In our early days, we focused on building a strong team dynamic, where each co-founder had clear roles: Lee builds the product, Michelle ensures things get done, and I tell the story of what we're doing.

Michael later advised us to show more progress before seeking investments, which led us to meet with him weekly for updates.

Despite the challenges, we eventually completed the necessary features, and Michael made introductions to angel investors.

Eight months later, I had to fire my best friend who was my CTO because he focused too much on technology rather than what users wanted.

Michelle's background in biochemistry and her experience at companies like Toshiba and Google filled in the gaps in our team, ensuring we got things done effectively.

When we hired our first CMO, we shifted to a more professional marketing approach, which included experimenting with various campaigns.

In the early days of Clever, we decided that one co-founder needed to own sales, which became my responsibility.

As a CEO, even though you may be pulled in many directions, maintaining an obsessive focus on your product is crucial because you have the vision and are best equipped to make significant decisions.

My role evolved from being hands-on in the early days to focusing on hiring and maintaining company direction as we scaled.