The co-founders of Compi discuss their company's evolution from an initial compliance-focused product to a broader cybersecurity platform, emphasizing the strategic shift towards building a comprehensive product suite and leveraging AI for efficiency. They also reflect on their unique go-to-market strategy, company culture, and future growth plans.
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when you first start a project or
product, um you're trying to figure out
how to how to move quickly in an
unstructured way. Any strategy that you
come up with, it's basically worthless.
>> I can actually see now how we can go
from where we are to $500 million in ARR.
ARR.
>> If you just raise your preede and you
sit down there and you're doing strategy
for like 5 to 10 days, like that's
that's the dumbest thing you could do,
right? You're just wasting your time.
>> Instead of having like 50 engineers per
team, we can have like five because of
AI. And the products that we're talking
about is it's not just like a simple
little addition. It's like they're
basically entire other companies.
>> I'm Louis. You are
>> I'm Claudio.
>> I'm Mariano.
>> Yeah. We're the co-founders of Compi.
>> Compi. Great company. >> That
>> That
>> the best company.
>> What do we do? What does company do?
>> Remember that clip from um Austin Nasso. >> Yes.
>> Yes.
>> I I I always remember that moment. Just
>> maybe we can start with that story and
then we can actually talk about what we
do [laughter] in layman terms.
>> If you want to bring it up again. Yeah.
>> Yeah. I like it.
>> I think we do.
>> We can touch on it. So couple couple
weeks ago, I think I guess we had the
whole team visiting New York. Uh we went
to a comedy show and uh
>> couple months ago.
>> Couple months ago, went to a comedy
show. Um Austin Nasso, he's like a tech
comedian. He was asking like who here is
a I think a tech founder or an AI
>> AI. Yeah. First he did like finance or something.
something.
>> Yeah. Yeah.
>> Then there was too many finance people.
>> Too many finance people.
>> Who is in AI?
>> Any AI companies?
>> And can you can you pick which brother
immediately, you know, tried to say this
guy over here? Which one would it have
been out of YouTube? Obviously,
>> I think it's obviously [laughter]
>> Mr. He like volunteers this information
that I'm the the CEO of this AI company.
>> I start pointing at him emphatically and
he gets picked.
>> Yeah. I just heard like some someone
screaming on the set like, "Yeah, yeah, yeah,
yeah,
>> this guy." I'm like, "What's going on?"
>> Yeah. Yeah.
>> But anyway, what we actually do is I
guess how you explain it. You got to redo.
redo.
>> We're an open source.
>> This is your chance to redeem.
>> This is your chance to redeem yourself.
>> We have the easiest way for companies to
get stock to comply. >> Amazing.
>> Amazing.
>> All right. That's the That's the the
gist of it.
>> Yes. Yes.
>> I guess we could Well, I mean, to be
honest, we're kind of moving away from
focusing just on SOCK 2. >> Mhm.
>> Mhm.
>> Right. Yeah. >> So,
>> So,
>> um I guess are we an open-source
>> cloud security platform?
>> I mean, I guess that's honestly probably
a good segue into one of the topics we
want to dive into today, which is sort
of like, hey, new new year is about to
start. I think what we have December
30th at the time of this recording. Um,
so we're starting to think a lot about
kind of where does the company go over
the next couple of months. Um, yeah,
obviously that includes, you know,
there's a fund raise that we want to do.
There's, uh, product, you know,
investments they want to do. There's
like media, go to market, all that
stuff. So, we've been thinking a lot
about, you know, kind of like where do
we go? Like what does what does the
company evolve to? Um, both in terms of
like the story as well as like, you
know, the product itself. Um, so I mean
kind of what what is would love to for
us to kind of like describe a little bit
about some of the latest thinking there?
We started off by um kind of like doing
a lot more planning. So this first I
don't know 11 months or how long has it been?
been?
>> Oh man, I think we launched the product
in April, right? So
>> it's only been it hasn't been that long.
Eight months.
>> Eight months since we went live. We
probably started working on it 10 months ago.
ago.
>> Yeah, we've been kind of like figuring
it out on the way like the
>> right when you started,
>> right? Like what
>> I think it was a year ago for me. So
December um was probably when I made
like the the open- source repo back in
the day.
>> So I guess what was the idea initially?
Like I mean obviously we joined you I
mean you started you started initially
with the idea. We joined you kind of
like I guess in a sequence um spaced out
by maybe like a month or two.
>> Um I guess I'm curious to also
understand kind of like what was the
idea originally and how much has that
changed to where we are today and then
we can dive into 2026. Yeah, I mean the
idea was just to try and make
getting compliant with these, you know,
different cyber security frameworks easy
and I think we still do that. I mean
we're very good at what the initial idea
was, right? We have absolutely nailed
the the the workflow from getting a
founder from to go from A to B in what
we do. Um, I would say
that the core kind of like focus of what
we're building still kind of aligns all
around like cyber security frameworks.
But I guess there is a good opportunity
for us to really think about okay, how
would we expand into the whole kind of
like cyber security market as a whole as
opposed to just compliance.
And I mean it's a it's a huge market,
right? We spoke about it a lot. you
know, we've we've gone through this a a
fair amount. And if you can
if you can take away from the compliance
side, you can you can essentially build
all of these like um products around it,
right? So you can say, "All right, we
fixed sock 2, we fixed these different
frameworks, and now we're going to focus
on access management." It's all kind of
boring, but there's definitely something
around that space where it's interesting
to me as a founder thinking about how we
can go from, you know, serving a I'd say
$20 billion market compared to a $200
billion market.
>> And I think that's how we long-term go.
>> Yeah. I think from my perspective, we
since, you know, I joined you guys and
we started kind of working on this, I
don't think the idea has changed that
much. No,
>> I think we've been very consistent in
just dominating with the original idea.
And frankly, I think that's been one of
the biggest surprises to me is how fast
we found product market fit. Like there
was a very clear problem. We solved it.
The company immediately started working.
We were selling, you know, $10,000 a
year contracts. Like really, really
fast. Fast forward to the end of 2026,
we're making multiple, you know,
millions of dollars in annual recurring
revenue. The product hasn't changed that
much, but as we look into the year ahead,
ahead,
>> 2025, as we think into the year ahead, I
think the question is sort of like how
big can this be? And you know, now that
we have a foot in the door with a lot of
the customers that we have today, what
else do they need that we can continue
to almost like expand and and and
further monetize? Um, to me, one of the
biggest things that's almost like also
thinking about our capitalization plan
and hey, we're going to need to fund
raise, right? So, we need to make this
really attractive to investors. And one
of the things that investors can ask is
how big can this be? What what market
are you really going after?
>> And there's different ways that that we
can pitch this. there's hey this is
purely a compliance play or this is
bigger than compliance and obviously the
bigger the market that you see or the
opportunity I think for for an investor.
Um so I guess what what what can you
what can you tell us about some almost
like some of the latest thinking around
hey here's how we're trying to position
ourselves to be a really interesting
opportunity not just for investors but
also to give ourselves a shot at
building the biggest company that we
possibly can. The more I think about it,
the if the goal is to make getting
compliant with some framework like the
end like you know painoint that we want
to solve for our customers. It it gets
interesting to me that by naturally
moving into more of a generic cyber
security space you can actually solve
the problems easier. So like one thing
could be um say access management is a
thing that you have to do to be
compliant with these frameworks. um we
don't specifically have like an access
management um you know functionality in
compai we typically would say okay
integrate with this and get the proof
from let's say Google workspace but what
if we built the access management inside
compai right so you can and if you can
do that well actually the process
becomes easier you just have one kind of
like holistic like app which controls
everything or has access to um provision
you know access to different apps to
different software. Um and then
therefore that kind of like links back
to getting compliant and it makes it
easier right you don't have to integrate
with different solutions you don't have
to have different things for it so I
think if you if you take like the
rippling playbook where they've you know
built this everything to do with like
people right they will try and that they
have built parts around it the IT part
the payroll part it all kind of like
links back to running a like making it
easy to run a company
>> so I think if we take that kind the
playbook and and apply that to
compliance and we kind of naturally go
into cyber security anyway. They're
problems that we have to solve to
>> make the compliance side of it the
easiest and the best way of doing it.
Does that make sense? >> Yeah.
>> Yeah.
>> Like you have to
>> you essentially have to solve that
problem to solve the problem of compliance.
compliance.
>> Yeah, I think that makes sense.
>> Some of the other things we've been
discussing is uh around hey there's
already existing players in the
compliance space. So one of the hardest
thing to do is to sort of displace the incumbents.
incumbents.
>> So if you go straight for, hey, we have
a replacement product, it's a really
hard pitch. But if you go saying like,
hey, we have a product that maybe you
don't already have a solution for. Go
use this add-on. And once you use that
add-on, you get exposed to the fact that
we have an entire family of products
that all talk to each other. They work
really, really well. And then eventually
they might actually churn with our
compliance solution because they're
already using the other family of
products that we provided.
>> Yeah. I think also another interesting
kind of point there is that
>> sure we're we're we're kind of starting
off with compliance but the way that
we're going about building it is we're
kind of automating and questioning every
single part
>> um in the process. So we're saying like
you know these competitors already have
this platform and and this is how it
works but we actually are rethinking
about you know some of these things are
not necessary or they could be
simplified. Um so we're really taking
action to just make it a lot simpler in
the process and this is this will also
expand to other um kind of avenues that
we're trying to go after right in terms
of cyber security.
>> So that's kind of like our motto. So
Mar, I know I mean I know you're kind of
leading the charge on the engineering
and proc side and normally one of the
sort of push backs that you get from
investors um when you basically pitch
them like hey we're actually going to
solve we're going to build the entire
cyber security layer let's say or we're
going to build a very compound startup
is you're getting distracted number one
you don't have the resources to go after
such a big and ambitious almost like
complex product I guess how are we
approaching it and why like what would
you say to an investor that's basically
saying like hey you're getting
distracted and you're taking on too much
for for for the for the amount of you
know engineering resources that you
have. I
>> I would say that I don't think so
because we're kind of taking it like
piece by piece. We're starting off with
a you know like a smaller segment of the
market and kind of building for that and
then scaling up slowly um like building
up to that to those more complex
requirements. But also like I mentioned
we're being very smart about what which
parts of that we actually build and and
how we build it. So like like I said, we
question everything from from the
beginning. We're from fundamentals and
we're like you can actually make this a
lot simpler um with a lot less
requirements. So kind of like cutting scope
scope
>> um for each thing that we work on. So at
the end of the day, I don't think it's
going to become like a like it's too
much that we can handle because we're
being strategic about it, how we go
about it.
>> Yeah. And Louis, I know we uh you you we
were having this conversation the other
day around sort of like what's possible
to do today with AI. So right so when
some of these companies started they did
not have the tools that are available
today and I think that that plays a big
role in terms of like us taking a more
ambitious project.
>> Yeah we can be way more capital
efficient right we can build more
products more um functionality or even
get rid of functionality just just make
it better or automate more with a lot
less people.
