Episode Summary: "From Teenage Tech Dreams to US Takeover: Royi Samuel is Back to Speak on his Master Plan for Connectd by 2025" | Season 2, Episode 167

Host: Nadia Atwal
Guest: Roy Samuels, CEO and Serial Entrepreneur
Release Date: January 26, 2025
Podcast: Founder's Story by IBH Media

Introduction

In Season 2, Episode 167 of "Founder's Story," host Nadia Atwal welcomes Roy Samuels, a dynamic CEO known for his ventures in technology and startup mentorship. This episode delves deep into Roy's entrepreneurial journey, his latest venture Connectd, and his strategic vision for empowering startups by 2025.

Roy Samuels' Entrepreneurial Journey

Early Beginnings: Roy shares his passion for technology, which ignited during his early teenage years.

Roy Samuels [02:29]: "I started playing around with technology when I was 13, 14 years old. YouTube came out around that time, so video content creation was very much the obsession."

First Venture and Success: At 23, Roy founded his first tech company focused on video content creation tools, which rapidly scaled to 8 million monthly users and partnered with major sports leagues before being acquired by Gfinity in 2018.

Roy Samuels [02:29]: "We scaled it up to about 8 million monthly users... we were acquired by a gaming company called Gfinity in 2018."

Founding and Growth of Connectd

Vision Behind Connectd: Roy founded Connectd to bridge the gap between startups and essential resources like investor reporting and expert networking.

Roy Samuels [04:22]: "With Connectd, I've started to build tools that enable businesses, investors, and talent to make their lives as easy as possible and get the most successful outcomes."

Service Expansion: Since its launch in late 2020, Connectd has grown to serve 4,500 customers, including 800 in the US as of January 2025.

Roy Samuels [04:38]: "We're now servicing about 4,500 customers, including about 800 in the US since we launched here last January."

Common Mistakes Startups Make

Isolation During Growth: Roy emphasizes that startups often become insular during challenging times, attempting to solve problems without leveraging their networks.

Roy Samuels [05:58]: "The biggest mistake they make is they try to solve all the problems themselves. They don't work on building out the network, getting that expert advice."

Lack of Focus: Startups may get distracted by non-essential achievements like accelerator programs or awards instead of focusing on core growth metrics.

Roy Samuels [05:58]: "They start going for all these accelerators, incubators, awards... but don't really move the needle."

Importance of Advisory Boards

Filling Skill Gaps: Roy highlights the critical role of advisory boards in supplementing a startup's strengths and addressing weaknesses.

Roy Samuels [07:10]: "Your ability to fill out the people around you with the skill sets that you need... it's so important."

Guidance and Direction: Advisors provide the necessary guidance to navigate blind spots, ensuring startups remain on the path to success.

Roy Samuels [07:10]: "The advisory board, who can guide, who can steer, who can fill in those gaps... it's so important."

Marketing Pre-Product

Early Marketing Efforts: Roy advocates for initiating marketing and public relations efforts even before the product is fully developed.

Roy Samuels [08:22]: "You can create a buzz without even a product. There's an expectation that you should have built distribution, that you should have built ways to reach your audience, even pre-product."

Monetizing Early: Startups can leverage pre-sales and pre-orders to validate and monetize their ideas before launch.

Roy Samuels [08:22]: "There's nothing stopping you monetizing pre-product with pre-sales, pre-orders, all of these things."

Future Plans for Connectd

Expansion Goals: Connectd aims to expand nationwide by the end of 2025, building on its successful growth trajectory.

Roy Samuels [09:23]: "We went from 0 to 9 million ARR in just over three and a half years... by the end of 2025 we want to be nationwide."

Leveraging Global Talent: The company plans to utilize asynchronous relationships, allowing them to work with experts across different time zones seamlessly.

Roy Samuels [14:26]: "Find the right expert with the right clinical background six time zones away working with you as an advisor, it doesn't matter."

How to Get Involved

Engaging with Connectd: Roy encourages listeners to follow him on LinkedIn for valuable insights and to explore Connectd's offerings to enhance their startups.

Roy Samuels [14:46]: "Follow me on LinkedIn to get all the advice that goes into what we've built and then have a look @connected.com."

Conclusion

Roy Samuels' journey from a teenage tech enthusiast to a successful CEO underscores the importance of resilience, strategic networking, and proactive marketing in the startup ecosystem. His work with Connectd exemplifies his commitment to empowering entrepreneurs with the tools and insights needed to thrive in a competitive landscape.

Notable Quotes:

• Roy Samuels [02:29]: "We scaled it up to about 8 million monthly users... we were acquired by a gaming company called Gfinity in 2018."
• Roy Samuels [05:58]: "The biggest mistake they make is they try to solve all the problems themselves."
• Roy Samuels [07:10]: "The advisory board... it's so important."
• Roy Samuels [08:22]: "You can create a buzz without even a product."
• Roy Samuels [09:23]: "By the end of 2025 we want to be nationwide."
• Roy Samuels [14:26]: "Find the right expert with the right clinical background six time zones away working with you as an advisor, it doesn't matter."
• Roy Samuels [14:46]: "Follow me on LinkedIn to get all the advice that goes into what we've built."

Connect With Roy Samuels:

• LinkedIn: Roy Samuels
• Company Website: Connectd

This summary encapsulates the core discussions and insights shared by Roy Samuels on "Founder's Story." For a more in-depth understanding, listeners are encouraged to tune into the full episode.