Summary

In this conversation, Alex Levin, co-founder and CEO of Regal, discusses his journey from working in technology companies to founding Regal, a company focused on transforming contact centers into high-touch customer engagement platforms. He shares insights on the evolution of contact centers, the importance of understanding customer needs, and the challenges faced by small businesses. Alex also delves into the entrepreneurial journey, including the fundraising process, execution versus ideation, and lessons learned from building Regal. He emphasizes the significance of having the right motivations, understanding customer segments, and the need for effective marketing strategies.

Takeaways

• Every company in the future would be a technology company.
• The winning model wasn't self-serve only, it was self-serve plus that personal touch.
• You shouldn't be relegated to sort of the low touch deflection model.
• You have to really believe that this thing has to exist.
• You need to be very honest with yourself about where you're strong, where you're weak.
• Fundraising is specifically raising money for venture capitalists.
• You want to find the people who already believe in your thesis.
• You have to ask yourself, what is the riskiest thing that I'm trying to prove?
• You should really think about if you're gonna be the B, what kind of sale do you want?
• You should stop taking the wrong customer.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Alex Levin and Regal

03:23 The Evolution of Contact Centers

06:11 Understanding Customer Engagement

09:08 Building Regal: The Journey Begins

11:42 Transitioning from Employee to Entrepreneur

17:54 The Importance of Belief in Your Business

21:48 Networking and Its Double-Edged Sword

24:52 The Early Days of Regal and MVP Development

25:24 The Journey to Validation

28:54 Understanding Fundraising Dynamics

34:24 Navigating the Post-Fundraising Landscape

37:28 Execution: From Ideation to Reality

45:53 Lessons Learned and Future Directions

----
Credits:
Hosted by Michael Smith and Ryan Roghaar
Produced by Ryan Roghaar
Theme music: "Perfect Day" by OPM

The Carton:
https://medium.com/the-carton-by-eggs
Feature with Zack Chmeis of Straight Method up now! https://medium.com/the-carton-by-eggs/zack-chmeis-35dae817ac28

The Eggs Podcast Spotify playlist:
bit.ly/eggstunes

The Plugs:
The Show
eggscast.com
@eggshow on twitter and instagram

On iTunes: itun.es/i6dX3pC
On Stitcher: bit.ly/eggs_on_stitcher
Also available on Google Play Music!

Mike "DJ Ontic" shows and info
djontic.com
@djontic on twitter

Ryan Roghaar
http://rogha.ar