The Room Podcast

Hey, The Room Podcast Family!In this exciting episode of the series, we dive headfirst into the open-source world of tech entrepreneurship with Guillermo Rauch, the visionary founder behind Vercel and Next.js. Guillermo takes us on his incredible journey, from growing up in Argentina to moving to Switzerland to becoming a driving force in shaping the future of web development. He shares the pivotal moments that led to the creation of Vercel, the platform that's revolutionizing front-end development on top of the react framework.Join us as we explore the tech landscape and gain insights into Guillermo’s journey from MooTools to Next.js to Vercel, many pieces of advice for founders in the open-source landscape about timing and fundraising, the future of open-source development alongside AI, and much more!For The Room Podcast in your inbox every week, subscribe to our newsletter.Check out our guide to podcasting here! 4:29 - Where did Guillermo grow up and how did that shape his view of the world?6:00 - Did Guillermo always think he was going to become a founder? 7:12 - What inspired the creation of MooTools?9:13 - What was it like moving across the world to Switzerland and then to San Francisco after, especially during this “post .com boom”?11:23 - What advice does Guillermo have for founders considering acquisition opportunities?15:46 - How did Socket and Mongoose change the development landscape and what did Guillermo learn through co-authoring and contributing to those projects?18:58 - What was Guillermo’s experience co-authoring Next.js?22:26 - What was the “aha moment” that led to creating Vercel and the early Go-To-Market strategy with it? 27:56 - How was Guillermo’s transition from Next.js to Vercel and how do the two differ?31:33 - How did Guillermo unlock his first enterprise customers and what advice does he have for founders who are also looking to make that leap? 35:05 - Who was the first person to say yes to investing in Vercel?36:52 - What advice does Guillermo have for founders working in open source who are thinking of getting fundraising?38:43 - What was a moment in Guillermo’s journey with Vercel when things just did not go as planned?40:48 - What is Guillermo’s take on the future of AI and development and what's next on Vercel's roadmap in regards to AI?46:25 - What is Guillermo excited about for this upcoming year?47:22 - Who is a woman in Guillermo’s life that has had a profound impact on him and his career?WX Productions

We are back again this week with another episode of The Room Podcast! This week we are joined by Julianna and Reed, the co-founders of Stych. TTopics in this episode include; the need for transparency and enabling conversations for potential M&A deals in the startup environment, the need for a more user-friendly and secure authentication method, and advice for other up-and-coming founders in the enterprise SaaS space.For The Room Podcast in your inbox every week, subscribe to our newsletter.Check out our guide to podcasting here! 5:00 - Where did Julianna and Reed grow up and how did that shape their view of the world?7:27 - Did Juliana ever think that becoming a founder would be something she pursued? 9:47 - How did Reed relate to being a founder when growing up and what was his path from undergrad to becoming a founder?12:32 - How did Julianna and Reed meet at Plaid?17:38 - What was the “aha moment” that sparked the start of Stych?22:05 - Who are the core buyers of Stych and what is the Go-To-Market strategy for Stych?24:39 - What advice would Julianna and Reed give to new founders in the enterprise SaaS space?27:39 - What advice do Julianna and Reed have for deciding if someone is a good partner?32:10 - Who was the first person who said yes to investing in Stytch?33:27 - What was a moment when things did not go as planned?35:25 - What are some learnings from being the buyer persona for another startup that is looking to sell to another startup?38:17 -  What was/is the most successful growth channel? And how have Julianna and Reed thought about outbound versusinbound marketing as a result? 40:25 - What's kind of next for Julianna and Reed personally?42:44 - Who is a woman in your life that has had a profound impact on you and your career? WX Productions

