Robert is a startup enthusiast with a passion for technologies that make the world more connected, efficient and sustainable. He is currently Founder & CEO at Workframe, where he’s focused on leveraging technology to reduce the cost, time and effort required to design and build an inspiring workplace. Robert previously served as Director, Business Operations & Insights at Intent Media, where he owned business analytics, FP&A and sales operations; earlier in his career, he also worked in venture capital and investment banking. He completed his MBA at the Yale School of Management and holds an MPhil in International Relations from Oxford University.

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Robert is a startup enthusiast with a passion for technologies that make the world more connected, efficient and sustainable. He is currently Founder & CEO at Workframe, where he’s focused on leveraging technology to reduce the cost, time and effort required to design and build an inspiring workplace. Robert previously served as Director, Business Operations & Insights at Intent Media, where he owned business analytics, FP&A and sales operations; earlier in his career, he also worked in venture capital and investment banking. He completed his MBA at the Yale School of Management and holds an MPhil in International Relations from Oxford University.

Here are the highlights of our conversation with our guest:

• We learn about what gets Robert up in the morning every day and his core of excitement; and the path he took to get to Workframe starting from Deloitte, Credit Suisse, SJF Ventures to Intent Media. He also shared why he ventured into commercial interior design and how it paved the way to his transition to Workframe.
• An overview of Workframe and what they do and why technology is a key piece of their being and a key piece of why they were able to scale.
• How they structure deals and the pricing models and methodology they use; and what they are focusing on right now to get traction.
• Strategies in testing the market including being aggressive in testing the market and the next steps to take towards expansion.
• The most recent hurdles that they have overcame which led them to scale and tactics they employed to get through them including building a core team of people to give them the credibility that they needed to be successful.
• The current challenges that Workframe is facing and what they are doing to address that.
• How mobile can go in and completely change the way the industry works because it can bring about better decision-making, better outcomes, reduces a ton of friction in the process, drives efficiency which drives cost down = the outcome is better all around.
• With the advancement of digital, Robert enumerates the things that he is particularly excited about surrounding all the opportunity it can open up to; and which one he feels will happening anytime soon.

Rapid Fire Questions

• What is your definition of innovation?

True innovation comes when you apply a new technology or a new process to a really antiquated way of doing things and results to a paradigm shift.

• Would you put more emphasis on the idea or the execution? How would you weigh each of them and why?

Execution without doubt. I’ve seen a lot of good ideas which never get implemented because people are trying to perfect them and that’s a shame. I would rather execute a half-baked idea and iterate over time as you will get a better outcome that way. So it’s 30% to 70%.

• What is your biggest learning lesson on your journey so far?

When you are not the guy in my seat, it’s easy to forget that it’s really hard to scale a business. I have a newfound respect to anybody who has founded a business now that I have gone through that myself.

• What is your favorite business book?

The Hard Thing About Hard Things by Ben Horowitz

• What is your favorite digital resource?

TechCrunch

CrunchBase

NPR

• What is your favorite app and why?

Foursquare Swarm