David Drai is the CEO of Anodot. David is a thought leader, influencer, visionary, and successful entrepreneur. David provides the leadership and energy that has inspired the creation of Anodot. David Drai joins other leading CEOs and Founders taking part in our Leader Roundtable Interview Series. The DotCom Magazine editorial team has recently awarded Anodot with our Impact Company of 2019 award. We are delighted to have David join us for our Leader Roundtable Interview and our popular “speed round” as well.
David, thank you so much for taking the time out of your busy day for this interview about your company, leadership, and entrepreneurship.
1. What is the “elevator pitch” for Anodot?
We use AI to constantly monitor and correlate business performance, providing real-time alerts and forecasts, reducing time to detection and resolution, dramatically impacting companies revenues.
2. What is the key to your company’s success?
We love what we do! We are time after time amazed by the amount of data that is untapped and the main reason is that current analytics tools just don’t meet the needs of the market, companies are collecting enough data, now this the time to take advantage of it and Anodot is there exactly for that purpose.
3. Many of our readers are just starting to build a company. What advice can you give entrepreneurs just starting out with a new venture?
If you believe that you have a good idea you first and foremost need to select the right partner, co-founder to run with you that marathon, this is a marriage for many years so you need to have a true and honest level of communication and complement each other in skills.
4. For other entrepreneurs seeking to build a business as successful as yours, what advice can you give them when times get a little challenging?
I still don’t consider us as a success we have a long way and vision to that goal, my main advice in challenging situations is to stay calm control the stress and focus, always look for continuous improvement, i never believe in one problem or one issue that can be solved that will make the magic.
5. How important is the commitment to client satisfaction at Anodot, and how do you make sure your customers will become raving fans of your company?
Sam Walton said: “there is only one boss – The customer”. We believe that is correct. We do whatever it takes to help our customers to leverage the technology we have developed. We constantly ask for their feedback and incorporate customers into our journey.
6. In today’s fast changing business environment, how do you stay abreast of things?
Our technology is 3+ years ahead of the market. We continue to look forward and develop our product vision and invest significant time and resources in keeping that gap.
7. What is your “Why”? Why do you get up in the morning, and how do you keep yourself at peak performance to lead Anodot?
Vision,I’m a strong believer in our vision. I love our team. I get up, I fly out, I’m on calls with people I appreciate and enjoy working with.
I also remember to spend significant time with myself and with my family to recharge and I keep my body in top shape with smart nutrition and sport activities.
8. Can you recommend a book that has had an influence in your career? How did it influence you?
Big Bang” by Simon Singh, this book shows how even the smartest people in the world are leaving in a glass box where they can not disconnect themselves from the emotional attached to theory they developed although all the signs that their theory is not accurate anymore. The human adoption to changes can be very hard and sometimes it takes decades to mentally accept those changes. Our mission as an entrepreneur is to accelerate that adoption in things we believe.
9. When communicating with your staff, can you tell us the most important thing you do so that they are able to carry out the objectives that you set forth at Anodot?
These are not MY objective, it’s the team’s objectives. I had the privilege to hire great people – I only set the goals. Our team decides how they will go about achieving these goals. I give them the visibility and direction, my goal is to challenge our mission as a team is to take this challenge and make it a reality.
10. Can you explain what leadership means to you?
When people join and follow a vision not because they have to but because they believe in what i’m saying this is leadership to me. Leadership can not be enforced this has to be built natively with the right behavior the right visibility the frankness on good and bad things. I don’t believe in selling to people, employees are not stupid things needed to be presented as they are, realitstic.we overcome obstacles as a team and success as team for that the team needs to have a clear picture of why are they doing what they do.
We would like to have some fun and do a “speed round” with you! We will ask you ten more questions that we want you to answer in just one to three words only.
Here you go!
1. In three words or less, what makes a successful CEO?
Courage Vision Persistency.
2. Describe your business in one word?
Disruptive
3. Describe your customers in one word?
Smart
4. What one attribute do you look for when hiring an employee?
Passion
5. What is the one word you want your customers to say about your company?
Wow
6. In three words or less, describe your passion?
Redefined The Business Intelligence
7. In three words or less, describe what it takes to be successful?
Market Need,Amazing Employee,Money
8. In three words or less, describe your first year in business at Anodot?
Looking for the right Product Market Fit
9. In three words or less, describe how running a successful company has changed you?
Yet to be determined 🙂
10. What is the one word that you believe has the most power in the english language?
It’s Japanese – Kaizen (Continuous improvement of all functions including CEO)
David Drai, thank you so much for sitting down with us for our DotCom Magazine Leader Roundtable Interview Series. We very much appreciate the time you spent helping our readers learn more about what it takes to be a leader. We wish you, your family, and of course Anodot, nothing but the best.
Thanks again!
