One app to replace them all
In the latest episode of the Tekpon SaaS Podcast, host Cristian Dina sits down with Chris Cunningham, one of the original founders of ClickUp, to discuss the journey of building a project management software from $0 to $150M ARR.
When it comes to hiring advice, Chris suggests creating tests that reveal how candidates think and pay attention to details. Asking about past challenges and struggles can also provide insight into a candidate’s problem-solving abilities. Additionally, Chris emphasizes the importance of hiring individuals who align with the company’s mission and have a strong work ethic.
Being scrappy and embracing mistakes is vital for the success of ClickUp. Chris shares that the company’s future vision involves making people more productive and enjoyable. This includes improvements in searching, connectivity, and team management.
As a thought leader in tech marketing, Chris shares his insights on influencer marketing, stressing the importance of genuineness and authenticity. He believes that influencers play a significant role in both B2C and B2B markets as people rely on the internet to learn about products and try them out for themselves.
Chris takes us through his career journey, starting from sales and management roles at Cvent to working with Zeb in an agency before joining ClickUp. He explains how he shifted his focus from sales to marketing and social media, which has now become his passion.
Chris traces the founding of ClickUp back to Zeb’s near-death experience, which inspired him to do something bigger than growing social media. Zeb recruited Alex Yokowski and Wes to create an app called Memory, but it failed when Snapchat released Snapchat Memories. This failure led to the creation of ClickUp as a pivot to solve the frustration of using multiple project management tools.
Chris concludes by sharing ClickUp’s growth story, from starting with a small team in Palo Alto to now employing over 900 individuals in San Diego. He highlights the company’s culture of problem-solving and positive energy and mentions the recent funding round of Series C, raising $400 million with a $4 billion valuation.
Overall, this episode of the Tekpon SaaS Podcast provides valuable insights into the journey of building ClickUp, the challenges faced, and the strategies employed to create a successful project management software that aims to replace multiple tools. Listeners walk away with practical advice on hiring, marketing, and building transformative products.
