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Editor鈥檚 note: This profile is part of Something Ventured, an ongoing series by 附近上门 News examining diversity and access to capital in the venture-backed startup ecosystem. As part of this project, we鈥檙e following seven seed-stage entrepreneurs over the course of several months as they build their businesses. Read all our profiles of Josh Fabian and his unconventional path to founding Metafy here, here, and here, and access the full project here.

Life moves pretty fast sometimes鈥� that鈥檚 especially true if you are trying to raise venture capital in this day and age.

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In early September, said he hoped to close a Series A for his Pittsburgh-based startup , an online coaching platform for gamers, by the end of the year or in early 2022.

Instead, Fabian was able to pretty much wrap up fundraising in a week鈥攂efore November even started.

鈥淲e got our lead (investor) in about five days,” said Fabian, who said he couldn鈥檛 reveal the name of the firm although it was a well-known firm.

Metafy got a better valuation than Fabian was expecting鈥攊n September he said he was eyeing a $100 million valuation鈥攁nd raised more money than anticipated, but that does not mean everything associated with the process was easy.

Interest in the company from investors meant Fabian had to talk to some early investors and ask them to cut the pro-rata investment they were entitled to in this round in an effort to avoid too much dilution.

鈥淚鈥檓 asking people to wave that as a favor,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a hard conversation to have, but it鈥檚 something inevitable when you have a hot round.鈥�

Changing mindsets

Fabian said the interest the company saw from investors is a testament to his team鈥檚 hard work, as well as the company鈥檚 evolution from scrappy startup to a rapidly growing company forging ahead in a fast-emerging market.

鈥淲e are entering a place where I have to not be a founder. Now I have to be a CEO,鈥� said Fabian, talking about how needs to change his leadership mindset.

He is now taking 鈥渆xecutive鈥� classes on how to be a CEO, and doubling his reading of books by successful executives about what it takes to lead a large company.

Fabian remains resolute in his desire to remain as Metafy鈥檚 CEO for the long run; not a founder who eventually gets moved to another role and replaced by another exec who knows how to get a company to that next level of growth.

鈥淚 fear (being asked to step down) more than I fear my own mortality,鈥� he said with a laugh. 鈥淚 think about that a lot. You know that quote, 鈥榃hat happens when you stare into the abyss?鈥� That鈥檚 how I feel.鈥�

Fabian said he follows the philosophy of other founders who say being a founder is like being a dictator: You are everywhere all the time and all things to the company.

Being a CEO means having to step away from something.

鈥淵ou can鈥檛 be in the room all the time, but you have to build the company culture instead,鈥� he said. 鈥淵ou also have to be more open to being wrong.鈥�

Despite the transition from founder to CEO, Fabian said he鈥檚 confident. He uses his past experience as a gamer to illustrate what he鈥檚 capable of doing.

鈥淚n over 15 games I鈥檝e been in the top 50,鈥� he said of his rankings.

鈥淚t鈥檚 not because I’m brilliant, I assure you I鈥檓 not. I鈥檓 a moron,鈥� he said with a laugh. 鈥淏ut I do believe success creeps out of the pores of sacrifice.鈥�

Sacrifices

Those sacrifices now include living away from his four kids. Two months ago, Fabian made the decision to live in New York three weeks a month鈥攚ith one week at home in Pittsburgh鈥攖o concentrate on the business.

The disconnect allows him to fully concentrate on the growing startup and allows him better interaction with his team鈥攕omething he would miss out on staying in Western Pennsylvania.

鈥淚 think I really prefer to be a small fish in a big pond,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 also just feel there鈥檚 a hunger, desperation in New York I like.鈥�

That sense of being alive also comes with its own consequences, Fabian freely admits.

鈥淚t sucks,鈥� he said of being away from his kids. 鈥淚t is extremely difficult.鈥�

The numbers

What is not difficult to see is why investors had interest in Metafy.

While October numbers are not finalized, Metafy saw strong growth in September. The company’s gross merchandise volume grew 52 percent in September鈥攁fter a strong 48 percent showing in August. The company closed September with about $195,000 in lessons and bookings combined, compared to approximately $124,000 in August.

That September growth surprised even Fabian, who said he does not see October鈥檚 numbers beating those of the previous month鈥攅specially since many gamers buy two months worth of courses, leading to up-and-down month-to-month numbers.

鈥淚f we can beat August鈥檚 numbers, we will be happy,鈥� he said.

Aside from the numbers, Fabian also said news of the of social gaming platform user earnings also caught the attention of some of Metafy鈥檚 current and potential investors 鈥� as many coaches on Metafy already earn more than most Twitch streamers despite the platform’s relative newness.

Now with the round behind him, Fabian said the company can shift from rushing to make numbers through mainly organic growth to focusing on the long term.

鈥淥rganic growth has a natural ceiling,鈥� he said. 鈥淏ut the beauty of this runway allows us to focus on product and team.鈥�

• Read part 5: Managing Differences, Seasonality And Some Holiday Guilt

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