Season 9 continues with another multi-dimensional guest. DeVon “Devo” Harris went from producing platinum records with G.O.O.D. Music to founding Adventr, an interactive AI-powered marketing tool that makes content more interactive to reach and connect with audiences more easily. “Adventr makes it easy to create smart, interactive video content that allows engaged viewers to connect with your message on demand.”In this episode we discuss; when to use the art of “fake it till you make it,” how to challenge other people’s perceptions, how to apply lessons from one industry to another, and the future of interactive content. For The Room Podcast in your inbox every week, subscribe to our newsletter.Check out our guide to podcasting here! 5:00 - Where did Devo grow up and how did that shape his view of the world?6:27 - Did Devo always think he would become a founder?7:10 - How did Devo find his passion for writing and producing music?8:00 - What was Devo’s first job after college?11:18 - How did Devo come up with the idea to start G.O.O.D. Music?13:54 - What were some of the early highlights of G.O.O.D. Music?17:27 - What lessons did Devo take from the music industry that he applies to being a founder?21:30 - Was there ever a sense of satisfaction when receiving rewards for music?23:12 - How did Devo feel when he joined Vimeo?27:36 - What was the “aha moment” that sparked the creation of Adventr?32:11 - Who are the buyers of Adventr and how did that impact the go-to-market strategy?33:50 - Who was the first person to say yes to investing in Adventr?35:44 - What was a moment when things didn’t go as planned?37:08 - What’s next for Adventr?41:14 - What work has Devo done with the Lehman program?43:06 - Who is a woman in Devo’s life that has had a profound impact on him and his career?WX Productions

Welcome back to another season of The Room! We are kicking off Season 9 by diving into healthcare innovation and entrepreneurship with Iman Abuzeid, the visionary Co-founder & CEO of Incredible Health. Incredible Health partners with hospitals to hire nurses more effectively by flipping the recruiting standard on its head and having hospitals search for nurses instead of the other way around. Incredible Health is known for its software that sources experienced candidates, so recruiters have more time to interview and close candidates.In this episode topics include; what helped Incredible Health stand out in the healthcare labor marketplace, when to bring investors into your process, what impacts the pandemic is having on recruiting, and the future of the healthcare labor market. For The Room Podcast in your inbox every week, subscribe to our newsletter.Check out our guide to podcasting here! 4:52 - Where did Iman grow up and how did that shape her view of the world?5:23 - Did Iman always think she would become a founder?6:48 - How was Iman’s experience in college learning about healthcare?8:51 - How did Iman’s experience in consulting assist her in healthcare?10:46 - What lessons did Iman learn early on as a founder?13:26 - How did Iman’s previous founding experiences impact what became Incredible Health?14:18 - What was the early vision of Incredible Health?16:16 - Why is it so important to have hospitals search for nurses instead of the other way around?18:20 - What are some of the supply restraints in this market?19:48 - Who was the first person to say yes to investing in Incredible Health?22:22 - What value did investors and investment capital add to the journey?24:11 - What are examples of a time when things didn’t go as planned?26:32 - How did Iman approach selling to hospitals, a notoriously challenging clientele?28:44 - What were some of the first hospitals to sign on and why did they?30:21 - How does Increible Health balance keeping both nurses and recruiters happy?31:47 - How is Incredible Health thinking about the future of Healthcare?34:01 - What long-term impacts does Iman see the pandemic having on staffing and recruiting?36:24 - What can we, as a society, do to better support healthcare professionals?38:31 - What has Iman’s perspective been as a female founder?40:26 - What’s next for Iman, personally?41:45 - Who is a woman who has had a profound impact on Iman’s life and career? WX Productions

While we are waiting for season 9, we are thrilled to share a podcast that we know you would love from our friends at Bessemer Venture Partners. Check out their podcast Wish I Knew's conversation with Nextdoor CEO Sarah Friar. Wish I Knew is about the revelatory, life-changing aha moments that founders, CEOs and leaders discover along their business journeys and why taking risks leads to growth. Presented by Bessemer Venture Partners. From consultant to investor to CFO to CEO, Sarah Friar has a business acumen rivaled by few others. Today, Sarah Friar is at the helm of NextDoor, the social network that services over 300,000 neighborhoods globally. On Wish I Knew, she shared why you should pay attention to what you both love and hate about your job, why strong conviction in a market thesis can buoy you through hard times, and why it’s never a bad time to raise money. She shares how she navigated her career and trusted her intuition to make smart decisions along the way. Listen to all the Wish I Knew episodes at bvp.com/wish-i-knew and subscribe to them wherever you get your podcasts!

