Meet Paul Kleen, CEO at Pitchit:
Paul Kleen is the founder and CEO of Pitchit, an AI-powered platform that has transformed how companies qualify leads and generate revenue. His entrepreneurial journey began as a data scientist and consultant, working with major companies like Uber and Hilton. He later evolved his consulting business into Pitchit, which has helped companies qualify over 500,000 leads and generate around $300 million in revenue.
Under Paul’s leadership, Pitchit raised $2.5 million in seed funding and secured large clients, including T-Mobile. His expertise in leveraging AI technology has positioned Pitchit as a key player in lead generation and business growth, especially for tech companies looking to scale globally.
Paul’s experience spans global hiring, employment compliance, and remote work—topics he’s deeply passionate about, and he frequently shares insights with other tech leaders.
Listen Up: Paul Kleen, CEO at Pitchit — Full Podcast Episode on Spotify
Watch Now: Vit’s In-Depth Talk with Paul Kleen
Quick Read: Paul Kleen, CEO at Pitchit, Interview Highlight
Key Milestones and Numbers:
In a recent episode of Default Global Podcast, I had the pleasure of hosting Paul Kleen, the founder of Pitchit—a platform that’s revolutionized lead qualification and revenue generation for companies. From his early days as a data scientist to consulting for giants like Uber and Hilton, Paul transitioned into founding Pitchit, an AI-powered platform that has scaled rapidly.
Paul clarified an initial figure, stating:
“It’s half a million leads now. That number grows a lot.”
The Fundraising Gauntlet:
One of the key topics we delved into was Paul’s fundraising journey, which was nothing short of exhaustive.
Paul explained.
“We did start with just one check, $200K from Rahim, the co-founder of Plug and Play. His family office made that investment, the Amidi Group”
Over time, he broke down his rounds into phases, ultimately leading to securing $2.5 million in seed funding through 130 investor meetings.
The Big Takeaway:
When asked about his biggest takeaway from the investor meetings, Paul noted,
“You can get 20 investors in a room and get 20 different answers, but you just need one to fall in love.”
This resonated deeply with me as a remote-first entrepreneur. Fundraising isn’t about pleasing everyone; it’s about finding that one investor who genuinely aligns with your vision.
Investor Patterns:
Contrary to some beliefs, Paul emphasized that there are no straightforward patterns investors adhere to.
He shared:
“If there was a pattern that was easy to discern, everybody would have funding. But nobody has funding. It’s so hard,”
This underscores the unpredictability of investor behaviors and the necessity of perseverance.
Customer-Driven Pivots:
On the topic of adapting his pitch, Paul highlighted the importance of listening to customers over investors.
He revealed:
“There is a difference between product market fit, which comes from customer feedback, and investor market fit,”
This approach has evidently served him well, proving that understanding market demand should precede investor interests.
Balancing Consulting and Start-Up:
Paul’s transition from a profitable consulting business to focusing solely on Pitchit was driven by customer insights rather than investor pressure.
“One of my customers was paying me for consulting… and said I think you should part ways with the consulting and build this as a software.”
For many aspiring founders, this story is a testament to the power of customer validation.
Mistakes and Learnings:
Reflecting on his journey, Paul revealed an almost mistake-free path, attributing pivots to necessary iterations rather than errors.
He humorously remarked:
“The only mistake I made was putting all our money into Silicon Valley Bank.”
His experiences underline that setbacks are often par for the course in the entrepreneurial journey and are valuable learning opportunities.
Final Thoughts:
Paul’s exhaustive yet rewarding journey—marked by constant iteration, customer-centric pivots, and sheer perseverance—offers invaluable lessons for founders everywhere.
As Paul succinctly put it:
“It just takes a ton of really hard work from a founder.”
This episode was an enlightening reminder that the road to success is often winding and filled with relentless effort. Paul’s story serves as both a guide and inspiration for navigating these challenges.
For those interested in startup ecosystems, funding challenges, and the importance of customer feedback, this conversation with Paul Kleen offers a treasure trove of insights. Thank you, Paul, for sharing your remarkable journey and enriching our understanding of what it takes to succeed in the entrepreneurial world.
