Can one email a week transform your career? A startup VP reveals her 'scary' secret to professional growth

Most professionals dread sending a cold email, but Mallory Contois, vice president of growth at online learning startup Maven, swears by them. In a report by Business Insider, Contois revealed that her career trajectory — spanning 15 years across startups and leadership roles — has been shaped by what she calls “scary emails.”

A cold email, often written to someone you have never met, can be a low-risk, high-reward step in building opportunities. Contois believes that sending just one a week could unlock “an insane career.”

A life-changing perspective

Contois wasn’t always this bold. At 25, she was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. That health crisis changed how she viewed rejection and opportunity. “The worst thing that happens is they don’t respond, or they say they can’t help me,” she told Business Insider.


Her new outlook turned into a lifelong habit: writing ambitious messages to industry leaders, recruiters, and founders. One of those emails even led Maven to create a position just for her.

What makes an email ‘scary’

On LinkedIn, Contois shared examples of her most pivotal cold emails — from asking venture capitalists for introductions to pitching herself into roles that didn’t yet exist. Some of those bold asks eventually turned into jobs, investments, and even co-advisory partnerships.

The “scary” part? Reaching out with a vulnerable yet confident pitch. In one email to a recruiter, Contois wrote: “I know I don’t look like the right candidate for this role… but here are four bullet points on why I’m perfect for it.” That risk paid off — she landed the job.

Making it easier for the other person

Her biggest rule: reduce friction. If you are asking for an introduction, write the message they can copy and paste. If you are asking about a role, attach your resume and make it effortless for them to move your application forward.

“Keep your message short and skimmable,” Contois said in her Business Insider interview. The goal is not to oversell but to spark enough curiosity for the recipient to reply with, “Tell me more.”

Why experts agree it works

Career platform Indeed also highlights the benefits of cold emailing: it allows professionals to introduce themselves, grow their networks, and stand out to recruiters who check their inboxes daily. A structured, personalized message can often open doors before a formal job application is even reviewed.

From surviving cancer to climbing the startup ladder, Contois credits one consistent practice: sending one bold email every week. “If you feel passionate about something, there’s no sense in playing it cool,” she said.