The Evolution from CTO to a CEO | Kirk Marple, Founder of Graphlit (ex. Microsoft, General Motors, STATS, Kespry)

As Founder and a first-time CEO, Kirk Marple identified the need for Graphlit during his tenure at General Motors, STATS, and Kespry, where he focused on building in-house unstructured data platforms. With over 25 years of experience in developing and architecting applications, Kirk has a strong background in creating scalable SaaS platforms. He previously founded, bootstrapped, and successfully exited a video transcoding startup, RadiantGrid. His products have been sold to notable organizations, including ESPN, Fox, NBCUniversal, PBS, and the Library of Congress. ~ Episode #1 explores: Kirk's journey from a career software developer to a CEO, detailing the challenges and learning experiences he faced along the way his insights on the importance of founder-led sales and marketing the transition from a technical role to a CEO the significance of customer-focused technology and more ~ The discussion also touches on the evolution of Kirk's company, Graphlit, and its approach to integrating AI with data. Key sections of the episode include Kirk's background, the challenges of being a first-time CEO, the importance of customer feedback, and future plans for Graphlit. Overall, the episode provides valuable lessons for new and aspiring CEOs and highlights the dynamic nature of the tech industry. ~ Find Kirk here: Visiting Card LinkedIn X Graphlit's Website ~ Find me here: Newsletter YouTube LinkedIn Instagram I'm the CEO of Olympia ~ Fill in this form if you want to be my podcast guest.