What to say: “Hey Attio team, I’m Ben. I applied for this role about a year ago and you told me I wasn’t technical enough. Fair feedback. So I built an iOS app from scratch using AI prompt engineering. Not because I’m a programmer, but because I wanted to prove I could handle the technical side of support operations at an AI-native company like yours.”
Why this works:
Point 1: AI Implementation Experience (15-20 seconds) “When you raised $52M from Google Ventures in August and announced you’re at 5,000 customers with 4x ARR growth, I knew this was the moment you’d need someone who’s actually been in the trenches of AI support implementation. I launched Intercom’s Fin AI bot when it was still in alpha at Kit.com. It saved 400 hours a month, but more importantly, I learned what actually works when you’re balancing AI automation with human support.”
Point 2: Operations at Scale (15-20 seconds) “I’ve done the hard part of scaling support operations at a B2B SaaS company. I took Kit.com from 72-hour response times to under 5 minutes while growing the team 300%. I know what breaks when you scale fast, and I know how to build systems that don’t.”
Why this works:
“I know the role. I know the tools. And this time, I have the technical chops you were looking for. Let’s talk about how I can help Attio’s support operations become a competitive advantage during this growth phase.”
Why this works:
What happened: Raised $52M Series B led by Google Ventures (GV), with participation from existing investors Redpoint Ventures, Balderton Capital, Point Nine, and 01A. Total funding now $116 million.
Why it matters:
How to reference it: “When I saw GV led your Series B in August, bringing on Michael McBride from GitLab, it confirmed you’re entering the exact growth phase where support operations either becomes your competitive advantage or your bottleneck.”
Key numbers:
Why it matters:
How to reference it: “At 5,000 customers and 4x ARR growth, you’re at the inflection point where Kit.com was when I scaled their team 300%. I know what’s coming, and I know how to prepare for it.”
Recent developments:
Why it matters:
How to reference it: “I’ve been following your product announcements, especially the App SDK beta. The fact that you’re building programmable surfaces tells me your customers are technical and your support team needs to be equally technical.”
Recent features:
Why it matters:
How to reference it: “I noticed you just launched 7 new integrations in October, plus the Search Record API. That velocity tells me you need someone who can keep knowledge bases current, train teams fast, and handle the support complexity that comes with an API-first platform.”
✅ Mention Elyse Mankin and Lou by name (you talked to them before)
✅ Be specific about what you’ve learned since last application
✅ Show you understand their positioning
✅ Reference their specific language
❌ Say generic things like “I’m passionate about customer success” ❌ Use buzzwords without backing them up (“synergy,” “leverage,” “disruptive”) ❌ Pretend you know Attio’s product intimately (you don’t use it) ❌ Over-apologize for not getting it last time ❌ Read from a script (be conversational)
Match Attio’s Culture:
Your tone should be:
Think: “I’m a peer who can help” not “Please give me a chance”
Them: Building first AI-native CRM You: Launched Intercom’s Fin AI bot in alpha stage Bridge: “I’ve lived the messy early days of AI support implementation, from international AI regulations to balancing automation with human touch. That’s exactly the experience Attio’s customers will need support with.”
Them: Customers are AI companies (Lovable, Granola, Modal, Replicate) You: Built iOS app, understand developer experience Bridge: “Your customers are technical builders. I’m a support leader who can actually read code and understand their API questions, not just escalate them.”
Them: 4x ARR growth, 5,000 customers, Series B funded You: Scaled Kit.com team 300% during hypergrowth Bridge: “I’ve been exactly where you are. I know what breaks when you scale fast, and more importantly, I know how to build systems before they break.”
Them: “Adaptive data model” that fits customer needs You: Built custom automations, compliance bots, flexible workflows Bridge: “Your product adapts to how customers work. Your support operations need the same flexibility. I’ve built systems that scale without being rigid.”
Answer: “I built an iOS app from scratch. I didn’t just read about technical concepts, I shipped a real product. Plus, I’ve continued doing support ops at Circle while deepening my technical skills. I’m not a programmer, but I can read code, debug integrations, and have technical conversations with engineers without needing a translator.”
Answer: “Three reasons. First, you’re AI-native, not bolting AI onto legacy architecture. That matters. Second, I talked to Elyse and Lou last time and they left a great impression. And third, you’re at 5,000 customers with 4x ARR growth. That’s the exact inflection point where support operations becomes strategic. I want to be part of that.”
Answer: “Listen first. Then I’d audit the current support tech stack, identify the biggest friction points in customer self-service, and map out a plan for AI integration that actually helps customers instead of frustrating them. But honestly, I’d need to get in there to give you a real plan.”
[OPENING - 25-30 seconds] “Hey Attio team, I’m Ben. I applied for this role about a year ago and you told me I wasn’t technical enough. Fair feedback. So I built an iOS app from scratch using AI prompt engineering to prove I could handle the technical side of support operations at an AI-native company like yours.”
[BODY - 35-40 seconds] “When you raised $52M from Google Ventures in August and hit 5,000 customers with 4x ARR growth, I knew this was the moment you’d need someone who’s been in the trenches of AI support implementation. I launched Intercom’s Fin AI bot at Kit.com when it was still in alpha. It saved 400 hours a month and taught me what actually works when you’re balancing AI with human support. I’ve also scaled support operations from 72-hour response times to under 5 minutes while growing teams 300%. I know what breaks when you scale fast.”
[CLOSING - 15 seconds] “I know the role. I know the tools. And this time, I have the technical chops you were looking for. Let’s talk about how I can help Attio’s support operations become a competitive advantage during this growth phase.”
Total: ~80 seconds Tone: Confident, direct, authentic Energy: Professional but personable, like you’re talking to a colleague
Good luck! You’ve got this. 🚀