S8E9 - Journey from India to the US ft. Thejo Kote

SaaS Sessions

In this episode, Thejo Cote, founder and CEO of Airbase, shares his entrepreneurial journey, which spans over 15 years.
From his early days in India to moving to the US in 2009, Thejo discusses how he founded Airbase, a procure-to-pay solution that simplifies corporate purchasing.
He highlights the challenges and successes of growing a business in a new country, the importance of building networks, and how to adapt a product for different markets.
Thejo also provides insights into finding product-market fit, the nuances of selling in the US versus India, and early-stage customer acquisition and validation strategies.
00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome
00:44 Thejo's Background and Early Career
02:42 Journey to the US and Founding Airbase
04:04 Target Market and Initial Challenges
07:35 Building a Network and Getting Early Customers
18:16 Product Customization and Market Adaptation
23:00 Metrics, Milestones, and Scaling
29:18 Lightning Round: Personal Insights
36:39 Conclusion and Final Thoughts
Connect with Thejo on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/thejo/

Visit our website - https://saassessions.com/
Connect with me on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/sunilneurgaonkar/

Chapter

1. Introduction and Guest Welcome (00:00:00)

2. Thejo's Background and Early Career (00:00:44)

3. Journey to the US and Founding Airbase (00:02:42)

4. Target Market and Initial Challenges (00:04:04)

5. Building a Network and Getting Early Customers (00:07:35)

6. Product Customization and Market Adaptation (00:18:16)

7. Metrics, Milestones, and Scaling (00:23:00)

8. Lightning Round: Personal Insights (00:29:18)