{"$schema":"https://raw.githubusercontent.com/jsonresume/resume-schema/v1.0.0/schema.json","basics":{"name":"Robert Avakian","label":"Vice President, Customer Engagement","summary":"Sales and GTM leader with 12+ years in B2B technology who builds go-to-market strategies and revenue operations from the ground up, excelling as a first commercial hire at startups.","location":{"city":"Boston, MA, United States"},"profiles":[{"network":"LinkedIn","username":"ravakian","url":"https://linkedin.com/in/ravakian"}]},"meta":{"canonical":"https://saywise.com/member1203","version":"v1.0.0","lastModified":"2026-10-05T18:44:29.478Z"},"x_saywise":{"handle":"member1203","pronouns":null,"availability":null,"oneLiner":"Sales and GTM leader with 12+ years in B2B technology who builds go-to-market strategies and revenue operations from the ground up, excelling as a first commercial hire at startups.","profileUrl":"https://saywise.com/member1203","markdownUrl":"https://saywise.com/member1203/profile.md","pdfUrl":"https://saywise.com/member1203/resume.pdf","archetype":{"code":"HS-DG","name":"Launchpad Navigator","url":"https://saywise.com/sca/f32e5cbe1551","rarity":"One of the first Launchpad Navigators on Saywise"},"aiStack":[{"name":"Claude","description":null,"url":"https://claude.ai","storyCount":0},{"name":"Notion AI","description":null,"url":"https://notion.so","storyCount":0}]},"work":[{"name":"Rama, Inc.","position":"Vice President, Customer Engagement","location":"Boston, Massachusetts, United States","url":"https://tryrama.com","startDate":"2026-06-01","endDate":"2026-09-01","summary":"Recruited as the first sales hire for an AI agent platform. Defined GTM and target-account strategy with the CEO, built an outbound motion across four verticals that generated $2M in pipeline opportunities, and advanced a $100K ACV contract opportunity. Identified industry partnerships worth $3.5M in potential revenue and supported negotiations through legal review."},{"name":"P53, Inc.","position":"Vice President, Operations","location":"Remote","url":"https://p53.no","startDate":"2025-05-01","endDate":"2026-05-01","summary":"Hired as first sales and business leader and executed a six-month turnaround. Grew revenue from $0.1M to $1M, closed deals of $200K+ and built a $2M+ pipeline. Designed the entire sales process, CRM stack, and commercial infrastructure while collaborating with product and engineering to align customer discovery with roadmap decisions."},{"name":"Hustle Fund","position":"Angel Squad Member","url":"https://hustlefund.vc","startDate":"2025-01-01"},{"name":"OncoDaily","position":"Vice President Operations","url":"https://oncodaily.com","startDate":"2025-01-01","endDate":"2026-01-01","summary":"Largest global oncology news platform."},{"name":"NextGen Venture Partners","position":"Venture Partner","url":"https://nextgenvp.com","startDate":"2022-01-01"},{"name":"CircuitHub, Inc.","position":"Senior Account Manager, Team Lead","location":"Remote","url":"https://circuithub.com","startDate":"2021-07-01","endDate":"2025-01-01","summary":"Led a global two-layer account management and customer success team serving 1,200 accounts with users from startups to Fortune 50. Grew the function to 85-90% of company revenue, delivered consistent quota attainment (100-120%), improved retention from 55% to 72%, and helped the company reach profitability. Built customer health and CRM reporting systems that tracked churn risk, adoption, and expansion opportunities."},{"name":"Stealth Biotechnology Co.","position":"Board of Directors Member","startDate":"2021-01-01","endDate":"2024-01-01","summary":"University spin-out targeting breast cancer."