Unicorn Builders

Arif Nathoo: the Story of Komodo Health ($3 Billion Valuation)

In today's episode of Category Visionaries, we speak with Arif Nathoo, CEO and Co-Founder of Komodo Health, a data platform that has raised over $400 million.
Topics Discussed:
Arif’s background as a hospital volunteer, his studies in medicine and public policy, and his work as a management consultant
Marcus Aurelius’ Meditations, stoicism, and Arif’s personal philosophy
The “curse” of being a startup founder and what motivates Arif to continue working
Advice Arif would give to his younger self when starting his company
What Komodo has already accomplished and what Arif’s vision is moving forward
 
Favorite book: Meditations by Marcus Aurelius

Dave Wessinger: the Story of PointClickCare ($5 Billion Valuation)

In today's episode of Unicorn Builders, we speak with Dave Wessinger, CEO and Co-Founder of PointClickCare, a healthcare technology platform that's raised over half a billion in funding, about why the healthcare industry in on the verge of a technological breakthrough, and what it means for customers and patients alike. By making patient data accessible, breaking down data silos and connecting care teams with the insights to manage relationships in the right way, PointClickCare is building a better world of healthcare.
We also speak about Dave’s background as a tech entrepreneur and how a desire to build video games transformed into pioneering healthcare solutions, the benefits of building a business with close family members, building significant market shares across various markets, and how PointClickCare evolved from an senior-focused SaaS firm to a comprehensive care solution. 
Topics Discussed:
Dave’s background as a technology entrepreneur, and how a passion for video games led him to a pioneering role in providing healthcare
Working closely with family members as a unique entrepreneurial experience built on inherent trust
How PointClickCare evolved from a senior-centered SaaS company into a comprehensive care solution
Achieving dominant positions through brand building and customer satisfaction across various markets
Why starting a company requires a combination of self-belief and a sense of adventure, and Dave’s experience with both

Jean Paul Chauvet: the Story of Lightspeed ($2+ Billion Valuation)

In today's episode of Unicorn Builders, we speak with Jean Paul Chauvet, CEO of Lightspeed, a unified point of sale payments platform that's raised over a billion dollars in funding.
 
Topics Discussed:
Jean Paul’s background as an engineer, and how a ‘golden childhood’ in Nigeria helped him find his road to business leadership
The importance of timing and industry insight to guide critical business decisions, and how Jean Paul got it right again and again
How Lightspeed manages to stay ahead of the game by listening to customers and constantly striving for innovation
Why founders looking to achieve big things should learn to fail fast and course correct
Being hyperactive, hardworking, and ultimately always coming back to business rather than rest
 
Favorite book: 
Crossing the Chasm, 3rd Edition: Marketing and Selling Disruptive Products to Mainstream Customers (Collins Business Essentials)

Federico Larsen: the Story of Copado ($1.2 Billion Valuation)

In today's episode of Unicorn Builders, we speak with Federico Larsen, CTO and Co-Founder of Copado, a DevOps platform for Salesforce that's raised over $250 Million in funding. 
Topics Discussed:
Federico’s background, coming from Argentina and working on Latin America’s first Salesforce system integrator
How challenges of implementing complex processes gave rise to the inspiration for an automated solution, and, ultimately, Copado itself
How Copado rose from humble roots to service enterprise-scale customers, including Fortune1000 companies
Federico’s advice on fundraising, and the importance of choosing investors who align with the company's goals and values
The key elements of building a business that every funder needs to get right, from building a cohesive team to encouraging collaboration, even among a distributed workforce
 
Favorite book: 
Conquest of Mind: Take Charge of Your Thoughts and Reshape Your Life Through Meditation

Henrique Dubugras: the Story of Brex ($12 Billion+ Valuation)

In today's episode of Unicorn Builders, we speak with Henrique Dubugras, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Brex, a fintech unicorn most recently valued at more than $12 Billion.
Topics Discussed:
Henrique's entrepreneurial journey, from starting his first company in Brazil, attending college in the United States, and eventually Co-Founding Brex
How setbacks shaped Henrique's determined mindset as an entrepreneur, and the lessons he learned along the way
Brex’ company focus on corporate expenditure, accountability and compliance, whether for travel costs or credit cards
Why the closure of Silicon Valley Bank might create a real opportunity for Brex to provide transactional services to startups
How Brex profiles their potential competitors, and their plans to make sure they secure their own space 

Assaf Resnick: the Story of BigPanda ($1.2 Billion Valuation)

In today's episode of Unicorn Builders, we speak with Assaf Resnick, CEO and Co-Founder of BigPanda, an AIOps platform that's raised $337 Million in funding.
Topics Discussed:
The serendipitous moment that took Assaf from VC to strike out on his own as a founder, and the hunger that drives him forward
The personal challenges of becoming a business founder, from emotional strain to strategic divergences
Why building a successful business means balancing growth with efficiency, and always being ready to adapt as circumstances change
Why product-market fit is absolutely essential, and how founders can make sure they never lose focus of their clients’ pain points
BigPanda’s vision of becoming the leading name in the AI ops space, and the strategic steps that they hope will take them there
 
Favorite book: 
Siddhartha: A Novel

Arik Shtilman: the Story of Rapyd ($15 Billion Valuation)

