Episode 40: Traveling the Land of Startups with Sharekh Shaikh
Synopsis
Episode 40. Sharekh started his career studying computer engineer and living/working in the Middle East. But over time he realized he wasn’t a coder, and he didn’t want to work for someone else in the middle east anymore. So he came to North America and began the journey starting a company of his own.
He’s still in the middle of this journey, but has founded and built a great company called CleverX, an audience discovery platform designed to help research teams conduct online surveys and interviews with professionals in the workspace. He’s filled with advice on the differences between being a founder in Silicon Valley and one elsewhere in the world. He also has lots to say on building an expertise in the corporate world and translating that to becoming a founder, and then of course on building a company.
In this episode with host Greg Martin, he covers plenty on the world of work, the founder world and where he’s found his place in the corporate landscape.
Key Takeaways and Discussion
Who CleverX was made for and what it’s designed to do.
What makes building a startup in Silicon Valley different.
Variances in the ways people perceive entrepreneurship across the world.
What changed to Sharekh when he moved to North America.
What he realized about writing code as he was in the midst of studying it.
Why it’s important to find what you love and what you’re good at.
How networking early on can pay off later in your career, no matter your industry.
Where he learned where research happens at scale, and the gap he identified
The strategies Sharekh had in place when starting his own business.
Why and how founders need to set expectations with investors.
Tips for identifying your right customers and how to connect with them.
What Sharekh wishes he’d known before starting a company in hindsight.
How big the online research industry actually is and who uses it.
Sharekh’s goals for the future and the areas of growth he’s excited for.
Sharekh’s Background
Sharekh grew up in a small town in India and went to a Catholic school.
His further education was in computer science engineering, and then later his MBA
He spent many years as a business development manager in the Middle East, most notably at Gartner (market research)
Founder of CleverX, the market research platform of the future