Category Visionaries

Justin Beals, CEO of Strike Graph: $12 Million Raised to Build the Future of Automated Security and Compliance

In today's episode of Category Visionaries, we speak with Justin Beals, CEO and Co-founder of Strike Graph, about why security certification in a digital economy plagued with breaches can be the difference between success and failure for businesses seeking all-important funding. With Strike Graph, Justin and his team have developed an automated platform to monitor, map and manage their clients’ security systems and deliver a gold-standard attestation of quality that potential partners will immediately recognize and feel comfortable putting their trust (and money) in, all without the lengthy, costly process of an outside consultant.
We also speak about Justin’s transition from a more technical background to the role of founder, why being alone at the top can sometimes be the toughest position of all, the personal experience which drove home the importance of security certification, and why Strike Graph insists they can’t run a firm’s security system on their behalf.
Topics Discussed:
How a technical background in engineering and product development prepared Justin for the founder’s position that would follow
The supplementary skills a founder transitioning from tech should seek out in their potential partner, and why they might not want to be the sole founder in the first place
The central significance of security certification in the digital services economy, and how it can hamstring an enterprise before it’s even up and running
How Strike Graph’s security software let’s a firm monitor, map, and manage their security system, bringing it up to a Soc ii standard
How Strike Graph largely eliminates the need for external consultants, saving their customers both time and money
Why Strike Graph draws the line at actually running their clients’ security systems, and how they expect their advice and insights to be implemented
 
Favorite book: 
How to Start a Record Label

Daniel Birkholm, TalentHub: $6 Million Raised to Transform How Organizations Measure and Improve Their Hiring Experience

In today's episode of Category Visionaries, we speak with Daniel Birkholm, CEO of TalentHub, an HR tech platform that’s raised over $6 Million in funding, about why a candidate-centric hiring process means companies across the board need a new approach to dealing with job applications, and why TalentHub’s software package is just the solution they need. By monitoring, measuring and mapping extant hiring practices, TalentHub assists their customers to optimize their entire system, with everything from issue identification to proactive learning tools which streamline onboarding to make sure your business doesn’t miss a beat.
We also speak about the current state of the startup sector in Denmark, how Daniel launched his first business at just 18, what led him to see the fundamental flaw in the way companies currently hire candidates, and how data-driven insights can provide the foundation for future innovation, changing your business from the bottom up.
Topics Discussed:
Denmark’s tech startup sector, and how a recent slew of successful enterprises inspires ‘basement-dwellers’ everywhere
Daniel’s first business being launched when he was only 18 years old, and how it’s doing now, 15 years later
The fundamental flaw in contemporary recruitment, and why most teams are more in the business of ‘rejecting’ new employees
How data-driven insights can help optimize current hiring practices, and even inspire innovation towards entirely new systems
Why Daniel believes that hiring is becoming more candidate-centric, and what that means for modern businesses
How a global customer base has helped TalentHub get a foothold in the US, even as they focus most of their business in Europe
 
Favorite book: 
How I Raised Myself from Failure to Success in Selling

Matthew Renfro, CEO of Lynx: $17.5 Million raised to Bring Modern Fintech to Healthcare

In today's episode of Category Visionaries, we speak with Mathew Renfro, CEO of Lynx, a healthcare payment platform that’s raised 17.5 million in funding, about  how this new integrated fintech-healthcare startup is helping reorient people’s relationship with some of their most important life decisions. By tapping into the financial-first mentality that drives so much of our modern world, Lynx puts people on the path to save both time and money, connecting them with products, services and practitioners which are right for them, all while keeping costs as low as possible.
We also speak about what it took for Mathew to leave behind the big leagues for the uncertainty of a fintech startup, what lessons and people he brought with him and how they’ve shaped his role as a founder, why building the best team is ultimately an investment in customer confidence, and why he believes Lynx is a market leader in the personal banking experience.
Topics Discussed:
Mathew’s career in the healthcare industry, and the frustrations that eventually led him to take the leap into the startup economy
How the 20-year old claim system found itself in dire need of innovation, and why Lynx’ combined healthcare-fintech proposal is going to make it happen
Why creating financial relationships is key to the Lynx business model, and exactly what consumers are looking for in the modern healthcare economy
 How true personalisation means monitoring an account balance, avoiding overdrafts and taking the financial-first approach to healthcare decisions
How Lynx manages to flip extant expenses to future revenue drivers for partners in their network
Why building the best team right at the top is a future investment in customer confidence

Rafael Loureiro, CEO of Wealth: $16 Million Raised to Build the Future of Estate Planning

