Zapier’s AI Revolution Hits NOW (Bootstrapped to $1M ARR w/ CEO Wade Foster)

In this episode I sit down with Wade Foster, the founder and CEO of Zapier. We explore Zapier’s unique path, from building its first integrations on nights and weekends in Missouri to scaling with minimal funding through Y Combinator. Wade shares how “don’t hire till it hurts” became a guiding mantra, why Zapier embraced remote work early on, and how the rise of AI is unlocking new automation possibilities through Zapier Agents. Whether you’re curious about seedstrapping, enterprise workflows, or the frontier of AI benchmarks, this conversation delivers practical insights for building a lean, innovative company.

00:00:00 - “Don’t Hire Till It Hurts” Mantra

00:01:24 - The First Zap & Early Users

00:03:42 - Joining YC & Minimal Funding

00:05:09 - Profitability & Lean Hiring

00:06:57 - SEO for Marketplace Growth

00:08:10 - AI Agents & Unstructured Data

00:10:28 - Enterprise Playbook & GTM

00:13:14 - ARC Prize & Future of AGI

00:17:29 - Remote Culture at Zapier

00:20:29 - Seedstrapping Advice in AI

00:25:09 - Reimagining Processes w/ AI

00:28:54 - Final Insights & Future