>> Can you imagine the like the engineering
team at one of our competitors how big
they would typically be? I mean for
something that we built in I mean all
right let's say we we all started in
January working on the product we
launched in April it was in an okay
place when we launched you know I look
back at it now I'm like damn like what
the hell was that you know it's improved
so much now but I mean
>> but what we launched between January and April
April
>> would have traditionally taken you know
maybe a year to build
>> at you know for for three people I mean
it was a crazy amount of effort right um
but just by being smart about it by
using things like cursor and um and and
you know like raw code whatever we used
at the time it just made it so much
quicker to build now we have a few pain
points because of it I guess like we do
have to go back and there's there's
definitely some things that we have to
um you know go and spend some time on
but I think the the positives of using
AI when we did to you know help build
the platform it outweighs the the
negatives okay now we have to go and you
know clean some bits of the code base,
make it a bit more efficient, you know,
whatever. It got us where we needed to
and we did it with free people at the
time and we haven't grown significantly
on the engineering side up until like
recently, right? We haven't hire we
didn't really hire any engineers. We
actually hired a salesperson before we
had someone from outside come in and
help with the engineering, right?
>> Yep. That's right.
>> That's kind of crazy. Most startups
don't do that, by the way. Most most
investors want to see okay you're going
to spend you know 40% of your series A
on product on engineering but the answer
with compi and the team that we built is
you don't need that right you do not
need to spend 40% of a series A round on
engineering people you can you can do a
lot more with a lot less now
>> okay it's almost like you have like an
incredible amount of leverage on the
engineering side that you with less
people you can actually build a very complex
complex
>> product and I would actually say that on
the engineering part where you're saying
like now we have to go back and fix some
things like that still happens normally
even without AI. >> Yeah.
>> Yeah.
>> People still build you know their MVPs
or their initial product uh very hastily
and you kind of don't know you you don't
understand the requirements right at the
time. So it it's actually pretty much
the same thing except we did a lot more. >> Yeah.
>> Yeah.
>> Um because of AI instead of less.
>> Yeah. Yeah, I think as we as we think
about 2026, I think we definitely are
planning on obviously expanding the team
and bringing in more resources, but I
think the difference is we whereas maybe
with a team of like say let's say 10 15
20 engineers, you could only focus on
one product. I think the reason we're
now able to be so bold in saying like
hey actually we're going to build a
whole suite of products is because of
that leverage point. So yes, you might
still have a big team, but we're
building, you know, multiple products at
the same time and and and and we're
basically challenging the notion of
like, no, you have to be really focused.
Actually, you don't if you have insane
amounts of leverage.
>> Yeah. Instead of having like 50
engineers per team, we can have like five
five
>> because everyone's super efficient um
because of AI, right? >> Yeah.
>> Yeah.
>> And yeah, the amount of products we can
create with the same amount of people
that a bigger company would have or
legacy um is way more. I I think you
could argue that now you can basically
hire two or three really good engineers
that know how to use AI efficiently and
basically, you know, put them in a room
together and say, "Hey, you're now the
you're now in charge of building this
product, which is going to be an add-on
to Compai or whatever you're building
and just saying, okay, now go with it.
Spend two or three months on it. Come
back with something." And that typically
would have taken a huge amount of time
in just even three years ago. Yeah.
Right. You could you'd have to hire a
team of 20 30 people to go out and could
you imagine like how much time Ripling
spent on
>> first going from their their payroll
system to their IT management system to
the building their device agent the all
of their MDM stuff the um
>> it's a huge amount like the app is
massive right and it covers so much but
I feel like you get two or three people
now and just say hey look go away build this
this
>> yeah and the parks that we're talking
about it's not just like a simple
>> little addition. It's like
>> they're basically entire other companies
that that you you could sell by themselves.
themselves. >> Yeah.
>> Yeah.
>> But instead, we're just kind of doing it
>> all in one package with Compai where
>> you know you can get everything you need
cyber security wise in one place.
>> I love the idea of building like a it's
very cringy to call it a cloud but like
almost like a a product suite, right?
Where you don't have to have 20 vendors to
to
>> get compliant, right? you can just have
one thing.
>> You have everything that you need in one
hub. And no, no one else satisfies that.
And I think
>> I think up until very recently,
>> it would have been crazy for a company
to try and build something like that.
>> And some of them do, but but they raise
billions of dollars to do it and they're
repeat founders and they have some
credibility. Like, but if you try to
raise money for a compound startup and
you're like, you know, first time
founder, whatever, like new team, you're
going to get laughed out of the room,
>> right? I know. You're crazy. >> Yeah.
>> Yeah.
>> Yeah. Like now it is actually possible
to build a compound startup. >> Yeah.
>> Yeah.
>> Because of AI
>> and and you know what? I don't think
I've seen as many teams starting to do
it just yet. No.
>> Like I don't think they're thinking
upward. They're thinking efficiency
downward. It's basically like oh we'll
just stay small instead of we'll still scale
scale
>> but we'll also think about much bigger
problems to solve. >> Yeah.
>> Yeah.
>> And thinking back I think some of the
best products that that I use personally
is like you know Apple, right? It's like
your your watch works so well with your
phone with with your computer. Yeah. So
you have these ecosystems that the
experience is way better when things
just are built for each other.
>> We need the Apple ring. >> Yeah.
>> Yeah. >> Yeah.
>> Yeah.
>> That would be the the dream.
>> This kind of connects to Apple Health,
right? It does. It's almost the same.
>> It it connects well, but I mean you
would drop it immediately, right? If
Apple released a very similar thing.
>> Yeah. Yeah. For sure.
>> You don't have to.
>> But why? It's because you know it's
going to work better with within their ecosystem.
ecosystem.
>> Yeah. Check your screen time.
>> We create an access management product,
right? If you're using us already for,
>> you know, whatever it is you're using us for,
for,
>> you're going to adopt it eventually.
You're going to be like, "Okay, well,
why would I go elsewhere if I have
this?" Now, the only downside I can see
is if someone is using a compound
startup like Ripling and then they're
using Compai and both offer the solution
and you're like, "Damn, which one do I
pick? Which one is the um one?" I think
we may lose on that because Ripling is
the HR and payroll system, right? So,
you have to have multiple of the of
these things. you don't just do access
management, you also do um asset
management, IT, um you know, uh like
MDM, all of that stuff, the device
management itself, not just access, you
do everything.
>> So, I guess one of the things we've been
obviously talking a lot about is is as
we think about 2026 is like we're
starting to come up with the strategy
and you know, we've been sort of for the
first time almost like growing up I
think as as founders. I think for for a
long time we've been operating in a very
kind of like pre-product market fit way,
right? You're you're used to doing this,
right? Because when you first start a a
project or a product, um you're trying
to figure out how to how to move quickly
in an unstructured way. Any strategy
that you come up with, it's basically
worthless. It's going to be thrown out
the window in in in two weeks because
you change your idea, you discover
something new about the marketplace.
Now, I think the game is changing,
right? Where we figure out something
that works.
>> It makes me think back on that time we
spent like three days building the Gibli
>> We spent so much time building compi.
We're like, you know what? let's pivot
to mo B TOC mobile apps instead. [laughter]
[laughter]
>> I was like uh when you said that it just
made me think back to that little
office. Yeah. We were just trying
whatever seeing if we could kind of
monetize something really quickly. >> Yeah.
>> Yeah.
>> Gibli was all the rage. Studio Gibli for
people that are listening that is like a
Japanese anime studio. Yeah.
>> And it was like AI images going around.
>> Yeah. There was this trend where
[snorts] like people were generating
images and sort of like anime style.
>> We saw it and we're like okay let's make
an app.
>> Let's monetize very quickly. we can
capture some revenue and then we can get
back to work on the real thing. Um, we
abandon the idea very quickly,
[laughter] but
>> could you imagine doing that now though
with a team of like, you know, what we
have right now? That'd be stupid. We'd
be like, we'd look at each other and be like,
like,
>> but when you're free people, you can you
can just
>> fun like the serendipity of of really
the early days. Um, and now it's just a
lot more focused. Um, but yeah, I think
we've been busting our heads trying to
figure out how to how to actually,
>> you know, not just be reactive in real
time, but like think ahead. Yeah. I
think now we like actually have to come
up with really long-term strategies and
and work backwards from that. >> Yeah.
>> Yeah.
>> Whereas before, like you mentioned, it's
kind of all it was purely vibes, right?
Like every day or Yeah. every day, we
basically come up with a new decision
that we have to do or you know, pivoting
strategy or but now it's kind of like
all set. We're like we know what we have
to do. We we're going to track
everything and we're going to work
towards those goals.
>> Okay. So, how are you approaching that?
you know, as as we as we sit down and we
have a strategy meeting, like what's
been our approach for, you know, kind of
like actually drafting something that
feels actionable that we can work
towards. Um, yeah, I think first of all,
like we're actually we're having a lot
more meetings, right? Which we didn't
have to have before. What you're saying
sounds so detailed. [laughter]
Stop saying that, yeah, we don't have
that many meetings. Okay, people out
there, we do not have that many
one a day.
>> [ __ ] that even sounds worse. We went
from zero meetings to to
>> two a week. Maybe two a week. Let's say that.
that. >> Okay.
>> Okay.
>> All right.
>> Which is significantly more than none.
>> Wanted to get that on the on the on the record.
record. >> Yeah.
>> Yeah.
>> Um so that's kind of helped us and we're
blocking out time to
>> to actually sit down and do some hard
thinking because you know before it's
just like uh let's see what sticks and
just do that. >> Mh.
>> Mh.
>> But I think now we're actually you know
thinking hard about
>> I actually have a question for you
Clauddio. Um, what did you expect from
me with the the goal tracking? Cuz I
have a feeling that everyone would be
like, Lewis might try. I feel like I'm
the person who would be like was very
likely to be the most opposed to it,
>> you know, like I I hate the um I I hate
being organized. I like I like being
chaotic. I'm pretty terrible with, you
know, the the the adult stuff, right?
Like pretty ADHD. just like I enjoy
vibes. Honestly, I enjoyed building a
company with, you know, basically based
on our gut and vibing it kind of. Um, so
I I went into that meeting with like
almost like a like a hesitant like
outlook to it. I was like, h got to plan
stuff. I don't like planning that much
like to think ahead maybe like a week,
two months,
>> you know, three three months most. I
came out of that by the way, just for
everyone listening. Like it the craziest
thing happened to me. I was like, "Oh
shit." Like I saw the light and then 10
minutes of being in that room, I was
like, "Okay, I can actually see now how
we can go from where we are to $50
million million in ARR to $500 million
in ARR. It's never been clearer.
>> But I think some people may take it too
far. You might, you know, you might go
to the extreme and like over plan, but
>> it's really hard. I think what we've
done like at least what I tried to do
yesterday and and you know all of today
is basically
>> middle ground it try and get to a point
where I can see all right for at least
2026 what what is the goal towards the
end of it? >> Yeah.
>> Yeah.
>> But I I I guess you guys were probably
like uh is he going to do it? Is he at
like what did you think?
>> Well I think I think your reaction is
probably appropriate because we've been
we've been conditioned
>> to to move really fast and and sort of
like break things and that's that's kind
of the default, right? So I think part
of what feels unnatural to frankly all
of us and even for me it's like it's not
enjoyable to sit down and like think
really hard
>> I feel like you like it
>> I probably like it more than you do but
that [laughter] it's like it's it's it's
my preference like I I just want to sit
down and open cursor and hack all day to
be honest with you. Like that's why I enjoy
enjoy
>> trying to get away from that mindset
>> because it's really hard work. It takes
a lot of effort. I think it's annoying
to think hard
>> and it's unnatural. And we've been used
to almost like writing that off as like
if you if you just raise your preede and
you sit down there and you're doing
strategy for like 5 to 10 days, like
>> that's dumb.
>> That's that's the dumbest thing you
could do, right? You're just wasting
your time. You should be going out to
the market, talking to people, shipping
stuff, throwing spaghetti at the wall,
see what sticks.
