David Wald

President and Co-Founder

Bio

Startup CEO, with experience on both sides of the venture world. Started my career in venture as part of the deal team at Lightbank, the Groupon cofounders’ venture fund, and as an early employee, operator, and Director at the Lightbank and TCV backed dough.com. Previously a management consultant at AT Kearney and Bain.

Startup CEO, with experience on both sides of the venture world. Started my career in…

Company:

Aclaimant

Location:

Greater Chicago Area

Description:

Aclaimant was founded on the belief that everyone has the right to be a better risk and protect what matters most. As the pioneer of Active Risk Management, Aclaimant enables companies to reduce the cost of risk and drive higher productivity while empowering every employee to be a risk manager. This transforms how companies manage data, people, and processes through leading RMIS capabilities in workplace safety, incident and claims management, and analytics. Thousands of safety and risk management professionals rely on Aclaimant to achieve better outcomes.

Aclaimant was founded on the belief that everyone has the right to be a better…

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Conversation
Highlights

Welcome to another episode of Category Visionaries — the show that explores GTM stories from tech’s most innovative B2B founders. In today’s episode, we’re speaking with David Wald, President and Co-Founder of Aclaimant, an active risk management platform that has raised over $30 Million in funding.

Here are the most interesting points from our conversation:

Leadership Transition: David shares the strategic move of welcoming Kathy Burns as Aclaimant’s new CEO, marking a significant leadership transition aimed at leveraging her vast experience to drive future growth.
The Co-Founder’s New Role: Reflecting on his transition from CEO to President, David discusses the importance of aligning talents and roles within the company to maximize success, emphasizing the value of ego management in leadership decisions.
Founding Story: Aclaimant’s origin tale is a blend of serendipity and strategic vision, sparked by a casual proposition that evolved into a serious venture addressing critical needs in the risk management industry.
Evolving Go-To-Market Strategy: From targeting specific industries to adopting a data-driven approach, Aclaimant’s GTM strategy has matured, focusing on efficiency and targeted outreach to connect with its ideal customer profiles.
The Essence of Thought Leadership: David outlines his view on thought leadership as a tool for educating and empowering customers, rather than a platform for self-promotion, highlighting its importance in Aclaimant’s marketing philosophy.
Vision for the Future: Looking ahead, David is enthusiastic about Aclaimant’s potential to democratize risk management solutions, aiming to make their platform the preferred choice for middle-market companies seeking to improve their risk management practices.

Actionable
Takeaways

Embrace Leadership Transitions for Growth:

David's experience transitioning to the role of President to bring on Kathy Burns as CEO highlights the importance of leveraging external expertise for organizational growth. Founders should consider how leadership adjustments can align with their company's strategic goals and enable greater success.

Manage Ego to Make Strategic Decisions:

The decision to change leadership roles within a company often requires managing personal ego to prioritize the company's long-term success. Founders should be open to roles that maximize their strengths and contribute to the company's growth, even if it means stepping away from the CEO title.

Leverage Unique Founding Stories to Build Authenticity:

Aclaimant's unique founding story, involving a mix of personal relationships and serendipitous opportunities, underscores the value of authenticity in building a company's brand and culture. This authenticity can be a powerful tool in connecting with customers and employees.

Adapt Go-To-Market Strategies as the Company Evolves:

As Aclaimant grew, its go-to-market strategy evolved from a narrow focus to a data-driven approach targeting a broader market. Founders should continuously evaluate and adapt their GTM strategies to remain competitive and responsive to market changes.

Thought Leadership as a Tool for Empowerment and Education:

Aclaimant's approach to thought leadership focuses on empowering customers and educating the market, rather than self-promotion. Founders should consider developing content and initiatives that genuinely help their target audience navigate challenges and make informed decisions.