Not Another CEO Podcast

What happens when a cybersecurity expert pioneers a new approach to phishing defense? Join us as we delve into the journey of Rohyt Belani, Co-Founder and Former CEO of PhishMe, who turned a simple idea into a $400 million exit to BlackRock. Rohyt discusses his unique business strategies, the importance of an employee-first culture, navigating massive challenges, and raising capital efficiently. Watch now to gain invaluable entrepreneurial insights from one of the leading minds in cybersecurity. Takeaways:Bootstrapping to Success: Rohyt discusses how he and his co-founder bootstrapped the company to $2.5 million in ARR before accepting any external funding. They leveraged their prior industry experience and personal networks to secure their first enterprise customers.Implementing Employee-Friendly Policies: The adoption of policies such as half-day Fridays significantly boosted morale and productivity among staff. Rohyt emphasizes the importance of putting employees first and how this principle was pivotal in creating a positive company culture. Transitioning From Services to Product: Rohyt talks about the challenges and learning curve associated with moving from a consulting company to a scalable product business. He highlights the necessity of balancing growth with capital efficiency and the mindset shift required to achieve this.Acquiring Enterprise Customers: The PhishMe team focused on a hands-on approach to customer acquisition, including attending numerous industry events and leveraging their expertise in cybersecurity to build trust. Expansion into new markets was approached cautiously and strategically, ensuring that initial customer wins provided a foundation for further growth.Investigated by the U.S. government: Rohyt recounts the hardships faced during a CFIUS investigation into a Russian investor associated with their private equity backer. Despite an onslaught of negative publicity and customer attrition, the PhishMe team managed to steer the company through this crisis while maintaining their integrity and focus on growth.Fundraising and Investor Relations: Initially, raising capital was a grueling process involving over 100 investor meetings to secure their first funding. However, as PhishMe demonstrated significant growth, subsequent funding rounds saw increased interest, culminating in multiple competing term sheets and better negotiation leverage.Balancing Innovation and Customer Needs: The importance of listening to customer feedback and anticipating future needs led to the development of complementary products, which significantly boosted the company's market standing and revenue. This approach ensured that PhishMe stayed relevant and valuable to its customers.Quote of the Show:“ There's probably a hundred good ideas for any given product, and you have to be able to whittle it down to say, what are the three things we're doing over the next three to six months?” - Rohyt BelaniLinks:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rohytbelani/Twitter (X): https://x.com/rohytbelaniCompany Website: https://cofense.com/Ways to Tune In:Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1NQ9oAB2XKlgWeL8iEQXg0 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/not-another-ceo-podcast/id1751581707 Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/7c6328f0-9b42-41db-8fe2-d263b4fbb261 Transistor: https://podcast.notanotherceo.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@NotAnotherCEOPodcast #NotAnotherCEO #BusinessSuccess #PhishMeChapters:00:00 Intro01:17 What You'd Do Again as CEO04:20 Challenges and Insights on Work Culture07:16 Early Customer Acquisition16:06 Fundraising Journey23:26 Product Evolution and Expansion30:15 Navigating Customer Feedback and Innovation32:40 Defining and Evolving the Ideal Customer Profile (ICP)33:45 Transitioning from Consulting to Product Company36:09 Challenges and Strategies in Scaling a Product Company41:40 Overcoming a Major Crisis: The CFIUS Investigation47:01 Life After Stepping Down: Advising and Mentoring48:55 Reflections on Entrepreneurship and Mentorship57:31 Outro

In this discussion, Itamar Friedman, Co-Founder and CEO of Qodo, shares his journey from AI researcher to entrepreneur. He highlights how AI can transform software development by enhancing code integrity and automating testing processes. Itamar delves into the unique challenges of building reliable AI tools for developers. He also touches on the importance of company culture in fostering innovation and reflects on transitioning from CTO to CEO, emphasizing the need for a well-rounded leadership approach in the tech industry.