In today's episode of Category Visionaries, we speak with Rafael Loureiro, CEO of Wealth, a digital estate planning platform that’s raised over $16 Million in funding, about why a modern approach to managing important assets needs to bridge the generational divide, and provide a more accessible way to approach critical decisions. With a comprehensive approach to calculating assets, combining various revenue streams and stores of value, and a proactive approach to updating and managing them, Wealth is finally bringing the digital revolution to an industry that’s barely changed in 200 years.
We also spoke about Rafael’s journey from Brazil to the US and what he hopes to give back one day, why he just can’t walk away from the startup sector, providing new opportunities for estate lawyers, and exactly how he managed to land the coveted ‘wealth.com’ domain.
Topics Discussed:
A lifelong dream of relocating to the US, and how Rafael feels about having achieved it
Why, no matter how many companies he starts and builds to success, Rafael just can’t step away from the startup space
How the pandemic helped Rafael and his team identify a niche in the estate planning market for a digital-native approach
The four driving factors that make today Wealth’s moment to really disrupt the industry
How so many people came to misunderstand the estate management space, and why it’s so much more than just drafting a will
Why doing something truly innovative will always attract critics, but why Rafael believes that on the road to innovation, there’s really no way back
 
Favorite book: 
Dream Big - Cristiane Correa

Paolo Fragomeni, CEO of Socket Supply: $3.5 Million Raised to Build the Future of P2P Computing

Paolo Fragomeni is the CEO of Socket Supply, a New York based company offering web developers tools for building Peer to Peer software with web technology. 
In this episode, Paolo shares how Socket Supply is helping developers shift away from the cloud and how its open-source tools are simplifying the workflow for developers, freeing  them  from the cost and complexity of the cloud.
Topics Discussed:
How Socket Supply came to be and how its developer tools bridges the technology gap in the app development space
The cultural and technical values Paolo learned from other teams that he has applied to his own team at Socket Supply
Socket Supply’s current user base and how Socket’s open-source runtime is supporting the trend of companies moving away from the cloud
Problems and limitations of the cloud, and why having fully cloud based operations becomes more cost prohibitive with growth
Why Socket Supply is not affected by P2P computing hype cycles
How Paolo is focusing on the metrics that matter in determining Socket Supply’s market viability
Paolo’s vision for Socket Supply for the next three years
 
Favorite books: 
Improvised Munitions Handbook
The Anarchist Cookbook

Prem Kumar, CEO of Humanly.io: $5.5 Million Raised to Build the Conversational Hiring Category

In today's episode of Category Visionaries, we speak with Prem Kumar, CEO of Humanly.io, a recruiting tech platform that’s raised over $5.5 Million in funding, about why hiring shouldn’t have to be hassle for those on either side of process, and how working towards having a real conversation can ultimately deliver the right results for your company over the long term. With an integrated AI interface and highly developed feedback system to allow more detailed tracking of the entire hiring funnel, Humanly.io is helping to build a better experience for candidates and take the pressure off of your HR division to deal with a deluge of potential applications.
We also spoke about what drove Prem to leave behind a stable position at Microsoft for the uncertainty of the startup sector, how Humanly benefits from the current AI boom but why it plans to be around for the long term, and why, at the end of the day, nothing’s really changed, and it’s still customer context that really matters when making it in a competitive marketplace.
Topics Discussed:
Prem’s career at Microsoft, and why his entrepreneurial tendencies took him to the tech startup space
Why inadequate hiring is a structural issue, and why there’s no reason to blame your teams for being overwhelmed
How one-sided digitalization has left the humans in HR to deal with a deluge of potential candidates, a task well beyond their capacity most of the time
How AI can fill critical capacity shortfalls in the hiring process, and why a machine learning solution delivers consistently better feedback from applicants
Why a better hiring systems leads to higher-quality outcomes for your enterprise, and more ethical interactions with potential candidates
Why Prem appreciates the boost of today’s AI chat hype, but how he plans to build Humanly.io into a business with staying power by relying on the context they can provide to customers
 
Favorite book: 
The Hard Thing About Hard Things: Building a Business When There Are No Easy Answers

Derric Gilling, CEO of Moesif: $15 Million Raised to Build the Future of API Analytics

