Raj De Datta, CEO & Co-founder of Bloomreach: $450 Million to Build the World’s Leading Commerce Experience Cloud

In today's episode of Category Visionaries, we speak with Raj De Datta, CEO and Co-founder of Bloomreach, an e-Commerce experience platform that's raised $450 Million in funding, about why, in a world where we all live digitally, it’s time to bring the e-Commerce experience up to the standards we’d expect from traditional shopping. By providing personalized advertising to engage digital customers, and then a seamlessly integrated pathway to the products that caught their attention, Bloomreach is making e-commerce a more rewarding experience for everyone involved, and helping the brands behind it reach new levels of growth and engagement. We also speak about what the post-financial crisis startup economy of 2009, why hard times can actually be a benefit in the long run, how years of trials and tribulations with Bloomreach taught Raj the central importance of perseverance, and how his singular vision on a more enjoyable experience of a digital world eventually carried Bloomreach to the top. Topics Discussed: The story of a startup cycle, Bloomreach’s trials and tribulations from a strong start to uncertainty and back again to the top Why money is only one thing you need to  build a successful business, and easy access to capital is no guarantee of success Why what leaders need more than anything is clarity of vision, but how Raj found catharsis in sharing his uncertainty during a difficult time How Raj envisioned a digital shopping experience long before e-Commerce came to dominate the market How Bloomreach’s cultural playbook puts strong teams at the heart of their business model Why Raj wants to share his story to encourage other founders in the space, and why, for him, it’s always ‘day’