BRETT FINK / MARKETING MANAGER CANDIDATE / SOUND VENTURES

I help founders go to market.

I’m Brett. I run GRTR, a marketing agency, and I’m looking for my next full-time role. I’ve worked with hundreds of founders on their businesses and how to bring them to market. I want to bring that experience, along with my background in venture, to the team at Sound.

A bit about my workGRTR / 500 STARTUPS / MODERNE VENTURES

AN INTRODUCTION FOR Sound Ventures

FROM BRETT FINK · LOS ANGELES

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIASTRATEGY / MARKETING / EXECUTION01 / THE INTRO

02 / GRTR / MARKETING AGENCY

I run an agency.
I’m in the work.

I run GRTR, a marketing agency.

At GRTR, I help talent build their own businesses. We work through what the brand should be, who it’s for and how to get it to market. Old Pal and Houseplant are part of that story, alongside our campaign and partnership work.

I’m involved from the early conversations through the actual delivery. The creative team, the client, the budget, the contracts, the timing: I’m used to keeping all of it moving.

01 / STRATEGY

Figure out the launch.

Who is this for? Why should they care? I help founders and brands work through those questions before we start making things.

02 / MARKETING

Find the right people.

I’ve worked with creators and talent since 2018. That experience sits alongside the campaign, social and partnership work I do at GRTR.

03 / DELIVERY

See it through.

I run an agency, so the job includes the less glamorous parts too. Budgets, schedules, approvals and making sure everyone knows what happens next.

WHAT I’D BRING TO SOUND

What caught my attention about Sound is how much this role touches. Helping a founder with their launch, putting together an event, working on the fund’s brand. That’s a mix I’d be excited to take on.

A few ideas for Sound

COMPANIES I’VE WORKED AT OR HELPED BUILD

PLATFORM & PARTNERSHIPS

EVENTS & FOUNDER SUPPORT

CREATIVE & SPECIAL PROJECTS

FOUNDING TEAM & BRAND

GROWTH & IP PARTNERSHIPS

US PRE-LAUNCH & GTM

03 / THE VENTURE & BRAND EXPERIENCE

I’ve spent a lot of time
with founders.

Hundreds of founders, at very different stages.

At 500 Startups and Moderne Ventures, a lot of my work was events and platform: connecting founders with funders, enterprise customers and partners, managing those relationships and helping founders figure out their go-to-market. It was hands-on work, from putting the right people in a room to following through afterward.

My work at GRTR has included helping build Old Pal and supporting Houseplant’s US go-to-market. I’ve also worked on digital IP partnerships at Spaceport and go-to-market at Sidechat.

SELECTED EXPERIENCEMORE ABOUT EACH ROLE

500 Startups & Moderne Ventures

500 STARTUPS / MODERNE VENTURES+

At 500 Startups and Moderne Ventures, I worked on events, platform and partnerships. I helped connect founders with funders, enterprise customers and potential partners, and managed partnerships myself.

I also worked directly with founders on their businesses and go-to-market. I liked how hands-on that work could be on a small fund team: planning an event, making an introduction, working through a launch and staying involved to help move it forward.

GRTR: Talent × Brands

OLD PAL / HOUSEPLANT+

A big part of my work at GRTR is helping talent build their own businesses. What should the brand be? Who is it for? How do we bring it to market? Old Pal and Houseplant are two brands I’ve helped build.

At Old Pal, I was the first employee and part of the founding team, helping launch the brand and expand into new markets. With Houseplant, I helped with pre-launch brand development and go-to-market in the US.

Houseplant’s US launch in Forbes

Snap, Spaceport & Sidechat

SNAP / SPACEPORT / SIDECHAT+

Creative strategy and special projects at Snap. Growth and partnerships connecting entertainment IP with digital experiences at Spaceport. Go-to-market work for an AI platform at Sidechat.

Different businesses, but a lot of the same work: understand what we’re building, find the right partners and help get it to market.

THE WAY I THINK

I like being the person
a founder can call.

ESPECIALLY WHEN THERE’S SOMETHING TO FIGURE OUT.

04 / MARKETING, COMMUNITY & FOUNDER SUPPORT

Here’s where
I’d start.

I’d want to hear what the team and founders actually need first. But reading the role, these are a few things I’d be excited to work on.

Ideas to talk through with you, not programs Sound currently runs.

FOUNDER DINNERS

Who’s missing
from the room?

A small table.
A few people you wouldn’t otherwise meet.

BRETT FINK / CONCEPT STUDY

Bring founders outside their usual circle.

I’d ask Sound’s founders who they need to meet, then build a small dinner around those asks. Mix portfolio founders with operators, founders outside the portfolio and potential customers. I can bring people from my venture, brand and agency work into that conversation.

WHERE I’D START

For example: a portfolio founder building an AI tool for marketers, two brand marketing leads who could use it and a founder who has already sold into those teams. Eight to ten people in Los Angeles, with a reason for every invitation.

WHAT I’D HANDLE

The introductions, guest list, venue, budget and hosting. I’d ask both sides before making an intro and follow up with a clear next step while the conversation is still fresh.

HOW I’D KNOW IT HELPED

Did they book a follow-up? Try the product? Find a useful partner? I’d check back with the founder, not just count who showed up.

THE APPROACH

I’d keep a simple list of what each founder needs and who might help, inside or outside the portfolio. A customer intro, a launch partner, an operator who has solved the same problem. Not every connection needs an event. Sometimes it just needs someone to make the introduction and follow through.

Informed by YC’s founder groups and launch support, Speedrun’s community programming and its product demo events. I’d start small and work out what makes sense for Sound.

05 / THE FIRST MONTH / A STARTING POINT

First, I’d want to know
what needs doing.

Get to know the team.

I’d spend time with the team and founders to understand what’s already working and where an extra pair of hands would help most.

Pick something to start.

Maybe that’s a dinner. Maybe a company needs help getting ready to launch. I’d agree on the scope and budget, then get moving.

Do it, then check back.

I’d handle the work and follow up with the people it was for. Then we can decide what’s worth doing again.

AND YES, THAT’S ME.

I’d love to
meet the team.

I care a lot about who I work with. I want to be around people I can learn from and build something with.

I probably won’t wear the hat to the interview.

06 / THE CONVERSATION

Let’s talk.

I’m based in Los Angeles and looking for my next full-time role. I want to be part of the team and community, in person, and I’m happy to travel. If this feels like a fit for Sound, I’d love to talk.

Let’s talk LinkedIn