How do you build a brand that resonates deeply with millions of customers? In this episode of Not Another CEO Podcast, David Politis sits down with Nadia Boujarwah, Co-Founder and Former CEO of Dia&Co, to discuss her journey in revolutionizing plus-size fashion. Nadia shares the challenges of building an inclusive brand, navigating venture funding, and leading a mission-driven company through rapid growth and industry shifts. She also reflects on the power of community, hiring the right team, and the lessons she learned stepping down as CEO after a decade at the helm. Takeaways:The Power of a Co-Founder Relationship: Nadia emphasizes that choosing the right Co-Founder is one of the most critical decisions in a startup journey. She shares how this played a pivotal role in shaping Dia&Co and why equal economics from day one helped maintain a strong partnership.Building a Business from the Ground Up: Before developing a scalable platform, Nadia and her Co-Founder personally shopped for thousands of customers to deeply understand their needs. She explains why doing things manually in the early days was key to creating a product-market fit.Fundraising Challenges & Breakthroughs: Raising Dia&Co’s first million dollars took nearly a year, yet within 18 months, they secured over $100 million in funding. Nadia shares insights on what changed, how she navigated investor skepticism, and why the right investors can make all the difference.Scaling from Startup to Major Brand: At its peak, Dia&Co hired 600 people in a single year. Nadia discusses the challenges of leading a fast-growing organization, maintaining company culture, and evolving her leadership style to keep up with the business’s rapid expansion.The Role of Community in Brand Building: The Dia&Co customer base formed organic Facebook groups that grew into a passionate and engaged community. Nadia shares how customers turned into brand ambassadors, planned meetups, and even got tattoos to represent the brand’s impact.Navigating Major Business Shifts & the Pandemic: From industry-wide changes to the unpredictability of COVID-19, Nadia reflects on leading through uncertainty, making tough calls, and staying resilient in the face of evolving challenges.Stepping Down as CEO & What’s Next: After a decade of building Dia&Co, Nadia made the difficult decision to transition out of the CEO role. She opens up about that process, how she adjusted to life post-CEO, and what she’s exploring next.Quote of the Show:“ There's a fundamental attribute of being an immigrant that you think that the locus of control in your life is inside of you” - Nadia BoujarwahLinks:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nadiaboujarwah/Company Website: https://www.dia.com/Ways to Tune In:Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1NQ9oAB2XKlgWeL8iEQXg0 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/not-another-ceo-podcast/id1751581707 Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/7c6328f0-9b42-41db-8fe2-d263b4fbb261 Transistor: https://podcast.notanotherceo.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@NotAnotherCEOPodcast #NotAnotherCEO #BusinessSuccess #Dia&CoChapters:00:00 Intro01:40 What You’d Do Again As CEO08:06 Starting Dia&Co: From Idea to Execution14:38 Building a Community and Raising Funds22:52 Navigating Investor Relationships27:45 Transitioning Leadership at Dia&Co33:29 Biggest Challenge Faced at Dia&Co36:53 Growing Up in an Immigrant Family41:02 The Value of an MBA49:33 Future of AI in Apparel52:07 Advice to Younger Self55:47 Outro

Daniel Chait, Co-founder and CEO of Greenhouse, shares his journey from software engineer to leading a top hiring platform. He emphasizes the importance of structured hiring and defining a clear mission to drive success. Chait details the challenges of fundraising, revealing the persistence needed to attract investors. He also discusses the evolution of leadership in rapidly growing companies, stressing effective communication and cultural alignment. Additionally, he reflects on balancing entrepreneurship with family life, drawing from personal experiences.

Kyle Porter, the founder and former CEO of SalesLoft, shares his incredible journey of scaling the company to a $2 billion exit. He reveals how leading with love shaped the company culture and attracted top talent. The conversation dives into creative marketing strategies, like the daring Dreamforce stunt with a lookalike of Salesforce's CEO. Kyle also reflects on navigating competition, the role of impactful investors, and the importance of balancing career ambitions with family life. A heartfelt exploration of values-driven leadership!