>> And I think for the first time we like
that's not the right way to operate. So
it's almost like we have to break old
habits, create new habits. So I think
you're still transitioning right in
terms of like the new set of habits. So
am I.
>> You can put it [laughter] that way. I'm
like I'm like self fighting you know.
I'm like I'm like half opposed to it and
then half of me is like you know what
it's kind of genius.
>> Yeah. In a way it's kind of like
adulting you know but like in startups
like you're like
>> yeah but you know what now you actually
enjoy. You're like oh it makes sense and
now I see it. It was the same thing that
happened when we had to like let go of
certain things that you know we used to
do ourselves like when you had to you
were doing sales initially Louis
>> and then at some point you had to be
like you know what I'm not the guys to
do sales anymore because your time is
better spent managing a sales team and
recruiting and doing other strategic
work and you had to kind of let go of
that responsibility and that was hard.
It's the only way that we would have
gone from doing 250k, you know, every
month in sales to what we're doing now.
Yeah. Right. And
>> I think at the time I was like, "Oh
[ __ ] like I what else am I going to do
if I'm not doing the sales and I have no
idea like, you know,
>> how to feel productive?"
>> Yeah. Like I just feel like I'm just sat
there at my desk staring at, you know,
spreadsheets, reports, um, trying to
figure out ways of being like
productive, but in a way kind of seems
like counterproductive, right? Like I'm
trying specifically to find work for
people at the time. So that I feel like
it's been what, like 3 months? Not even.
It's not even been that long since I've
really stopped doing sales. So when I
put it that way, it sounds like stupid.
>> It does feel longer than that. It feels
a lot
>> I think. I don't know. But it feels like
an eternity.
>> Feels like a long time. We needed to do
it. Yeah.
>> So now I can kind of like get on board
with the whole let's think about what
we're going to do in 2026 because
as we go along I find that okay
sometimes I'm right about these things
sometimes I'm wrong. And then with the
the whole sales thing I I think that
opened me up to being more like okay
let's just be bit more strategic. Let's
try and grow up a little bit but at the
same time do want to have fun. You have
to build a cracked company.
>> Yeah. I don't think we've lost that
edge, but I definitely think it's very
uncomfortable to you get used to doing
one things one one way and because we're
we're succeeding that means there's a
new there's new level and you need to
learn how to play that level.
>> We have to figure out how to become
friends with billionaires and um you
know actually become them.
>> I mean that's probably a good segue to
uh some of the other stuff that's been
going on. Um, I know we talk about
strategy and all that, but I think one
of the biggest um, sort of like shocks
to the system at the company over the
last like two weeks is the success of
one of our accounts and how that's
really kind of taken everything by
storm. And I don't know if you guys want
to talk about kind of like what what
account we're referring to. Uh,
>> I would love to I'd like Mariana to
explain to the audience who Henrik
Johansson is.
>> Yeah, sure. So, we have this this new
uh, satirical VC from Europe, European. >> Okay.
>> Okay.
>> Uh, account, but it's fake, right? And basically,
basically, >> yeah,
>> yeah,
>> it's fake.
>> Well, it's real now.
>> It's [laughter] real now.
>> We brought it to life. Sorry.
>> I can explain why why that reaction was
warranted. But so we kind of started
off. We're like, "Oh, yeah. It'd be
funny to do it." So we set up this fake
account, some random like ChadByt
generated image of like an old dude with
white hair. >> Yeah.
>> Yeah.
>> Uh you know, from like Finland or
something. And he's kind of just talking
about compliance. And I guess the whole
point is that that people make fun of is
that compliance in the in Europe is very
like complicated and it's too much and
all the fines and so we're kind of
making fun of that, poking fun at that
>> overregulation. Overation Europe.
>> Um and people found it really funny and we
we
>> some people found it funny. There's a
lot of haters too.
>> I feel like you're always going to get
haters. No, but I think I think about 20
to 30% of people actually don't know
that it's a joke.
>> Yeah. And they they think he's he's he's
a real person. A and then B like he
means those those opinions.
>> But I think that's part of the genius that
that
>> people can't tell that it whether it's
serious or not. So the people who know
that it's not serious, they find it
hilarious because they see people
getting rage baited almost. Right.
>> It's my favorite part of that account.
The rage bay is so good. It's why it's
why it works. I'm just trying to find
one of the
>> when you're talking about some people
that don't know and it's a joke. There
was a a pretty big guy on socials who
replied to one of the tweets yesterday
or the day before. I think he had like 2
million followers. You know, he's like a
a very well-known actually I'm not sure
if he's wellknown. Former state deputy
of cyber security. I don't I don't even
know what that means. This guy has 1.1
million followers based out of Florida.
Executive director of something.
This guy literally replied to Henrik's
tweet and he's like
>> he ratioed him. He ratioed Henrik so
hard. 18,000 likes, which kind of
implies to me that 18,000 people also
agreed with this guy.
>> Yeah. Yeah.
>> Versus the 600 likes of the original
post. Um he's like, you literally
created these laws to fine American
companies. You draw more income from
those fines than you do in income taxes
from EU companies together. These are
not real laws. They are naked
instruments of financial theft. Yeah. So
people clearly some people clearly don't
think it's a job.
>> Yeah. But it goes to show how like
people don't like that and we're hitting
a nerve in a way and
>> but that's what also makes it really funny.
funny.
>> So again I think for context on the
account so this account has hit a nerve.
We launched it I think about 90 days
ago. Right now it's roughly around what
36k followers on X roughly.
>> Um it's followed by some of the biggest
names in tech. You know Mark Andre
Palmer Lucky.
>> Um I think there's there's a handful
more a lot of GPS in and Horwitz. Um,
uh, Vitalik Buterine. Yeah.
>> You know, founder of Ethereum levels.io.
>> There's a ton of big accounts.
>> I don't know. It's like how many muse
have we gotten?
>> Yeah, we've gone we got reached out for
media. Uh, Lewis and I have gotten
personal follows from a handful of
billionaires who also follow that
account and found the the strategy um,
really clever. Uh, so it's been it's
been really kind of blowing up and has
become actually a really big source for
us. Um, on the on the go to market side,
we've been actually drawing a lot of
leads and attention to a very boring
topic, which is compliance through humor
and and satire, which which has been
honestly a home run for us.
>> Yeah. And recently, we we decided to
kind of double down on the Henrik
account and decided to bring it to life.
So, we actually have a whole kind of
campaign to have first of all, Henrik is
now a real person. >> Mhm.
>> Mhm.
>> Right. And uh so we found this like
actor um super good, super professional
and he's going to create a master class
of compliance. So he's basically going
to do the same thing he's doing but in a
masterclass form. And I mean I can't
wait for it to to be released but I I
know it's going to be like everyone's
going to love it. People are waiting for
it. So, what originally started as this
like AI generated image of this, you
know, white guy from Finland, we
actually uh our media team started like
casting actors and we found a guy that
looked kind of similarly and and could
nail the both the accent and the
attitude and and now we produced, you
know, an entire masterass that's coming
out pretty soon. We're pretty excited
about it. It's it's hilarious. I think
it's one of the best um best.
>> If someone wants to watch the the
teaser, it's out on X. Um you can just
go to Compi um account and and watch it.
I I recommend you do Or is it is it the
compliant VC account?
>> Complant. Yeah, compliant VC. Add
compliant VC on X. >> Yeah,
>> Yeah,
>> correct account. I'm a big fan of the
actor that we hired as well. Teaser was
just a small amount of what we're about
to launch on that account, but I mean
he's very like likable. I think he's got
like a certain personality. He nailed the
the
>> like the whole character. He's got it
down to a tea and
>> I feel like he's a cool guy. Like I I
want to hang out with the actor of
>> Henrik Johansson. seems like uh
>> we should bring him on the pot at some
point and like
>> we should get him on.
>> We should get him on and have him
actually describe, you know, his process
getting in character and what he thinks
about it.
>> Yeah, that would be very experienced.
>> He he had some ideas and I kind of wish
you read the email now cuz he had an
idea for what actually he could do. Um
and he was like, you know, he could make
his own podcast and actually get guests
on. I think that could work.
>> Oh, interesting. >> Like,
>> Like,
>> yeah, that would be very interesting. I
think one of the biggest questions for
us is like how do we double down? So,
clearly we figured something out. We've
done we we've doubled down a little bit, right?
right?
The master class has actually boosted
the profile quite a bit.
>> And now the question is how do you 10x
that? How do you 100x the efforts and
turn it into something bigger than life? >> Yeah,
>> Yeah,
>> he could do it and you could get a lot
of good personalities who would be very
down to speak and argue with Henrik your handsome.
handsome.
>> Yeah. We've also had thoughts of like
taking uh the actor and having him be in
character and take him to San Francisco. >> Yeah.
>> Yeah.
>> And going around like different startups
and him, you know, doing like little
skits of uh I don't know making
>> those will perform well. Yeah. Yeah. Not
compliant or
>> I wonder if we if we kind of like ruin
the account as we talk more about like
the reality of it like cuz people a lot
of people who follow it know that he's
obviously a satire account but the more
we talk about it the more we give away
do we kill the idea of of Henrik. Does
it come does it almost become like a and
it's not interesting anymore because now
we've given away the illusion of the
possibility that he's not real. I'm
trying to for example think of like an
analog with uh if you have like a
director of a show kind of explaining
how the show was created and then the
actual show. Yeah. The take away from it
like usually not. >> Yeah.
>> Yeah.
>> Because they're kind of like different
audiences that watch the different >> Yeah.
>> Yeah.
>> medias. And I guess if you're listening
to us then you probably already
subscribe to the idea of like, hey,
these guys are cool. They're creating an interesting
interesting
>> probably say they would say like, "Oh
yeah, that's really smart and and it's
funny." And they still find it funny and
follow the account.
>> I can't believe they made a fake
account. [ __ ] those guys. My favorite
account is not real. God damn it. I mean
I I love that account. It's the funniest
thing on tech like social media in a
long time.
>> I think I think for me at least like one
of the reasons that has been um I think
one of the reasons it worked has to do
with our personalities and the fact that
like a lot of the way that we operate
the company is because we're having fun
in a way and I think I don't think
enough people talk about that but also
the way we we've created the culture
that we created our go to market strategy.
strategy.
>> I think we we do things that we find interesting.
interesting.
>> Yeah. as opposed to just like the cookie
cutter, you know, the way that Amazon grows
grows
>> Oh [ __ ]
Both these guys are [laughter] like, "Sir,
"Sir, >> cut."
>> cut." >> No,
>> No,
we live. Yeah. Yeah.
>> I I I'd double down on it. I'd get two now.
now. >> Yeah.
>> Yeah.
>> [ __ ] it. It's been a great year. Why not?
not?
>> I mean, they're not that expensive.
>> No, but but I do think Yeah. I mean, the
more we're having fun, the more the more
that we're we're creating marketing that
we would like to consume ourselves.
>> I would argue that a lot of people would
say, in fact, we should get an actual
Lambo and put Henrik's face on it.
>> And I think that'd be worth it. >> Yeah.
>> Yeah. >> Yeah.
>> Yeah.
>> Or him driving in the Lambo in the
streets of like Italy or something.
>> We drive the Lambo. Okay. He's just face
his face is just on the side of it.
>> All right. Maybe not. See, not all of my
ideas get to Yeah. come to fruition.
There's a lot of ideas.
>> Pick the best.
>> There's no bad ideas. There's no bad
ideas. [laughter] >> Wink.
