Doing Well By Doing Good with Sonny Tai, CEO and Co-founder of Actuate

Is it possible to turn both a profit and leave the world a little bit better? Sonny Tai, CEO and Co-founder of Actuate, is proof that it is.

Sonny joins the Business of Product show to share how people are key to success, from his time in the Marines to now growing Actuate. Proving when you focus on social impact, you accomplish more than you can imagine. 

Join the conversation as Sonny shares his vision for security as a force for good, transforming a labor-intensive industry into a technology-driven space, and demonstrating what it means to “do well by doing good.”

Takeaways:

  • Lean on your team; don’t try to do it all on your own.
  • Learn to do more with less.
  • Meaningful missions attract the right people.
  • Always be pivoting. 

Things to Listen For:

  • [01:00] The  inspiration behind Actuate
  • [03:50] How the Marine Corps influenced Sonny’s management style
  • [06:20] A culture built on doing more with less
  • [08:40] Why capital is more easily accessible now than in previous years
  • [09:45] Don’t just chase the highest valuation 
  • [10:45] Meaningful missions attract the right people
  • [13:00] Doing well by doing good
  • [14:00] The impact conversations with customers have 
  • [17:25] Finding your ideal customers 
  • [20:00] Growing toward Series B funding
  • [21:30] Uncovering unique ways to add value
  • [22:30] Transforming a labor-intensive industry into a technology-driven space