Welcome to Built Not Born: The Startup Go-To-Market Podcast, the podcast for early-stage founders and startup leaders who know that great companies aren’t lucky… they’re built through smart execution and a bulletproof go-to-market strategy.

On this episode, host Sage Nye sits down with Najaf (Naj) Husain, four-time founder and CEO of Elastio, to unpack how startups can stay relentlessly customer-focused while pushing the boundaries of innovation. With over 25 years of experience in building software companies, Naj shares hard-earned lessons on building defensible IP, validating ideal customer profiles, and navigating investor dynamics. Whether you're scaling in cybersecurity or any tech field, this episode offers strategic insights on scaling with purpose, transparency, and a deep customer connection.

Here’s what you will learn:

• How to maintain unwavering customer focus while scaling a startup 
• The strategic framework for identifying and validating your Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) 
• Why building strong core IP provides the foundation for a sustainable advantage
• How to balance strategic versus tactical moves execution
• How the "disclosure sets you free" principle builds trust with investors and the team 
• Why choosing the right venture partner matters more than the highest valuation term sheet
• How to build and leverage customer advisory boards 
• Why focusing on one market segment deeply yields better results than spreading efforts across multiple verticals

Najaf Husain is a four-time founder and the CEO of Elastio. He brings over 25 years of experience in leading high-growth, venture-backed software companies. He previously founded AppAssure, which became the fastest-growing backup company recognized by Inc. Magazine. At Elastio, he focuses on zero-day ransomware protection and assured data recovery. Naj holds a B.S. in Computer Science from the University of Maryland. Outside of work, he enjoys investing in startups, competitive car racing, and attending polo matches with his family.

Episode Resources:

• Najaf Husain on LinkedIn
• Elastio Website
• Sage Nye on LinkedIn
• Venture Guides Website
  
  

Welcome to Built Not Born: The Startup Go-To-Market Podcast, the podcast for early-stage founders and startup leaders who know that great companies aren’t lucky… they’re built through smart execution and a bulletproof go-to-market strategy.

What does it really take to scale a cybersecurity company from startup to IPO? On this episode of Built Not Born, host Sage Nye interviews Corey Thomas, Chairman and CEO of Rapid7. Corey shares hard-earned leadership lessons from his 16-year journey at Rapid7, from mastering product market fit and building high-performing GTM teams to international expansion and start-up acquisition strategy.  Whether you're a founder, an executive, or a rising go-to-market leader, this episode delivers real-world strategies for scaling with discipline, crafting winning narratives, and making smart, sustainable growth decisions.
Here’s what you will learn:

• How to evaluate startup opportunities beyond the product
• Why cross-functional experience is crucial for early-stage leadership 
• The framework for building high-performing teams 
• How to manage feature requests from enterprise customers 
• Why the highest-priced term sheet isn't always the best choice
• The "Gratitude Principle" for managing team transitions 
• How to balance funding needs to maintain operational discipline without losing focus
• Why great products need greater stories
• The importance of engagement over appeasement when handling customer feedback 
  
  

Corey Thomas is the Chairman and CEO of Rapid7, a cybersecurity company he has scaled from startup to successful IPO, now serving over 11,000 customers globally. With extensive experience across marketing, operations, and executive leadership, he has guided Rapid7 through critical growth phases, market shifts, and cultural evolution. Thomas has served as Chairman of the Boston Fed and holds board positions at LPL Financial, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, and Vanderbilt University.

Episode Resources:

• Corey Thomas on LinkedIn
• Rapid7 Website
• Sage Nye on LinkedIn
• Venture Guides Website
  
  

Welcome to Built Not Born: The Startup Go-To-Market Podcast, the podcast for early-stage founders and startup leaders who know that great companies aren’t lucky… they’re built through smart execution and a bulletproof go-to-market strategy. 
In this episode, host Sage Nye sits down with Stas Bojoukha, founder and CEO of Compyl, to unpack his transition from CISO to compliance tech founder. Stas shares practical insights on identifying product-market fit, scaling a distributed team, and evolving from founder-led sales to a structured GTM engine. With lessons on hiring, fundraising, and selling complex enterprise solutions, this conversation is a must-listen for technical founders navigating the compliance space.