>> Wink.
>> Wow. Hear me out. Hear me out. Lambo,
>> a yacht. Miami.
>> I think >> Hannison.
>> Hannison. >> Yeah.
>> Yeah.
>> Could be a fun day.
>> Yeah. I think uh
>> bang a video.
>> I mean, 2026 GTM plan still in progress.
I think we just got to get our heads
together and figure out how do we
dominate. But I think one of the
philosophies that we're trying to
approach is like absolute media
domination. and uh hard to execute but I
think if we get that right uh we can
definitely because I guess one of the
problems we're trying to solve is is you
know there's there's already incumbents
in the space right and I think the way
to win as a company is we we can't just
copy their playbooks we have to create
new playbooks that are more efficient so
we can grow faster than them to both
catch up number one and number two sort
of like surpass like their levels of
growth I
>> I think the way that we're doing it is
actually going to be more explosive than
theirs like theirs is already kind of
like it's very linear
>> um but with the way that we're
approaching kind like organic and social.
social.
>> So, how are we approaching that's
different? I guess if we we can kind of
unpack some of that.
>> I think we're just trying to generate as
much content as possible, but quality,
right? So, I mean, one of these things
like the podcast that we're doing, like
that's it's part of the strategy. Uh,
sorry. I just wanted to say that I
actually think the the main difference
is, yeah, we want to put the a good
amount of media out there, but I think
we also have to make it interesting and
and one of the big things is compliance
and cyber security overall is the most
[ __ ] boring um like place to be in,
right? Every single company could you
imagine Crowd Strike doing something
interesting? Nah. No,
>> it's it's most boring industry by I
guess the marketing people there are
like you know 45year-old like guys,
women just there's no interest in people
working in these places and I think we
can be interesting enough to cause
enough people to have eyes on us and I
think that is it can be a good thing it
can be a bad thing but I think it
probably out the good probably outweighs
the bad if you can make enough noise in
this space because there's so much money
involved right there's It's it's a huge
market. So, if you can just be okay,
maybe slightly controversial, maybe a
bit modern with your marketing, with the
um the kind of media you produce, even
producing some media is is doing 99%
more than than the rest of them, right?
Um so, I think if you can be a bit like
edgy with it, get some um like traction
with like the compliant VC account, a
lot of people, if if you could if you
sent that account and said, "Hey, should
we replicate this?" and you're working
for a different company, let's say, I
don't know, CrowdStrike or Microsoft,
their marketing team is going to say,
"Hell no, have you seen the reaction to
that account, sometimes any risk, right?
There's no
>> and if they did try something like that
based on the replies like yesterday to
that tweet, they would they' be like,
"Okay, close the account. Let's never do
that again." Bad idea.
>> But I think we can almost
ride the wave of it. Like I personally
don't care if some people are offended
by the whole I mean, I'm actually
European, so I I get a free pass to to
to mocking overregulation of Europe. But
also, I think people people won't buy it
if they if you're going to scare people
away just based on that marketing, they
were never going to be buyers in the
first place. Like the relationship that
we have with our customers is very
close. People like us for who we are.
And I think we take a huge portion of
this space just by being interesting and
different to everyone else. So sometimes
we got to be a bit edgier,
>> funnier. So what's everyone else doing
that that that I think we find boring?
>> Nothing. I mean like no no one else is doing
doing
>> but what's a default because I think one
of the reasons it's working so well is
because we're we're we're completely
almost like counterpositioned
>> to the way that other other companies in
the space are are approaching their go
to market.
>> Yeah. I mean they they all do the same
thing, right? Like they do paid ads, newsletters,
newsletters,
podcasts. Well, no, they sponsor
podcasts. Maybe they'll sponsor one of
our podcasts. We'll say no.
>> We'll sponsor our own podcast. It's
genius if you think about it.
Um, what else? That's that's I mean
that's pretty much it. They all follow
the same playbook.
>> Traditional media.
>> Traditional media.
>> Conferences, events, partnerships. >> Yeah.
>> Yeah.
>> We We can do stuff like that,
>> dude. I I swear to God, the first time
anyone suggests we do a webinar, I will
crash out so [laughter] bad.
>> They will be fired. I swear to God.
Right. It's not a joke.
>> I mean, could you imagine? >> No.
>> No.
>> What are we going to do a webinar for? Jesus.
Jesus.
>> Yeah. Yeah,
>> actually, maybe it'd be a good idea.
Maybe not. I don't know.
>> At some point, I don't know. But like,
yeah, not right now.
>> Yeah. One of one of the reasons our our
stuff has cut through the noise is
because it's unexpected. It's not how
you normally see a company like this
>> like market themselves. >> Yeah.
>> Yeah.
>> We could do a webinar or we could
sponsor the best nightclub in New York
City for one night.
>> Your choice. [laughter]
>> And, you know, pick one. >> Yeah.
>> Yeah.
>> We can put a Henrik Johansson menu.
>> Meet and greet Henry.
>> Um, at some like fancy bar in in I don't
know, Midtown. Maybe we should do I
think one of the accounts that we really
like is like RAMP.
>> I think they're doing very interesting
marketing and very sim very similar to
how we kind of think. So, we kind of
vibe with that a lot and and we're kind
of, you know, taking what they do well
and trying to replicate it a little bit.
>> You know that we this is something that
blew my mind the other day.
>> The the compliant VC account on X is 90
days old
>> in total. We have more followers than
the Ramp brand account on that account
and that they've been around for many
many years. So this not a disc to RAM
that what they do is great but it that
tells me that we are on to something astronomically
astronomically
like we're on the right path. Yeah.
Right. Like there's no way no doubt in
my mind that this is the way forward
with you know our like GTM strategy as a
whole media be more interesting. But I
can see a world where more and more
companies try and do it. And I think
there's some that have tried which
didn't get PMF. Clearly, for example,
they were very rage bailey. They were
very um crazy with some of the media
that they came out with. We can't go
that far, but I mean they they took it
to, you know, new extremes, but they
didn't have PMF. They've struggled to
actually attain the market that they
were in. They pivoted now, I think, to
be more of like a notetaker like very
recently. Um, you know, Roy was getting
cooked on all of these different he was
on like Techrunch or they they basically
tried to get him to say his company's
ARR. He wouldn't he refused to give out
any numbers which basically, you know,
he he had no reason to, but I think
they're getting cooked right now.
>> Yeah. Yeah. They've been quiet for
for
>> um if you you can go that to that
extreme, but if you don't have PMF, it
means [ __ ] nothing anyway.
Congratulations. you've got eyes on you
and your product, but no one's buying it
because no one needs it. Versus
something like this where not as extreme
takes some of the lessons that they they
they they did. I do truly believe that
>> the more we do with media, it can't
hurt, right? Even if it's a bit rage
maybe sometimes complaint VC, it's not,
you know, completely related to compi,
it's it's somewhat related, I guess. But
>> I still think that is better than doing
it if you don't have PMF whatsoever.
Yeah. Right. We we have proven you can
make these like satirical accounts be
interesting and as long as you have good
product you'll be fine. Yeah. Any
everyone should do it. Everyone should
do this kind of marketing if not.
>> Yeah. For me I think it's it's it comes
down to the efficiency of of that spend.
The amount of money that we spent kind
of running that account and producing
some media around it. It's only a
fraction of how much we spent on let's
say like paid
>> acquisition. So that just tells me like
hey well first of all it's not easy to
replicate but if you do have an avenue
to produce media of that quality with
that level of engagement it's just a way
more efficient spend of your money and
when we look at hey we want to compete
with the likes of you know Fanta and
other players in the space we can't just
compete with the same channels that they
use because they have way more money
they have deeper pockets to actually
completely run us out of business and
>> some of our newer competitors are doing
that right so you know the there's new
new companies that are also doing what
compi does and they are just following
the same old traditional.
>> So, you're always going to be behind, a
couple steps behind. You're never going
to actually catch up if if if your adversary,
adversary,
>> congratulations. You built the same
thing and you're marketing the same
thing. You're selling the same thing.
>> There's always going to be a couple
years behind difference.
>> There's no
>> if you want to win, you got to be more
efficient. You got to figure out a shortcut.
shortcut.
>> And I think for us, it's just been kind
of like the creative uh go to market,
the creative media strategies.
>> I think today we hit 400 customers. It's
a big milestone. Um, and it's still
interesting to me that we have a very
small customer success team. >> Yeah.
>> Yeah.
>> And again, goes back into some of the
stuff that we built, the efficiencies of
it kind of like we have a we have a very
efficient marketing and and go to market
um like motion in the works. We also
have a very
um like very efficient and very
strategic way of actually making sure
these customers get to success, right?
So I think every every like staple of
what we do is essentially always comes
back to how efficient can you be like
the engineering side of it. >> Yeah.
>> Yeah.
>> We're the most efficient engineering
team that I've ever worked with
>> sales and marketing. Uh the amount of
customers that we have for the amount of
money that we've spent is crazy. Like
>> I don't think people really understand
when I say this to them, but
>> the the incumbents in this space spend a
huge amount of money to get their first
500 customers. I'm talking 10, 20, 30,
$40 million, right? It's done nothing
near that. So, just to get where we are
with what we've done is is is with what
money we've had, it's been crazy. I
think any I guess like the whole AI
space as a as a whole has enabled us to
be to do that, right? We've been able to
be efficient with engineering, with marketing,
marketing,
>> with media. Um but I'll say something
which is I think some of our some of the
newer players in the space
>> also started you know kind of like
riding the AI wave. Yeah.
>> Yet still we have attained you know a
higher degree of efficiency. So I'm
actually really curious more about like
if we if we take a step out like us as
founders right like as we entered comp
like I guess there were things that made
us better equipped
>> to like approach this problem. So, I
guess I'm just curious about kind of the
origin of like what did we do, right?
Number one, and number two is like where
did that come from? Like is this
something we picked up at like previous
experiences? Like where were the
ingredients that then led to us as we
approached this opportunity to be
actually be able to just, you know, hit
a home run and continue to be more efficient.
efficient.
>> I think we've always been pretty
scrappy, right? So I think we all have
that like scrainess about us and it
gives us like a huge advantage over
>> like someone who went to MIT or Stanford
and has never really had to figure it
out on their own. I think we've all had
to do that. We're also older than a lot
of the people who are starting you know
these like cool little companies like
the AI companies. There's so many people
I actually feel old for the first time
ever recently. you see these kids on X
who like 18 or 19 and like I've just
raised $42 million of a preede and
you're like god damn right um I think
the experience that we have and just way
we've had to do things in our lives
we've been scrappy back to any like any
specific job or any situation or any
project or anything that you that you
thought hey the work that I did there
actually I'm still using a lot of those
principles and a lot of those or maybe a
lot of the battles cards that I got from
like this era actually made me a great
founder today?
>> Good question. >> Yeah,
>> Yeah,
>> I'll take that question. Uh, so I
[laughter] think I think that um the
biggest one in my head is is
>> uh Leap AI,
>> right? You and I were working on that.
Lo was also there for a little bit.
>> Um, God
>> starting on early,
I mean it was just very rough. Uh, I
remember we had a good AI product.
>> You were generating um images for people
and that was like right when the AI kind
of boom started, right? you I remember
you had the phrase the AI API for
everything or something like that.
>> Yeah. Yeah.
>> Um sounds hard to market.
>> We pivoted [laughter] into workflows,
right? Like workflows is the next big thing.
thing. >> Yeah.
>> Yeah.
