RFPIO partners with AIC Raise to help tier-2 start-ups to scale and grow

The response management platform, RFPIO supported an event organized by AIC RAISE Startup Incubation center (established under the prestigious Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) of NITI Aayog, Govt. of India) in Coimbatore. “The Talk with Experts” session’ focus was to provide information on how to turn ideas into viable SaaS-business and manage growth and value creation through the right go-to-market strategies for prospective entrepreneurs in the city.

AIC Raise aims to provide innovative start-ups with suitable infrastructure, knowledge support, market information, training, critical networking, and more. “The Talk with Experts” session with RFPIO was organized as part of its expert mentoring and business planning support initiative. Ganesh Shankar, Chief Executive Officer and co-founder of RFPIO, along with Michael Londgren, Chief Marketing Officer, and Jeff Santelices, Chief Revenue Officer, addressed the gathering.

While speaking about challenges when starting RFPIO, Ganesh Shankar, CEO and Co-Founder of RFPIO, highlighted the importance of bringing in the right talent - “It is always easier to get the first customer compared to getting the first employee. Convincing young talent to join a new company in the initial phase was a challenge.”

Ganesh Shankar also spoke about the importance of transparency and ethics - as a trust builder with employees. He further mentioned, “The key is to share the vision with employees without overwhelming them with information. Only if we communicate with people - they also will express themselves and absorb the culture and goals of an organization.”

Michael Londgren, Chief Marketing Officer of RFPIO, said, “To build the right marketing strategy, you must first understand and analyze who the target customer is and the problem your product is solving. Based on it, you can cull out the right strategy. It is important to remember that customers don’t buy products; they buy solutions to suit their needs” when sharing information about the need for building strategic marketing plans.

As advice to the young entrepreneurs pushing to sell their products, Jeff Santelices, Chief Revenue Officer of RFPIO, said, "There will always be drop-offs. The art of converting a lead is in the way you speak and sense how the conversation is shaping. If you feel a lead sounds uninterested, it must be because they are; in that case, ask questions that will help them think.”

The event witnessed 60-plus aspiring start-up founders who posed their questions to seek directions in their early days of building a unicorn product.