Wade Foster

Wade Foster, co-founder and CEO of Zapier, explores the evolution of their platform from no-code pioneer to an AI-driven powerhouse. He discusses how Zapier is integrating AI for business efficiency and the challenges of implementing automation. Wade shares insights on the effective use of large language models and the importance of clear AI prompting. He also highlights advancements in AI technology and how they enhance workflow automation. Tune in for valuable perspectives on AI's transformative role in modern businesses.

How did a company that nobody'd ever heard of find hundreds of beta users, and even convince them to pay for access? Wade Foster tells the story behind user acquisition at Zapier.

Wade Foster, Co-founder & CEO at Zapier, discusses the unorthodox decisions behind Zapier's success, their powerful distribution engine, and the impact of Veterans United. He shares insights on product market fit, fundraising, and people management. The podcast explores unconventional strategies, adapting to change, and the importance of intellectual honesty.

Wade Foster is the co-founder and CEO of Zapier, an automation business most recently valued at $5 billion.In the episode, Wade discusses why Zapier only raised around $1M and unpacks Zapier’s strategies for growing profitably. Wade shares lessons from building one of the first remote-only companies in tech, including key tips for hiring, onboarding, building a great management team, and much more.Wade is definitely a first principles thinker around all things business. One of the most raw and engaging episodes to date.(0:00) Intro(0:50) What does Zapier do?(4:06) $1.3 million to $5 billion(12:27) Lessons learned from starting Zapier(17:23) Zapier's ecosystem and partners(23:24) What made Zapier outperform competitors?(28:31) Three friends from Missouri(32:35) Was it obvious who the successes were going to be?(40:36) Foundation of the board(45:18) The Ultimate Guide to Remote Work(50:45) Building trust among a remote employee base(53:47) Importance of onboarding experience(1:00:57) The future of remote work(1:06:06) Advice for new founders(1:08:50) Wade's interview style(1:15:30) Setting goals as a company(1:18:30) Are CEO coaches just snake oil?(1:23:44) SEO Landing Pages(1:27:47) What has you excited about artificial intelligence?(1:33:29) Relationship with Sam Altman(1:39:45) What would you tell 23-year-old Wade? Mixed and edited: Justin HrabovskyProduced: Rashad AssirExecutive Producer: Josh MachizMusic: Griff Lawson 🎙 Listen to the showApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/three-cartoon-avatars/id1606770839Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5WqBqDb4br3LlyVrdqOYYb?si=3076e6c1b5c94d63&nd=1Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5zaW1wbGVjYXN0LmNvbS9zb0hJZkhWbg 🎥 Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCugS0jD5IAdoqzjaNYzns7w?sub_confirmation=1 Follow on Socials📸 Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/theloganbartlettshow🐦 Twitter - https://twitter.com/loganbartshow🎬 Clips on TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@theloganbartlettshow About the ShowLogan Bartlett is a Software Investor at Redpoint Ventures - a Silicon Valley-based VC with $6B AUM and investments in Snowflake, DraftKings, Twilio, and Netflix. In each episode, Logan goes behind the scenes with world-class entrepreneurs and investors. If you're interested in the real inside baseball of tech, entrepreneurship, and start-up investing, tune in every Friday for new episodes. Executive Producer: Rashad AssirProducer: Leah ClapperMixing and editing: Justin Hrabovsky Check out Unsupervised Learning, Redpoint's AI Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@UCUl-s_Vp-Kkk_XVyDylNwLA 🎥 Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCugS0jD5IAdoqzjaNYzns7w?sub_confirmation=1 Follow on Socials 📸 Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/theloganbartlettshow📱 X - https://twitter.com/loganbartshow🎬 Clips on TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@theloganbartlettshow About the ShowLogan Bartlett is a Software Investor at Redpoint Ventures - a Silicon Valley-based VC with $6B AUM and investments in Snowflake, DraftKings, Twilio, and Netflix. In each episode of The Logan Bartlett Show, we sit down with the people behind today’s most important startups and extract the tactics, lessons, and frameworks they’ve learned the hard way. Conversations span hiring to GTM, product, growth, fundraising and everything in between - collectively forming the ultimate playbook to make you a better CEO, investor or board member.Tap follow and enable notifications to stay ahead of the game.

Wade Foster, Co-founder and CEO of Zapier, shares insights from leading his company to a $5 billion valuation with just $1.4 million in funding. He discusses the challenges of remote work that Zapier has navigated since 2012 and emphasizes the importance of transparency in team communication. Wade reflects on his journey from email marketing to entrepreneurship, revealing critical leadership lessons learned while scaling. He also touches on fundraising approaches, the significance of effective executive hiring, and Zapier's mission to democratize automation for everyone.

Wade Foster, the co-founder and CEO of Zapier, shares insights from leading a successful no-code integration platform without raising capital or maintaining a traditional office. He discusses the creative process behind transforming ideas into profitable products, the automation advantages that simplify operations, and the rise of no-code solutions. Wade also explores the nuances of remote work culture, highlighting communication and engagement strategies that foster a thriving team environment.

Wade Foster, CEO of Zapier, discusses the company's AI journey, including an internal hackathon. Topics cover GPT technology integration, assessing AI model capabilities, chat interaction UX, and the potential of multimodal models in communication and AI augmentation. Also explores project recognition, prioritization, and AI's impact on work.

Wade Foster, CEO of Zapier, discusses their $10,000 relocation offer for new employees and its impact on hiring high-quality candidates. They explore winner-take-all markets and network effects, emphasizing the importance of connections. Advice for founders outside the Bay Area includes focusing on fundamentals and debunking the perception that the best companies are only in the Bay Area. Challenges of building a billion-dollar company in an untapped city are discussed, along with the importance of learning, taking risks, and finding experienced mentors for scaling.

In this episode, Wade Foster, Co-founder and CEO of Zapier, discusses hiring, feedback, and cultivating authentic relationships in a digital-first company. He emphasizes the importance of strong values in remote companies, evaluating prospects remotely, growing through feedback, building camaraderie, and exploring the operating system of remote companies.

Wade Foster, co-founder of Zapier, known for his expertise in product-led growth, shares insights on transforming Zapier into a $5 billion powerhouse. He discusses their innovative customer acquisition tactics that emphasized community engagement and direct feedback. Foster reveals how embracing a quirky brand identity set them apart in a competitive market. Additionally, he delves into their iterative approach to product development and the significance of early customer interactions in achieving profitability within three years.