Aytekin Tank @Jotform. Scaling the ultimate form builder and competing with Google
Jan 18, 2024
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Aytekin Tank, Founder & CEO of Jotform, shares insights on balancing product development and growth strategies, the importance of having a viral product, and leveraging customer feedback for expansion. He discusses the evolution of Jotform's offerings, the impact of CEO involvement in growth, and the role of forms across industries. Tank also delves into AI automation, team restructuring for scaling, and wraps up with a call for future founder guests on innovative growth strategies.
Maintaining a 50-50 rule balances product development with growth strategies.
Transitioning from a form builder to productivity tools was driven by customer feedback and adaptability.
Deep dives
Beginning and Inspiration for JotForm
In 2005, inspired by his experience in creating online forms for a media company, Aytekin Tank founded JotForm when he felt the need for a product that streamlined form creation. Tank initially provided JotForm as a free service, receiving positive feedback and rapidly growing user numbers. After a year of offering the free product, he introduced a paid version, which was well-received, signaling the beginning of JotForm's success.
Focus on Product and Growth
Tank emphasizes the importance of maintaining a balance between product development and growth strategies. Adopting a 50-50 rule, he divides his time evenly between enhancing the product features and focusing on growth initiatives. This approach ensures that JotForm delivers a quality product to users while also attracting new customers through strategic growth efforts.
Evolution of JotForm's Product Suite
Over time, JotForm transitioned from solely offering a form builder to expanding its suite of automation tools to meet various user needs. This evolution was fueled by continuous user research, usability testing, and cross-functional collaboration among multiple product teams. By focusing on deepening the product with advanced features, JotForm ensured a positive user experience while avoiding feature overload.
Scaling Through Teamwork and Prioritization
As JotForm grew, Tank recognized the importance of fostering teamwork and a collaborative environment within the company. By organizing employees into dedicated teams to work on singular projects and promoting knowledge sharing, JotForm achieved better communication, prioritization, and overall product development. This structured approach to scaling allowed JotForm to maintain a high level of efficiency and product quality.
saas.unbound is a podcast for and about founders who are working on scaling inspiring products that people love, brought to you by https://saas.group/ . I'm your host Anna Nadeina, Head of Growth for saas.group. In episode #38, we talk with Aytekin Tank, Founder & CEO of Jotform, an online form builder that enables businesses to create customized forms. They’re bootstrapped and serve 20 million users with an impressive team of over 500 people.
Aytekin walks us through the bootstrap journey that has kept Jotform agile and innovative, shedding light on their 50-50 rule that balances product development with growth strategies.
He also discusses the importance of having a viral product and how JotForm's free tier propelled its widespread adoption, all while being the recognizable face of the company, shaping its branding and growth.
Aytekin highlights how customer feedback drove the expansion into productivity tools and how this adaptability proved invaluable during the pandemic.