From VP at Twilio to AI Founder: Mark Gilbert’s Lessons on Product Management, Growth, and Fundraising

Mark Gilbert is the Co-Founder & CEO of Zocks, an AI meeting assistant designed specifically for financial advisors. Before founding Zox, Mark was the VP Of Product Management at Twilio, CTO at Hearsay Systems and General Manager at Microsoft.

In this episode, Mark shares how he transitioned from corporate life to running his own startup, the challenges and opportunities he sees in the rapidly evolving AI landscape, and why focusing on a niche market has been a game-changer for Zox. He also dives into the importance of prioritizing product development, building credibility in B2B, and the realities of fundraising.

We discuss:

- Mark's Journey from Corporate Executive to Startup Founder

- Prioritizing Product Development in a Fast-Paced AI Startup

- The Strategic Focus on Financial Advisors and Why It Works

- Lessons Learned from Transitioning to Startup Life

- Building Credibility in B2B Markets

- The Realities of Fundraising and Preparing for Investor Discussions

- Understanding User Problems to Drive Product Success

- How to Navigate the AI Hype and Maintain Focus

- The Long-Term Nature of Building a Successful Business

Perfect for: Founders and executives in B2B SaaS and AI-driven businesses looking for insights on product strategy, fundraising, and navigating a rapidly changing market.

Don't forget to subscribe to the podcast for more conversations with industry leaders reshaping B2B SaaS and AI.

Connect with Mark:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markgil/

Zocks: https://www.zocks.io/

Connect with me:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/finnthormeier/

Website: https://www.project33.io/

Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/03CXzsZp7wdqIRVDcqPTFH

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/finnthormeier/

Website: https://www.project33.io/

Chapters

00:00 The Journey to Entrepreneurship

02:52 Navigating the AI Landscape

06:06 Prioritizing Product Development

09:09 Focusing on Financial Advisors

11:59 Expanding Beyond Financial Advisors

14:51 Lessons from Transitioning to Startup Life

18:00 Advice for Aspiring Founders

21:04 Building Credibility in B2B

23:46 Fundraising Insights

26:49 Navigating the AI Hype

30:02 Future of AI in Business

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