Episode 72 - Vivek Ramachandran - Founder of SquareX

From Cybersecurity Nerd to CEO: Vivek's Journey with SquareXIn this episode, we sit down with Vivek, the founder and CEO of SquareX, to discuss his inspirational journey from a deep tech cybersecurity expert to a successful entrepreneur. Vivek shares how his previous ventures, including research at Cisco and founding Pentester Academy, culminated in the creation of SquareX, a company dedicated to helping organizations detect, mitigate, and hunt web threats in real-time. He emphasizes the importance of tenacity and customer feedback in validating ideas and discusses the critical phases of building a startup, from hiring talent to managing cross-time zone teams. Vivek also delves into the balance of technical skills and salesmanship necessary for leading a tech startup, the challenges with funding, and his unique approach to team morale and company culture. This insightful conversation offers a blend of technical depth and practical business wisdom, making it a must-listen for aspiring entrepreneurs and cybersecurity professionals alike.00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome00:54 Overview of SquareX01:15 Vivek's Background and Previous Ventures02:04 Inspiration Behind SquareX03:07 From Idea to Product04:33 Navigating Competition and Market06:13 Building the Team and Company Culture09:25 Challenges of Global Operations12:42 Transitioning from Technical to Sales15:52 Hiring Early Stage Salespeople16:13 Onboarding Process17:32 Sales and Security Dynamics17:56 Task Management Strategies18:22 Focus on Product and Market Fit19:29 Adopting Task-Based Approaches20:28 Understanding OKRs21:51 Budget Allocation for GTM23:49 Work-Life Balance Realities25:38 Handling Disappointments27:26 Challenges with Investors and Hires29:32 Concluding Thoughts

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