BUILDING THE PERFECT PRODUCT FOR A REMOTE-WORKING ERA... WITHOUT REALIZING IT
Sam Udotong, 26, and Krish Ramineni, 26
Cofounders, Fireflies.ai
After working 20-hour days for years, living on the cheap while bootstrapping a company in San Francisco, Sam Udotong discovered something about his body. “I had trained myself to stop really enjoying food,” he says. That meant he could subsist entirely on Domino’s pizza and the meal replacement drink Soylent, and maintain focus. “It let me work more hours every day.”
That was 2016. By now, years later, he expected life to be different—or, at least, to come with better food. He and his cofounder, Krish Ramineni, have raised nearly $5 million in venture funding for that once bootstrapped company, Fireflies.ai, which is rapidly expanding across the globe. But Udotong is still drinking Soylent regularly, because COVID-19 put the founders back into 20-hour-a-day crunch mode. Fireflies.ai takes and organizes notes for people during meetings, which is highly appealing to remote workers. “When the lockdowns began, I remember thinking, Holy crap, our market just jumped ahead a few years,” Udotong says.
He and Ramineni, it turns out, were the right amount of early. But this is how the two of them have always operated—taking bets on the future and doing things a little differently.
Bu hikaye Entrepreneur dergisinin September 2020 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Giriş Yap
Bu hikaye Entrepreneur dergisinin September 2020 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap
How to Succeed With Gen Z Workers
People often say that younger employees are different. But are they? We asked six business leaders what they've learned, and how their teams thrive.
There's No Perfect Answer
I worked the same job for 19 years. I hated it, but it paid the bills. Then, in 2017, I entertained an exciting but terrifying question: Could I be an entrepreneur? I wasn't sure, so I needed something that felt like a guarantee. I searched for signs that would feel like a big, clear \"yes!\" Instead, what I found was a tarot card deck.
10 HOTTEST TRENDS for 2025
Want to buy a brand that buzzes? Here's what to know.
BUILD YOUR MONEY MACHINE
A franchise isn't just a franchise. It should be a Money Machine, creating profit even while you're out of the office. Here's how.
The Top Franchises for Veterans
Are you a military vet looking to become a franchisee, or just want to support a brand that supports the troops? Check out these 150 brands.
20 LEADERS WHO ARE DEFINING ENTREPRENEURSHIP TODAY
In a year of disruption, we wanted to know: Whose work will define the years to come? We reviewed hundreds of names and picked 20 leaders across a range of industries and sizes. Meet them on the following pages, and see what it takes to thrive in 2025 and beyond.
How to Become a Main Street Millionaire
It started when I bought one little laundromat. Now I have a whole portfolio of small local businesses that bring in tens of millions in revenue a year. Here's why following my playbook could be your ticket to financial freedom-and saving America's local small businesses.
Want to Better Serve Your Clients? Become Them.
As a designer for brands, starting my own product company gave me a dose of humilityand it changed the way I relate to clients.
I've Been a Publicist for 17 Years.Don't Hire Me.
Entrepreneurs often think they need PR. Most don't. Here's why you're probably better off not hiring someone like me.
The CEO's Advice to the MVP
Kickstarter CEO Everette Taylor knows the formula for a successful launch. NBA champ Jaylen Brown recently launched a shoe and athleisure brand. They have a lot to teach each other.