},{"name":"Boston University","position":"Startup Mentor @ BUild Lab Student Innovation Center","url":"https://bu.edu","startDate":"2021-01-01","endDate":"2023-01-01"},{"name":"SmartGateVC","position":"Startup Mentor @ Startup Academy","url":"https://smartgate.vc","startDate":"2021-01-01","endDate":"2021-01-01"},{"name":"FedTech","position":"Startup Mentor @ NSIN Defense Innovation Accelerator (powered by FedTech)","url":"https://fedtech.io","startDate":"2020-01-01","endDate":"2020-01-01"},{"name":"BANA - Business Angel Network of Armenia","position":"Startup Mentor","url":"https://bana.am","startDate":"2020-01-01","endDate":"2020-01-01"},{"name":"PointForward LLC","position":"Startup Mentor","url":"https://pointforwardaccel.com","startDate":"2019-01-01","endDate":"2020-01-01"},{"name":"UCSF Medical Center","position":"Business Consultant","url":"https://ucsfhealth.org","startDate":"2018-01-01","endDate":"2018-01-01"},{"name":"GeniusMesh","position":"Marketing Consultant","url":"https://geniusmesh.com","startDate":"2018-01-01","endDate":"2018-01-01"},{"name":"CircuitHub, Inc.","position":"Senior Account Manager, Team Lead","location":"Remote","url":"https://circuithub.com","startDate":"2017-10-01","endDate":"2021-06-01","summary":"Owned full-cycle sales from prospecting through close as the company's first sales hire. Achieved 150% of revenue target, doubled customer count, enabled price increases, and drove 80% YoY company growth. Built the foundation for all subsequent sales and customer success processes."},{"name":"Paradromics Inc","position":"Business Development Consultant","url":"https://paradromics.com","startDate":"2017-01-01","endDate":"2017-01-01","summary":"Backed by NIH, DARPA, Fusion Fund, Dolby Family Ventures, and others."},{"name":"EuMotus","position":"Strategy Consultant","url":"https://eumotus.com","startDate":"2017-01-01","endDate":"2017-01-01","summary":"Founded at Harvard Innovation Lab. Backed by AngelPad."},{"name":"Independent Consultant","position":"Business Consultant","startDate":"2016-01-01","endDate":"2021-01-01","summary":"GTM projects (business development, finance, strategy, marketing, operations, investor relations) in biotech, defense/security, life sciences, mobile apps, health tech, energy, A.I., and others."},{"name":"Crowdly","position":"Account Executive","location":"Boston, MA","url":"https://crowdly.com","startDate":"2016-01-01","endDate":"2017-01-01","summary":"Backed by Techstars, Laconia Ventures, and others."},{"name":"Tru, Inc.","position":"Founder, Head of Sales & Marketing","location":"New York, New York, United States","url":"https://drinktru.com","startDate":"2015-01-01","endDate":"2019-01-01","summary":"Sold in-stores at Costco and others, and online at Amazon and drinktru.com."},{"name":"SOSV","position":"Founder, Cohort 3 @ FOOD-X","location":"New York, New York, United States","url":"https://sosv.com","startDate":"2015-01-01","endDate":"2015-01-01","summary":"TRU, Inc. was accepted to Cohort 3 at FOOD-X, an international food and beverage accelerator backed by SOSV. 1 of 10/500 accepted startups."},{"name":"Startup52","position":"Founder, Cohort 1 @ Startup52x","location":"New York, New York, United States","url":"https://startup52.com","startDate":"2015-01-01","endDate":"2015-01-01","summary":"TRU, Inc. was accepted into Startup52x, an accelerator backed by Startup52. 1 of 10/200 accepted startups."}],"education":[{"institution":"Questrom School of Business, Boston University","studyType":"Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Business Administration - Finance Concentration","startDate":"2010-09-01","endDate":"2014-05-01"},{"institution":"Belmont Hill School","studyType":"High School Diploma"}],"projects":[{"name":"Successful Kickstarter Campaign for TruEnergy","description":"Launched a Kickstarter campaign for our first product, TruEnergy. Received several press features, and in 30 days achieved 113% of our goal; $22,723 / 20,000."},{"name":"New Product Business Plan Challenge","description":"Finished 2nd out of about 800 students and 80 teams. Product: Created \"The Magic Toothbrush,\" developed to help parents ensure children brushed their teeth for the dentist recommended time using heat transfer trigger technology in the brush handle. Challenge: The final three final teams were chosen by Questrom School of Business professors for a final pitch competition judged by MBA Corporate Strategy professors and a Senior VP from Digital Imagitas. Finalist teams were chosen at the conclusion of a semester during which they created an 80+ page executive business plan outlining the simulated design and launch of a consumer product in four major sections focusing on finance, marketing, operations management, and information systems."