to pivot when required.  

Adam: What is the single best piece of advice you have ever received? 

Rytis: Failure is the only way to success. Ben Horowitz wrote an entire book about failures and how they’re part of starting a business, called “The Hard Thing About Hard Things: Building a Business When There Are No Easy Answers.” It’s the best business book I’ve ever read. It’s a must-read for every entrepreneur.   

Adam: Is there anything else you would like to share?

Rytis: If you’re an e-commerce business, I encourage you to check out Omnisend. We’d love to have you on our team.


Adam Mendler is the CEO of The Veloz Group, where he co-founded and oversees ventures across a wide variety of industries. Adam is also the creator and host of the business and leadership podcast Thirty Minute Mentors, where he goes one on one with America's most successful people - Fortune 500 CEOs, founders of household name companies, Hall of Fame and Olympic gold medal winning athletes, political and military leaders - for intimate half-hour conversations each week. Adam has written extensively on leadership, management, entrepreneurship, marketing and sales, having authored over 70 articles published in major media outlets including Forbes, Inc. and HuffPost, and has conducted more than 500 one on one interviews with America’s top leaders through his collective media projects. A top leadership speaker, Adam draws upon his insights building and leading businesses and interviewing hundreds of America's top leaders as a top keynote speaker to businesses, universities and non-profit organizations.

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