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Rob: You’re having too much fun? Evan: I am having too much fun! I am learning way too much, I am meeting incredible people, and I get to do great podcasts like this, so I can’t complain. Rob: Checkbox is young. It was founded only a couple of years ago in 2016. What are some of the challenges that you have had to overcome? Evan: The thing about startups is that, often in the media and on the front face of it, you see the tip of the roller coaster – the extreme tip – but you do not see any of the dips. And there are a whole bunch of dips that happen behind the scenes. We have shared a tremendous amount of dips in our business. One of the biggest challenges, especially at the beginning, was building credibility. I am quite young to be playing in enterprise, so I frequently need to establish credibility and respect before senior management even considers to what I have to offer. That has been a very big challenge. Rob: Checkbox has been widely recognised in Australia and globally with several awards. Most recently you have been awarded the Forbes 30 under 30. What do you most attribute to your company’s success thus far? Evan: It is a combination of many things. There is no silver bullet. One of the factors is sheer hard work – and not just at the founder level. I believe it is being able to motivate your team in a way that is intrinsic. It is not about paying them the most, it is about ensuring the team believes in the mission of the company so that everyone acts and works like a founder in our business. So it is sheer hard work – and there also needs to be a lot around understanding the customer. I think that it is important for any business, no matter whether you are profit, not-for-profit or whatever sector you are in, at the end of the day your customers are your lifeblood. They are the ones who give you the real feedback for your product or service. And they are the ones that keep the business running through revenue. So it is super important – no matter what we do, whether it is client-facing work or internal operations – that we always keep the customer in mind.

Rob: Is there a single piece of key advice that you would like to give to any aspiring entrepreneurs? Evan: Yes definitely, I have plenty. But if I were to pick one, it would be that the biggest common pitfall is people being too protective of their ideas – and not being open enough about it. If you have an idea, chances are it is a bad idea. All right?! And when I started Checkbox, it was a terrible idea. It took a lot of iterations, a lot of pivots if we use a startup jargon, to get to where Checkbox is today. So when people ask me, how did you come up with the idea? I say – I didn’t! This was not the idea I came up with, I came up with some other idea that was not as good. Rob: It evolved. Evan: It has evolved. If you think that you start off with the right idea in the beginning, it is probably not right. And if you keep it to yourself you end up building a business, or you end building something, that is not a business. It will stay forever as an idea. You really need to speak to customers, speak with colleagues, friends et cetera, and really bounce and refine that idea. Do not keep it in a black box. Rob: You need to have an open mind. Evan: Have an open mind and share the idea. Because at the end of the day, everyone is too busy with their own stuff to copy you, so to speak. And really it is down to execution. Any idea is copy-able, even under the law you cannot protect an idea. It is the execution. It is all in the execution.

PIONEER LIVE – THE DISRUPTER DISCUSSION SERIES

Showcas i ng the techno l ogy l eaders of tomor row

Wrays is bringing its innovation podcast series, Pioneer, to a live audience.

Hear from a range of Australian innovators as they share with Wrays’ CEO, Rob Pierce, the insights gained from their journey so far. Together we will explore the path of trailblazing disruptors from ideation to commercialisation. We will delve into what makes these innovations so unique and how this technology is impacting industries of the future. Featuring four key technology areas – AI, robotics, 3D-printing and AR/VR - Wrays is giving you the opportunity to hear from founding innovators, pioneers who are revolutionising industry, and leading disruptors across emerging technology trends.

To listen to the full conversation, please visit www. wrays.com.au/insights/pioneer-podcast-series/

Each chat will be followed by a Q&A and networking drinks.

Stay tuned for dates – this exciting discussion series is coming to a city near you!

#wraysfor innovators #pioneer l i ve

wrays.com.au

16|The Gatherer