How I Built This with Guy Raz Calendly: Tope Awotona
4 snips
Sep 14, 2020 
Tope Awotona, founder of Calendly, shares his inspiring journey from Nigeria to entrepreneurial success in the tech world. After early setbacks with e-commerce ventures, he found his passion in creating a scheduling tool that caters to the needs of busy professionals. He discusses the financial risks he took, including cashing in his 401k, and the challenges of developing a user-friendly product. Tope reflects on resilience through personal loss and how the pandemic accelerated Calendly's growth, marking it as a pivotal moment for the company.
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Bootstrapping Calendly
- Tope Awotona funded Calendly's prototype by emptying his 401k, savings, and maxing out credit cards.
- He borrowed additional funds, accumulating debt with high interest rates.
Childhood Trauma
- At age 12, Tope witnessed his father's death during a carjacking, a traumatic experience that significantly impacted him.
- He described losing weight, developing insomnia, and suppressing his emotions, reflecting the Nigerian cultural response to grief.
First Sales Experience
- Tope's first sales job involved selling alarm systems door-to-door during college.
- Making $500 on his first day motivated him, despite facing rejection and interrupting people's dinners.
