Carissa Lintao: Five Things I Learned As A Twenty Something Founder of Apptuitive
By: Carly Martinetti
Tags: Business, Leadership, Entrepreneurship, Startup

Thank you so much for doing this with us Carissa! What is your “backstory”?

Thanks for having me!

I fell into tech when I was 18–19 years old because I couldn’t find a “real” job at a Best Buy or H&M. I Googled online work and came across Upwork, the world’s largest network for independent professionals. The second project I worked on was for an indie developer ー I was hired to write up questions & answers for his House of Cards Trivia app.

This was back in 2015 when app development was starting to become mainstream, so I got in at just the right time. Before I knew it, more and more app marketing related projects started falling into my lap.

Fast forward to 2020 and I now run one of the world’s leading app store optimization agencies, Apptuitive.

Can you share the funniest or most interesting story that happened to you since you started your company? What lessons or takeaways idd you take out of that story?

Every entrepreneur has their own “thing” to accelerate performance — some tamer than others. That said, one scoop of pre-workout a day is my thing. It works ten times better than coffee and is essentially adult fun dip for me at this point. I attribute the better half of my success to C4 Icy Blue Razz Powder.

What do you think makes your company stand out? Can you share a story?

What makes Apptuitive stand out from the rest is that we prioritize people over profits. Our team always goes the extra mile to educate & tell the truth, beat last minute deadlines clients throw at us, consult off the books, etc.

Our marketing intern Abdul ran a competitor analysis just last month and found that one of our competitors pretty much requires prospective clients to have $15,000/mo. ready to spend before they even hop on the phone with them.

Don’t get me wrong, that’s a great way to weed out serious inquiries, however, that’s not our speed.

Abdul also found that 67% of the clients we work with are minority founders. Minority founders are a very small percentage of all startup founders and they also have a harder time securing funding. Meaning, they don’t necessarily have the resources to pay conventional marketing agency rates. Which is why our very pricing structure and offering is focused on supporting early-stage startups.

None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story?

Angela Cleveland! She’s an amazing leader at NCWIT, NJSCA, and ReigningIt. We met three years ago on Medium, but to this day she still continues to open a ton of different doors for me and countless other people. She’s one of tech’s unsung heroes. I’m extremely grateful for all of the hard work she puts in on a daily basis.

Are you working on any exciting projects now?

I’m working with my amazing team on redesigning our website, collateral, and social media presence. We’re setting out every single one of our moves with the intention of becoming one of the world’s top three app marketing agencies by July 2021.

How have you used your success to bring goodness to the world?

“Bringing goodness to the world” is something that’s baked into the company ー it’s not a byproduct of success. By offering advice whenever I can to whoever I can, I’m able to help countless founders and other people in tech. I also use my platform to educate people on ethical & important issues, such as the future of work, humane design, social media usage, app developer responsibility, and inequality.

Do you have a favorite book that made a deep impact on your life? Can you share a story?

“The Power of Now” by Eckhart Tolle. I recommend this book to any founder I come into contact with. The premise of the book is that the past is just all present moments that have gone by, and the future is just the collection of present moments waiting to arrive. Which is why it’s so important to be present and take action.

Can you share 5 of the most difficult and most rewarding parts of being a “Twenty Something founder:”

Most difficult:

Stress

I eat, sleep, and breathe Apptuitive because the only one who’s responsible for its growth is me. There’s a saying that entrepreneurs work 80 hour weeks so they won’t have to work 40 hour weeks, and it’s so true. I need to wear every single hat in order to keep things flowing. Plus there’s always something that needs to be done. I always say I wish I could be duplicated because time management is no joke.

Lack of direction

Every day is a learning experience. I never had that “one mentor” who laid out a path and said do x, x, and x and you’ll get x. I crowdsource mentorship from everyone. It has its pros and cons and I wouldn’t be where I am today without it, however, not knowing what exactly to do every day can be difficult to navigate.

Comparison

It’s very easy to slip into a comparison mindset. Comparison can be a healthy thing in terms of motivation, but it can also be toxic. Every once in a blue moon I’ll compare myself to every Forbes 30 under 30 recipient or anyone that has successfully sold their company for millions of dollars, and I’ll have to snap out of it. Everyone has their own path and it’s completely unrealistic to compare your life to someone else’s.

Pressure

I push myself to perform at my max every single day. It can be difficult to manage every so often, but as the saying goes, no pressure, no diamonds.

Most rewarding:

Making direct impact

Helping people and immediately seeing it impact their life whether it was a piece of advice, a kind word, or sending them a gift is the most rewarding thing about running a business. It’s one of the best feelings in the world and I wouldn’t be able to do what I do if I didn’t positively impact people in some way, shape or form.

Living life on my own terms

Getting to do what I want, when I want it, with the people I want to do those things with is a privilege I have and I don’t think I’ll ever not be grateful for it.

Mentoring

I love mentoring and teaching whenever I get the chance. I especially love sharing about what I do and giving advice to kids that are interested in my story or technology.

Redefining industry standards

The marketing agency world gets a bad rap for a good reason. It’s full of empty promises, scams, bad customer service, and the list goes on. Every day I set out to raise the bar within the app marketing space and I have no doubt that the way our team treats people will set a new industry standard.

Being a voice for others who don’t have it

Whenever I speak at events, meetings, or even in emails, I do my best to ensure I’m a voice for people who aren’t in the room. It’s important to immediately start opening doors for other people as soon as you have a door open for you.

What are the main takeaways that you would advise a twenty year old who is looking to found a business?

If you have the means to start your own business, just do it. There’s no better time to start than in your 20’s. What do you have to lose?

We are very blessed that some of the biggest names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might see this. :-)

Emily Heyward, cofounder of Red Antler. This year I had the realization that although I work in tech, I’m more of a business person. There’s a huge difference between bringing an app to market and being in client services. I’ve been walking in-between both the past two years, but I’m at the point where I need to focus on building the business — not working in the business.

Emily Heyward and her founding team cultivated the modern day “Sterling Cooper,” and I would love to ask her a few questions I have on processes and brand building.

What is the best way our readers can follow you on social media?

You can find me by searching “Carissa Lintao,” or @carissajaade on any social platforms.