Category Visionaries Matt Einig, CEO & Founder of Rencore: $15 Million Raised to Build a Comprehensive Cloud Governance Platform
Rencore is a leader in Microsoft 365 governance, helping organizations manage the security, costs, and lifecycle of their cloud resources. With $15 million in funding, Rencore has evolved from a bootstrapped consulting business to a venture-backed software company serving nearly 500 enterprise customers worldwide. In this episode of Category Visionaries, I spoke with Matt Einig, CEO and Founder of Rencore, about his 12-year journey from building a niche code analysis tool to creating a comprehensive cloud governance platform that addresses the growing challenges of cloud sprawl, security, and cost management in the Microsoft ecosystem and beyond.
Topics Discussed:
- Rencore's unconventional path from consulting tool to enterprise SaaS product
- The transition from bootstrapped business to venture-backed startup after 7+ years
- How customer interviews shaped Rencore's pivot to cloud governance
- The pandemic's role as a massive accelerator for cloud adoption and Rencore's growth
- Building a technology-agnostic platform that can quickly adapt to market changes
- The balance between bootstrap mentality and venture growth mindset
- Establishing thought leadership in the Microsoft ecosystem through content creation and community engagement
GTM Lessons For B2B Founders:
- Leverage existing customer relationships when pivoting: Matt's team interviewed over 300 existing customers to identify their next opportunity, using their established base to discover new market needs. Matt explained, "We used this connection that we have, this customer base, and figured out a new problem." B2B founders should view their current customer base as a valuable research pool when considering new directions.
- Build credibility before you need it: Matt spent years building visibility in the Microsoft ecosystem, speaking at 30-40 events annually and earning Microsoft MVP status for 10 consecutive years. This established credibility made marketing their new product much easier. B2B founders should invest in ecosystem credibility early, as it becomes a powerful asset when launching new products.
- Content consistency trumps perfection: Matt's approach to thought leadership wasn't about occasional brilliant pieces but consistent, valuable content creation over years. "If you really want to do it, you have to put a lot of effort in... and it's eventually only all about consistency," he shared. B2B founders should commit to regular, thoughtful content rather than sporadic attempts at viral marketing.
- Design for future expansion: Rather than building a solution specific to Microsoft 365 governance, Rencore created a technology-agnostic platform that could easily integrate new data sources. "That choice to build something generic instead of something very specific proved to be an extremely good decision," Matt reflected. B2B founders should design core architecture with future expansion in mind, even when starting with a focused use case.
- Maintain operational discipline through funding transitions: Despite raising venture capital, Matt maintained the operational discipline developed during bootstrapping. "We didn't change our attitude that much... we tried to stay realistic," he explained. This approach helped them weather economic downturns. B2B founders should preserve the operational rigor of bootstrapping even after securing venture funding.
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