>> Um and that was really hard. It was
really slow push. I think that
experience of trying really hard for
like two years but also writing the
initial AI wave from the beginning. So
when the models were still crap, right,
and we were trying to make it work with
the bad models,
>> um, and then, you know, newer models
come out, the agents came out. So all
that learning curve was, I think it was
pivotal to like what we're bringing to
compai and like what we're doing right
from the beginning. Now it's like, okay,
well, first of all, the models are way better.
better. >> Mhm.
>> Mhm.
>> So we can actually build more
efficiently. But we kind of learned a
lot of uh from our mistakes from like
Leap AI, for example. And that was like
specifically an AI startup, right? Where
where I don't think any other kind of
like like the competitors have that
experience because AI didn't really
exist before or in in the way that we
know it, right?
>> I used to joke with uh I was talking to
an investor um NSF a couple couple
months back and one of the things I used
to joke about is like hey we are
probably one of the very few people
we're probably amongst like the
>> a team of like I don't know
>> 10 20 30 people who know how to build uh
you know AI workflows with this level of
almost like expertise. Yeah. Um I don't
think that level of knowledge really
exists in the workplace you know broadly
speaking because it's something brand
new yet we are one of the very few teams
who actually spent two years you know
struggling to actually build systems so
we understand the rough edges we
understand where it fails so bringing
that into sort of comp I think it was
very easy to sort of like conceptualize
yeah we know exactly what's going to
fail let's do it right from the get-go
>> yeah I think also at least on my end um
I've worked at other startups other
companies uh some smaller some bigger
where I've seen the processes internally
like how they work uh pre AAI right but
>> I've learned a lot about what not to do
like how like what they did wrong for
example like engineering processes like
they would only deploy once every two
weeks or something like it was very slow right
right
>> so I've learned a lot from other jobs as
well where against some of these uh
newer kids right starting their own
startups they they haven't really had
any jobs before or been in a company and
see how it runs
whether they're successful or small or big.
big.
>> I've always just been great. So [laughter]
[laughter]
>> just just a smart guy. >> Yeah.
>> Yeah.
>> Just just winning back to back. >> Wail.
>> Wail.
>> No struggles.
>> No struggles.
>> Honestly, life has been easy.
>> I think I think a lot of our approaches
like obviously we have a specific like
leadership style, the way we like run
teams, like the kind of philosophy, the
way the way we prioritize things. I know
for example for me I picked up a lot of my
my
>> kind of intuition around culture from my
time at Weiwork. um say what you want
about their business model and the sort
of mishaps on signing 10-year leases and
all that crap, but um nonetheless, I
think the culture and sort of almost
like this like cultish way of like um
bringing people in and making them
believe in the mission um and creating a
space that people really wanted to be
part of and to the point like people
were were really kind of pouring their
hearts and souls into this company even
though they weren't getting paid that
much. It was really just all about, you
know, equity and and and kind of growing
this as big as it can be. So I think at
least I picked up a lot of my chops from
like you know my time working at Weiwork
and obviously that translates into what
we do today which if you're a new grad
uh you're not going to have that
experience. Um can you think back to
like any you know at least I got that
from culture but like is there anything
around like sales leadership
um I don't know marketing something else
that you feel like
>> you're going to hate this answer and I
think listeners may also hate it but I
know how to run comi right now and to
get it to being a billion dollar company
because I love the TV show Silicon
Valley we crashed
>> the Spotify one I've seen all of the
startup documentaries all of TV show. [laughter]
[laughter]
I was built for this.
>> Yeah. Yeah. We're aiming for
>> all of my experience is is now coming
from that. Everything else before this,
it's not even on the same level.
>> No, but genuinely
>> genuinely right. I think
>> what are some habits that everything
every habit every every job that I've
had has been completely different level.
>> Yeah. Yeah.
>> It's like it's not even relevant to the
conversation. Everything that I've done
in the last year,
>> I don't think it has to be good. I think
throw it away.
>> I think you can have negative examples
where you can be like I'm going to be
the opposite of that guy. >> Yeah.
>> Yeah.
>> Oh yeah. There's a lot of people that
I've worked with who have been like
that. I mean, I remember this the first
ever job that I had. Um, I remember
walking in on the first day and I was
doing like it was like a help desk job,
you know, like picking up the phone,
answering people's questions about the
software for this company. >> Um,
>> Um,
I'm still kind of friends with this guy,
so I don't want to say too much, but
anyway, he basically been working there
for like 10 years already, and he was
going to he still works there now, and
it's 10 years later, and he will work
there until he retires or dies. That
that is it. and he will never move from
that specific role. I think that moment
when I realized that you can just get a
job and stay in it for life, never doing
that, never even experienced in a
different like career, job, whatever,
like even a position in that company. He
stayed at the very same level.
>> That gave me a huge amount of motivation
to basically never do that. Always be
thinking of like what I could be doing
next, growing to the next level,
whatever. um up until the point of
either, you know, running a team or
running a company. I think that's
kind of how we I don't know. It gave me
some motivation back then. I was like,
"Holy [ __ ] I never ever want to be that."
that."
>> Yeah. Funny you say that because I think
we've all had the same experience of
>> working at companies that you see people
that they they've been there for 10 15 years
years
>> and you're like, "How the hell like
>> scary? I cannot see myself doing that."
>> Yeah. Yeah. I don't wish that upon my
>> maybe that's like the that's like the
founder gene of like no
>> first of all you want to keep leveling
up right and you know that at those
companies that people work for 10 15
years like you're not really going to
level up as much as you would want to as
quick as you want um so yeah it's all
about making like you were already
making hops between companies and you're
trying to work your way up
>> so I guess that kind of led into the
itch for what's the next level is to
start your own basically
>> yeah basically doing not wanting to do
that and watching all of the great
startup documentaries out there.
>> Yeah. Yeah.
>> We crashed. I also worked at Weiwork. If
you think about it, [laughter]
>> I've seen the documentary.
>> I've seen the TV show >> twice.
>> twice. >> Yeah.
>> Yeah.
>> Big fan. Yeah. I mean, it sets the tone
though. Unironically, I love the We
Crash is one of my favorite like
documentaries or TV shows around
startups. It's my favorite pastime to to
watch these things about how how
companies grow or succeed sometimes fail
like we work and all of these other ones but
but
>> damn the energy from it. I almost I
almost while I was watching we crashed I
felt like I was a part of we work in a
lot of ways like it it drags you in
>> the the whole series is
>> it almost makes every time I watch it I
just want to go out and I just want to
build something. And I'm like, "Fuck
yeah, I want to just go and start a
company and and and do this, this, and
this." And
>> uh if I if I'm feeling down about
bidding a company, I'm like, "Damn, like
burning out." I'll go and watch We We
Crashed or um any of those like TV shows
and it gets me back in the mood. I just
I'm like, "Yeah, [ __ ] yeah, it's 2 a.m.
I want to go back to work right now." >> Yeah.
>> Yeah.
>> I think one of the big one of the big
like values for me work was like they
>> it's like it's like it's not just a
workplace. It's like you're it's it's a
life, right? So you kind of come in here
because you enjoy so much kind of being
around these people and around this
environment. And I think
>> unironically that's one of the things
that we've we've done really well at the
company which is even from from day one
like it was just the three of us locked
in a tiny room. We were just having fun.
>> I mean the first thing we did
>> like we had FIFA in the room.
>> No one knows about this.
>> Yeah. We got a Guitar Hero [laughter] in
the little office that we had and we
were like you know we worked for like 6
hours or something. Take like a quick
30-minut break.
>> Sometimes it went more than 30 minutes.
Sometimes we play FIFA for 2 hours. [laughter]
[laughter]
>> Sometimes you guys will be playing and I
would be coding and I'm like I hate you guys.
guys.
>> But we needed you to we
>> someone needed to be coding. Right.
>> If you think about it, we probably
helped motivate you to get it done so
you could also play FIFA.
>> I just wanted to go home. [laughter]
>> Like I'm trying to get home. No one else
is coding. I got to do this. >> Yeah.
>> Yeah.
>> [ __ ] Exposed. [laughter]
>> Well, that was the early days. Early days.
days.
>> I mean, look, we had a we had a lot of fun.
fun. >> Yeah.
>> Yeah.
>> It was fun.
>> It was cool. It was like a camaraderie,
you know. How how do we keep that as we
get bigger? It's one of the things that
I'm like
>> I I I kind of miss the the mind space,
the that small room with the FIFA, with
the the Guitar Hero, but also we'd stay
there until 11:00 p.m. We'd be we'd get
there at 8:00 a.m. 9:00 a.m.
>> You didn't feel it. It was just
>> it was like it was just fun.
>> Um and it was like one of the TV shows
like the very early days of um you know,
Silicon Valley season one or whatever.
Yeah, they were in a room hacking away.
And really I I I saw someone comment on
this on one of your posts about remote
working and I think it's so true. By the way,
way,
>> people say um it's something basically
people who don't who want to build a
company and say no remote working, they
just want to hang out with the boys. >> Yeah,
>> Yeah,
>> that's pretty much it. You just want to
hang out with the boys and have fun.
>> I think I think one of my goals right
now is to actually figure out a way to
extend that to all our employees. Like I
want everyone to show up to work and
feel the exact same way that that we
felt those early days, which is like I
[ __ ] love this place. It's going to
be hard. It's going to be hard. It's
hard. Um, it's probably one of the
hardest things.
>> We'll try. I mean, I don't know that
we'll succeed. We'll definitely try our
best, but I think
>> we already have like a, you know, a
couch and a PS5 and TV.
>> Yeah. No, no one uses it. [laughter]
>> I think everyone's locked in to to play
it, but
>> back in the day. >> Yeah.
>> Yeah.
>> But back in the day, we would have just
stayed later to make up for it. >> Yeah.
>> Yeah.
>> So, we need to we need to go back to the
let people let people play FIFA in the
middle of the day. I don't care. as long
as you know sales calls are happening,
people are making money, we're shipping
all of our features.
>> So, one of the things I was talking to a
friend about is uh he was asking me
like, "Hey, most of the time when
starting a company, some of the common
advice is like do not work with friends,
don't work with family." Yet, I think
we've we've broken both rules here at at
Comp and it's actually worked out pretty
great. So, I was sort of curious around
like what you guys think had made that
work. like, you know, how would you what
would you tell someone if they're
telling you, "Hey, I'm planning on
working my friend, but I have some like
reservations around if I should do it or not."
not."
>> I I think generic advice and I've read
it so many times as well. Everyone says
don't do it. Skillsue, maybe.
>> I don't know. I I think I think you're
like pretty brutally honest with each
other. I think that's what makes it kind
of work. Like, you know, if if you're
pissing me off, I'll say it. If you're
piss If I'm pissing you off, you'll say
it. Same with you. We're all pretty good
at like being very honest.
>> We respect each other to the point where
like even if we are pissing each other
off like we we allow ourselves to have
some space or you know figure it out and
we talk about it, right?
>> Yeah. I think you just have to be pretty
open and I'm guessing most people would
steer away from like the uncomfortable
conversations that you have to have at
times. You know, you have to
>> you have to set the boundaries. You have
to make it clear like what you're doing.
Um, still not I mean look 90% of the
time and I still think this is probably
it could happen at any point right that
we could this could be ruined just by us
falling out right like if we had like a
>> um let's say we had a big disagreement
and I don't know you you wanted to do
something with the culture and I was
like I don't like that and and we just
can't be resolved then it is it's risky
right like the friendship would be
ruined if you know let's say um I I'm
trying to think of like scenario where
something could happen where you're
like, "Okay,
>> I feel like we always come back around like
like
>> Yeah, you come back reasonable people
>> and whenever there is something
>> I don't think I don't think we take
things personal." And I think that's
actually a big part of it.