Here’s what you will learn:

• How to identify product-market fit by solving your own operational pain points 
• Why compliance has evolved from an optional to a must-have for modern businesses
• The framework for building trust with enterprise customers 
• How to transition from founder-led sales to a scalable go-to-market machine 
• Why proximity matters: Strategies for building and managing distributed teams
• The "People First" principle for hiring and maintaining high-performing startup teams
• How to choose the right investment partners beyond just evaluating valuations
• Why stealth mode can be valuable for complex technical products 
  
  

Stas Bojoukha is the Founder and CEO of Compyl, an information security and compliance automation platform. With over 20 years of experience in cybersecurity, Stas has held leadership roles including CISO and Head of Information Security. Known for his hands-on expertise and business-positive approach, he has built and led high-performing teams across risk management, compliance, and incident response. A trusted advisor to executives and boards, Stas is recognized for his technical acumen, strategic insight, and commitment to protecting enterprise data.
Episode Resources:

• Stas Bojoukha on LinkedIn
• Compyl Website
• Sage Nye on LinkedIn
• Venture Guides Website
  
  

Welcome to Built Not Born: The Startup Go-To-Market Podcast, the podcast for early-stage founders and startup leaders who know that great companies aren’t lucky… they’re built through smart execution and a bulletproof go-to-market strategy.

In this episode of Built Not Born, host Sage Nye sits down with Steve Corndell, CEO of env0, to reveal what it takes to build and scale a high-performing technical sales team. Steve shares lessons from his journey in enterprise sales leadership, including developing non-traditional sellers, leading through tough quarters, and creating a learning-driven culture. Whether you're a founder or sales leader, you'll gain practical strategies for building resilient, effective go-to-market teams in technical and infrastructure startups.
Here’s what you will learn:

• Transitioning from individual contributor to sales leader with technical expertise
• The "Both-And" principle for sales success
• Why pipeline inspection must be meticulous and systematic
• How to build a sales team culture through transparent performance metrics 
• The "Customer-Centric Learning" approach
• Why technical founders should prioritize team chemistry over sales experience when hiring
• How to maintain sales team momentum through market shifts 
• The "Velocity Framework" for scaling deal sizes
  
  

Steve Corndell is the CEO of env0, a leader in infrastructure as code management. With an extensive background in enterprise sales and go-to-market strategy, he has scaled multiple high-performance sales teams from the ground up, most notably at Turbonomic before its successful acquisition by IBM. Known for his technical sales expertise and ability to build customer-centric teams, Steve has transformed organizations from early-stage startups to enterprise-level operations.
Episode Resources:

• Steve Corndell on LinkedIn
• env0 Website
• Sage Nye on LinkedIn
• Venture Guides Website

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Submit your interest here: https://forms.gle/BjAmyYLsFgNJBf8f8

Whether you’re leading a DSO, building the next big dental SaaS tool, or redefining patient experience, this show is where the smartest minds in dental business come to talk strategy!

Welcome to Built Not Born: The Startup Go-To-Market Podcast, the podcast for early-stage founders and startup leaders who know that great companies aren’t lucky… they’re built through smart execution and a bulletproof go-to-market strategy.

in this episode of Built Not Born, host Sage Nye sits down with  Ben Nye, Managing Partner at Venture Guides, to explore the strategy behind their newly launched Fund II. Ben explains why Venture Guides takes a hands-on, founder-first approach, from investing in fewer companies to embedding go-to-market support at every level. He shares how today’s startups can scale smarter in 2025 by staying customer-obsessed, avoiding common hiring pitfalls, and partnering with investors who offer more than capital.

