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20VC: Checkout.com Founder Guillaume Pousaz on The Transition From Bootstrapped Founder to Raising $830M and a $15Bn Valuation, What It Means To Have "3 Roadmaps For Life" & How Becoming a Parent Changes the Type of Leader You Are

Apr 8, 2021

Guillaume Pousaz, Founder and CEO of Checkout.com, shares his remarkable journey from bootstrapping to raising $830M and achieving a $15Bn valuation. He reveals why waiting seven years to raise funds was crucial for growth and how he structured personal and business planning with his 'three roadmaps for life.' Parenthood's role in shaping his leadership style and decision-making is also explored, highlighting the balance of personal growth and professional success. Plus, he discusses the importance of culture in hiring and the impact of effective communication.

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ANECDOTE

Founding Moment

Guillaume Pousaz's "aha" moment for Checkout.com wasn't singular but stemmed from observing growing internet commerce.
His experience in California in 2006 solidified his belief in the internet's potential, even before the iPhone or widespread Facebook.

INSIGHT

Bootstrapping and Series A

Checkout.com was bootstrapped for seven years, prioritizing infrastructure over rapid growth.
Guillaume Pousaz decided to raise capital after winning a major contract, recognizing the need for scaling expertise.

ANECDOTE

Self-Doubt and Mentorship

Pousaz felt unsure about his leadership abilities when scaling Checkout.com.
He credits his wife and mentors for support, saying a CEO needs a safe "harbor" to navigate hardship.

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Guillaume Pousaz is the Founder and CEO of Checkout.com, one of the world's leading global payments solutions providers and one of Europe's most valuable private companies. Guillaume founded Checkout.com in 2012 and bootstrapped the business until its record-breaking $230M Series A led by Insight and DST in 2019. Since, Guillaume has raised a further $600M for Checkout from the likes of Coatue, Tiger, Blossom, GIC and Greenoaks. As part of this process, Guillaume has scaled the team to over 900 people around the world and Checkout as one of the category leaders in payments with a reported $15Bn valuation.

In Today’s Episode with Guillaume Pousaz You Will Learn:

1.) How Guillaume made his way into the world of payments following a travelling experience? How that experience led to his founding the now $12Bn, Checkout.com?

2.) Why did Guillaume wait 7 years into the running of the business before raising a massive $230M Series A? Why was then the right time? Was it a difficult mental transition to move from lean, capital efficiency to raising $230M? Why have Checkout never spent a single dollar on marketing? Is it true, Checkout has never spent a single dollar you have raised?

3.) What does Guillaume mean when he says he "has 3 roadmaps for life"? How does he structure his planning for the next 2,5 and 10 years? How does Guillaume think on his own identity and how it is tied to Checkout, the company? How does Guillaume advise founders in terms of tying their identity to their company?

4.) Why does Guillaume believe that becoming a father made him a better CEO? How did it impact his operating style? How does Guillaume analogise the role of the CEO to the profession of being a sailor? How does Guillaume think through his relationship to money today? How has it changed over time? How does he think about ensuring it does not impact his children?

5.) In what way does Guillaume structure his decision-making process today? What does Guillaume believe it is about the velocity of decisions that determine the quality of the leader? What topics does Guillaume struggle to make fast decisions on? What advice does Guillaume give to founders in situations when you just do not know what to do?

Item’s Mentioned In Today’s Episode with Guillaume Pousaz

Guillaume’s Favourite Book: Dune by Frank Herbert

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