>> It's like we can have a bickering
disagreement. We're like, "I hate your
guts. You hate my guts."
>> And then like, you know, an hour later,
we shake it off, brush it off, and then
we're back exactly where we were.
>> Quick game of FIFA.
>> Yeah. We're like, [laughter] you know
what? You you were really annoying
yesterday, but I'll forgive you today.
>> I I'd say to most people, don't do it.
Cuz I mean, a lot of people I kind of
agree with you. I I think most people
wouldn't be able to
>> I think we're definitely like a rare
something positive
>> rare case. >> Yeah.
>> Yeah.
>> And I don't even know how like it just
worked out, but
>> maybe we got lucky. I don't know. But
>> well, we had worked together before, so
I think we had some idea of what to
expect. It wasn't completely out of the blue.
blue.
>> We've actually known Louis for like less
than a year now or
>> No, no, more than a year now. Year and a
half, maybe almost two years.
>> Is that It sounds crazy to me.
>> It sounds like a decade because the
amount of experience experiences we've
had together. We've traveled
>> I don't know.
>> We went to Miami. We've been to like 10
or 15 places together.
>> Yeah. Remember when when Lewis joined
Leap, like the first thing he did was
come to Miami with us.
>> Yeah. Yeah.
>> That was fun.
>> We went to watch Messi
>> and we went to the F1
>> and he scored a crazy goal or multiple goals
goals
>> for Lewis.
>> No. [laughter]
>> Yeah. We should do it again.
>> We should We should do it again.
>> We should do it again. >> Yeah.
>> Yeah.
>> Yes. I would not be opposed.
>> Yeah. But honestly, at the same time,
it's like I think what's made the
company work. Like if if we if we weren't
weren't
>> sort of just having fun again, that
early days stuck in that little shoe box
of of an office just the boys having fun.
fun. >> Yeah.
>> Yeah.
>> I don't think we would be where we are
right now.
>> No, I don't think I don't think it would be
be
>> I guess like we we all don't want it to
end as well cuz we have the fun times. Yeah.
Yeah.
>> So, you like you like take a step back
and think like, okay,
>> if I really drive this and if I really
want to ruin it, then I can ruin it, but then
then
>> you lose all the fun stuff as well. I
don't want to um not chill and go to
Miami every now and then, you know, just
to relax or casino every now and then.
We'll do it. It's fun, right? We've had
a lot of good times together. So,
>> I think even even if you
>> say, "Okay, you know, this guy's been an
[ __ ] this week, then whatever." Yeah.
You'll be okay next week.
>> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
>> Everyone will relax. Yeah.
>> Yeah. Yeah.
>> Let's go to Cancun. Relax. Puerto Rico.
>> But you know what? I think I think
that's the problem with most companies.
Like they actually don't optimize for
fun. And I think fun is what creates
cohesion. And when you have cohesion,
>> you can actually stick to the hardships.
>> We have a good balance of fun in work.
For sure. For sure. It's not like we're
only having fun.
>> But I think most companies are either
like sterile about it or they just don't actually
actually
>> acknowledge the importance of that
element, that ingredient. I think a lot
of people take themselves way too
seriously, especially people who have
like a who are trying to prove a point like these, you know, Stanford kids that
like these, you know, Stanford kids that have raised some money and they are
have raised some money and they are determined to be
determined to be >> um, you know, a like the chances are
>> um, you know, a like the chances are you're not Mark Zuckerberg, right?
you're not Mark Zuckerberg, right? They're trying to be that.
They're trying to be that. >> I I would hedge against it. You know,
>> I I would hedge against it. You know, for most people, it's not going to
for most people, it's not going to happen. It's not going to work out.
happen. It's not going to work out. >> Yeah. Yeah.
>> Yeah. Yeah. >> So, why not build like why not have fun
>> So, why not build like why not have fun and be half of a Mark Zuckerberg, right?
and be half of a Mark Zuckerberg, right? Like most people should cry and go down
Like most people should cry and go down that path, right? I think
that path, right? I think >> people get stuck in this rut of trying
>> people get stuck in this rut of trying to be someone else or someone that they
to be someone else or someone that they aren't and it forces them or almost like
aren't and it forces them or almost like >> structures them to be boring and
>> structures them to be boring and sterile, right? Because
sterile, right? Because >> those people are unopinated, sterile,
>> those people are unopinated, sterile, and boring.
and boring. >> But guess what? They're going to have a
>> But guess what? They're going to have a lot of fun because they've already made
lot of fun because they've already made it. They became sterile and boring and
it. They became sterile and boring and fun at the end. Mark Zuckerberg at the
fun at the end. Mark Zuckerberg at the when he started Facebook it was the most
when he started Facebook it was the most unhinged [ __ ] incel in the world
unhinged [ __ ] incel in the world right now [snorts]
right now [snorts] he's like
he's like >> you know and that's because he's been he
>> you know and that's because he's been he he's now responsible for hundreds of
he's now responsible for hundreds of thousands of people's like um you know
thousands of people's like um you know he takes it very seriously
he takes it very seriously >> but back then he didn't so
>> but back then he didn't so >> fun guy I don't know if you we would see
>> fun guy I don't know if you we would see him give a
him give a >> talk recently yes but like two years ago
>> talk recently yes but like two years ago >> maybe you wouldn't hear about it I don't
>> maybe you wouldn't hear about it I don't think he was public about it but I think
think he was public about it but I think I think I think he's lowkey chat to be
I think I think he's lowkey chat to be honest Yeah.
honest Yeah. >> Yeah. But all right. I'm not saying like
>> Yeah. But all right. I'm not saying like him like
him like >> he his public persona two years ago was
>> he his public persona two years ago was not this Chad guy. It was like you know
not this Chad guy. It was like you know the the the sweaters, the [ __ ]
the the the sweaters, the [ __ ] terrible outfit standing on stage
terrible outfit standing on stage talking about whatever. Most people did
talking about whatever. Most people did not
not >> like people outside of tech didn't
>> like people outside of tech didn't aspire to be Mark Zuckerberg, right? But
aspire to be Mark Zuckerberg, right? But then what I'm saying is he kind of like
then what I'm saying is he kind of like had that persona late on and it's kind
had that persona late on and it's kind of like changed now. So now he's become
of like changed now. So now he's become cool. Yeah. becoming cool is okay again.
cool. Yeah. becoming cool is okay again. >> Well, I think it has to do with like
>> Well, I think it has to do with like also the culture. It's like I think we
also the culture. It's like I think we moved out of I mean partly to be honest
moved out of I mean partly to be honest with you for that reason. I just I don't
with you for that reason. I just I don't feel like it fit my personality.
feel like it fit my personality. >> Yeah.
>> Yeah. >> I feel like it was a little bit too
>> I feel like it was a little bit too sterile. Like everyone there is an
sterile. Like everyone there is an academic. Like they're very kind of
academic. Like they're very kind of uptight about what they do and you come
uptight about what they do and you come to New York and it's like it's a lot
to New York and it's like it's a lot more alive. It's a lot more raw.
more alive. It's a lot more raw. >> Sex in the city, baby. It's a great it's
>> Sex in the city, baby. It's a great it's a great [ __ ] place to be.
a great [ __ ] place to be. >> I think it just has to do like where we
>> I think it just has to do like where we grew up.
grew up. >> Yeah. I feel like a lot of the the like
>> Yeah. I feel like a lot of the the like early founders that I've met are they
early founders that I've met are they they go too hard on the on trying to be
they go too hard on the on trying to be someone else trying to imitate the
someone else trying to imitate the >> um it's almost like they're trying too
>> um it's almost like they're trying too hard. Like the people who are getting on
hard. Like the people who are getting on Forbes 30 under 30 are the people who
Forbes 30 under 30 are the people who >> they're all of them are awful. I I can't
>> they're all of them are awful. I I can't imagine it right. I cannot imagine being
imagine it right. I cannot imagine being on that list. I will never be there.
on that list. I will never be there. >> Like I don't have anything to prove by
>> Like I don't have anything to prove by being on that. Like
being on that. Like >> in fact if if they asked me to be on it,
>> in fact if if they asked me to be on it, I would say no. Yeah.
I would say no. Yeah. >> Sounds terrible.
>> Sounds terrible. >> Yeah.
>> Yeah. >> If you look at that list of people, I
>> If you look at that list of people, I just think [ __ ] wow.
just think [ __ ] wow. >> Yeah.
>> Yeah. >> Boring.
>> Boring. >> Yeah.
>> Yeah. >> I'd rather not.
>> I'd rather not. >> It's like I just think kind of what's
>> It's like I just think kind of what's the point? It's like almost like selfong
the point? It's like almost like selfong congratulatory for no reason. It's like
congratulatory for no reason. It's like you just won the accolade because you
you just won the accolade because you >> it's almost like you're trying to fill a
>> it's almost like you're trying to fill a void, you know, through some external
void, you know, through some external attention. Like it's purely attention
attention. Like it's purely attention >> validation
>> validation >> of yourself
>> of yourself >> through the public, I guess. Yeah.
>> through the public, I guess. Yeah. >> I think we're very sure of ourselves, so
>> I think we're very sure of ourselves, so we don't really care.
we don't really care. >> I mean, look, we're having we're having
>> I mean, look, we're having we're having a good time. Yeah,
a good time. Yeah, >> we're enjoying kind of working with each
>> we're enjoying kind of working with each other. Again, my point stands, which is
other. Again, my point stands, which is like I think if we are having fun and we
like I think if we are having fun and we feel connected, we're more likely to
feel connected, we're more likely to push through like really hard things to
push through like really hard things to do, which is like building a company is
do, which is like building a company is not easy.
not easy. >> But I also do think we we bring a lot of
>> But I also do think we we bring a lot of good energy to the company itself. Like
good energy to the company itself. Like like I think it propagates down to
like I think it propagates down to everyone else
everyone else >> who's working there. They're like they
>> who's working there. They're like they feel the energy and they're like, "Oh
feel the energy and they're like, "Oh yeah, this is this is cool and fun
yeah, this is this is cool and fun environment
environment >> instead of just like a sterile
>> instead of just like a sterile >> and I can actually say what I think
>> and I can actually say what I think without being uh cancelled or or
without being uh cancelled or or whatever." I think we keep it very
whatever." I think we keep it very >> very open. Yeah, we keep it filtered.
>> very open. Yeah, we keep it filtered. >> I mean, I think everyone that we've
>> I mean, I think everyone that we've hired so far is is pretty on board with
hired so far is is pretty on board with it. I was didn't expect it as much, but
it. I was didn't expect it as much, but >> yeah, some some of them have grown into
>> yeah, some some of them have grown into it, others were already like that. But
it, others were already like that. But regardless, I think we've created a good
regardless, I think we've created a good baseline.
baseline. >> I mean, I love it. I mean, every single
>> I mean, I love it. I mean, every single person that we've we we have at comp is
person that we've we we have at comp is cracked. I keep on saying, I think I've
cracked. I keep on saying, I think I've I think I've said it every episode, but
I think I've said it every episode, but like every single person in the company,
like every single person in the company, [laughter]
[laughter] they're cool people, right? I like I
they're cool people, right? I like I like the people that I work with. I am
like the people that I work with. I am excited to go to work. I'm excited to
excited to go to work. I'm excited to get into the office every morning.
get into the office every morning. >> 10:00 a.m. this morning. So, sorry about
>> 10:00 a.m. this morning. So, sorry about that, guys.
that, guys. >> A bit late. Um,
>> A bit late. Um, >> we cover enjoy getting into the office.