In today's episode of Category Visionaries, we speak with Derric Gilling, CEO of Mosief, an API analytics platform that’s raised over $15 Million in funding, about why the deluge of data that most companies are dealing with hasn’t yet been utilized to anything near its full potential, and how a better integrated, more effective API analytics framework can capture significant value for partners and clients across the entire startup sector. By providing critical insight into exactly how API solutions are performing and where they can be improved, Mosief helps their customers hone in on the metrics that really matter, and make meaningful changes based on the best possible data.
We also spoke about how Derric’s time at intel provided him with critical lessons to take with him into the startup space, why you should never over-promise on a critical feature, what makes a targeted customer persona so important when creating a new category, and why sometimes it pays to take your time before taking a product to market.
Topics Discussed:
Derric’s time at Intel and the critical lessons it gave him when it came to building his own startup business.
Why API matters, how it’s still falling short of its real potential, and how adequate analytics can really be the missing link in the value chain
Why Derric believes its best never to over-promise, and why bugs and fixes should be part of every tech companies budgetary planning
Why Moesif decided to pivot from API development to analytics, and how it feels to be moving in a blue market economy
How Moesif and their customers are building stronger networks together, and the power of the 1+1=3 relationship
The importance of really zeroing in on your customer persona when you decide to create a new category, and exactly who is making the purchases
 
Favorite book: 
High Output Management

Tom Griffiths, CEO of Hone: $50 Million Raised to Build the Future of Corporate Training

Welcome to another episode of Category Visionaries — the show that explores GTM stories from tech's most innovative B2B founders. In today's episode, we're speaking with Tom Griffiths, CEO & Co-Founder of Hone, a live learning platform that has raised over $50 Million in funding.
Here are the most interesting points from our conversation:
Pivot to Success: The transition from Hub Dub to Fanduel demonstrated the power of data-driven pivots, leading to a new category in daily fantasy sports.
Creating a New Category: Tom's experience with Fanduel taught him the importance of being one step removed from an existing category to facilitate understanding and adoption.
Navigating Legal Challenges: Facing regulatory scrutiny and legal challenges helped refine and solidify Fanduel's position in the market.
Leveraging Customer Stories: Using customer testimonials and feedback as a powerful tool to highlight Hone’s unique value proposition in the competitive corporate training space.
CEO Transition: The shift from CPO to CEO involves embracing broader decision-making responsibilities and being the company's face to drive vision and growth.
Higher Purpose: Tom finds a deeper fulfillment in Hone's mission, impacting both professional and personal development for learners through transformational live classes.
 

Egil Østhus, CEO of Unleash: $16.5 Million Raised to Build the Future of Feature Management

In today's episode of Category Visionaries, we speak with Egil Osthus, CEO of Unleash, a feature management platform that’s raised over $16.5 Million in funding, about why these days every company is a software company, and streamlining the software development pipeline is basically an essential service. Unleash provides an open source, developer-led solution combined with tailor made solutions for their enterprise clients, keeping them at the cutting edge of innovation and clearly differentiated from the competition.
We also spoke about how Norway’s transition away from oil and towards a greener economy is setting the stage for a flourishing startup economy, with low-cost developers ready to set their sights on the  tech sector’s toughest challenges, why unleash retained a die-hard commitment to open source software despite its tensions with the commercial side of their business, and why the developer space is very resistant to traditional marketing strategies, forcing Unleash to always push for the perfect product-market fit.
Topics Discussed:
Egil’s experiences in the Norwegian tech economy, and why the coming green transition promises fertile ground for its emerging tech sector
Why development and testing in a risk-free environment are critical to successful software releases, and how Unleash makes sure everything goes smoothly
Why these days every company is a software company, giving Unleash ample space for market expansion
How Unleash overcomes the tension between open-source software development and the financial imperatives of a commercial enterprise, retaining their die-hard commitment to the open source developer community
Why developers are so resistant to traditional marketing approaches, and how Unleash leverages their open source software to nourish commercial clients
Why Egil feels listening is the most important skill for keeping ahead of customer preferences, letting them leverage a competitive advantage in terms of detail

Viral Patel, CEO of Radish Health: $5 Million Raised to Connect Employees with a Better Healthcare Experience

Welcome to another episode of Category Visionaries — the show that explores GTM stories from tech's most innovative B2B founders. In today's episode, we're speaking with Viral Patel, CEO & Founder of Radish Health, a healthcare platform that has raised over $5 Million in funding.
Here are the most interesting points from our conversation:
Career Transition: Viral's shift from an ER physician and Medical Director at Oscar Health to launching Radish Health.
Vision for Healthcare: The inspiration behind Radish Health is to give everyone a "doctor in the family" experience using technology.
Employer Partnerships: Radish Health’s business model focuses on partnering with employers to provide enhanced healthcare benefits to their employees.
Patient-Centric Approach: Emphasizing a healthcare model that prioritizes patient relationships and convenience.
Regulatory Navigation: The complexities of expanding telehealth services across different states and how Radish Health addresses these challenges.
Impact of COVID-19: How the pandemic accelerated the acceptance and growth of telehealth services.
 
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