This CEO Grew Slowly; It’s Paying Off. How Research & Patience Prepared Colin Nederkoorn To Scale

14 years ago, before the AI boom, marketers were stuck in "batch and blast" and data-overwhelmed. I talk with Colin Nederkoorn, CEO and co-founder of Customer IO, about his company’s journey from convincing people to use behavioral data for deterministic paths to becoming critical infrastructure for the new era of AI-driven, real-time customer communication that has fueled the company to over $100 million in ARR.

Colin shares a profound philosophy for early-stage founders: not every company needs to "blitz scale." His methodical approach was about building the machine for compound growth, raising "a little bit of money" only to buy time to reach the next milestone, rather than a big venture round that forces speed.

This patience allowed Customer IO to build a powerful platform that could "complete the loop" by measuring if a user's behavior changed inside their product.

Episode Highlights

• Behavioral Data: The critical shift from list-based "batch and blast" to using real-time behavioral data to influence user actions and complete the feedback loop.
• Compound Growth: The mathematical insight that a steady 20% month-over-month growth, consistently applied, creates an outsize business over the long run because of the power of compounding.
• AI's Role: Customer IO's six-month "Glow Up" is a commitment to use AI to remove all the "drudgery" for marketers in setting up complex, sophisticated campaigns.
• Leadership Fuel: A blunt piece of feedback from an investor—that Colin "wasn't a good enough CEO"—became the motivation to hire a coach and accelerate the company’s trajectory.
• Incumbent Advantage: Colin’s spicy hot take is that traditional SaaS businesses positioned as "critical infrastructure" will figure out AI and thrive, avoiding massive displacement.

Colin’s story is a masterclass in strategic product-led innovation: learning from customers, making a crucial pivot, and maintaining a level-headed, long-term approach to business growth.

His focus on unlocking the power of a robust, data-rich platform for the new age of LLMs is a clear roadmap for any founder in the B2B space.

Watch the full episode on YouTube and make sure to like and subscribe to The Tech Glow Up.

About Colin Nederkoorn

Colin Nederkoorn is the founder and CEO of Customer.io. Since starting the company in 2012, he has focused on creating products that help brands connect meaningfully with their users.

Drawing from his passion for entrepreneurship and experience in product leadership, including his time as Head of Product at ChallengePost, he leads the executive team, drives innovation, and manages the company’s growth.

Based in Portland, Oregon, when he's not building Customer.io, he enjoys sailing, coaching youth soccer, and cooking.

A "glow up" signifies a positive transformation, reflecting the journey of becoming a better, more successful version of oneself.

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