Listen Here

| |

Conversation
Highlights

 

Welcome to another episode of Category Visionaries, the show that explores the future of tech with innovative B2B founders. In today’s episode, we’re speaking with Josh Merrill, CEO of Confirm, a data-driven performance management platform that has raised over $11 million in funding.

  • Josh’s experience as the second employee at Carta (formerly eShares) and the key decisions that led to the company’s success, including focusing on selling directly to CEOs and issuing electronic stock certificates to drive product-led growth.
  • The impact of Peter Thiel’s book “Zero to One” on Josh’s thinking, particularly the idea that the world is distributed in power laws rather than normal distributions, and the implications for happiness and success.
  • The problem of measuring employee performance using outdated methods like the traditional performance review, which fails to reflect the collaborative, network-based nature of modern work.
  • Confirm’s use of organizational network analysis (ONA) to turn the performance review on its head, focusing on questions like “who do you go to for help and advice?” rather than self-assessment of accomplishments.
  • The challenges of introducing a new methodology like ONA to HR practitioners who may be resistant to change and accustomed to doing things a certain way.
  • The decision to improve an existing category (performance management) rather than attempting to create a new one, recognizing the difficulties of educating the market and securing budget for a novel solution.
  • The evolution of Confirm’s messaging to become more confrontational and challenging, using “truth bombs” to cut through the noise and grab attention.
  • The importance of relationships in both fundraising and early customer acquisition, and the power of storytelling in crafting a compelling pitch deck that flows naturally from problem to solution to vision.
  • The long-term vision of creating a “credit bureau of employee performance” that makes performance data portable and allows individuals to demonstrate their impact and value to prospective employers.

Actionable
Takeaways

Focus on Relationships for Fundraising and Early Customers:

Josh attributes much of Confirm's success in raising capital and securing initial customers to the strength of his personal relationships. By investing time in getting to know potential investors and leveraging his network for introductions, he was able to build a strong foundation of support for the company.

Embrace the Messiness of Early Feedback:

Rather than waiting for the perfect product or messaging, Josh advises founders to get their solution in front of potential buyers as early as possible. The faster you can establish a feedback loop, the more quickly you can iterate and improve based on real-world input.

Challenge the Status Quo with "Truth Bombs":

To stand out in a noisy market, Confirm has adopted a more confrontational and challenging tone in its messaging, using "truth bombs" to grab attention and spark conversations. By being willing to take a strong stance and back it up with data, founders can differentiate themselves and make a lasting impression.

Improve an Existing Category Before Attempting to Create a New One:

While the allure of category creation is strong, Josh cautions against the difficulties of educating the market and securing budget for a completely novel solution. By positioning Confirm as an improvement to the existing performance management category, he was able to tap into established demand and accelerate adoption.

Paint a Picture of the Future with Your Vision:

When crafting your pitch deck, focus on telling a compelling story that starts with the problem, leads to your solution, and culminates in a vision of a better world enabled by your product. By articulating how your company will create value and drive meaningful change, you can inspire investors, customers, and employees to join you on your journey.

Recommended Founder
Interviews

Rob Whalen

CEO of PTO Exchange

Rob Whalen, CEO of PTO Exchange: $5M Raised to Empower Companies to Rethink Paid Time Off

Nicholas Rudder

Co-Founder & CEO of Sphere

Nicholas Rudder, Co-Founder & CEO of Sphere: $5 Million Raised to Build the Future of Corporate Learning

Raghu Gollamudi

CEO and Co-Founder of Included

Raghu Gollamudi, CEO and Co-Founder of Included: $5.4 Million Raised to Build the Future of HR Analytics

Jared Pope

CEO and Co-Founder of Work Shield

Jared Pope, CEO and Co-Founder of Work Shield: $12 Million Raised to Eliminate Workplace Misconduct

Barb Hyman

CEO & Founder of Sapia AI

Barb Hyman, CEO & Founder of Sapia AI: $21 Million Raised to Build the Future of AI-Powered Recruiting

Avi Singer

CEO & Founder of Showd.me

Avi Singer, CEO & Founder of Showd.me: $4.5 Million Raised to Build the Future of Compliance Training

Anthony Mironov

CEO and Co-Founder of Wingspan

Anthony Mironov, CEO and Co-Founder of Wingspan: $30 Million Raised to Power the Contractor Experience of the Future

Mike Fitzsimmons

CEO and Co-Founder of Crosschq

Mike Fitzsimmons, CEO & Co-Founder of Crosschq: $35 Million Raised to Power the Future of AI-Driven Hiring Intelligence

Chandler Malone

Founder of Bootup

Chandler Malone, Founder of Bootup: $2 Million Raised to Solve the Tech Talent Crisis

Peter Briffett

CEO and Co-Founder of Wagestream

Peter Briffett, CEO and Co-Founder of Wagestream: $370 Million Raised to Provide Financial Wellbeing for Every Frontline Employee

