In this inaugural episode of the How I Started Career Stories podcast, host Andrew Kappel interviews Dan Currin, co-founder of OrgChartHub and GeoMapper. Dan shares his entrepreneurial journey, starting from his early aspirations in university, through his experiences at Enterprise Rent-A-Car, and into the startup world. He discusses the importance of cultural exposure, the challenges of transitioning from a corporate job to a startup, and the lessons learned from his various ventures. The conversation highlights the significance of patience and understanding customer needs in building successful businesses, as well as the exciting future ahead for OrgChartHub and GeoMapper.

Takeaways

• Dan always had a desire to start his own business.
• His university experience sparked an interest in entrepreneurship.
• Cultural exposure in the US influenced his career path.
• Participation in the Leadership & Business Development program at Enterprise Rent-A-Car provided valuable learning experiences.
• Transitioning to startups required patience and adaptability.
• Joining a crew as the first sales hire was a pivotal moment.
• The idea for OrgChartHub emerged from a real business need.
• B2B sales proved to be more aligned with his skills than B2C.
• Key relationships formed in previous roles were crucial for success.

- **01:27** Early Aspirations and University Experience

- **04:17** Cultural Exposure and Entrepreneurial Seeds

- **06:38** Enterprise Rent-A-Car: A Learning Experience

- **10:04** Transitioning to Startups and New Ventures

- **13:34** From Idea to Business: The Birth of OrgChartHub

- **15:57** Lessons Learned from Past Ventures

- **17:58** Expanding the Business: GeoMapper and Future Plans

Connect with Dan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danieljcurrin/

Sign up for OrgChartHub here: https://orgcharthub.com/

Questions or Guest Ideas? Contact the Host Andrew Kappel on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewkappel/