John, Founder & CEO at Sendbird: Prioritize Customer Interaction Over Networking for Strong Product-Market Fit

As a seasoned entrepreneur and CEO of Sendbird, John shares his insights on the importance of finding product-market fit, building a strong company culture, and seeking guidance from those who have achieved greatness in their fields.

1. Founders should aim to talk to 3-5 customers a day to gain insights and work towards product-market fit.
2. John is the founder and CEO of Sendbird, a Conversations platform for mobile applications with over 340 employees in seven countries.
3. Sendbird has raised over $220 million in funding, valuing the company at over $1 billion.
4. Many first-time founders pick ideas that aren't aligned with their strengths, leading to giving up too quickly.
5. Founders should ensure they can commit to their idea for the next ten years before starting a company.
6. Balancing customer interaction and product development is essential, focusing on one area may lead to overlooking the other.
7. In the early days of Sendbird, they focused on finding product-market fit by talking to customers and quickly iterating on their feedback.
8. Setting clear follow-up milestones in initial calls helps manage customer expectations and ensures timely communication.
9. Organizational culture is a collective habit, making it difficult to change abruptly; instead, focus on nudging and creating an iterative feedback loop.
10. Strong company culture can positively impact decision-making, execution, and overall company performance.
11. Poor company culture may lead to executional issues, disconnected leadership, and loss of valuable employees.
12. Identify skill sets needed for growth, learn from companies or individuals one or two stages ahead, and seek mentors who have achieved similar success.
13. Determine what resources, teams, or skills are lacking for future growth and develop a plan to address them.
14. A CEO's primary responsibilities include setting strategy, executing it, assembling the right teams, and acquiring necessary resources.
15. Have patience when facing challenges and take calculated risks, even if others discourage or doubt your vision.
16. Personal experiences of success can increase confidence in taking on new, ambitious projects.
17. In Sendbird's case, being a Korean startup trying to succeed in Silicon Valley was considered risky, but they were able to persevere and find success.
18. Founders should be open-minded and persistent when pursuing their vision, even if others do not believe in it.
19. Understanding the importance of culture early on can positively impact a company's growth trajectory.
20. Conducting workshops with early employees and management to define core values and culture helps establish a strong foundation for a company.
21. Seek guidance from experienced individuals or companies in your industry to identify patterns of success.
22. Build a path towards the next stage of growth by identifying needed resources, skills, or teams.
23. Upgrade or coach existing team members and recruit new leaders as needed to support company growth.
24. Have bigger dreams and longer time horizons, daring to take on greater challenges and risks for potentially significant rewards.

Source: EO via YouTube

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