In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview with Dan Goldsmith, co-founder and chairman of Tendo and co-founder of Proofpoint Capital. 

Dan shares stories from his Philadelphia roots, the early formation of his grit, and the mindset that has guided his career — from running a mobile DJ business in high school to building and scaling multiple technology companies. He offers a thoughtful perspective on perseverance, explaining how deep obsession with a problem can fuel success, while also highlighting the risks of letting conviction turn into blind spots.

Dan delves into Tendo’s mission to modernize healthcare by putting patients at the center, improving access, affordability, and quality recognition for providers. He provides a candid take on the economic realities of healthcare, the evolving influence of AI, and why meaningful industry change may be driven more by employers than regulators. Dan also discusses his newest venture, Proofpoint Capital — an operator-led fund built to help early-stage companies scale through pattern recognition and decades of hands-on operating experience.

Discover how grit, focus, and pattern recognition shaped Dan Goldsmith’s journey in this episode of The First Customer!


Guest Info:
Tendo
http://tendo.com

Proofpoint Capital
https://www.proofpointcapital.com/


Dan Goldsmith's LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielgoldsmith/

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https://www.linkedin.com/in/jayaigner/
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