Bold mission statements are common in tech, but specific, measurable goals are rare. In a recent Category Visionaries episode, Immediate CEO Matt Pierce shared an unusually concrete vision: “positively impact the financial well being of a million Americans by the end of 2024.”
Beyond Access to True Financial Wellness
While many startups focus solely on growth metrics, Immediate’s vision extends beyond mere market penetration. “We want to help people along the way to not just get them unhooked from these predators out there, but also to give them a path to grow and start putting money aside for savings,” Matt explains.
This long-term view shapes their entire approach to product development and market expansion. The goal isn’t just to provide earned wage access, but to support users through their “lifelong journey” toward financial stability.
The Market Timing Opportunity
The ambition of this vision is backed by compelling market dynamics. “It’s still less than 15% penetrated. There’s 180,000,000 people in the US workforce,” Matt notes. This massive untapped opportunity leads him to a bold prediction: “I believe by 2030 every company in the US is going to be offering some form of earned wage access.”
Three Key Strategic Pillars
To achieve this vision, Immediate is focusing on:
- Vertical-Specific Growth Current data shows enrollment rates of 25-35% in their target verticals of healthcare and hospitality, compared to under 10% in other industries.
- Customer Success Their “weaponized hospitality” approach has led to zero customer churn – a remarkable achievement that positions them for sustained growth.
- Continuous Innovation “We want to help people along the way to not just get them unhooked from these predators out there, but also to give them a path to grow and start putting money aside for savings,” Matt shares.
The Entrepreneurial Reality Check
Despite the ambitious vision, Matt maintains a pragmatic view of the journey. When he started Immediate, he told his wife, “Just give me three to five years.” Now four years in, he admits with a laugh, “Give me three to five more years.”
This candid acknowledgment of the entrepreneurial journey’s reality – that building something meaningful often takes longer than initially planned – reveals a crucial truth about category-creating companies: the vision must be big enough to sustain long-term commitment.
Lessons for Founders
Immediate’s approach to vision-setting offers several key insights for B2B founders:
- Set specific, measurable goals with clear deadlines
- Focus on user impact metrics beyond pure growth numbers
- Align your vision with broader market trends
- Be realistic about timeline expectations
The Road Ahead
With nearly 60 deals closed in just 100 days and access to over $20 million in capital, Immediate is building momentum toward their million-user goal. But perhaps more importantly, they’re demonstrating how a clear, customer-focused vision can drive sustained growth in B2B markets.
For founders building the next generation of B2B solutions, the key lesson is clear: a compelling vision isn’t just about market size or growth metrics – it’s about articulating a future that employees, customers, and investors can all rally behind.
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