Lessons from Sam Jacobs, founder and CEO of Pavillon

On Kindness, Empathy, and Values

"You don't have to be ruthless to get ahead—kindness will get you there faster." [1][2] This is the central thesis of his book, challenging the traditional "nice guys finish last" mentality in business. [1][2]
"Being a good person and earning money aren't mutually exclusive." [1][2] Jacobs emphasizes that ethical behavior and financial success can and should coexist. [1][2]
"Helping others isn't a sacrifice; it's a long-term strategy that can spur your success." [1][2] He reframes altruism as a powerful tool for sustainable growth. [1][2]
"Show up, lead with empathy, be persistent, don't be a jerk, and treat others with kindness." [3] These are the core tenets of doing business that Pavilion champions. [3]
"Values should be more than just words." [4] In his "On the Rise" series, Jacobs stresses the importance of putting values into action, especially when they are tested. [4]
"A better way to do business is to build relationships, not transactions, focus on the long term, not the short term, and believe in a world of abundance." [5] These are the foundational ideas behind Pavilion. [5]
"If we put good out into the world, that good will come back to us." [5] A belief in karma and the power of positive action is a recurring theme in his philosophy. [5]
"Through helping others, we help ourselves in ways that will be far greater and more impactful than we ever imagined." [3] This quote encapsulates the reciprocal nature of kindness and community. [3]
"The secret is finally getting out—kind people really do get ahead faster." [1] He confidently asserts that the paradigm is shifting towards a more considerate path to success. [1]
"What do you stand for?" [4] A question he poses to encourage professionals to align their work with their core values. [4]

On Community Building

"When you think about how do you grow a community it's like you got to when people say how do I build something like Pavilion my initial answer is always well do you have 10 years?" [6] Jacobs highlights that building a strong community is a long-term endeavor that requires patience and dedication. [6]
"It takes a really long time to cultivate and nurture the right kind of people in the room with the right purpose and the right experience." [6] The quality of members and a shared purpose are crucial for a thriving community. [6]
"Communities are resistant to growth capital." [6] He warns against the traditional VC model of rapid scaling, which can corrupt the essence of a community. [6]
"The way to grow a community is by obsessively focusing on the member experience." [6] Prioritizing the needs and value for members is the key to sustainable growth. [6]
"My stuff on LinkedIn isn't a community it's an audience." [6] He distinguishes between broadcasting content and fostering genuine interaction where members help each other. [6]
"Originally Pavilion... had very strict membership requirements. You couldn't just sign up online and you had to be an operator." [7] The initial exclusivity was key to building a high-quality, focused community. [7]
"This was a club for operators... it was an FU to those people [investors and CEOs]." [7] Pavilion was created to celebrate the unsung heroes of the startup world. [7]
"The biggest mistake: Removing the qualification barrier." [7][8] He openly admits that diluting the membership criteria was a significant error that they had to course-correct. [7][8]
"The through line is human connection." [9][10] At its core, Pavilion is about connecting peers who face similar challenges. [9][10]
"In a membership organization, retention is acquisition." [10] Keeping existing members engaged is the most effective way to grow. [10]

On Business Strategy and Growth

"We're past the era of Growth at Any Cost and firmly in a quasi-permanent state of Profitable, Efficient Growth." [11] Jacobs identifies a fundamental shift in the tech industry's mindset. [11]
"It's okay to build a profitable business you know and even if it's not going to be worth a billion dollars it might not work for venture but it's okay." [12] He encourages founders to consider alternative paths to success beyond the venture-backed unicorn model. [12]
"90% of the people that say we are choosing to bootstrap would not don't have any other [option]." [12] A candid take on the realities of fundraising and the narrative around bootstrapping. [12]
"You have to start with a great product." [12] He emphasizes that go-to-market excellence can't compensate for a mediocre product. [12]
"All GTM motions are interconnected." [12] He dismisses the idea of siloing different go-to-market strategies, highlighting their interdependence. [12]
"What got you here won't get you there." [9] Citing Marshall Goldsmith, he acknowledges the need for leaders to evolve their strategies as their companies scale. [9]
"It's much easier for a low growth company that's profitable to find and discover growth than it is for a high growth unprofitable business to find its way to profitability." [7] A lesson learned from his own experience of navigating Pavilion back to profitability. [7]
"Size your bets to size your Investments so that they're proportional to your balance sheet." [13] A crucial piece of advice for making sustainable investments in future growth. [13]
"If you're asking your board what the company is worth it's probably not worth very much." [13] A humorous but insightful take on founder-board dynamics. [13]
"What builds durable businesses what builds great businesses it's really retention." [13] He underscores the importance of customer retention as the foundation of long-term success. [13]