Prem Kumar

CEO | Co-founder of Humanly

Prem Kumar, CEO of Humanly.io: $5.5 Million Raised to Build the Conversational Hiring Category

Brett Martin

President and Co-Founder of Kumospace

Brett Martin, President and Co-Founder of Kumospace: $25 Million Raised to Power the Future of Virtual Offices

Nicole Fuselier

VP of Marketing of Bonusly

Revenue-Driven Marketing: Insights from Nicole Fuselier of Bonusly

Carlos Gonzalez

Founder & CEO of Product School

Carlos Gonzalez de Villaumbrosia, Founder & CEO of Product School: $25 Million Raised to Power the Future of Product Management Education

Hanna Asmussen

CEO and Co-Founder of Localyze

Hanna Asmussen, CEO and Co-Founder of Localyze: Over $48 Million Raised to Build the Leading Global Mobility Platform for Companies and Employees

Warren Lebovics

Co-Founder of Pequity

Warren Lebovics, Co-Founder of Pequity: $19 Million Raised to Build the Future of Employee Compensation

Mousa Yassin

CEO and Founder of Pixaera

Mousa Yassin, CEO and Founder of Pixaera: $5.7 Million Raised to Build the Future of VR Safety Training

Tom Griffiths

CEO and Co-founder of Hone

Tom Griffiths, CEO of Hone: $50 Million Raised to Build the Future of Corporate Training

Sid Upadhyay

Co-Founder & CEO of WizeHire

Sid Upadhyay, Co-Founder & CEO at WizeHire: Over $30 Million Raised to Help SMBs Hire Great Talent

Nancy Xu

CEO & Founder of Moonhub

Nancy Xu, CEO & Founder of Moonhub: $10 Million Raised to Power the Future of AI-Driven Recruiting

Jason Lavender

CEO of Electives

Jason Lavender, CEO of Electives: $10M Raised to Redefine Corporate Training

Daniel Liebeskind

CEO and Co-Founder of Topia

Daniel Liebeskind, CEO and Co-Founder of Topia: $6 Million Raised to Help Organizations Build Their Own Metaverse

Joseph Fung

CEO of Uvaro

Joseph Fung, CEO of Uvaro: $15 Million Raised to Build the Career Success Platform Category

Fraser Patterson

CEO and Founder of Skillit

Fraser Patterson, CEO and Founder of Skillit: $13 Million Raised to Tackle the Skilled Labor Crisis in Construction

Albert Owusu-Asare

CEO & Co-Founder of Cadana

Albert Owusu-Asare, CEO & Co-Founder of Cadana: $7 Million Raised to Build the Future of Global Payroll Infrastructure

Michael Ioffe

CEO & Co-Founder of Arist

Michael Ioffe, CEO & Co-Founder of Arist: $16 Million Raised to Build the Future of Autonomous L&D

Omer Glass

Co-Founder and CEO of GrowthSpace

Omer Glass, Co-Founder and CEO of GrowthSpace: $44 Million Raised to Build the Future of Employee Development

Ben Zweig

CEO of Revelio Labs

Ben Zweig, CEO of Revelio Labs: $19 Million Raised to Build the Future of Workforce Intelligence

Marcelo Lebre

President of Remote

Marcelo Lebre, Co-founder & COO of Remote: Nearly $500 Million Raised to Power the Distributed Workforce of the Future

René Janssen

CEO and Founder of Lepaya

René Janssen, CEO & Founder of Lepaya: $85 Million Raised to Build the Future of Employee Training

Kevin Busque

CEO and Founder of Guideline

Kevin Busque, CEO and Founder of Guideline: $339 Million Raised to Help More Small Businesses Offer Retirement Plans

Matt Watson

CEO and Founder of Origin

Matt Watson, CEO and Founder of Origin: Over $70 Million Raised to Make Financial Wellness the Next Big Employee Perk

Daniel Birkholm

Founder & CEO of TalentHub

Daniel Birkholm, TalentHub: $6 Million Raised to Transform How Organizations Measure and Improve Their Hiring Experience

Hanns Aderhold

Founder and CEO of Cobrainer

Hanns Aderhold, Founder and CEO of Cobrainer: $21 Million Raised to Build the Future of Skills Data Platforms

Will Sealy

CEO and Co-Founder of Summer

Will Sealy, CEO and Co-Founder of Summer: Over $18 Million Raised to Help Organizations Provide Student Loan Benefits

Ian White

Founder of ChartHop

Ian White, Founder, CEO and CTO of ChartHop: $74 Million Raised to Build the Future of PeopleOps

Tuck Hauptfuhrer

CEO & Co-Founder of EarnBetter

Tuck Hauptfuhrer, CEO & Co-Founder of EarnBetter: $4.5 Million Raised to Build the Future of AI-Powered Job Search

Sammy Singh

CEO and Co-Founder of WurkNow

Sammy Singh, CEO and Co-Founder of WurkNow: $15 Million Raised to Power the Future of Staffing