In our season 8 finale, we explore the world of TYB, or Try Your Best, a community management platform that directly engages and rewards fans for taking action, founded by CEO Ty Haney, former founder and CEO of Outdoor Voices. Discover how TYB revolutionizes customer engagement, loyalty, and retention through its innovative platform. Explore their groundbreaking approach of using digital membership collectibles to create a sense of ownership and reward customers for their daily actions. Additionally, learn about Ty Haney’s path from being a brand founder with Outdoor Voices to launching TYB to further her mission of connecting brands and fans. Through TYB, Ty and Breana are seamlessly connecting engagement activity to purchase data, empowering businesses with valuable insights for small-scale and enterprise brands alike.In today's episode, we explore themes such as leveraging communities as growth channels, acquiring long-term customers in e-commerce given the current shifts in data regulation, and scaling effectively with an early-stage board. For The Room Podcast in your inbox every week, subscribe to our newsletter.Check out our guide to podcasting here! 5:42 - Where did Ty and Breana grow up and how did that shape their views of the world?8:24 - Did Ty always think she would become a founder?11:52 - How was Breana’s transition from Capitol Hill to founding and building a company?13:43 - What was the “aha moment” that was the origin of Outdoor Voices?16:42 - How did Banana Republic respond to other up-and-coming D to C brands?19:32 - How did Outdoor Voices think about building community?21:54 - What was the initial concept for Try Your Best?24:06 - Who was the first person to say yes to investing in TYB?24:45 - What was a moment in founding TYB when things didn’t go to plan?29:03 - What is TYB’s core product?33:45 - How does TYB work with skincare and fashion brands such as Topicals?38:10 - What do Ty and Breana think of the up-and-coming e-commerce tech stack?41:18 - How do Ty and Breana feel about the concept of a board?46:22 - What’s next for Ty and Breana in their personal lives?49:00 - Who is a woman in your life that has had a profound impact on you and your career?WX Productions

This week, we brought our conversation inside the room to a LIVE audience! Join us in this enlightening episode as we sit down with Yin Wu, the founder of Pulley, a groundbreaking company revolutionizing equity management for startups. Pulley provides innovative equity solutions that empower founders and streamline the complex processes of equity administration, cap table management, and employee equity grants. In today's riveting episode, we delve into the realm of cap table management, emphasizing the importance of adopting a long-term perspective. We also provide insightful guidance on building your inaugural sales team, challenge the notion of working smarter, not harder, and explore an additional theme of fostering a culture of innovation within your organization. For The Room Podcast in your inbox every week, subscribe to our newsletter.Check out our guide to podcasting here! 6:37 - Where did Yin grow up and how did that shape her view of the world?7:12 - What was the inception of Yin moving out to California? 7:34 - When did Yin start having an interest in becoming a founder?9:39 - What were some of the learnings from previous companies; Oven Labs and Echo Locker?11:52 - What company did Yin apply to YC with? 12:54 - What advice would Yin give to founders about when is the right time to pivot?14:07 - What was the “aha moment” that sparked the start of Pulley?16:19 - Why cap tables? 17:23 - What is one common mistake that founders often make when dealing with cap tables putting together equity? 19:32 - How does Pulley help founders?21:36 - Who was the first person to say yes to investing in Pulley?22:36 - How was Yin’s experience fundraising during Covid?23:40 - What advice does Yin have for founders beginning their fundraising journey?25:32 - What was a moment when building Pulley that things didn’t go as planned?26:49 - What tips does Yin have for making difficult decisions?28:50 - What is Yin’s Go-To-Market strategy?30:21 - How has Pulley thought about products that can scale with larger companies? 31:44 - What advice does Yin have on building an initial team?34:31 - What advice would Yin give founders about competitive dynamics?35:55 - How does Yin balance being a mother and a founder?37:57 - What’s next for Yin and Pulley?38:49 - Who is a woman in Yin’s life that has had a profound impact on her and her career?WX Productions

Join us for an engaging conversation with Rahul Vohra, CEO and founder of Superhuman, the fast, efficient email client that has become a favorite among professionals. With its focus on productivity, Superhuman has revolutionized the way people manage their email, and has achieved a loyal following of users who enjoy its advanced features, such as keyboard shortcuts and the ability to snooze emails for later.In this episode, we explore the benefits of manual onboarding and how it has helped Superhuman build a loyal user base, Rahul shares insights on how to properly take advantage of the investment "game" and, how to navigate the current state of the seed stage for both founders and investors.Articles referenced in the Episode: Founders How to Stop Worrying and Love Being AcquiredHow Superhuman Built an Engine to Find Product Market FitSuperHuman AI Announcement For The Room Podcast in your inbox every week, subscribe to our newsletter.Check out our guide to podcasting here!6:20 - Where did Rahul grow up and how did he become introduced to computer science?8:00 - Did Rahul always think he would become a founder?8:40 - How did working as a game designer shape Rahul’s approach to building digital products?9:56 - How many companies has Rahul founded and how were those experiences?12:39 - How was Rahul’s experience founding Reportive?16:30 - How are companies looking at productivity tools now versus 12 years ago?17:48 - What was the “aha moment” that sparked the start of Superhuman?19:38 - What inspired Rahul to include onboarding with Superhuman’s product?21:48 - When did Rahul realize that Superhuman had a substantial product market fit?25:04 - Who was the first person to say yes to investing in Superhuman?26:47 - What advice does Rahul have for seed stage and Series A stage founders?28:39 - What was a moment when things didn’t go as planned during Rahul’s founding journey?29:45 - How did Rahul react when his acquisition by LinkedIn nearly fell through?34:07 - How has Superhuman’s Go-To-Market strategy evolved over time?38:38 - How is selling to teams different than selling to individuals?40:47 - How is Superhuman thinking about AI?42:29 - What is Rahul’s perspective on new companies starting in the application space?44:16 - What’s next for Rahul?45:37 - Who is a woman in Rahul’s life that has had a profound impact on him and his career?WX Productions