>> we cover enjoy getting into the office. I enjoy spending time with the people
I enjoy spending time with the people that I'm working with. I think everyone
that I'm working with. I think everyone is smart. There's a lot of um
is smart. There's a lot of um >> there's a lot of characters that we have
>> there's a lot of characters that we have >> and I think everyone is like very unique
>> and I think everyone is like very unique in their own way and
in their own way and >> and interesting. Like everyone's
>> and interesting. Like everyone's interesting.
interesting. >> Um,
>> Um, >> yeah. Yeah, I feel like everyone has
>> yeah. Yeah, I feel like everyone has their own story and
their own story and >> yeah,
>> yeah, >> I think we should make like a videos of
>> I think we should make like a videos of each person, each employee and
each person, each employee and >> yeah,
>> yeah, >> make stories around them like
>> make stories around them like >> All right. All right. So, I have I have
>> All right. All right. So, I have I have questions for for for both of you. I
questions for for for both of you. I guess the same question. Uh two-part
guess the same question. Uh two-part question. Number one is like what's the
question. Number one is like what's the thing you're looking forward to the most
thing you're looking forward to the most in the upcoming year? And what do you
in the upcoming year? And what do you see it being the biggest challenge we'll
see it being the biggest challenge we'll have to face and solve in the upcoming
have to face and solve in the upcoming year?
year? >> We're going to have to hire a [ __ ] ton
>> We're going to have to hire a [ __ ] ton of people.
of people. >> Yeah. [laughter] It's going to be the
>> Yeah. [laughter] It's going to be the hardest bit, right? I'm kind of excited
hardest bit, right? I'm kind of excited about it. In my head, I see a room like,
about it. In my head, I see a room like, you know, in the Wolf of Wall Street
you know, in the Wolf of Wall Street when you have like all of these sales
when you have like all of these sales guys like, you know, picking up the
guys like, you know, picking up the phone absolutely like chats just like
phone absolutely like chats just like having a lot of fun.
having a lot of fun. >> Um, I see that in one world. In the
>> Um, I see that in one world. In the other world, I see it's going to take a
other world, I see it's going to take a lot of time and effort to hire the the
lot of time and effort to hire the the best people.
best people. >> Yeah. Recruiting.
>> Yeah. Recruiting. >> And then also like it just ch everything
>> And then also like it just ch everything changes, right? You go from 20 people to
changes, right? You go from 20 people to 100 people like the
100 people like the the culture will shift a bit. That's
the culture will shift a bit. That's something that we're going to have to
something that we're going to have to figure out. It's going to be very hard
figure out. It's going to be very hard to
to >> keep as is.
>> keep as is. >> Um,
>> Um, [ __ ] Are we will we be will we be able
[ __ ] Are we will we be will we be able to do this every day? I'm not sure, you
to do this every day? I'm not sure, you know, not every day, but once a week.
know, not every day, but once a week. We're going to we're going to have to
We're going to we're going to have to figure it out.
figure it out. >> Yep.
>> Yep. >> It's going to be crazy.
>> It's going to be crazy. >> But I'm kind of excited for it at the
>> But I'm kind of excited for it at the same time.
same time. >> So, your answer is the same for both. Is
>> So, your answer is the same for both. Is the most exciting thing you're looking
the most exciting thing you're looking forward to?
forward to? >> Yeah, it's it's kind of the same.
>> Yeah, it's it's kind of the same. Scaling up.
Scaling up. >> Yep.
>> Yep. >> Vibe scaling.
>> Vibe scaling. >> Vibe scaling. Uh, how about you?
>> Vibe scaling. Uh, how about you? >> Um, yeah, I guess it's kind of very
>> Um, yeah, I guess it's kind of very similar. Uh,
similar. Uh, >> no. You can't copy the same.
>> no. You can't copy the same. >> I know. I'm I'm trying to think of my
>> I know. I'm I'm trying to think of my own version.
own version. >> I went for [snorts] the easy one.
>> I went for [snorts] the easy one. >> Yeah. [laughter]
>> Yeah. [laughter] >> I think what I'm most concerned about
>> I think what I'm most concerned about >> it's just like scaling like my own team,
>> it's just like scaling like my own team, I guess. Okay.
I guess. Okay. >> It's going to get very complex and
>> It's going to get very complex and complicated to distribute work. I think
complicated to distribute work. I think >> Okay.
>> Okay. >> I'm not a PM, right? So, it's very hard
>> I'm not a PM, right? So, it's very hard for me to
for me to >> It's your first time managing a team of
>> It's your first time managing a team of this size, so it's like new stuff.
this size, so it's like new stuff. >> Exactly.
>> Exactly. >> Hire a PM.
>> Hire a PM. >> Yeah. Exactly. Might might have to hire
>> Yeah. Exactly. Might might have to hire a PM. I'm not looking forward to
a PM. I'm not looking forward to [laughter]
[laughter] >> to recruiting again.
>> to recruiting again. >> Easy enough,
>> Easy enough, >> right?
>> right? >> Yeah. Yeah,
>> Yeah. Yeah, >> recruiting was
>> recruiting was >> you're going to become a [clears throat]
>> you're going to become a [clears throat] full-time recruiter for the most part.
full-time recruiter for the most part. >> That's what I said.
>> That's what I said. >> He's he's copying my answer in a
>> He's he's copying my answer in a different way. We're doing the same
different way. We're doing the same thing for different [laughter] teams.
thing for different [laughter] teams. >> Yeah.
>> Yeah. >> Um yeah, I'm not not looking forward to
>> Um yeah, I'm not not looking forward to recruiting, I think. But what about what
recruiting, I think. But what about what about scaling the product to handle 10
about scaling the product to handle 10 times more people?
times more people? >> I think that's not that bad.
>> I think that's not that bad. >> But then I I was thinking about this.
>> But then I I was thinking about this. Let's say we go
Let's say we go >> there's a lot of critical thinking, but
>> there's a lot of critical thinking, but >> say we go to 4,000 customers. That means
>> say we go to 4,000 customers. That means that there's going to be let's say
that there's going to be let's say there's an average of like 20 to 50
there's an average of like 20 to 50 people per company. Device agent is
people per company. Device agent is going to be crazy.
going to be crazy. >> Could be more.
>> Could be more. >> Be a lot more like 100,000 devices
>> Be a lot more like 100,000 devices managed by
managed by >> he's going to be on call waking up in
>> he's going to be on call waking up in the middle of the night [laughter]
the middle of the night [laughter] multiple times a week.
multiple times a week. >> Hopefully he is already
>> Hopefully he is already >> once I hire more people. They will be on
>> once I hire more people. They will be on call.
call. >> It's practice for becoming a parent,
>> It's practice for becoming a parent, >> right?
>> right? >> Yeah.
>> Yeah. >> Yeah.
>> Yeah. >> Yeah.
>> Yeah. >> My my children of engineers [laughter]
>> My my children of engineers [laughter] except they won't actually be
except they won't actually be >> waking you up in the middle of
>> waking you up in the middle of >> I'm excited about the new office. I
>> I'm excited about the new office. I can't wait. The new office is going to
can't wait. The new office is going to be fantastic.
be fantastic. >> Does that mean they call you daddy?
>> Does that mean they call you daddy? [laughter]
[laughter] >> Hey, he said it. I didn't say anything.
>> Hey, he said it. I didn't say anything. >> Um, yeah. I'm really excited to get the
>> Um, yeah. I'm really excited to get the new office. I think it's going to be
new office. I think it's going to be epic.
epic. >> Yeah. What are you excited about the new
>> Yeah. What are you excited about the new office? Like I know we kind have plenty
office? Like I know we kind have plenty of spaces, but like which part of the
of spaces, but like which part of the office is kind of like
office is kind of like >> I think the spaces I think like the
>> I think the spaces I think like the creative ideas that we have like like
creative ideas that we have like like remember the whenever someone walks in,
remember the whenever someone walks in, we play like a song or something.
we play like a song or something. >> It's not going to last very long in
>> It's not going to last very long in practice. It sounds good.
practice. It sounds good. >> Just rosary
>> Just rosary >> on paper. It sounds great. Yeah. Maybe
>> on paper. It sounds great. Yeah. Maybe just us three.
just us three. >> Um
>> Um >> Katy Perry.
>> Katy Perry. >> I think also also seeing like just a lot
>> I think also also seeing like just a lot of people in the office is going to be
of people in the office is going to be kind of crazy.
kind of crazy. >> Yeah,
>> Yeah, >> it's going to feel unreal. You're going
>> it's going to feel unreal. You're going to be like, "Oh crap, there's like 50
to be like, "Oh crap, there's like 50 people over there in their own little
people over there in their own little section like all the sales people or
section like all the sales people or something." You know, and you're like,
something." You know, and you're like, "Wow."
"Wow." >> Yeah.
>> Yeah. >> You might not even know everyone.
>> You might not even know everyone. >> It's mind-blowing how fast like it it
>> It's mind-blowing how fast like it it changed.
changed. >> It's going to get to the point where you
>> It's going to get to the point where you don't know someone's name and you're
don't know someone's name and you're like, "Wow." Like
like, "Wow." Like >> that's going to be interesting.
>> that's going to be interesting. >> Who are you? I just met you. At what
>> Who are you? I just met you. At what point did Adam Newman get the expensive
point did Adam Newman get the expensive alcohol in the office like every day?
alcohol in the office like every day? >> I feel like it was very early.
>> I feel like it was very early. >> Sweet. [laughter]
>> Sweet. [laughter] >> That's one of my favorite scenes. Uh,
>> That's one of my favorite scenes. Uh, honestly, personally, I'm I'm really
honestly, personally, I'm I'm really excited for the um
excited for the um >> Okay, first excited, then like
>> Okay, first excited, then like terrified, which haven't thought about
terrified, which haven't thought about terrify one, but excited. Um, our media
terrify one, but excited. Um, our media plan, I think, for next year. Um, been
plan, I think, for next year. Um, been thinking a lot about it and definitely
thinking a lot about it and definitely just like spinning up a lot of new
just like spinning up a lot of new initiatives. I think we're we're
initiatives. I think we're we're obviously there's a podcast now. We have
obviously there's a podcast now. We have we're in this new space. Obviously,
we're in this new space. Obviously, we're going to keep upgrading the
we're going to keep upgrading the spaces, I think, as we go and just like
spaces, I think, as we go and just like leveling up the quality, having guests.
leveling up the quality, having guests. You
You >> just read that guy over there. He's now
>> just read that guy over there. He's now like, "Wow, love that guy." Trying to
like, "Wow, love that guy." Trying to You're going to upgrade [laughter]
You're going to upgrade [laughter] >> to what we think about earlier.
>> to what we think about earlier. >> There's nothing bad. There's nothing
>> There's nothing bad. There's nothing better than that.
better than that. >> He's he's going to help us out. We'll
>> He's he's going to help us out. We'll get some tips for for the new
get some tips for for the new arrangement. Um, but also like spinning
arrangement. Um, but also like spinning up other like types of media. So, like I
up other like types of media. So, like I think we want to do some stuff around
think we want to do some stuff around like live streaming. Don't know what
like live streaming. Don't know what that is, but like you know, TVPN of the
that is, but like you know, TVPN of the East or we'll figure out a format that
East or we'll figure out a format that that kind of makes sense.
that kind of makes sense. >> Um, that could be interesting.