Here’s what you’ll learn:

• Why Venture Guides is going lean, with only 15 portfolio companies per fund
• How to know if your startup is really working (hint: it’s about time horizons)
• The customer-first mindset that every founder needs in 2025
• What to avoid when hiring your first go-to-market leader
• Why the best funding offer isn’t always the highest valuation
• How co-locating startups can speed up execution

Ben Nye is the Managing Partner at Venture Guides, a focused execution-first venture capital firm specializing in early-stage infrastructure software investments. As a six-time Midas list investor and former operator and CEO, Ben brings over 25 years of experience in building and scaling successful software companies, including notable exits like Rapid7, SolarWinds, Dynatrace, and Turbonomic. His unique approach combines deep technical expertise with hands-on operational guidance, maintaining an impressive 81% success rate across portfolio companies.
Episode Resources:

• Ben Nye on LinkedIn
• Sage Nye on LinkedIn
• Venture Guides Website

Want to be a guest on The Dental Economist Show?

If you’re a growth-focused leader in the dental business world or someone shaping its future through technology, consulting, or innovation—we want to hear from you.

Submit your interest here: https://forms.gle/BjAmyYLsFgNJBf8f8

Whether you’re leading a DSO, building the next big dental SaaS tool, or redefining patient experience, this show is where the smartest minds in dental business come to talk strategy!

Welcome to Built Not Born: The Startup Go-To-Market Podcast—the podcast for early-stage founders and startup leaders who know that great companies aren’t lucky… they’re built through smart execution and a bulletproof go-to-market strategy.


Scaling a company from $50M to $4B takes more than vision—it demands execution. On Built Not Born, host Sage Nye speaks with Paul Cormier, Chairman and former CEO of Red Hat, about the bold leadership decisions that propelled Red Hat’s meteoric rise. Paul breaks down his five pillars of strategic leadership, the art of making tough calls, and how to align teams in fast-growing companies. Tune in for practical insights on scaling leadership, maintaining culture, and building high-performance organizations.

Here’s what you will learn:

• How to develop and execute a true business strategy versus aspirational goals
• The five pillars of strategic leadership that drive organizational alignment and growth
• Why culture must be lived and reinforced daily rather than documented in handbooks
• How to balance technical expertise with people management when scaling leadership
• The framework for building and maintaining alignment across remote and hybrid teams
• Why investor relationships should extend beyond capital to include strategic guidance
• How to screen and hire go-to-market leaders who can execute on company strategy
• The process for identifying and addressing leadership team dysfunction early
  
  

Paul Cormier is the Chairman and former CEO of Red Hat, where he played a pivotal role in transforming the company from a small Linux distributor to a multibillion-dollar software enterprise leader over 24 years. With over 40 years of experience in technology, Paul spearheaded groundbreaking initiatives, including the launch of Red Hat Enterprise Linux, and led the company through its historic $34 billion acquisition by IBM. Under his leadership, Red Hat grew from 140 employees to 22,000 and scaled revenue from $50 million to $4 billion.


Episode Resources:

• Paul Cormier on LinkedIn
• Red Hat Website
• Sage Nye on LinkedIn
• Venture Guides Website

Want to be a guest on The Dental Economist Show?

If you’re a growth-focused leader in the dental business world or someone shaping its future through technology, consulting, or innovation—we want to hear from you.

Submit your interest here: https://forms.gle/BjAmyYLsFgNJBf8f8

Whether you’re leading a DSO, building the next big dental SaaS tool, or redefining patient experience, this show is where the smartest minds in dental business come to talk strategy!

Welcome to Built Not Born: The Startup Go-To-Market Podcast—the podcast for early-stage founders and startup leaders who know that great companies aren’t lucky… they’re built through smart execution and a bulletproof go-to-market strategy.
Hosted by Sage Nye, Managing Partner at Venture Guides, each episode dives into candid conversations with technical founders, investors, and GTM experts. You’ll get real talk, proven playbooks, and no-fluff advice on how to land your first customers, build a repeatable sales motion, and scale your startup the right way.
Forget the hype. This is the go-to resource for founders serious about getting to market, growing revenue, and building companies that last.

Ready to scale? Let’s get to work.
Want to be a guest on The Dental Economist Show?

If you’re a growth-focused leader in the dental business world or someone shaping its future through technology, consulting, or innovation—we want to hear from you.

Submit your interest here: https://forms.gle/BjAmyYLsFgNJBf8f8

Whether you’re leading a DSO, building the next big dental SaaS tool, or redefining patient experience, this show is where the smartest minds in dental business come to talk strategy!