EP 106: How Sendoso Raised $100M From SoftBank w/ Kris Rudeegraap

From raising $100M from SoftBank to shifting from “growth at all costs” to building a durable business, Kris shares the real story behind scaling Sendoso to over $100M in revenue.In this episode of $100M Exits, Kris walks through what it was actually like pitching Masayoshi Son over Zoom, deploying nine figures into aggressive hiring, then quickly pivoting when the zero-interest-rate era ended. He breaks down the hard decisions around efficiency, acquisitions, AI-driven sales automation, international expansion, and why building a 100-person advisory network became his secret weapon.This isn’t just a fundraising story. It’s a lesson in adapting fast, evolving as a leader, and making bold moves when the market shifts.If you're building toward nine figures in revenue — or trying to survive the jump from hypergrowth to operational discipline — this episode is packed with real-world insight.Raising capital?Get a list of vetted VCs for FREE here: https://web.thunder.vc/list-of-investors-vcs-for-founders?utm_source=Youtube&utm_medium=EP+106&utm_campaign=%24100M+ExitsGet the latest fundraising insights, news, and tips:https://blog.thunder.vc/funding-101?utm_source=Youtube&utm_medium=EP+106&utm_campaign=%24100M+ExitsHere's what you're in for:00:00 Welcome and Kris from Sendoso 00:36 How SoftBank found Sendoso 02:07 The call with Masayoshi Son 04:46 What Kris did after the $100M landed 09:20 Using AI to scale sales without more headcount 12:11 Switching from hypergrowth to efficiency 16:32 Why Sendoso bought competitors 25:58 Making the merger work day one 27:18 The integration plan that kept it on track 28:03 Who they kept and who they didn’t 28:46 The tech migration and what took longer 29:47 M&A advice for founders 31:00 Talking to competitors before you need to 33:15 Why Kris chose a co-CEO setup 38:49 How Sendoso expanded internationally 44:17 How Kris changed as a leader 49:24 The advisor network that became a cheat code 51:42 Wrap up and how to connectABOUT KRIS RUDEEGRAAPKris Rudeegraap is the Co-Founder and CEO of Sendoso, an AI-powered sending platform helping B2B companies create meaningful engagement through personalized gifts, swag, and eGifts. He founded the company after recognizing a gap in how sales and marketing teams build real connections, drawing from over a decade in software sales.Under his leadership, Sendoso has scaled globally with strong venture backing, driven by his belief that authentic, personalized experiences win in a digital-first world.You can reach out to Kris through:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rudeegraap/ Website: https://www.sendoso.com/ Email: [email protected] JASON KIRBYJason Kirby is the co-founder of Thunder, a tech-enabled investment bank helping founders reach their ideal target outcomes through capital strategy and M&A. He is a serial entrepreneur with four exits and decades of experience in fundraising, M&A, and business building. In his career, he has coached hundreds of entrepreneurs on fundraising, investing, capital strategy, M&A, and business development. He’s transacted over $135M, and his firm Thunder has transacted over $200M+You can reach out to Jason through:Email: [email protected]: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonrkirby/ABOUT $100M EXITSMy goal is simple: to equip founders with the knowledge, inspiration, and guidance to navigate the labyrinthine world of capital strategy to take your company where you ultimately want it, by interviewing founders and investors who have already done it. For most, it’s a dream to sell for $100M+, but for others, it’s too cash flow or IPO. Founders doing over $5M in revenue will benefit the most from this podcast. Be sure to subscribe and let me know who you want me to interview next.