The most successful teams I’ve worked with weren’t afraid to fail. They were curious, comfortable with constraints, and celebrated actionable metrics aligned with the business’s broader goals.
We’re thrilled to welcome Felicia Bochicchio, former CEO of Unbounce and seasoned SaaS expert, as our newest Executive in Residence.
Felicia grew up in the U.S., where her passion for team sports shaped her career in more ways than one. It taught her the importance of teamwork, grit, and learning from setbacks—values that set her up for success in top sales roles and influenced her early career choices.
After a decade in the health club industry, she joined The Active Network in 2000, gaining a front-row seat to the rise of the SaaS industry and playing a pivotal role in taking the event registration company public. By the time she left in 2013, Felicia was living in Vancouver and ready to dive back into the early-stage tech scene as a consultant, founder, and investor.
Ultimately, she leveraged her growth skill set to work directly with founders at fast-growing startups, leading her to roles at Bench, Social Nature, and, in 2018, Unbounce. As Chief Revenue Officer and later CEO, she spearheaded the launch of AI-powered content management tools that empowered digital marketers to increase productivity and achieve conversion rates once thought out of reach.
With her extensive knowledge of the SaaS industry and deep experience across different growth stages, Felicia is a tremendous thought partner for founders seeking advice on everything from building and executing strategy to executive leadership and having the right people in the right seats. We sat down with her to talk about tips for testing new products, her background in endurance sports, and the power of laughter.
TELL US SOMETHING MOST PEOPLE MAY NOT KNOW ABOUT YOU
In my early 30s, after years of playing team sports, I took on the challenge of competitive racing as a trail runner, mountain biker, and endurance adventure racer. I even competed in the ESPN X-Games and the Eco-Challenge Morocco, both grueling multi-day expedition races.
For me, physical endurance is about more than just training the body—it’s a discipline that sharpens focus, builds resilience, and strengthens the mind. These experiences taught me the power of pushing past limits, unlocking new levels of learning and self-awareness, and, most importantly, that it takes a team to achieve great things.
CAN YOU SHARE ONE OF THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES OR FAILURES THAT YOU LEARNED FROM?
My career began in sales, where I quickly learned that most opportunities don’t close—but they always provide valuable insights to test and refine future strategies. As CEO, I applied this experiment-and-fail-fast mindset to testing pricing models and launching new products.
Here are a few lessons I’ve learned along the way:
- Limit risks by empowering small teams: Create focused teams to identify opportunities and give them the resources and independence to experiment.
- Start with a clear plan: Ensure every experiment has a specific goal, a high-level, data-backed thesis, and defined success parameters.
- Be strategic with investments: Support experiments for short periods and only reinvest if results align with the original thesis.
The most successful teams I’ve worked with weren’t afraid to fail. They were curious, comfortable with constraints, and celebrated actionable metrics aligned with the business’s broader goals.
WHAT’S THE BEST PIECE OF ADVICE YOU RECEIVED IN YOUR CAREER?
Create a strategic one-pager to keep your leaders accountable and teams aligned
Think of this as a map that has a defined destination, identified routes, and landmarks that help you track progress and ensure teams are on the right path and headed for the same destination. If used frequently, a corporate one-pager is a powerful communication tool that everyone on the team follows. It distills your strategy into core metrics and key priorities, making it easy for employees, executives, and stakeholders to row in the same direction.
WHAT’S A QUESTION YOU WISH PEOPLE ASKED YOU MORE OFTEN?
“What’s one thing that made you laugh today?”
Laughter is a natural connector and a powerful stress reducer. We all need a daily dose to keep things in perspective.
WHAT ENERGIZES YOU? HOW DO YOU TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF?
I draw energy from movement and meaningful conversations. Whether it’s hiking in the mountains, gravel and mountain biking, or walking through the forests of BC, staying active keeps me grounded. I also find inspiration in connecting with friends—sharing ideas, debating possibilities, and exploring new perspectives.
IN YOUR ROLE AT INOVIA, WHAT QUESTIONS SHOULD FOUNDERS ASK YOU?
How do I build the right team for right now?
When do I work in the business, and when do I work on the business?
I can also help founders navigate execution, hold their teams accountable, and understand why seeking alignment often matters more than agreement. As a CEO, you need to show up, listen, ask the right questions, make tough decisions, and take responsibility when things go wrong. It’s a demanding role, and I’m here to share my experience to help founders minimize risks, shape and articulate a clear and compelling strategy, build high-performance teams and optimal go-to-market impact.