On Leadership and Personal Growth

"The biggest risk I've taken I realize in hindsight was working for other people I'm just not very good at it." [6] A moment of self-awareness that led him to entrepreneurship. [6]
"My journey was like I need a job I can't get fired from if I start my own company it'll be really hard for me to fire myself." [6] The modest and relatable origin story of his entrepreneurial journey. [6]
"I hadn't answered that question for anybody... what do you want to do with this thing." [7] The realization that he needed to define a clear long-term vision for Pavilion. [7]
"I built a three-year vision that uh that specifically articulates this is what I want to do this is when I want to do it." [7] The importance of creating and communicating a long-term plan. [7]
"It takes time to build these things in the right way particularly clubs you know cool clubs take some time to build." [7] A reminder to leaders to be patient and deliberate in their efforts. [7]
"Happiness doesn't have to be Condition Driven." [5] A profound learning from his personal journey of transformation. [5]
"My Energy is Contagious." [5] Recognizing the impact a leader's energy has on their team and organization. [5]
"Once you realize that 'maybe it's you', that can be freeing and allow you to reflect and change your perspective." [2] Taking ownership of one's role in professional challenges is a key step toward growth. [2]
"The only fundamental stability is instability." [10] Acknowledging the volatile nature of the modern professional world. [10]
"Volatility isn't just something to endure. It's an opportunity." [14] He encourages leaders to see disruption as a chance to be creative and lean into what makes their business unique. [14]

On the Future of Work and Sales

"I think outbound sales is super hard i don't I I think broken implies that it's capable of being fixed. i don't think it's capable of being fixed." [12] A stark assessment of the challenges facing traditional outbound sales. [12]
"I think people's attention is only going to get more and more fragmented." [12] The core reason why he believes the difficulty of outbound sales will persist. [12]
"In 2023 20% of all reps generated 80% of revenue." [12] Data-backed evidence of the increasing concentration of performance among top salespeople. [12]
"Sales is hard and most sales people suck and that's because most people in general suck at their job." [12] A brutally honest and provocative statement on the state of the sales profession. [12]
"The rate of company formation is only increasing and that that's probably good news for sales people i would think you know we can say oh is AI going to replace all SDRs maybe but there are still I want to meet people in person and do business with them." [15] An optimistic outlook on the enduring need for human connection in sales. [15]
"I am terrified that I'm not navigating this new AI-driven world in the right way." [15] A candid admission of the uncertainty and challenges posed by the rapid advancement of AI. [15]
"Figuring out signal from that noise is really hard." [15] The difficulty of discerning effective AI tools and strategies from the hype. [15]
"Authenticity is your competitive edge in a world where AI-generated content is everywhere." [14] In an increasingly automated world, being real and unique is a key differentiator. [14]
"The thing that volatility allows for is the expression of individuality." [14] He sees market shifts as an opportunity for companies to break from playbooks and embrace their unique identities. [14]
"Together, we will continue to embody the spirit of giving before getting, of lifting each other up, and of building a world where collaboration and mutual support lead to extraordinary outcomes." [11] A powerful and inspiring vision for the future of the Pavilion community and the business world at large. [11]

Learn more:

Lessons from Sam Jacobs, founder and CEO of Pavillon

On Kindness, Empathy, and Values

On Community Building

On Business Strategy and Growth

On Leadership and Personal Growth

On the Future of Work and Sales

Written by Antoine Buteau

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