What does it take to build and scale a successful company? In this episode of Not Another CEO Podcast, David Politis sits down with Zac Smith, Co-Founder and Former CEO of Packet. Zac discusses the importance of structured execution, hiring for passion, and balancing long-term vision with short-term execution. Whether you're a founder, leader, or aspiring entrepreneur, this conversation is packed with valuable insights on leadership, company building, and decision-making. Takeaways:The Power of a 10-Year Vision: Zac believes that thinking long-term is critical for building meaningful businesses. He explains how setting a bold 10-year goal helps guide decision-making and prioritization in the short term.Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS) for Success: One of Zac’s most impactful lessons was implementing EOS to create structure and accountability within his companies. He shares how this system helped him move from gut-driven decisions to a scalable business framework.Execution is the Differentiator: Most companies operate at a 3 or 4 out of 10 in execution. Zac explains how simply executing at a 7 or 8 puts businesses ahead of the competition and increases the likelihood of success.Hiring for Passion & Curiosity: Beyond skills, Zac prioritizes candidates who show genuine interest and curiosity. He shares how small actions, like trying a product before an interview, can reveal whether someone is truly invested in a company’s mission.Lessons from Leading Through Crisis: From navigating financial challenges to making tough leadership decisions, Zac reflects on some of the hardest moments of his career, including when he and his co-founder decided to replace themselves as leaders to save the company.Building a Personal Brand in B2B Sales: In enterprise sales, people buy from people, not just companies. Zac shares how investing in personal brand-building—through speaking, blogging, and community engagement—was key to winning customers at Packet.Quote of the Show:“ I don’t need to run a 10 out of 10 for a company. Most companies are operating at a 3 or a 4. I just want to be a 7 or an 8.” - Zac SmithLinks:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zsmithWays to Tune In:Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1NQ9oAB2XKlgWeL8iEQXg0 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/not-another-ceo-podcast/id1751581707 Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/7c6328f0-9b42-41db-8fe2-d263b4fbb261 Transistor: https://podcast.notanotherceo.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@NotAnotherCEOPodcast #NotAnotherCEO #BusinessSuccess #PacketChapters:0:00 Intro1:25 What You’d Do Again As CEO3:18 Deep Dive into EOS and Its Benefits7:41 Building a Passionate and Accountable Team9:50 The Importance of Vision and Long-Term Goals13:20 Effective Interview Techniques and Identifying Passion19:57 Communicating Vision and Values29:33 Go-to-Market Strategies and Early Customer Acquisition34:38 Early Users and Initial Challenges39:22 New York Tech Scene Evolution45:25 Biggest Challenge Faced51:41 Rich’s Background1:05:49 Advice to Younger Self1:02:21 Outro

How do you build an organization that truly fights poverty at scale? In this episode of Not Another CEO Podcast, David Politis sits down with Rich Buery, CEO of the Robin Hood Foundation, to discuss his leadership journey, his experience shaping policies like Universal Pre-K in NYC, and how Robin Hood is evolving to meet modern challenges.Rich shares insights on hiring with purpose, managing multiple stakeholders, and why philanthropy needs both measurable outcomes and deep human connection to drive real change. Takeaways:Weekly CEO Emails for Transparency: Rich started sending a weekly email to Robin Hood staff every Monday morning, sharing updates on his week, priorities, and even personal reflections. This practice fosters alignment, strengthens internal communication, and helps employees feel more connected to leadership.The Power of Celebration in Workplace Culture: Robin Hood embraces celebrations, from birthdays to cultural events, to strengthen relationships among employees. Rich emphasizes the importance of fostering a connected workplace, especially in a hybrid work environment.Hiring for Passion, Not Just Skills: When interviewing candidates, Rich prioritizes one key question: "Why Robin Hood? Why now?" He looks for candidates who have a deep, personal connection to the organization's mission, believing that true passion is the most valuable trait an employee can bring.Balancing Five Key Stakeholders: Robin Hood serves five different groups: donors, nonprofit partners, policymakers, internal teams, and the communities they support. Rich discusses how managing these relationships requires tailored communication and a clear focus on measurable impact.Data-Driven Philanthropy: Robin Hood employs a rigorous evidence-based approach to funding, using data to quantify the financial impact of its programs, to ensure donor funds are invested in initiatives that create measurable and lasting change for those living in poverty.The Role of AI in Social Impact: Rich explores how Robin Hood is working to ensure that nonprofit organizations—and the communities they serve—are equipped to navigate the technological changes from AI.Quote of the Show:“ What is it about your life, your work, your vision of the world that draws you to this mission? It’s the one thing that you can’t necessarily teach or train… for any job.” - Richard BueryLinks:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardbuery/Twitter: https://x.com/RichardBueryWebsite: https://robinhood.org/Ways to Tune In:Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1NQ9oAB2XKlgWeL8iEQXg0 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/not-another-ceo-podcast/id1751581707 Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/7c6328f0-9b42-41db-8fe2-d263b4fbb261 Transistor: https://podcast.notanotherceo.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@NotAnotherCEOPodcast #NotAnotherCEO #BusinessSuccess #RobinHoodChapters:0:00 Intro1:37 What You’d Do Again As CEO6:05 Building a Collaborative Executive Team8:56 Hiring for Passion and Mission Alignment14:31 The Importance of Storytelling and Public Speaking3:24 Navigating Multiple Constituencies34:03 Analog Solutions in a Digital World38:43 Challenges of Leading Robin Hood39:41 Fundraising and Donor Engagement43:36 Impact of AI and Technology46:09 Rich’s Background1:00:01 Advice to Younger Self1:02:21 Outro

