Erik Poldroo
Co-Founder @ The Zone | Former NCAA Athlete | Scaled Mental Health SaaS to 200+ Teams | GTM, B2B Sales & Customer Success Operator | Startup Advisor & Builder | a16z TxO Fellow
I specialize in
“Mission-driven GTM strategist who's built from the trenches”
Background & Highlights
Co-Founder @ The Zone | GTM Strategist & Startup Advisor for Mission-Driven Founders Helping early-stage founders scale purpose-driven startups through go-to-market clarity, real-world sales strategies, and systems that actually hold up when things get messy. ⸻ What I Offer on Hubble: ✅ GTM Strategy for Early-Stage Founders ✅ B2B Sales & Scalable Customer Success ✅ Fundraising Guidance/Deck Review (Pre-Seed/Seed Only) ✅ Team Culture Development & People-Centered Leadership ✅ Building Systems that Drive Retention & Operational Efficiency ✅ Honest coaching around Founder Mindset & Resilience ⸻ Background & Highlights: ✅ Co-Founder of The Zone, supporting 200+ athletic teams nationwide ✅ Helped raise 7 figures in capital from VCs and mission-aligned angels ✅ Successfully lead multi-year B2B contracts with universities and athletic organizations. ✅ Built a high-retention SaaS platform for enterprise clients ✅ Former NCAA athlete turned mental health advocate & operator ⸻ Building a company from scratch has taught me more than any course or textbook ever could. I know what it feels like to pitch when your runway is short, to juggle sales, customer success, and product updates in the same day, and to carry the weight of the mission when no one else sees it yet. I started The Zone after dealing with my own mental health challenges as a student-athlete - stress, injury, and pressure without any real tools to manage them. That experience still shapes how I lead, how I build, and how I support others today. Whether you’re figuring out how to break through the noise, close your first big deal, or just need a sounding board from someone who has been in the trenches - I’m here for you. I won’t give you fluff. Just honest support, thoughtful questions, and the kind of practical strategy that comes from doing it the hard way. Let’s build something that lasts and actually feels good.
You'll get advice on
- Launching Your Startup & GTM Strategy
- Customer Success & Retention
- Founder Mindset & Resilience
- B2B Partnerships
- Digital Media & Brand Positioning