Today we’d like to introduce you to Lauren Marturano.
Hi Lauren, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I joke that I am a recovering corporate employee. In reality, I know that my seven years between Microsoft and Salesforce were the foundation for Zinnia. After my long stint in the corporate world, I launched a company in the Web3 and Creator Economy space. This is when I had the chance to connect with Kathryn O’Day, an incredible partner at Atlanta Ventures, who quickly became my mentor. When it was time to figure out my next move, I called Kathryn to brainstorm and she asked me to join Atlanta Ventures as an Entrepreneur in Residence.
Through my time as an EIR exploring different industries and business ideas, one guiding belief remained at my core: I believe in the power of human connection. From building communities leading Microsoft and Salesforce Women’s ERGs to launching a company focused on regulating and monetizing Web3 collectives, I am convinced that magic happens when humans build authentic connections.
My conviction in community, paired with the shift toward a remote workforce, led us to launch Zinnia as an offsite and retreat planning platform. We started by focusing on internal-facing events like Sales Kickoffs or QBRs and expanded into client-facing revenue-driving events. Through this expansion, we learned the importance of knowing who is at your event and how to best connect with them. This learning was the catalyst to the next chapter in our story: ZinniaAI.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
There is no such thing as a smooth road as an entrepreneur – it is always a dang rollercoaster ride. That said, I would compare our journey to the smoother metal rollercoasters versus a rickety old wood ride that shakes you around and leaves you with a headache.
The macroeconomic climate has thrown us some curveballs. We launched a month before the largest tech companies announced layoffs that had a domino effect across the entire industry. This also meant most offsites were put on hold. Then, we announced our raise two days before Silicon Valley Bank shut down. Luckily, we were able to still close the round we wanted with incredible investors.
Our north star of keeping human connection at the center of every organization has allowed us to listen to the market and roll with the waves, better serving our customers and building something that people can’t live without.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Zinnia enables your team to better connect, serve, and sell to your target audience by turning data into knowledge using AI. We empower your B reps to become A players by providing executive summaries at the click of a button – inclusive of talking points specific to your product and that are relevant to your buyer.
Our core team has been in the top 1% of Sales Professionals at both Microsoft and Salesforce, so we know what it takes to build relationships and close deals. Zinnia provides businesses with the tools and knowledge they need to succeed in a rapidly evolving digital landscape. Our AI platform goes beyond traditional analytics by providing not just data but also the talking points and insights that drive real engagement and impact. We understand that information alone is not enough; it’s turning the data into knowledge that truly makes a difference.
Whether you’re a small start-up or a multinational corporation, our AI platform can help you better understand your target audience, uncover hidden opportunities, and optimize your communication strategies.
How do you define success?
At Zinnia, success is simply continuing to keep human connection at the center of every organization.
Contact Info:
- Website: getzinnia.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/getzinnia
- Linkedin: linkedin.com/getzinnia
