Dave Carruthers - Co Founder of Voxpopme

In this episode of the Growth Elevated Leadership Podcast, we speak with Dave Carruthers the Co Founder and former CEO of Voxpopme, a leading digital insights platform for large consumer product companies.  Dave describes the lessons from his journey of expanding into the US market and growing the Company into an industry leader. For more resources on how to be a a better leader in business, please visit us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠GrowthElevated.com⁠⁠⁠⁠, and follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠. Timestamps (by podsqueeze): The founding of Voxpopme (00:00:02) The journey of building a tech company, the founding story, and the initial stages of Voxpopme's creation. The idea behind Voxpopme (00:01:03) The concept behind Voxpopme, the rise of video surveys, and the need for consumer brands to understand their customers better. Challenges in introducing video surveys (00:04:01) Challenges faced in convincing corporate customers to adopt video surveys, including changing long-standing behaviors and relationships in the industry. Moving Voxpopme to the US (00:10:00) The challenges and impact of moving Voxpopme from the UK to the US, including the decision to raise capital in the US and the strategic move of a co-founder to establish the base. Critical hires for US expansion (00:17:00) The key hires made for go-to-market expansion in the US, including experienced salespeople, a customer success leader, and a VP of marketing. Building a Reputation at Events (00:18:14) Discussing the impact of attending events and conferences in building a brand and attracting industry talent. Challenges of Moving to the US (00:19:08) Exploring the difficulties and impacts of moving the company from the UK to the US, including hiring, compensation, and cultural differences. Lessons from Geographical Expansion (00:21:49) Reflecting on the challenges and lessons learned from expanding into different regions, such as APAC and EMEA. Scaling the Business and Hiring Challenges (00:25:02) Discussing the challenges faced in scaling the business and hiring senior roles, emphasizing the importance of storytelling and leadership. Partnerships and Focus (00:28:01) Exploring the challenges and lessons learned from pursuing partnerships and the importance of focusing on core products for scaling. Resilience and Leadership Transition (00:31:09) Discussing the resilience required in startup leadership and the self-awareness needed to transition leadership based on strengths and skills. New Venture: Zeeda (00:34:15) Introducing a new marketplace business, Zeeda, focused on group buying in the outdoor industry and plans for expansion. Connect with Dave Carruthers (00:36:23) Providing contact information for connecting with Dave Carruthers on LinkedIn and Twitter and accessing information about Zeeda.