In this episode of Non-Founder Crew, we’re diving into the real side of building a career in a startup. It’s all about navigating uncertainty, saying yes even when you don’t have the answers, and constantly figuring out the next step in the process.

Chathri Ali, CEO and Co-Founder of Accel Health, has done all of this and more. Formerly from Recharge Payments and Klaviyo, Chathri shares her experience through several startups & stages. And now that she’s a founder herself, we’ll hear the key lessons that helped her take risks and welcome new challenges.

If you’re someone trying to figure out how to grow with a startup, build your own role, or know when it’s time to move on, this episode is packed with the information you need. We talk about the tension of being an early employee, how to make yourself indispensable, and how to navigate relationships with founders as your role and career evolve.

If you’re ready to be an indispensable and go-getting team member, this episode will give you the mindset and tips to make it happen.

Highlights:
(00:00) How Chathri’s journey with Recharge began
(02:00) Saying yes before you know how: Chathri’s first big leap
(03:45) From marketing to COO: How Chathri grew with Recharge
(05:00) Navigating uncertainty and trusting yourself in a startup
(07:00) What it’s like to work at a bootstrapped startup
(09:15) Making smart bets and handling resource constraints
(11:00) How funding changed everything for Recharge
(12:30) The tension between early-stage employees and founders
(14:00) What Chathri learned about working with challenging leaders
(16:00) When is it time to leave? Chathri’s decision to move on
(18:00) How becoming a founder changed Chathri’s perspective
(20:00) Key advice for early employees looking to scale with a startup

Resources:

• Follow me on Substack: https://nonfoundercrew.substack.com/
• Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aliciarosethomas
• Non-Founder Crew’s website: https://www.nonfoundercrew.com/

In this episode of Non-Founder Crew, we’re diving into something that can completely change the trajectory of your career at a startup, and that’s creating your own role.

If you’ve ever felt stuck in your job, waiting for the “right” opportunity or wondering how people land those seemingly custom-fit roles, this episode is for you. My guest, Sam Melnick, the Vice President of Marketing at Postscript, is back to break down exactly how he’s created roles for himself more than once and how you can do the same.

From pitching your own job description to navigating internal politics and proving your value early, Sam and I unpack what it actually takes to carve out a role that aligns with your skills and ambitions. We also talk about why startups reward action over permission and how understanding that can unlock opportunities much faster than you think.

If you want to stop waiting for a promotion and start building a role that actually excites you, this episode will give you the mindset, strategies, and real-world examples to make it happen.

Highlights:
(00:12) Why creating your own role is a hidden advantage in startups
(01:45) Sam’s first experience pitching a role that did not exist
(02:54) Why focusing on what excites you matters more than title or pay
(03:30) How to pitch your own role with a real business case
(04:10) The internal reactions and politics of creating something new
(05:35) Building momentum early and proving value in week one
(06:20) Why startups reward people who take action without permission
(07:13) The risk of pointing out problems and owning them
(08:14) Why your idea needs business context, not just creativity
(09:43) Alicia’s story of moving from admin to marketing
(11:57) The tradeoffs of niche titles versus broader roles early on
(14:18) How roles evolve by taking on more responsibility over time
(16:22) What Sam wishes he had done earlier in his career

Resources:

• Follow me on Substack: https://nonfoundercrew.substack.com/
• Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aliciarosethomas
• Non-Founder Crew’s website: https://www.nonfoundercrew.com/

If you want more like this, I share deeper breakdowns on my Substack.

In this episode of Non-Founder Crew, we're diving into something nobody ever tells you when you join a startup: the unwritten rules of titles.

If you’ve felt stuck in your career, unsure of how decisions around titles get made at the leadership level, then this episode is for you. My guest, Sam Melnick, the Vice President of Marketing at Postscript, is here to share his stories & experiences with navigating job titles and career growth in startups to help you break free from this common frustration.

From founder alignment to understanding your own career goals, Sam and I unpack the challenges of advancing in a startup, especially when titles and promotions seem elusive. He’ll talk through why titles are often more about timing and company size. And why understanding the unwritten rules is the key to understanding the dynamics happening inside your organization.

If you want to understand how decisions often get made regarding titles, promotions, and compensation changes, this is a great episode to give you context at the leadership level from someone who's been on the other side of the table as a manager and leader.

Highlights:

(00:00) Introduction to the episode and why titles matter at startups
(01:00) Introducing Sam Melnick, his background and career journey
(03:00) The unwritten rules of startup organizations: reading the room
(04:35) Why being clear on what you want is critical as a non-founder
(06:00) How founder alignment shapes your career opportunities
(07:30) The pitfalls of leveling too early, how titles can box everyone in
(09:00) Understanding the "why" behind chasing a title
(11:00) Why the Senior Manager to Director transition is a common pain point
(13:00) Titles vs. comp vs. equity: how to stack rank your priorities
(15:00) Creating your own role at a startup and the ego hits that come with it
(16:30) Why "titles don't matter" is easy to say once you've already made it
(18:00) How Sam navigates title conversations with his own team
(20:00) Does the company actually need that senior role? Thinking like a manager
(22:00) Putting yourself in your manager's shoes, the layers behind every promotion decision
(25:00) Navigating layoffs, AI disruption, and knowing your market value
(29:00) Negotiating for coaching and other non-title career resources
(31:00) Survive and Thrive Toolkit: keeping your equity platform info up to date

Resources:

• Follow me on Substack: https://nonfoundercrew.substack.com/
• Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aliciarosethomas
• Non-Founder Crew’s website: https://www.nonfoundercrew.com/