How do you scale a company while staying true to your vision? In this episode of Not Another CEO Podcast, David Politis sits down with Fredrik Thomassen, founder and CEO of Superside, to discuss his journey in building a global AI-powered creative services platform.Fredrik shares how he learned to think for himself as a leader, the challenges of rapid adaptation, and the impact of global talent on the creative industry. He also reflects on AI’s role in shaping the future of professional services and his belief in continuous personal development as a CEO. Takeaways:Thinking for Yourself in Leadership: Early in his career, Fredrik struggled with following conventional wisdom before realizing that not all frameworks work for every company. He shares how Superside abandoned OKRs in favor of a problem-solving approach that fosters real alignment and innovation.Evolving the Business Model: Superside has transformed multiple times, from a lean startup using chat-based task management to a full-scale AI-powered creative services company. Fredrik shares how adaptability has been key to staying ahead in a rapidly changing industry.The Role of AI in Creative Services: AI is fundamentally reshaping the creative industry, from automating repetitive tasks to enhancing high-level creative strategy. Fredrik discusses Superside’s vision to integrate AI seamlessly into design workflows without replacing human creativity.Leveraging Global Talent: Superside connects top creative talent from cities like Buenos Aires and Cape Town with leading enterprise clients. Fredrik explains why access to global talent is the real game-changer for creative work.Leading Through Crisis: COVID-19 forced Superside into “wartime mode” as they lost nearly 40% of their customers overnight. Fredrik shares how his team’s ability to pivot quickly turned a dire situation into an opportunity for long-term growth.Personal Growth as a CEO: Fredrik recently embraced executive coaching and personal development, realizing that great leadership requires constant improvement. He reflects on how acknowledging his weaknesses has made him a more effective leader.Quote of the Show:“Cultivate joy and excitement about the future possibilities as the antidote to all your fear and worry about the things that can go wrong.” - Fredrik ThomassenLinks:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fredrikthomassen/Twitter: https://x.com/f_thomassenWebsite: https://www.superside.com/Ways to Tune In:Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1NQ9oAB2XKlgWeL8iEQXg0 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/not-another-ceo-podcast/id1751581707 Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/7c6328f0-9b42-41db-8fe2-d263b4fbb261 Transistor: https://podcast.notanotherceo.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@NotAnotherCEOPodcast #NotAnotherCEO #BusinessSuccess #SupersideChapters:0:00 Intro1:04 What You’d Do Again As CEO10:19 The Evolution of Superside20:42 Global Talent and Creative Hubs24:52 AI's Role in the Creative Market30:53 Running a Business from Oslo37:43 The Impact of COVID-19 on Superside51:27 Balancing Work and Family Life55:08 Advice to Younger Self1:00:20 Outro