}],"skills":[{"name":"Entrepreneurship"},{"name":"Leadership"},{"name":"Social Media"},{"name":"Public Speaking"},{"name":"Marketing"},{"name":"Management"},{"name":"Startup Development"},{"name":"Social Networking"},{"name":"Guerrilla Marketing"},{"name":"Strategic Planning"},{"name":"Sales"},{"name":"Business Strategy"},{"name":"Strategic Communications"},{"name":"Social Media Marketing"},{"name":"Strategy"},{"name":"Start-ups"},{"name":"Business Development"},{"name":"Microsoft Excel"},{"name":"Data Analysis"},{"name":"Research"},{"name":"Sales strategy"},{"name":"Go-to-market (GTM)"},{"name":"Revenue operations"},{"name":"Customer success"},{"name":"CRM management"},{"name":"Enterprise sales"},{"name":"Pipeline management"},{"name":"Account management"},{"name":"Sales process design"},{"name":"Customer retention"},{"name":"Customer health analytics"},{"name":"Team leadership"},{"name":"Business operations"},{"name":"AI agents"},{"name":"Outbound sales"},{"name":"Full-cycle sales"}],"awards":[{"title":"Nominee | Sports & Active Nutrition Awards","date":"2017-01-01","awarder":"Sports and Active Nutrition Summit"},{"title":"Invited Judge - Boston University New Venture Competition Prelim","date":"2016-02-01","summary":"A pitch competition open to all Boston University students, alumni, and anyone who would like to pitch an idea. The prelims take course over the academic year, and lead to the finals where the winning idea can earn $125,000."},{"title":"Accepted to Food-X (SOSV) Accelerator","date":"2015-09-01","summary":"Representing 10 out 500 applying companies, TRU, Inc. was accepted to this food and beverage specific startup accelerator. FOOD-X is the first international business accelerator program focused on launching food-related ventures, and is backed by SOSV. FOOD-X partners with early-stage food entrepreneurs to bring out their best potential and take their offerings to market in the areas of food & beverage, health, agriculture and environment."},{"title":"Accepted to Startup52 Accelerator","date":"2015-06-01","summary":"Representing less than 5% of applying companies, Kickstick LLC (now TRU, Inc.) was accepted to the startup accelerator. Startup52 is based in New York City and is focused on discovering and grooming outstanding talents, in startup entrepreneurship and tech skill-set building. During the accelerator Startup52 provided an array of mentors, software and services, meetings with VC’s and angels, incredible speakers, and great office space."},{"title":"Invited Judge - MakeMIT (Hardware Hackathon)","date":"2015-02-01","summary":"A hardware hackathon promoting innovation that is geared towards those who are excited and passionate about designing and building. Over 200 students competed in an 15+ hour prototyping competition."},{"title":"Dean's Community Service Award Nominee","date":"2014-01-01","summary":"Nominees were active and engaged members of the Questrom School of Business graduating class whose efforts made the school a more engaging place to learn and grow."},{"title":"Finalist - New Product Business Plan Challenge","date":"2014-01-01","summary":"Finished 2nd out of about 800 students divided into 80 teams, three final teams were chosen by Questrom School of Business professors for a final pitch competition judged by MBA Corporate Strategy professors and a Senior VP from Digital Imagitas."},{"title":"Finalist - Woodberry Speech Competition","date":"2010-01-01","summary":"Finished 2nd in a community wide speech competition."},{"title":"Warburg Community Service Award","date":"2010-01-01","summary":"For Outstanding Commitment, Dedication And Leadership In Community Service | Awarded 2x (2009, 2010)"}]}