From Writer to CEO: Embracing the Long-Term Journey in Tech Entrepreneurship

As a serial entrepreneur with a passion for building innovative products, I've had the privilege of wearing many hats - writer, engineer, designer, PM, and now CEO - and I'm excited to share my journey as the co-founder and CEO of Circle, the world's leading all-in-one community platform for creators and brands.

1. Sudhir Dalvi is the co-founder and CEO of Circle, a community platform for creators and brands.
2. He has a background in writing, engineering, design, product management, and entrepreneurship.
3. Dalvi grew up in India and moved to New Zealand at the age of 10, where he became interested in technology.
4. He was inspired by successful tech figures like Steve Jobs and Bill Gates, who started coding at a young age.
5. As a teenager, Dalvi began blogging about technology products and startups, which led to him reaching out to the founders of YouTube.
6. He visited Silicon Valley for the first time at the age of 16 and was determined to make it as an entrepreneur in the US.
7. Dalvi studied Computer Science in college and worked at a seed stage startup after graduation, where he learned about building a real business.
8. He then joined Teachable as the first engineer and designer, eventually becoming the VP of Product.
9. Dalvi's role at Teachable changed every six months, allowing him to learn about different aspects of the business.
10. After leaving Teachable, Dalvi wanted to build something in the creator space and partnered with two co-founders he had known for years.
11. They spoke to potential customers to understand their needs and pain points, which led to the idea for Circle.
12. The initial goal for Circle was to create a unifying experience for community, online courses, and events.
13. Dalvi and his co-founders designed the ideal product and built the MVP within three months.
14. In the first year of Circle, Dalvi did over 1000 demos himself and gathered feedback to improve the product.
15. The iteration cycle was fast, with customers providing concrete feedback and inspiration for new features.
16. Now, customers can sign up for Circle without a demo and receive support if needed.
17. Dalvi's advice to young founders is to be curious and stay curious, seeing their journey as an infinite game.
18. He emphasizes the importance of putting in the time and effort to become good at something.
19. Dalvi believes that conquering hurdles and evolving as a human being is more important than the final destination.
20. He sees life as a long-term journey, not a series of short-term goals.
21. Dalvi's parents immigrated to New Zealand from India to provide a better life and education for him and his brother.
22. They lived off student loans for four years while his father studied at a university program.
23. As a child, Dalvi was introverted and spent a lot of time on the computer after moving to New Zealand.
24. He learned how to code at age 11 or 12 and became obsessed with technology companies in the US.

Source: EO via YouTube

❓ What do you think? What is the most significant lesson you've learned throughout your entrepreneurial journey, and how has it shaped your approach to building Circle? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments!