Unicorn Builders Kevin Busque: the Story of Guideline ($1.1+ Billion Valuation)
In today’s episode of Unicorn Builders, we speak with Kevin Busque, CEO and Founder of Guideline, a 401K platform for small business that’s raised $339 Million in funding, about why so few employees in the US have access to a retirement plan for their autumn years, and their mission to make them more accessible and effective for everyone involved. Covering everything from payroll integrations to intuitive dashboards and intelligent advertising, Guideline gives people the power to invest in their financial future with confidence.
We also speak about Kevin’s early start in business with a highschool custom computer enterprise, his lifelong love of digital technologies and transition through the sector to become a founder, the regulatory pain that both inspired and impeded the early days of Guideline, and how technology is revolutionizing the retirement industry.
Topics Discussed:
- Kevin’s lifelong love of computer technology, from a highschool business to working in firms across the sector
- The early struggle to raise capital which meant Guideline almost ‘died before it started’
- Why only 10% of US firms offer their employees meaningful retirement plans, and why Guideline is on a mission to change that
- How technology is helping bring a new category of solutions to this long-struggling aspect of the US economy
- The regulatory pain of trying to launch a startup in such a heavily regulated and slow-moving space
- How working with finance engineers helped generate a wealth of actionable business ideas to work from