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Inside SpurtX! – Smarter Appraisals, Simpler Projects
Opeyemi Odunsi
August 20, 2025
TL;DR
How we're using Spur! for team appraisals, Sign into SpurtX!
Moyin's honest take on what project management is. Read more about it here
No PM? No Problem. Read How Small Teams Can Manage Projects Without a Dedicated Manager. Sign in to Sync!
We’re hiring, apply here
August is flying by fast as we're officially in Q3 now (where did the year go?), and honestly, there's still plenty of time to tackle those goals you set back in January. Four months can change everything.
Here's what we've been up to at SpurtX! so far
Tracking employee performance is very important to us at Spurt! That's why we've implemented Spur!, our appraisal tool that transforms how we understand and develop our team.
Every month, every team member participates in a dual appraisal process, which includes both self-evaluation and peer assessment. This approach reveals invaluable insights about individual competencies, professional growth trajectories, and team dynamics.
This gives us the ability to gain insights into how our employees are performing and measure the pulse of our team. It lets us recognise any performance gaps early and provide the necessary support each employee needs before challenges escalate.
With Spur!, you can also engage with your employees and effectively evaluate their performance, ultimately improving your productivity across your team.
We’ve put together a quick video showing how you can set up appraisals on Spur! and start evaluating your employee performance.
Meet Moyin, our operations analyst, who keeps everything running smoothly.
This week, Moyin wrote something that completely changed how we think about project management. While everyone else is obsessing over Gantt charts and status meetings, Moyin's take is refreshingly different:
"Project management isn't about the tools or the timelines – it's about being the person who catches what everyone else is about to forget."
Read Moyin’s full thoughts here.
For small teams, managing projects isn’t about controlling people or micromanaging tasks but about creating clarity so no one’s left wondering if they’re doing the right thing.
Even without a dedicated project manager, small teams can stay aligned and productive by focusing on three key things:
Staying organised without the overwhelm
Knowing what matters right now
Understanding how your piece fits the puzzle
This is exactly why we built Sync!. To help small teams manage projects without needing a full-time Project Manager. Sync! Helps keep everyone organised, aligned, and connected to the goal without turning coordination into a job of its own.
With Sync!, you can:
Create projects for your team to work on
Assign tasks to team members
Track your team's milestones
Communicate with your team effectively
Hire talents from the marketplace
Want to know more? Sign in to Sync! Here.
We are currently recruiting for new roles. If you or someone you know is a good fit, please check out the details below:
Entrepreneur in Residence at Paperclip!
The Entrepreneur in Residence at Paperclip will be instrumental in accelerating our growth, pushing boundaries, and introducing new ideas to scale our services. You’ll have the opportunity to leverage your entrepreneurial skills to drive key initiatives, innovate new service lines, and explore untapped markets. This is a high-impact role where you’ll act as a strategic advisor and builder, using your business acumen and creative approach to expand Paperclip’s reach. Are you an entrepreneur with a strong background in writing, editing, and/or translation, passionate about helping African businesses communicate effectively and ready to lead a dynamic venture? This is the opportunity for you.
Core Responsibilities
Venture Creation: Lead the development of new service lines for Paperclip, identifying market gaps and launching solutions that drive scalability and client value.
Innovate Service Offerings: Explore and implement innovative, data-driven approaches to content creation and editing services. Develop tailored solutions for entrepreneurs, academics, and businesses.
Business Development: Build relationships with clients, partners, and stakeholders. Identify opportunities to increase revenue and introduce new business models to scale Paperclip’s services.
Strategic Leadership: Work directly with Paperclip’s leadership team to design long-term growth strategies and ensure alignment with our mission of becoming a market leader in content services.
Fundraising & Capital Strategy: Collaborate with the team to raise capital for growth initiatives, explore potential partnerships, and secure grants or equity funding for new ventures.
Operational Optimisation: Oversee the day-to-day execution of new projects, ensuring that Paperclip’s operations can scale in line with demand and customer needs.
Customer-Centric Focus: Use client feedback to drive continuous improvement across all services, ensuring Paperclip remains at the forefront of industry standards in editorial services.
Who You Are
Entrepreneurial Mindset: You have 3+ years of experience in entrepreneurship, business development, or content-related industries. You’ve led or co-founded businesses, especially in high-growth environments.
Innovative & Strategic Thinker: You can see the bigger picture and enjoy tackling challenges with creative, strategic solutions.
Proven Track Record: You’ve successfully launched products or services, built client relationships, and managed teams. You have a strong understanding of how to scale a business and build lasting partnerships.
Self-Driven & Resourceful: You thrive in fast-paced environments, love autonomy, and are constantly seeking opportunities to grow.
Passionate About Content: You are genuinely interested in content creation, editing, and helping individuals and businesses tell their stories in a compelling way.
Collaborative & People-Oriented: You have excellent communication skills, enjoy working with cross-functional teams, and believe in the power of collaboration to drive success.
