Bipul Sinha

Bipul Sinha, CEO and co-founder of Rubrik, shares insights from his transition from VC to founder. He emphasizes that intuition often trumps expertise in decision-making, reflecting on how he built Rubrik by betting on 'uncool' ideas. The conversation tackles the importance of product-market fit in the AI era and critiques what VCs often misunderstand. Bipul also discusses fostering a transparent company culture, the essential traits for successful entrepreneurs, and how AI is reshaping industries and the future of work.

Guest: Bipul Sinha, co-founder and CEO of RubrikWhen Bipul Sinha graduated from the Indian Insitute of Technology and came to America to work in tech, his mother told him: Don’t start a company. His ambitious father was a failed pharma entrepreneur, and Bipul was content for most of a decade to hold a steady job at Oracle. But in his early 30s, he began to shed his risk aversion, pursuing a part-time MBA and more difficult jobs, and by the time he co-founded the data security firm Rubrik in 2014, he had gone through an epiphany: “Only make decisions that you truly believe is the right thing to do,” he says. “If you are here, at the moment of truth, you want to succeed or lose based on your own terms, not what others feel.”In this episode, Bipul and Joubin discuss how debate moves business forward, companies as living systems, growing up poor, refusing to compromise, risk aversion, finding your own potential, paying tuition, context matters, psychological safety, and smelling the roses.In this episode, we cover:Joubin’s interview with Ali Ghodsi (00:51)The importance of authenticity (02:33)Extreme voices (05:10)Being yourself at work (08:14)Reducing blind spots (11:08)Tough feedback (13:09)Learning entrepreneurship through osmosis (14:41)IIT or bust (19:40)Setbacks and reorienting (23:35)Leaving India for America (26:53)From Oracle to Blumberg Capital (30:21)Prioritizing his own happiness (34:36)“This is a career” (37:08)Dissatisfaction and the next thing (40:37)Creating an enduring institution (45:02)No one knows what they’re doing (49:32)Open board meetings (53:39)Hiring and firing (55:37)Good and bad startup advice (57:58)Working forever (01:01:16)Positive feedback and empathy (01:04:19)Who Rubrik is hiring and what “grit” means to Bipul (01:08:55)Links:Connect with BipulTwitterLinkedInConnect with JoubinTwitterLinkedInEmail: grit@kleinerperkins.com Learn more about Kleiner PerkinsThis episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

Bipul Sinha is the founder and CEO of Rubrik, a leader in zero-trust data security used by enterprises to defend against ransomware and to create global cyber resiliency. On today’s episode, Jon Sakoda speaks with Bipul Sinha on his unusual path from India to Silicon Valley and his unique mindset as a startup founder:Don’t Be Afraid to Drop Everything  [4:30-6:50] - Bipul dropped out of school in order to study for his college entrance exams in India. Growing up in a lower middle class household, Bipul needed to excel on the exams to escape poverty. Listen to the advice Bipul received from his father on the value of learning from failure and never constraining your self belief in what you can achieve.How to Engineer Hypergrowth from Day One  [20:46-24:19]  - Rubrik’s success in its early days was incredible, achieving $50 M in sales in its first year. Many founders approach product-market fit through serial steps, while Rubrik was engineered for faster growth from the very beginning. Listen to how Bipul approaches product-market fit through a parallel process in order to create more explosive growth.Avoiding Psychological Safety and Accepting Conflict [33:55-39:00] - Bipul believes that conflict is a part of every great startup, but it is human nature to try to create psychological safety. He strongly believes that every founder needs to embrace, and find joy, in pushing a company to its limits which is often in conflict with being satisfied. Listen to how he instills this culture in his company.Follow Jon Sakoda https://twitter.com/jonsakodaFollow Bipul Sinha https://twitter.com/bipulsinhaFollow Decibel https://twitter.com/DecibelVC

Bipul Sinha, CEO and Co-founder of Rubrik, dives into the complexities of cybersecurity in this engaging discussion. He emphasizes the vital transition in IT leadership towards a diversified service approach, especially in the healthcare sector facing unique risks. They explore how organizations can build cyber resilience in the wake of crises, focus on learning from ransomware incidents, and the urgent need for robust strategies to protect sensitive data. Bipul shares insights on aligning risk management with business goals for effective decision-making.

Bipul Sinha, Co-founder and CEO of Rubrik, sheds light on the escalating cyber threats following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. He discusses the dual dangers posed by state-sponsored actors and cybercriminals, emphasizing the urgent need for businesses to adapt their cybersecurity strategies. Bipul shares practical tips for personal protection, from maintaining cyber hygiene to developing effective recovery plans, advocating for a proactive approach in an age of heightened digital vulnerabilities.