Josh Geballe

I go back and say, I wish I'd done that differently. It's been very fortunate that it's served me well so far.

I go back and say, I wish I'd done that differently. It's been very fortunate that it's served me well so far.

Yeah, my 11 years at IBM was amazing. Like I learned an enormous amount, incredibly rewarding period of time. I really loved it. As I got deeper into my time there, you know, I'd come to the conclusion that I didn't want to spend my entire career there. I think that was clearly a path in that direction. And a lot of the people I worked with had

Yeah, my 11 years at IBM was amazing. Like I learned an enormous amount, incredibly rewarding period of time. I really loved it. As I got deeper into my time there, you know, I'd come to the conclusion that I didn't want to spend my entire career there. I think that was clearly a path in that direction. And a lot of the people I worked with had

worked there their entire career and it was a great company, still is. But I had this kind of growing instinct that I wanted to be part of something that was smaller, that was more entrepreneurial, that was more disruptive. During the second to last job I had at IBM, it was an international assignment, Europe.

worked there their entire career and it was a great company, still is. But I had this kind of growing instinct that I wanted to be part of something that was smaller, that was more entrepreneurial, that was more disruptive. During the second to last job I had at IBM, it was an international assignment, Europe.

When I came back, started looking around, just trying to identify a company or co-founders that were doing something that I thought was particularly interesting. And it was casual at first. And I was just very fortunate to reconnect with actually an old high school friend who had co-founded this software startup and was at a point where they were getting some traction.

When I came back, started looking around, just trying to identify a company or co-founders that were doing something that I thought was particularly interesting. And it was casual at first. And I was just very fortunate to reconnect with actually an old high school friend who had co-founded this software startup and was at a point where they were getting some traction.

We were looking for a business leader to come and help them grow and complement their technical skills. And just the stars aligned and it all fell into place. But It was really more than anything, this instinct that a lot of the real impactful change that happens in business and society often is driven by smaller, disruptive, kind of entrepreneurial startups. And that I wanted to experience that.

We were looking for a business leader to come and help them grow and complement their technical skills. And just the stars aligned and it all fell into place. But It was really more than anything, this instinct that a lot of the real impactful change that happens in business and society often is driven by smaller, disruptive, kind of entrepreneurial startups. And that I wanted to experience that.

I wanted to contribute to that, be part of that.

I wanted to contribute to that, be part of that.

Sure. I think that transition was, as you probably expect, rather dramatic. rather dramatic going from one of the biggest companies in the world to a tiny little startup. And there's an enormous number of benefits and things that I love about startups. I relished about that opportunity. Of course, it carries a lot of challenges as well.

Sure. I think that transition was, as you probably expect, rather dramatic. rather dramatic going from one of the biggest companies in the world to a tiny little startup. And there's an enormous number of benefits and things that I love about startups. I relished about that opportunity. Of course, it carries a lot of challenges as well.

You're much more at risk in terms of having a smaller number of customers, more reliance on making sure the payables are coming through, the orders are getting done so that you can meet payroll and keep the lights on. While you're innovating and adding value, adding new features and products to grow the business, attracting talent, but it's much more kind of chaotic.

You're much more at risk in terms of having a smaller number of customers, more reliance on making sure the payables are coming through, the orders are getting done so that you can meet payroll and keep the lights on. While you're innovating and adding value, adding new features and products to grow the business, attracting talent, but it's much more kind of chaotic.

Every day presents new challenges, but it was great. That's what I wanted. And I wanted that kind of very dynamic challenge. I got it. And so I think moving from a big stable company to that type of startup environment is not for everyone and certainly an important set of considerations for people considering a change like that. But it was just what I wanted. It was what I embraced.

Every day presents new challenges, but it was great. That's what I wanted. And I wanted that kind of very dynamic challenge. I got it. And so I think moving from a big stable company to that type of startup environment is not for everyone and certainly an important set of considerations for people considering a change like that. But it was just what I wanted. It was what I embraced.

But it's nonetheless certainly In the moment, if we were battling for a new customer or we were trying to make an existing customer successful that was struggling with adoption, or whether it was trying to get a round of venture capital financing closed when we were running low on cash, there were so many of those moments of extreme challenge and stress that at the time were very all-consuming.

But it's nonetheless certainly In the moment, if we were battling for a new customer or we were trying to make an existing customer successful that was struggling with adoption, or whether it was trying to get a round of venture capital financing closed when we were running low on cash, there were so many of those moments of extreme challenge and stress that at the time were very all-consuming.