Ben Sesser

CEO & Founder of BrightHire

Ben Sesser, CEO & Founder of BrightHire: $36 Million Raised to Build the Interview Intelligence Category

Karoli Hindriks

Founder of Jobbatical

Karoli Hindriks, Founder of Jobbatical: $23 Million Raised to Build the Future of Global Mobility with AI-Powered Relocation Solutions

Laura McGee

Founder and CEO of Diversio

Laura McGee, CEO of Diversio: $6 Million Raised to Help Organizations Measure and Improve DEI

Wes Winham Winler

Founder/CEO of Woven

Wes Winham Winler, CEO of Woven: $11 Million Raised to Transform How Companies Recruit and Hire Developers

Barbra Gago

CEO and Founder of Pando

Barbra Gago, CEO and Founder of Pando: $7 Million Raised to Build the Future of Career Advancement

Jennifer Dulski

CEO & Founder of Rising Team

Jennifer Dulski, CEO & Founder of Rising Team: $11 Million Raised to Build the Future of Team Performance

Mike Adams

Co-Founder & CEO of Grain

Mike Adams, Co-Founder & CEO of Grain: $22 Million Raised to Power the Future of Meetings

Sam Naficy

CEO of Prodoscore

Sam Naficy, CEO of Prodoscore: $4 Million Raised to Build the Future of Employee Productivity Measurement

Stephen Johnston

CEO and Founder of GoodJob

Stephen Johnston, CEO and Founder of GoodJob: $9 Million Raised to Power the Future of Human Capital Management

Andres Blank

Co-founder & CEO of Fetcher

Andres Blank, CEO of Fetcher: $40 Million+ Raised to Build the Future of Recruiting Automation

Kian Katanforoosh

CEO & Founder of Workera

Kian Katanforoosh, CEO of Workera: $21 Million Raised to Build the Skills Intelligence Category

Andy Berman

CEO and Founder of Vowel

Andy Berman, CEO and Founder of Vowel: $13 Million Raised to Power the Future of Meetings

Sebastian Schüller

Co-founder of HiPeople

Sebastian Schüller, Co-founder of HiPeople: $7 Million Raised to Develop Data-Driven Augmentation for Hiring Teams

Tony Jamous

CEO of Oyster

Tony Jamous, CEO of Oyster: $220+ Million Raised to Build the Global Employment Platform (GEP) Category

John Kim

Co-Founder & CEO of Paraform

John Kim, Co-Founder & CEO of Paraform: $5 Million Raised to Build the Future of Recruiting with a Marketplace for Specialized Talent

Siadhal Magos

CEO & Co-Founder of Metaview

Siadhal Magos, CEO & Co-Founder of Metaview: $14 Million Raised to Power the Future of AI-Driven Hiring

Nishika de Rosairo

CEO and Founder of HumanQ

Nishika de Rosairo, CEO and Founder of HumanQ: $3.5 Million Raised to Build the Future of Human Development

Ville Herva

CEO of BOLT.works

Ville Herva, CEO of BOLT.works: $7 Million Raised to Build the Future of Staffing

Achuthanand Ravi

Founder & CEO of Kula

Achuthanand Ravi, CEO of Kula: $14 Million Raised to Build the Future of Recruiting

Virgile Raingeard

CEO of Figures

Virgile Raingeard, CEO of Figures: €8.5 Million Raised to Build the Future of Compensation Intelligence

Jaclyn Chen

CEO of Benepass

Jaclyn Chen, CEO of Benepass: $14 Million Raised to Build the Future of Employee Benefits Management

Matt Pierce

CEO of Immediate

Matt Pierce, CEO of Immediate: $15 Million Raised to Eliminate the Costly Price of Financial Stress in the Workforce

Kelsey Bishop

Founder and CEO of Candor

Kelsey Bishop, Founder and CEO of Candor: $5 Million Raised to Build the Future of Professional Relationship-Building

Matthew Sydney

CEO & Founder of Beanstalk Benefits

Matthew Sydney, CEO & Founder of Beanstalk Benefits: $7.5 Million Raised to Build the Future of On-Demand Employee Benefits

Amit Bhatia

CEO & Co-Founder of Data People

Amit Bhatia, Co-Founder and CEO of Data People: $21 Million Raised to Build the Future of Recruiting Intelligence

Jason Radisson

CEO and Founder of Movo

Jason Radisson, CEO and Founder of Movo: Over $9 Million Raised to Build the Future of HR Automation

Allen Narcisse

Founder & CEO of Gigs

Allen Narcisse, Founder & CEO of Gigs: $5.7 Million Raised to Build the Future of Blue Collar Hiring

Agapitos Diakogiannis

Co-founder & CEO of Seafair

Agapitos Diakogiannis, CEO of Seafair: $6.5 Million Raised to Build the Future of Maritime Recruitment

Chris Johnson

Growth Marketing Lead of Gun.IO

Chris Johnson, Growth Marketing Lead at Gun.IO: Competing in the Future of Freelance Developer Marketplaces