Chris Ellis is the CEO of Thatch, a startup that is reshaping its industry with innovation and resilience. His journey in entrepreneurship offers valuable insights for aspiring founders and seasoned professionals alike. In a recent LinkedIn post, Chris Ellis shared a candid reflection on his experiences in scaling Thatch. His words resonate deeply, not only because of their authenticity but also because they encapsulate the challenges and triumphs of startup life.
Building a startup, as Chris Ellis aptly puts it, is a grind. The early days of Thatch were far from glamorous. Chris Ellis recalls practically begging their first customers to take a chance on their product. Fast forward to today, and Thatch has reached a significant milestone: adding more annual recurring revenue (ARR) in a single week than in the entirety of 2023. This transformation didn’t happen overnight. It’s a testament to the lessons Chris Ellis and his team have learned along the way—lessons that are as relevant to other entrepreneurs as they are to Thatch.
One of the key insights Chris Ellis highlights is the importance of resilience. “Resilience is the #1 quality for your early team,” he says. In the world of startups, success is rarely linear. Plans fail, experiments flop, and setbacks are inevitable. Chris Ellis emphasizes that startups aren’t for perfectionists but for those who can take a hit, learn from it, and keep moving forward. This quality is what separates high achievers who thrive in startups from those who struggle. The ability to bounce back from failure, adapt to new realities, and remain committed is a defining characteristic of successful startup teams.
Chris Ellis draws on Mike Tyson’s famous quote, “Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face,” to illustrate this point. He credits the resilience of his team as a cornerstone of Thatch’s success. These individuals don’t just endure challenges; they grow stronger because of them. For Chris Ellis, working alongside such a resilient team has been a privilege and a key factor in navigating the unpredictable journey of entrepreneurship.
Another vital lesson from Chris Ellis’s journey is the importance of building a strong foundation. He warns against the temptation to take shortcuts in the early stages of a startup. Whether it’s neglecting culture, operational efficiency, or defensibility, these shortcuts often lead to significant problems down the road. Chris Ellis compares this to constructing the first ten stories of a skyscraper out of wood and then trying to switch to steel. Such an approach is unsustainable and sets the stage for failure.
Instead, Chris Ellis advocates for investing in the right practices from day one. By doing so, startups can avoid the massive headaches that come with trying to retrofit a shaky foundation. At Thatch, this principle has been instrumental in scaling the business effectively. The lesson here is clear: building with intention and integrity from the start pays dividends in the long run.
Chris Ellis also shares a thought-provoking observation about startup ideas. The best ideas, he notes, resonate with everyday people but are often dismissed by experts. When pitching Thatch’s concept to industry experts, Chris Ellis encountered skepticism and criticism. However, when presenting the idea to real users—a YC founder, a dog trainer, an HR leader, a hairdresser—the response was overwhelmingly positive. These everyday individuals immediately saw the value of Thatch’s solution, even when experts did not.
This insight underscores the importance of understanding and prioritizing the needs of your target audience. According to Chris Ellis, the magic of a great idea lies in its ability to connect with real people. Experts may overanalyze and find flaws, but if the end users see the value, the idea has potential. For Chris Ellis, this validation from everyday users has been a driving force behind Thatch’s success.
In addition to these core lessons, Chris Ellis shares a bonus insight about perspective. As a new dad, he has gained a fresh outlook on life and work. The sleepless nights he once spent worrying about potential disasters have been replaced by the demands of parenthood. This shift in perspective has brought a sense of balance and gratitude to his journey. For Chris Ellis, the challenges of building a startup are now framed within a broader context, reminding him of what truly matters.
Chris Ellis’s reflections offer a roadmap for others navigating the startup grind. Resilience, a strong foundation, and a focus on real users are the pillars of his approach. These lessons, coupled with a healthy perspective on life, have propelled Thatch from its humble beginnings to a position of significant growth. For entrepreneurs in the trenches, Chris Ellis’s journey is a powerful reminder to keep going, even when the path is messy, frustrating, and full of false starts.
The road to scale is not for the faint of heart. As Chris Ellis emphasizes, the punches will come, and the skyscraper will take time to build. But with resilience, intentionality, and a deep understanding of your audience, success is within reach. Chris Ellis’s story is a testament to the transformative power of perseverance and vision in the world of startups.
