In this episode of “My First Sixteen,” a16z Partner Seema Amble chats with Tomer London, co-founder of Gusto, about establishing product-market fit and product discovery. London shares how Gusto, now valued at ~$10 billion with 300,000+ customers, identified early customers who could provide valuable feedback that helped the team optimize the self-service product experience. The conversation explores Gusto’s approach to product development, as well as managing and incorporating customer feedback while maintaining a clear product vision.
Chapter Breakdown
1:18-3:14 Gusto’s founding story
3:14- 4:56 Solidifying a GTM sales strategy
4:56-10:03 Identifying early customers and perfecting the sales pitch
10:03-12:45 Working with customers to optimize the product UX
12:45-14:31 Engendering trust and finding success with accountants
14:31-16:41 The role accountants planned in Gusto’s success
16:41-19:34 Creating a feedback funnel and balancing product vision
19:34-22:38 Self-service strategy and measuring success
22:38- 23:45 Refining the UX at scale
23:45-25:45 Identifying real-world use cases to inform product strategy
25:45-29:52 GTM learnings and advice
29:52-30:05 Outro
In a series of interviews, a16z Partner Seema Amble talks with B2B founders and CEOs, about their first 16 big clients that helped them go to market. This series aims to be a resource for other early stage or potential founders, as well as a tool for the companies featured.