Entrepreneur in Residence at MadeIn!
As the Entrepreneur in Residence at Made in Africa Brands, you will have the unique opportunity to drive innovation and growth for African brands. You’ll work closely with creators supporting them to develop compelling brand stories, developing scalable business models and accessing new markets.
From crafting innovative business models to building strategic partnerships, you will work hand-in-hand with some of Africa’s most talented creators to transform ideas into world-class products. Your goal is to help brands break into new markets, scale sustainably, and tell their stories in a way that resonates with consumers globally.
This is a high-impact role where your entrepreneurial expertise will help shape the future of African-made products on the global stage.
Core Responsibilities
Venture Creation: Lead the development of new business lines for MadeIn!, identifying opportunities to scale African brands through innovative, market-driven solutions.
Global Brand Strategy: Develop and implement go-to-market strategies that ensure African brands are successfully positioned in key global markets.
Business Development & Partnerships: Build and nurture relationships with global investors, retailers, distributors, and strategic partners to accelerate brand growth and market access.
Creative Direction & Product Development: Collaborate with designers and artisans to refine products for global audiences, ensuring high standards of quality, innovation, and cultural authenticity.
Fundraising & Capital Growth: Secure funding through grants, equity, and partnerships to fuel the growth of brands under MadeIn! and provide the necessary resources to scale their operations.
Operational Excellence: Streamline and optimise operational processes to ensure that the brands can scale efficiently while maintaining their core values and quality.
Brand Storytelling & Communication: Work with each brand to craft compelling narratives that highlight their unique origins and capture the attention of global consumers.
Who You Are
Visionary Entrepreneur: You have a strong entrepreneurial background with 3+ years of experience in brand building, business development, or scaling businesses in the fashion, design, or lifestyle industries.
Passionate About African Brands: You are deeply connected to Africa’s creative industries and want to play a key role in showcasing African craftsmanship to the world.
Strategic Thinker & Doer: You are equally comfortable crafting a high-level strategy as you are rolling up your sleeves to bring a vision to life.
Global Mindset: You have a track record of working with international markets, understanding cultural nuances, and building brands that resonate across borders.
Resourceful & Driven: You thrive in fast-paced environments, think creatively when faced with challenges, and are driven by impact.
Collaborative Leader: You are a team player with excellent communication skills who enjoys working with diverse teams and partners to drive success.
Business Origination and Sales Lead
The ideal candidate is a strategic business leader with the expertise to drive our growth and success. As a key member of our team, you will play a pivotal role in shaping our business development strategy, securing new clients, and driving revenue. This is an opportunity for an individual who thrives in a dynamic, fast-paced environment and is passionate about contributing to the mission of a disruptive technology company. In this role, you will have the unique opportunity to:
Originate and close deals: Lead the end-to-end process of deal origination, negotiation, and closing to secure substantial clients and revenue.
Develop strategic partnerships: Build and maintain relationships with key stakeholders, partners, and clients to drive business growth.
Drive business growth: Identify and pursue new business opportunities, leveraging market insights and industry trends to expand our client base.
Lead business development initiatives: Develop and execute business development strategies to achieve revenue targets and business objectives.
Collaborate cross-functionally: Work closely with the marketing, product, and operations teams to ensure alignment and successful execution of business strategies.
Provide strategic counsel: Leverage your business acumen to advise the leadership team on market trends, the competitive landscape, and strategic investments.
Mentor and develop talent: Contribute to the development of a high-performing business development team by providing leadership, guidance, and mentorship opportunities.
Qualifications
Bachelor's degree is required.
Professional certifications, such as an MBA or equivalent, are highly preferred.
Experience
Extensive experience in business development, deal origination, and client relationship management.
Proven track record in closing substantial deals and driving revenue growth in a B2B SaaS environment.
Expertise in market analysis, competitive intelligence, and strategic planning.
Experience in navigating complex sales cycles and managing multiple stakeholders.
Strong understanding of SaaS metrics, subscription-based pricing, and recurring revenue models.
Understanding of recurring revenue models, subscription-based pricing, and SaaS metrics.
Experience in capital structure optimisation, cash flow management, and working capital management.
Knowledge of technology trends, industry regulations, and their financial implications.
Skills:
Proven ability to develop and implement business strategies that align with organisational objectives.
Skilled in conducting market research, risk assessment, and opportunity identification.
Familiarity with mergers and acquisitions, fundraising, and investor relations.
Strong oral communication skills (via phone, email, and in-person).
Strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities to identify opportunities and drive process improvements.
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills to collaborate with cross-functional teams and stakeholders.
Proven leadership skills with the ability to build, mentor, and manage a high-performing business development team.
Proficiency in business intelligence tools and CRM software.
Excellent writing communication ability, including proven success in presenting ideas and concepts effectively and persuasively.
Excellent organisational skills with an ability to think proactively and prioritise work.
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The future is bright, and SpurtX! is evolving to meet your needs.
The best is yet to come!