What we learned from Avi Kasztan about growing a great company and selling into banks
We had some great learnings from Avi Kasztan, Co-Founder of Sixgill, a cyber security company, on May 29th, 2024.
Here are some snippets and the accompanying videos of our conversation, broken into parts:
Part 1 (6 minutes, 15 seconds)
Avi gives an overview of his background. He has had a far-ranging career, starting with working on GPS technologies back in the 1990s, as well as VOIP.
The company won an award from UNESCO: this helped open new doors for development for the company.
He discusses the origin of their focus for their GTM strategy and how their UNESCO award impacted that strategy.
Part 2 (2 minutes, 4 seconds)
What’s the best way to think about growing a startup? Avi discusses how saying “no” is a superpower. “If I knew what to say ‘no’ to, that’s already about 60% of the work.”
“You must plan, because that makes you mentally go through all of the scenarios: and then, 100%, you are going to change that… But, the plan is built for change.”
“You always re-evaluate your assumptions, because even the assumptions change.”
Part 3 (3 minutes, 50 seconds)
Avi answers “What do you wish you had known when you started?”
He discusses the value of delegation.
He discusses some approaches to management: and why one approach is superior to the other.
He also talks about his experience with investors. “The Devil is in the details.”
Part 4 (2 minutes, 45 seconds)
Avi discusses the approach for first-time founders to uncover what they don’t know when it comes to investment to help them be more successful in their efforts.
“One of the secrets is to build a team around you that is better than you in every aspect that is critical.”
Avi discusses how he formed his advisory board for Sixgill.
Part 5 (2 minutes, 20 seconds)
“Trust your gut.”
“I thought time was not in my favour.”
First-to-market advantage was pivotal in his view for his company.
Part 6 (3 minutes, 6 seconds)
Avi addresses how you can grow a company hard and fast but growing a good company at the same time.
“When we created Sixgill… for us, it was very important to get to the market fast…”
You need to know EVERYTHING about your customer.
Friendship is key to doing business effectively.
Part 7 (1 minutes, 11 seconds)
You have two choices when it comes to product development: either you know the product need, or, you build it with your customer.
“You need to be useful and provide value.”
Part 8 (1 minutes, 29 seconds)
“Fall in love with the problem, not the solution.”
Avi relates that he was always thinking about how he can help his customer and this opened up a feedback process as they built out the product.
Part 9 (6 minutes, 41 seconds)
Avi answers “How do you know when you’re in the right room?”
Your customers need you and your solution. You lead the process.
Knowing the scope of who the decision maker is, and how money flows internally is key.
Avi discusses the $10M sale.
Part 10 (5 minutes, 46 seconds)
How can you manage the rollercoaster of entrepreneurship? Avi speaks to his perspective of the psychology of entpreneurship.
“If you don’t want to ride a rollercoaster, don’t go to a rollercoaster.”
You need to find balance after the crazy beginning point.
One piece of advice he would give to others: “Make sure you are humble.”
Part 11 (3 minutes, 20 seconds)
Avi discusses upcoming trends that he sees.
The rate of change is growing, including on the dark web, where Sixgill is focused.
If you don’t understand something, “follow the money.”
Part 12 (2 minutes, 11 seconds)
Avi details how he understood the market needs and to understand if his product idea was a good fit for different markets.
He talks about validating the sales cycle and assumptions.
“Listen to yourself.”