>> Um, that could be interesting. >> That's a good Are they not in
>> That's a good Are they not in >> Oh, they're they're they're in LA.
>> Oh, they're they're they're in LA. >> They're West Coast.
>> They're West Coast. >> Oh, no way.
>> Oh, no way. >> Yeah. Yeah, sure.
>> Yeah. Yeah, sure. >> Yeah.
>> Yeah. >> Or or SF? LA or SF? One of those. Um
>> Or or SF? LA or SF? One of those. Um >> either way, some live streaming stuff,
>> either way, some live streaming stuff, some more hero content like what we did
some more hero content like what we did with Henrik. Just like really scaling
with Henrik. Just like really scaling that to the max. And uh I know one of my
that to the max. And uh I know one of my uh ultimate goals is uh to almost like
uh ultimate goals is uh to almost like be one of the first startups to have our
be one of the first startups to have our own documentary on Netflix. I think
own documentary on Netflix. I think that'd be really cool. I don't know if
that'd be really cool. I don't know if that's a 2026 goal, but it'll happen
that's a 2026 goal, but it'll happen eventually. But I think just overall
eventually. But I think just overall media dominance um is a really exciting
media dominance um is a really exciting challenge. Just the terrifying stuff. I
challenge. Just the terrifying stuff. I definitely I'm I'm gonna have to take
definitely I'm I'm gonna have to take the cheap, you know, way out here. I'm
the cheap, you know, way out here. I'm definitely not looking forward to
definitely not looking forward to recruiting. I just feel like recruiting
recruiting. I just feel like recruiting is uh
is uh >> all of us
>> all of us >> it's just a lot of work, man.
>> it's just a lot of work, man. >> Yeah. Find something that's not that
>> Yeah. Find something that's not that >> the amount of bad candidates you have to
>> the amount of bad candidates you have to go to to find a good one. It's just
go to to find a good one. It's just >> I also hate rejecting people. Like I'm
>> I also hate rejecting people. Like I'm I'm I'm I'm by nature an optimist. I
I'm I'm I'm by nature an optimist. I like to see the best in people. And then
like to see the best in people. And then you you're like, "Ah, you're like 80%
you you're like, "Ah, you're like 80% there. I want to believe in you. You
there. I want to believe in you. You deserve a shot, but I'm not going to be
deserve a shot, but I'm not going to be the one to give it to you."
the one to give it to you." >> Right?
>> Right? >> So, it's kind of like a weird thing to
>> So, it's kind of like a weird thing to do. Um,
do. Um, >> so sometimes you get people that are
>> so sometimes you get people that are like completely lying about their
like completely lying about their experience or something true and then
experience or something true and then you're like screw you.
you're like screw you. >> Yeah.
>> Yeah. >> Like you can tell and you're like you
>> Like you can tell and you're like you wasted my time.
wasted my time. >> I mean, but I do think we are getting
>> I mean, but I do think we are getting better. I think where we were as
better. I think where we were as recruiters, you know, eight months ago
recruiters, you know, eight months ago to where we are right now, like I think
to where we are right now, like I think we listen to the red flags a lot more.
we listen to the red flags a lot more. >> Yeah.
>> Yeah. >> Even even even a whiff of something,
>> Even even even a whiff of something, you're just like immediately like not
you're just like immediately like not worth not worth the risk that it turns
worth not worth the risk that it turns out to be something.
out to be something. >> Yeah. We train our guts to to
>> Yeah. We train our guts to to >> Yeah.
>> Yeah. >> pinpoint. But still, it's a lot of calls
>> pinpoint. But still, it's a lot of calls and I'm not looking forward to almost
and I'm not looking forward to almost like the process of uh having to recruit
like the process of uh having to recruit a
a >> like you said, I'd rather be incursor.
>> like you said, I'd rather be incursor. >> I'd rather be in cursor.
>> I'd rather be in cursor. >> The good news for me is I feel like I
>> The good news for me is I feel like I hired someone great who's now going to
hired someone great who's now going to be able to hire all of those sales
be able to hire all of those sales people.
people. >> Yeah. But you we need more like leaders
>> Yeah. But you we need more like leaders of different teams, right? So you still
of different teams, right? So you still have to recruit those yourself.
have to recruit those yourself. >> Yeah.
>> Yeah. >> But at least it's less. You don't have
>> But at least it's less. You don't have to recruit like kind of the the ices
to recruit like kind of the the ices underneath.
underneath. >> Yeah. I mean I I would not want to hire,
>> Yeah. I mean I I would not want to hire, you know, 45 salespeople in a year for
you know, 45 salespeople in a year for someone else.
someone else. >> Awful.
>> Awful. >> Yeah. Yeah. Um, good luck to whoever
>> Yeah. Yeah. Um, good luck to whoever whoever's going to do that.
whoever's going to do that. >> To hire a hiring manager.
>> To hire a hiring manager. >> I'll tell you what else. I think I think
>> I'll tell you what else. I think I think I think it's all in being people
I think it's all in being people problems, right? But there's obviously
problems, right? But there's obviously recruiting, but then then there's also
recruiting, but then then there's also like managing people and then people
like managing people and then people like performance issues or people crisis
like performance issues or people crisis or just stuff like that that I think,
or just stuff like that that I think, you know, us founders have to step into
you know, us founders have to step into all the time and kind of address and
all the time and kind of address and have the hard conversations. So more
have the hard conversations. So more people means more hard conversations. So
people means more hard conversations. So I think uh that's that's kind of in the
I think uh that's that's kind of in the horizon for us.
horizon for us. >> Say like the the culture as well. I
>> Say like the the culture as well. I mean, when we were free people, we could
mean, when we were free people, we could just be like, "Let's go for dinner." And
just be like, "Let's go for dinner." And do that like the same day, you know?
do that like the same day, you know? Now, we have to like plan it a week in
Now, we have to like plan it a week in advance. We can still go for dinner.
advance. We can still go for dinner. >> Have to get like yes or nos from
>> Have to get like yes or nos from everybody, you know. You know, you want
everybody, you know. You know, you want to take the team out. You want every you
to take the team out. You want every you want everyone to have fun and also like
want everyone to have fun and also like like a lot of the culture that we had
like a lot of the culture that we had was like these, you know, um like very
was like these, you know, um like very quick decisions where like let's go and
quick decisions where like let's go and do this, let's go and do this.
do this, let's go and do this. >> Yeah. I'd love to be able to do that
>> Yeah. I'd love to be able to do that with the team and it's literally
with the team and it's literally logistically impossible to like figure
logistically impossible to like figure it out and you have to wait for everyone
it out and you have to wait for everyone to like RSVP.
to like RSVP. >> Are you are you coming or not? Yes or
>> Are you are you coming or not? Yes or no? Let me know in the next 5 minutes.
no? Let me know in the next 5 minutes. You know, [laughter]
You know, [laughter] >> we we could do that.
>> we we could do that. >> Used to be able to do that. But um we
>> Used to be able to do that. But um we got to figure out like a
got to figure out like a >> I mean there's going to be tears now,
>> I mean there's going to be tears now, right? Of like for example the dinners.
right? Of like for example the dinners. Like
Like >> we're not going to always take the
>> we're not going to always take the entire company out every time.
entire company out every time. >> Yeah.
>> Yeah. >> It's going to be like [ __ ]
>> It's going to be like [ __ ] >> No, I'm saying tears, [laughter] you
>> No, I'm saying tears, [laughter] you know?
know? like there's a war you got going to put
like there's a war you got going to put >> maybe us three go more frequently and
>> maybe us three go more frequently and then we invite the team and more parts
then we invite the team and more parts of it I don't know what but
of it I don't know what but >> like are we going to turn into a company
>> like are we going to turn into a company that just has we're going to turn into a
that just has we're going to turn into a company that just has like one annual
company that just has like one annual Christmas dinner you know it's like we
Christmas dinner you know it's like we have a we have a meal
have a we have a meal >> have you seen and it's mid also like no
>> have you seen and it's mid also like no >> we spend all the money in steakouses
>> we spend all the money in steakouses ourselves
ourselves >> never be mid all right never [snorts]
>> never be mid all right never [snorts] mid
mid >> it can't be mid
>> it can't be mid >> it's going to be Applebee's next year
>> it's going to be Applebee's next year [laughter]
[laughter] >> have you seen uh speaking you know, for
>> have you seen uh speaking you know, for like Christmas parties and all that.
like Christmas parties and all that. Have you guys seen like the I think like
Have you guys seen like the I think like Figure had like a great party like X AI.
Figure had like a great party like X AI. Have you have you seen like the the
Have you have you seen like the the footage on that on X?
footage on that on X? >> No.
>> No. >> It's like I think they had like Dead
>> It's like I think they had like Dead Mouse like they had like robots on stage
Mouse like they had like robots on stage like everywhere. Dead Mouse 5.
like everywhere. Dead Mouse 5. >> Um
>> Um >> I feel like that's that's that's a good
>> I feel like that's that's that's a good standard. I I I like to see that level
standard. I I I like to see that level of production.
of production. >> It's too cold here
>> It's too cold here >> right now, but people still go out. I've
>> right now, but people still go out. I've been out for New Year's in New York.
been out for New Year's in New York. >> I feel like summer's going to be great.
>> I feel like summer's going to be great. I'm looking forward to summer.
I'm looking forward to summer. >> Summer.
>> Summer. >> Yes.
>> Yes. >> See, that's the thing about New York.
>> See, that's the thing about New York. It's like because it has seasons, you
It's like because it has seasons, you actually look forward to the progression
actually look forward to the progression of time. In San Francisco, it's like a
of time. In San Francisco, it's like a constant lull.
constant lull. >> Yeah.
>> Yeah. >> For 12 months. Same exact weather. Yeah.
>> For 12 months. Same exact weather. Yeah. >> It's always fall.
>> It's always fall. >> It's not It's not quite winter, but not
>> It's not It's not quite winter, but not not summer either. So, it's a little bit
not summer either. So, it's a little bit sad.
sad. >> Yeah.
>> Yeah. >> Damn.
>> Damn. >> All right.
>> All right. >> Yeah.
>> Yeah. >> Very depressing
>> Very depressing >> in my opinion.
>> in my opinion. >> Hot take.
>> Hot take. >> Hot take.
>> Hot take. >> Yeah. I'm get cancelled for that.
>> Yeah. I'm get cancelled for that. >> It's a real take. All right. Everyone
>> It's a real take. All right. Everyone else is fake. It's a fall.
else is fake. It's a fall. >> It's a fake take.
>> It's a fake take. >> I feel the same way about sushi.
>> I feel the same way about sushi. Everyone else is lying. It tastes like
Everyone else is lying. It tastes like trash. [laughter]
trash. [laughter] >> It's not good. [snorts]
>> It's not good. [snorts] >> That's fine. I don't care.
>> That's fine. I don't care. >> Should we go out for dinner?
>> Should we go out for dinner? >> Yes.
>> Yes. >> Yes.
>> Yes. >> Sounds [laughter] like a plan.
>> Sounds [laughter] like a plan. >> That was easy. Easy enough.
>> That was easy. Easy enough. >> See, you could just do things.
>> See, you could just do things. >> You could just do things. [ __ ]
>> You could just do things. [ __ ] >> Yeah. All right. GG, boys.
>> Yeah. All right. GG, boys. >> Is that the outro now?
>> Is that the outro now? >> You going to say bye?
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