Rotageek founder: Your first idea is probably wrong - An Interview with Chris McCullough

As aspiring entrepreneurs, we often have a million ideas swirling around in our heads, each one seemingly more brilliant than the last. But according to Chris McCullough, the co-founder and executive director of product at Rotageek, our first idea is probably wrong. In this week's Founder in Five Q&A, McCullough shares his insights on professional resilience, the importance of solving real problems, and building for customers rather than investors.

Rotageek is a workforce management software provider that is revolutionizing the way businesses schedule and manage their staff. McCullough founded the company with a conviction to solve the broken system of hospital rostering. However, he quickly learned that the market was telling him to adjust his focus to the retail industry, where there was a greater budget and urgency for a solution. This experience taught him the importance of staying close to the problem and being open to adapting, while still holding onto the core insight that inspired the company's creation.

But McCullough's advice goes beyond just having a strong initial idea. He also stresses the importance of raising less money than you think you need and having a co-founder who you can argue with. Constraints force creativity, and a healthy debate with a co-founder can help refine and strengthen ideas.

One of the common mistakes that McCullough sees founders make is building for investors instead of customers. In board meetings, he has witnessed discussions solely focused on metrics that will impress investors, without considering if the customers are truly getting value from the product. McCullough believes that if customers are successful, the metrics will naturally follow. Focusing solely on metrics can lead to a company that looks good on paper but ultimately falls apart when it comes time for customer renewals.

When it comes to motivating his team, McCullough believes in providing context rather than cheerleading. By sharing commercial targets, pipeline health, and other strategic information, he allows his team to understand the stakes and make better decisions on their own. He also believes in being transparent and honest with his team, even when things are not going well. He believes that teams can handle the truth, but they cannot handle being kept in the dark.

As a surprise to many, McCullough reveals that he has a PhD in cancer genetics and spent sixteen years working in the NHS as an emergency medicine physician. This experience has given him a unique perspective on life and the ability to cut through the noise and focus on the underlying problem.

In terms of nascent technology, McCullough is most excited about AI-driven drug discovery. The ability to model protein structures and simulate drug interactions has the potential to save millions of lives. He cites DeepMind's AlphaFold as a game-changing development in this field and predicts that it will drastically speed up the pre-clinical pipeline for drug development.

In conclusion, McCullough's journey from emergency medicine physician to co-founder of a successful tech company showcases the diverse and unexpected paths that can lead to entrepreneurship. His insights on resilience, customer focus, and the promise of AI-driven drug discovery are valuable lessons for any aspiring founder.

Source: https://www.uktech.news/founder-in-five/rotageek-founder-your-first-idea-is-probably-wrong-20211020