June 6, 2025
Ilona was one of the most critical hires we ever made at AppSumo.
Full stop. And honestly, the company wouldn’t be where it is today without her.
She applied for an email copywriter role. Now she’s the COO.
Here’s the full story.
Game-Changing Hire
Call it luck. Call it fate. But here’s what mattered when Ilona came into our orbit:
🎯 We wrote a job post that attracted someone like her.
🫰 We were hiring for a mission-critical role. Copywriting drives revenue, so this wasn’t just another seat to fill.
🔍 And most importantly, we recognized the talent when it walked through the door.
Ilona’s Journey
So what does that kind of talent look like from the other side of the table? Ilona’s journey to AppSumo was driven by a desire for intentional change.
As Ilona shared in her “How I Met AppSumo” LinkedIn series:
“In 2017, I quit my job, packed a U-Haul and drove with my roommate from Seattle to Austin. I had never visited Austin before. Didn’t have a job lined up. Didn’t have a network… I really just wanted a change. And more than that, I wanted to approach my life with intention vs inertia.”
Our job description was the first thing that caught her eye and confirmed she was on the right path:
“I still remember the line in the job description that got me: ‘We offer an all-expenses paid company trip with the team to the local Sheraton — just kidding: last year, we went to Costa Rica.’… I had never seen a company make a job description funny… I just knew this was where I was supposed to be.”
Her commitment was clear from the get-go, even if it involved, as she puts it, “the world’s most embarrassing cover letter.” She didn’t just apply; she went all in.
“I pored over every piece of copy on the website. The joke cadence, the software jargon (I had zero clue what white labeling was, but I knew the people loved it); I used a color dropper and font identifier Chrome extensions to get the hex code and style just right. I made a pricing table in Canva and included the tacos, too. Did I mention I really really wanted this job?”
The final decision came down to a crucial perspective. Ilona found out later:
“It was between me and another candidate for the role. The other candidate was a quant guy, data driven, had stronger A/B testing background. I was a lot softer skilled you might say. But legend has it that Ayman Al-Abdullah said it’s easier to learn the numbers than voice, and that perspective altered the course of my life forever.”
The Ripple Effect
This one hire has resulted in tens of millions in extra revenue.
Not to mention peace of mind, better leadership, and someone we trust with the keys to the kingdom.
It underscores the profound impact that finding the right person, not just a person, can have.
Conclusion
So if you’re a CEO looking for your next #2, don’t just look up. Sometimes your future COO applied years ago. (Sometimes, she styled a taco table in Canva.)
The question is: Will you recognize her when she shows up?
Proud of you, Ilona. And everything you’ve built with us 🙏
Read Ilona’s full post by clicking below.