Mike Gozzo is the Chief Product and Technology Officer (CPTO) at Ada.

Mike is also an Operating Advisor at Bessemer Venture Partners. Previously Mike founded Smooch.io which Zendesk acquired. He then worked as SVP of Product at Zendesk.

Takeaways

• Smooch.io was born from a unique incubation experience.
• The story behind the acquisition by Zendesk for $80M.
• Cultural alignment was a key factor in choosing Zendesk.
• Why he left his role at Zendesk to join Ada.
• After joining Ada why he cut the number of products and narrowed the company's focus.
• AI is reshaping product development and customer interactions.
• Flexibility in software design.
• The importance of delivering high-quality automated resolutions.
• Product teams should be structured around key metrics.
• How Ada structures their product and technical teams.
• Inference and intelligence in AI will become commoditized.
• Early-stage founders should focus on customer feedback.
• His work with Bessemer, angel investing and advice for founders.

Chapters

00:00 The Genesis of Smooch.io

12:45 Navigating the Acquisition by Zendesk

13:01 Cultural Integration and Reflections Post-Acquisition

18:02 The Decision to Leave Zendesk for Ada

20:27 Impactful Decisions at Ada

22:58 AI's Influence on Product Development

25:45 The Evolution of AI in Customer Service

30:14 Building Effective Product Teams

36:27 The Future of AI Applications

39:49 Insights from Venture Capital and Angel Investing

42:13 Advice for Early-Stage Founders

44:41 Personal Growth and Professional Excitement

47:02 Navigating Challenges as a Founder

Keywords

Smooch.io, Zendesk, acquisition, startup culture, product management, AI, customer experience, entrepreneurship, Canadian startups, innovation, AI, customer service, product management, venture capital, early-stage startups, founder advice, machine learning, automated resolutions, product teams, investment strategies