Guy Podjarney, Founder of Snyk: Building Conviction on a Contrarian Bet

Guy Podjarney is the founder of Snyk, a leading security company building developer first security tools to help organizations develop fast & stay secure. On today’s episode, Jon Sakoda speaks with Guy about the problem-solving approach he still carries with him from his time in the IDF and the threat of playing it too safe for first-time founders. 

1. How to Approach an “Impossible Problem” [4:59 - 8:24] - When Guy joined Unit 8200 of the Israeli Defense Forces, he was embedded in a group of high caliber peers who were trained to believe that no problem was too difficult to solve. Guy carried this sentiment over to his entrepreneurial journey when he was faced with hurdles that seemed impossible to cross, including getting developers to use a product to write safer software. Listen to learn why every problem has a solution, you just haven’t found it yet.
2. Beware Of Playing It Safe [24:45 - 28:02] - For many founders, the idea of crashing and burning can seem more daunting than being stuck in one place. Guy believes that the lessons learned from failing are more valuable than staying stagnant. By prioritizing a growth mindset, Guy avoids getting too comfortable in one spot for too long. If you’re a first-time founder, listen to hear why you may be playing it too safe.
3. Product Adoption Comes First, Revenue Comes Second [35:44 - 41:58] - Snyk was gaining traction as a valuable tool for developers but didn’t have enough initial revenue to attract VCs. Stuck at an impasse, Guy and his co-founders doubted if they would be able to fulfill their vision of getting developers to pay for a security tool. With the help of an early investor, they eventually found product-market fit for their paid product in just a few years. Listen to learn why you should stay true to your purpose even when the going gets tough.
4. What is the Ideal Role for a Founder? [41:58 - 46:28] - As Snyk grew rapidly, Guy realized that he needed to wear multiple hats as a CEO and CTO, and the company was limited by his own bandwidth. In order to maintain Snyk’s upward trajectory, Guy recruited a CEO that could complement his own strengths to help the company continue to scale. Listen to hear why all founders should ask what their company needs when deciding whether to bring in a professional CEO.

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