Osman Koç: Co-Founder & CEO of UserGuiding, on SaaS Growth, Persistence, and Global Success
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Welcome to another engaging installment of the BizStack Entrepreneur Spotlight series, where we delve into the entrepreneurial journeys of innovative founders. Today, we are pleased to feature Osman Koç, the co-founder and CEO of UserGuiding, a user onboarding and product adoption platform for SaaS companies.
Join us as we explore Osman’s personal and professional world, uncovering insights that are as inspiring as they are enlightening.
Meet Osman Koç: A Man of Many Ventures
Osman’s journey into the entrepreneurial realm is nothing short of remarkable. With a foundation laid at Boğaziçi University, he dived into the world of startups as a venture analyst, evaluating countless business plans and liaising with numerous entrepreneurs.
This extensive experience and his venture with YNOT Partners served as a prelude to UserGuiding.
Birth of UserGuiding: Turning Challenges into Opportunities
UserGuiding wasn’t born out of a fleeting moment of inspiration; it was the result of acute observation and understanding of a prevalent challenge within the software industry – onboarding users effectively.
Before UserGuiding took shape, Osman and his team witnessed first-hand the struggles startups faced with onboarding — expensive tools that barely did the job.
This realization propelled them to create a solution that was affordable and notably more effective than what was available. Today, UserGuiding is a testament to its vision, serving over 1,000 actively paying subscribers across 60 countries.
Key Responsibilities and a Typical Week
As the CEO, Osman juggles many responsibilities, from strategic planning and sales to overseeing finance and culture at UserGuiding. His weeks are meticulously planned, with meetings scheduled in the first half, allowing the latter part for focused, deep work.
Despite the busy schedule, Osman emphasizes the importance of networking and unwinding, often attending entrepreneurial events in London or just catching up with fellow founders over coffee.
The Tools That Drive UserGuiding
While UserGuiding utilizes an array of products and services, Osman’s personal arsenal includes essential tools like Gmail, Slack, Google Drive, Hubspot, and Looker Studio. These tools streamline collaboration across teams and provide vital insights that help make informed decisions.
Growth Strategies and Productivity Hacks
Osman’s mantra for growth is persistence—trying different tactics until one sticks. This resilience, coupled with productivity hacks such as the Eisenhower Matrix, has propelled them forward, turning challenges into milestones.
Overcoming the Hurdles: A Journey of Persistence
Speaking candidly, Osman admits to the entrepreneurial journey being a rollercoaster of challenges. The initial period was exceptionally tough, marred with uncertainty and numerous hurdles. Yet, it was this phase that toughened their resolve, teaching them invaluable lessons in perseverance.
UserGuiding’s Global Footprint: A Proud Achievement
Although Osman humbly notes they’re far from satisfied, UserGuiding’s global impact is undeniable. Serving clients from MIT to UNICEF, the platform has registered its presence on the world stage, contributing significantly to the tech ecosystem.
Osman’s Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs
To those venturing into entrepreneurship, Osman’s advice is grounded in realism and experience. Recognizing the journey’s length and potential pitfalls is crucial. It’s not a quick path to riches but a commitment to innovation and relentless pursuit of solutions.
Many first-time founders start a startup with the dream of getting rich within a few years, and when they realize that things don’t work that way, they experience a significant loss of motivation.
Osman Koç
Connect with Osman Koç
Osman’s journey and insights into building a successful B2B SaaS company are not just inspiring but also actionable. He regularly shares his experiences on LinkedIn, inviting everyone to join the conversation.
Whether you’re a budding entrepreneur or a seasoned veteran in the business arena, there’s much to learn and explore from Osman’s experiences.
Osman Koc’s Lightning Round
In this lightning round, I asked Osman Koc to answer 12 rapid-fire questions:
What’s something that’s in your pocket right now, besides your phone?
Right now, I have nothing in my pocket.
Artificial intelligence: hope or dread?
Hope
Your favorite place to think big?
I love parks for these kinds of thinking exercises.
If you were out of business tomorrow, what job would you pursue?
I would probably start preparing directly to establish another business.
One object from your childhood you could never throw away?
I have a wooden chess bishop with a broken top.
Your favorite mobile app?
I continually strive to reduce my screen time, so I don’t have a favorite mobile app.
The book that most influenced you?
The Hard Thing About Hard Things
Messy desk or clean desk?
Clean Desk
One thing you always have in your fridge?
Sparkling Water
The most creative measure of success you’ve set for a team?
Every year, on behalf of our team members, customers, partners, and investors, we plant trees. So far, we have planted a total of 285 trees per team member.
If we can increase this number to 1,000 trees per team member, we will consider ourselves truly successful 🙂
Your favorite time-saving hack?
RescueTime’s Focus Sessions
Best movie ever?
Léon: The Professional
Conclusion
Osman Koç’s entrepreneurial path exemplifies passion, resilience, and a continuous drive for improvement.
We thank Osman for sharing his journey with us, providing a beacon of inspiration for our BizStack community.
For more inspiring stories and business insights, stay tuned to the BizStack Entrepreneur Spotlight series.
I’m founder of BizStack at Cagri Sarigoz LLC and a passionate advocate for entrepreneurs.
With over 14 years in tech, marketing, and AI, including my role as Head of SEO at CitizenShipper and co-founder of TaleBot at Intale AI, I’m dedicated to sharing genuine, useful product insights and tips.
At BizStack, I aim to cut through the digital noise to provide clear, actionable advice.
And more than all else, I’m a father to a (always) little girl and a husband.
Contact me at [email protected] for assistance.
