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Strategic Communications Advisory For Visionary Founders
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 Scott Dorey, Co-Founder of OpenPath, a payments platform that’s raised $25 Million in funding.
Here are the most interesting points from our conversation:
- OpenPath’s Unique Approach: OpenPath started as a middleware for merchants, helping them manage checkout processes, accept payments, and mitigate chargebacks and fraud. They’ve now evolved to offer instant direct payments using real-time bank transfers, eliminating fraud and streamlining payment processing.
- Evolution of the Product: The initial idea was sparked by a co-founder’s vision. Over time, they saw an opportunity to partner with another payments company, leading to the creation of a new product—real-time, fraud-free bank transfers.
- The Fraud and Chargeback Problem: Scott highlighted the pervasive issue of chargebacks in e-commerce, which can cause significant financial strain on businesses. OpenPath’s solution drastically reduces these issues by simplifying and securing the payment process.
- Seamless Merchant Onboarding: OpenPath has streamlined the process for merchants to integrate its technology, reducing development time and effort. This has enabled even large-scale merchants, like Lululemon, to quickly adopt their platform.
- Strategic Sales and GTM Execution: OpenPath built a robust sales pipeline well before their product was fully deployed. By dividing sales into industry verticals, they ensured the product reached the right decision-makers from the start.
- Future Expansion Plans: While OpenPath is currently focused on the U.S. market, with all regulatory approvals in place, Scott shared their plans to expand into Europe in the near future, where regulations are slightly more relaxed, making it an easier market to enter.
Actionable
Takeaways
Build Sales Pipelines Early:
OpenPath developed their sales strategy and built strong pipelines long before the product was fully deployed. Having early conversations with key decision-makers can accelerate product adoption post-launch.
Solve a Fundamental Industry Problem:
OpenPath’s success lies in addressing a long-standing pain point—fraud and chargebacks in the payments space. Identify critical inefficiencies in your industry and focus your product on solving them.
Leverage Partnerships for Faster Growth:
OpenPath’s partnership with another payments company helped them innovate faster and create a compelling new product. Strategic partnerships can accelerate product development and market reach.
Prepare for Fundraising Early:
Scott emphasizes the importance of always being overfunded. Plan your fundraising efforts at least a year in advance, and build relationships with investors before you need them to ensure smoother capital raises.
Think Long-Term About Exits:
OpenPath is already laying the groundwork for an acquisition by establishing relationships with potential acquirers early. Building these relationships over time increases the chances of a successful exit and maximizes value for shareholders.
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