Many great tech companies have emerged from a founder trying to solve a pain point in their own lives, and AppDirect is no different. As the only end-to-end platform that helps deliver digital services on any device and accelerate time to market, the company has raised $350 million and is not slowing down anytime soon. Dan Saks is the President and Co-CEO of AppDirect, and he is here to share various insights on working in the business. In this episode, Dan sheds light on how the closure of his family’s 100-year-old furniture business opened his eyes to the need to connect businesses with the right technology. When he was graduating from college, SaaS and cloud services were in their infancy, and Dan recognized their power to help businesses thrive and bridge unequal access to technology. We get an overview of how AppDirect connects distributors of services so businesses can consume the applications they need. We then zoom out from the product-level view to a look at AppDirect’s long-term vision. It is unusual for a company to have this type foresight, so Dan explains why looking at the overarching problem of how to deliver cloud services to business frames their goals and allows for a highly iterative development process. This long-term thinking is also inextricably tied to their values, and we learn about how the company established theirs and how the strong culture stems from them. Along with this, Dan also presents illuminating insights on thinking about partnerships, AppDirect's interview process, and its ideas around peak performance and a holistic approach to wellness. Tune in today!

 

TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES:

 

• [00:41] Before we jump into today’s interview, please rate, review, and subscribe to the Leveling Up Podcast!
• [00:47] Get to know Dan, his story, and what led him to found AppDirect.
• [01:58] How AppDirect works and creates technological connections. 
• [03:08] Hear about AppDirect’s business model and the way they generate income.
• [03:32] Some of AppDirect’s numbers, including workforce size, active users, and partnerships.
• [04:08] AppDirect’s founding story and how they look to solve problems from the bottom up.
• [05:46] Challenges that AppDirect faced in getting its product to market and lessons learned.
• [07:50] How AppDirect managed to create a long-term vision so early on in its inception. 
• [09:12] Dan’s words of encouragement for anyone starting a business.
• [09:40] AppDirect’s recruiting methodology and how it is optimized for long-term growth. 
• [10:40] Interview techniques to understand candidates’ passion and gauge how they align with AppDirect’s values.
• [12:19] How AppDirect’s values are woven into activities from interviews to annual reviews.
• [13:39] The process of establishing a methodical approach to values. 
• [16:00] Culture-related resources that have been valuable to Dan.
• [17:03] What the role of a co-CEO entails and dividing responsibilities. 
• [18:38] Dan’s tips on partnerships and the importance of understanding their different forms. 
• [20:18] Hear about biohacking and the ways that Dan incorporates it into his life and AppDirect.
• [22:23] How AppDirect encourages its employees to take care of themselves.
• [23:43] The importance of letting people define their own work lives.
• [24:29] Dan’s personal OKRs and how he uses them to make time for his passions.
• [26:33] Dan’s must read book, favorite business tool, and inspirational resources.

 

Resources From The Interview:

 

• Dan Saks on LinkedIn

Dan Saks on Twitter Dan Saks Email

• AppDirect

Foundry Group

• Peter Thiel
• StarVest
• Office 365
• Dropbox

AT&T Deutsche Telekom

• René Obermann
• Angela Merkel
• Isadore Sharp
• Four Seasons
• Sam Walton

Walmart

• Bill Gates
• Ray Dalio on LinkedIn

Rubicon Project  Frank Addante on LinkedIn

• Harvard Business School

Leading at the Speed of Growth

• Oura Ring
• Ben Greenfield

Dave Asprey McGill University

• OKR

Nicolas Desmarais on LinkedIn

• Must read book: How to Win Friends & Influence People

 

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