How do you align company success with personal growth? In this episode of Not Another CEO Podcast, David Politis sits down with Diego Oppenheimer, the founder and former CEO of Algorithmia, to discuss his journey from engineer to entrepreneur and the lessons he learned scaling, selling, and leading a company. Diego shares his philosophy on hiring for alignment, navigating the emotional rollercoaster of being a CEO, and how he successfully positioned Algorithmia for acquisition. He also provides insights into enterprise sales, fundraising, and why finding the right investors and employees is key to long-term success. Takeaways:The Power of Finding the Win-Win: Diego explains his hiring philosophy of aligning company and employee goals. He prioritized candidates whose personal growth goals matched the company’s mission, ensuring stronger retention and culture.Managing the CEO Rollercoaster: From reassuring employees to handling crises behind the scenes, Diego reflects on the emotional toll of leadership. He shares how CEOs act as buffers, absorbing stress to keep teams, investors, and customers aligned.Early Customer Wins & Enterprise Sales Strategy: Algorithmia’s first customers came from a mix of content-driven PLG motion and conference networking. Diego explains how startups must “get on the field” to win enterprise deals.Scaling Yourself as CEO: As the company grew, Diego transitioned from closing every deal to focusing on high-impact interactions. He shares his approach to using thought leadership, content marketing, and direct customer engagement to scale influence.The Role of Investors & Board Dynamics: Not all investors provide the same value. Diego breaks down how he leveraged board members effectively, categorized investor types, and ensured expectations were aligned for mutual success.Positioning for Acquisition: Diego shares how Algorithmia’s strategic focus on machine learning deployment made it an attractive acquisition target for DataRobot. He explains how they navigated the M&A process in just 45 days.Quote of the Show:“Sometimes the worst day of your life and the best day of your life are the same day, just different hours.” - Diego OppenheimerLinks:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/doppenheimer/Twitter: https://x.com/doppenheWays to Tune In:Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1NQ9oAB2XKlgWeL8iEQXg0 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/not-another-ceo-podcast/id1751581707 Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/7c6328f0-9b42-41db-8fe2-d263b4fbb261 Transistor: https://podcast.notanotherceo.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@NotAnotherCEOPodcast #NotAnotherCEO #BusinessSuccess #AlgorithmiaChapters:0:00 Intro1:21 What You’d Do Again As CEO09:01 The Importance of Team Dynamics16:00 First Customers and Go-to-Market Strategy22:41 Scaling the Business and CEO Involvement27:23 Customer Obsession and Tactical Initiatives30:43 Exclusive Roundtable Discussions32:08 Challenges with Large Customers37:17 Navigating Investor Relationships40:53 The Acquisition Journey47:29 Emotional Rollercoaster of Entrepreneurship51:10 Family Influence and Entrepreneurial Roots56:25 Current Ventures and AI Focus58:12 Advice to Younger Self1:01:47 Outro

How do you build a high-growth company while staying true to your values? In this episode of Not Another CEO Podcast, David Politis sits down with Jindou Lee, the founder and CEO of HappyCo, a company transforming property management through innovative technology. Jindou shares his journey from graphic designer to entrepreneur, discussing the challenges of hiring and firing, scaling a business, and learning the rules of the fundraising game. He also reflects on his personal experiences, from his childhood in Australia to launching a successful SaaS company, and offers candid insights on what it takes to build a resilient organization. Takeaways:Culture & Core Values: Jindou stresses the importance of defining company values early. He shares how HappyCo identified its core values and evolved them over time to ensure they remain relevant as the company scales.Hiring & Firing with Intention: Building a strong team requires making tough decisions. Jindou reflects on his journey from hesitating to fire underperforming employees to realizing that removing a poor fit benefits both the individual and the organization.Lessons in Rapid Growth & Downsizing: Jindou explains how the company became more efficient while continuing to grow revenue, proving that success isn’t about headcount but about having the right people in the right roles.Building with the Customer in Mind: Jindou explains why deeply understanding the end user’s needs has been critical to HappyCo’s success. He shares how small design tweaks—like increasing button sizes—can make all the difference.Fundraising is a Game: Jindou learned that fundraising is a game with rules that founders must understand. He shares hard-earned lessons about negotiating terms, dealing with investor pressure, and securing critical last-minute funding.Quote of the Show:“Fundraising is a very unfair game for founders… a lot of early stage founders, myself included, we got bullied. We just didn't know we got bullied.” - Jindou LeeLinks:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jindou/Twitter: https://x.com/jindouleeWebsite: https://happy.co/Ways to Tune In:Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1NQ9oAB2XKlgWeL8iEQXg0 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/not-another-ceo-podcast/id1751581707 Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/7c6328f0-9b42-41db-8fe2-d263b4fbb261 Transistor: https://podcast.notanotherceo.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@NotAnotherCEOPodcast #NotAnotherCEO #BusinessSuccess #HappyCoChapters:0:00 Intro1:33 What You’d Do Again As CEO6:16 Experiences Shaping Values12:31 Navigating Growth and Downsizing20:49 The Importance of Customer-Centric Design31:26 Fundraising Realities and Challenges35:04 Navigating Term Sheets and Legalities43:09 Biggest Challenges at HappyCo47:20 Visions for the Future49:44 Jindou’s Background and Upbringing53:39 Career Beginnings and Lessons Learned58:57 One Piece Of Advice59:48 Outro