In this episode, we sit down with Adam Turner, the CEO of Postscript, to discuss how his company is transforming the world of e-commerce. From boosting conversion rates to maximizing ROI, Postscript is the ultimate SMS marketing tool that's helping businesses achieve their goals. But don't just take our word for it - Postscript has raised over 106M to date from the likes of YC, Accomplice, Greylock, and more. Join us as Adam shares his experience starting a company with his brother and his insights on the ups and downs of direct-to-consumer marketing. Themes in this episode include the importance of building strong customer relationships and engaging with customers through personalized messaging, how Postscript is helping businesses maximize their ROI and drive revenue growth, and the future of the direct-to-consumer e-commerce space.For The Room Podcast in your inbox every week, subscribe to our newsletter.Check out our guide to podcasting here! 4:31 - Where did Adam grow up and how did that shape his view of the world?6:02 - Did Adam always think he would become a founder?7:26 - How did Adam become interested in the commerce enablement space?11:20 - What did Adam learn from Stack Commerce that he carried with him to Postscript?15:12 -  Why in the late 2010s did SMS start to overtake email as a comms channel?17:54 - What was the “duct tape version” of the first product for Postscript?19:27 - How does Adam like running a business with his brother?21:42 - Who was the first person to say yes to investing in Postscript?23:05 - What was a moment in starting Postscript when things didn’t go as planned?26:01 - How was Postrscript able to earn a million in revenue prior to using any YC money?29:39 - How has Adam navigated competition and differentiation as his industry becomes more prevalent?32:19 - Has Adam observed any changes in DDC companies marketing spending habits?33:40 - Is Postscript considering incorporating AI into its product?36:50 - What role does Twilio play in Postscript's strategy?42:14 - What other commerce enablement companies are achieving success?43:54 - What’s next for Adam?45:16 - Who is a woman in Adam’s life that has had a profound impact on him and his career?WX Productions

This week we are taking it back to one of our favorite episodes where we interview Shishir Mehrotra, founder and CEO of Coda. Coda is a venture-backed workflow tool valued at over $600 million dollars. With Coda, docs are now as powerful as applications. Although Coda was started in 2014, Coda is more relevant now than ever as a key player in 2020’s “future of work.” Coda continues redefining what it means to stay organized, engaged, and effective even in our remote-first culture.In this episode, we explore Shishir’s path to building one of the world’s most powerful work tools- where the flexibility of a doc is combined with the power of a spreadsheet and application. We’ll explore insights and themes such as prioritizing opportunities that foster personal growth, the benefits of building a company in stealth and, scaling a distributed workforce and culture well. Let’s open the door.For The Room Podcast in your inbox every week, subscribe to our newsletter.Check out our guide to podcasting here! 8:27 - Did Shishir always think he would become a founder?10:39 - Before the Cloud was standard use, Shishir founded Entrata, a data center management tool. What data did Shishir store and how?14:28 - What was it like fundraising right out of college?17:32 - How was Shishir’s experience working at Google and Youtube?23:15 - How did Shishir’s experience inspire his approach to starting Coda?29:52 - How has the company culture changed as Coda has scaled?33:52 - How will the return to work affect Coda and other companies?38:43 - What is Shishir’s unique philosophy to frame big problems?44:58 - How does Shishir balance work and family, especially during the pandemic?46:56 - Who is a woman in Shishir’s life that had a profound impact on his career?WX Productions