In a recent visit to the Bay Area, our CEO and Co-Founder Daniel Langkilde gained invaluable insights that are pivotal for Kognic's future trajectory. Highlighting the essence of his experiences in a recent post, Daniel delved into four fundamental takeaways:
1. The Immense pool of smart people with experience in scaling software businesses in California: Acknowledging the unparalleled depth of expertise in niche domains among investors, product managers, sales executives, and engineering managers, this trip underscored the irreplaceable density of experience in our industry. Conversations on enterprise software, vertical infrastructure, dataset management, and developer tooling were particularly enlightening.
2. Focus on Customer Value: Revisiting the core principle that the value a company provides to its customers is the true measure of its worth, Daniel emphasized that investor excitement should stem from the tangible value our company delivers. Investors who recognize and align with this intrinsic customer value are the right partners for our journey.
3. Caution with Investor Fit: Highlighting the diversity in business models among different funds, he cautioned against altering our business to fit a specific funding source. Losing sight of our current customer value proposition in pursuit of investor preferences poses significant risks and undermines our core mission.
4. Prioritize Self-Sustainability: Echoing the age-old business principle, Daniel reiterated that revenue and profitability ultimately resolve challenges. While short-term opportunities may warrant seeking investment, a strong emphasis was placed on evaluating the cost and commitments required to ensure sustainable growth and profitability.
This article is a reflection of our CEO and Co-Founder's insights from the trip, as detailed in his recent post. As we channel these learnings into our strategies, Kognic remains dedicated to unwaveringly creating value for our customers.