Frederic Kerrest is the executive vice chairman and co-founder of Okta. He is responsible for Okta's day-to-day operations, working with employees, partners, and customers to deliver on the company's vision of enabling any organization to use any technology. Kerrest is the author of “Zero to IPO,” a WSJ Bestseller guidebook to building startups featuring insights from some of the world’s most successful and recognizable entrepreneurs. He’s also the co-host of the “Zero to IPO” podcast. In this presentation, Kerrest shares stories from his life to illustrate the challenges and excitement of being an entrepreneur and offers practical advice for students starting their careers.—-----------------------------------Stanford eCorner content is produced by the Stanford Technology Ventures Program. At STVP, we empower aspiring entrepreneurs to become global citizens who create and scale responsible innovations.CONNECT WITH USTwitter: https://twitter.com/ECorner LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/stanfordtechnologyventuresprogram/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StanfordTechnologyVenturesProgram/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/ecorner LEARN MOREeCorner Website: https://ecorner.stanford.edu/STVP Website: https://stvp.stanford.edu/Support our mission of providing students and educators around the world with free access to Stanford University’s network of entrepreneurial thought leaders: https://ecorner.stanford.edu/give.

Explore the journey of Okta, a multi-billion dollar company, overcoming challenges and competing with tech giants. Learn about the founder's personal growth, lessons learned, and the importance of determination. Reflect on transitioning from SMB to enterprise focus after a revenue target miss. Discuss competition, time management, and entrepreneurial traits. Dive into raising institutional venture capital, building a strong company culture, and Octa Stock's performance.

In this insightful discussion, Maria Gallagher and Jason Moser provide a refreshing take on market trends, highlighting the surprising recovery of Disney amidst challenging times for coffee chain Dutch Bros. Frederic Kerrest, co-founder of Okta, shares wisdom from his book, emphasizing the tenacity required for entrepreneurial success. The trio also explores innovative growth strategies in companies like Unity Software and Roblox, while showcasing potential investment opportunities in stocks like Airbnb and Home Depot.

Frederic Kerrest, Co-founder and COO of Okta, discusses the evolving landscape of cybersecurity and entrepreneurship. He highlights the importance of personal accountability in cyber safety, addressing common pitfalls like weak passwords and advocating for multi-factor authentication. Through his insights on identity management, he sheds light on how tech companies can thrive during downturns. The conversation also demystifies the entrepreneurial journey, revealing the challenges behind startup success that are often glossed over in the media.

Frederic Kerrest, the Founder and COO of Okta, shares insights from his journey in building a leading secure identity management platform. He discusses the importance of targeting small markets to achieve monopolistic advantages. Frederic reflects on the challenges Okta faced leading up to its IPO, particularly balancing vision with realism during tough times. He also highlights the significance of market evaluation and the dynamics of securing venture capital, drawing on lessons from his time at Salesforce and his relationship with a16z.