In today's episode of Unicorn Builders, we speak with Arik Shtilman, CEO and Co-Founder of Rapyd, a Fintech as a service platform that's raised over $800 Million in funding, about why today’s global economy needs a new generation of payment solutions. Offering powerful fintech solutions to collect, hold and send funds across countries and between currencies with ease, Rapyd makes sure their customers have the time and resources available to focus on what matters most - building and growing their businesses.
We also speak about Arik’s CEO superpowers of staying hungry and getting deep into the details, advice for early founders to focus on building a brand and boosting awareness, Rapyd’s marketing strategies, and creating a new category with ‘fintech as a service.’
Topics Discussed:
Lessons learned from the Israeli military 
The mindset Arik and his co-founders had when they founded the company
How to deal with negative press
The ROI of David Guetta
How one meeting saved the company from being closed 
Why the spray and  pray approach to fundraising doesn't work 
How Arik keeps him team and himself hungry and motivated 
Why brand awareness is everything 

Raj De Datta: the Story of Bloomreach ($2.2 Billion Valuation)

In today’s episode of Unicorn Builders, we speak with Raj De Datta, CEO and Co-founder of Bloomreach, an e-Commerce experience platform that’s raised $450 Million in funding, about why, in a world where we all live digitally, it’s time to bring the e-Commerce experience up to the standards we’d expect from traditional shopping. By providing personalized advertising to engage digital customers, and then a seamlessly integrated pathway to the products that caught their attention, Bloomreach is making e-commerce a more rewarding experience for everyone involved, and helping the brands behind it reach new levels of growth and engagement.
We also speak about what the post-financial crisis startup economy of 2009, why hard times can actually be a benefit in the long run, how years of trials and tribulations with Bloomreach taught Raj the central importance of perseverance, and how his singular vision on a more enjoyable experience of a digital world eventually carried Bloomreach to the top.
Topics Discussed:
The story of a startup cycle, Bloomreach’s trials and tribulations from a strong start to uncertainty and back again to the top
Why money is only one thing you need to  build a successful business, and easy access to capital is no guarantee of success
Why what leaders need more than anything is clarity of vision, but how Raj found catharsis in sharing his uncertainty during a difficult time
How Raj envisioned a digital shopping experience long before e-Commerce came to dominate the market
How Bloomreach’s cultural playbook puts strong teams at the heart of their business model
Why Raj wants to share his story to encourage other founders in the space, and why, for him, it’s always ‘day’

Marcelo Lebre: the Story of Remote ($3 Billion+ Valuation)

In today’s episode of Unicorn Builders, we speak with Marcelo Lebre, COO and Co-founder of Remote, a global payroll, tax and HR compliance platform that’s raised nearly $500 Million in funding, about how supporting employers to recruit, hire and pay the best talent from across the world is building a better way of working for everyone. Their remote-first offering might have seemed outlandish just a few years ago, but in a post-pandemic economy it has quickly taken this young startup to unicorn status, a growth trend that sees no signs of slowing down any time soon.
We also speak about what it was like growing up as a tech-obsessed kid in a small rural town, how Marcelo’s family responded to his rapid success, why it’s sometimes hard for him to comprehend the scale of what remote has become, why anxiety can be a superpower as much as a ‘super problem,’ and why, at the end of the day, for Marcelo it all comes down to problem-solving.
Topics Discussed:
The origins of remote, from a small village upbringing to a chance double date, and on to become a globally recognised brand
Why working remotely means Marcelo sometimes struggles to get his head around the growth Remote has experienced in recent years
How the COVID-19 pandemic supercharged the remote-work revolution, and how Marcelo’s vision put Remote ahead of the curve
What it felt like to have friends and family recognise Remote’s astounding success
Why Marcelo might call anxiety both a ‘super problem’ and superpower
Why solving one problem after the next is still the main motivation for Marcelo to keep driving Remote forwards

Michael Witte: the Story of Workrise ($3 Billion Valuation)

In today’s episode of Unicorn Builders, we speak with Michael Witte, CEO & Co-founder of Workrise, a marketplace for on demand services and skilled labor in the energy industry that’s raised over $750 Million in funding, about why the energy sector’s needs for digital innovation are equal to its dependence on advanced extraction technologies, and how Workrise fits in to the future of energy. A B2B marketplace to bring together skills and expertise from disparate vendors and individuals to implement energy projects to the highest possible standard, Workrise is set to drive efficiency and expediency in this foundational part of our economy.
We also speak about Michael’s background as a native Texan and as a energy engineer, the staggering technology in the energy extraction process but why the sector lags behind in terms of digitalization, how personal experience led him to found Workrise, and how he manages to balance being a father, husband, dog owner and CEO.
Topics Discussed:
Michael’s life as a native Texan and his career in the oil and gas sector
The complexity of energy extraction projects involving a wide range of stakeholders, skills and expertise
The current state of the Austin tech ecosystem and why Michael is proud to be a part of it
The staggering technology required to extract energy resources, but why the sector still lags behind in terms of digitalization
Why so many would-be founders never really consider what their success might mean, and the responsibility that comes with a leadership role
How Michael balances his business with the responsibility of being a husband, father and ‘dog father’