In our second client spotlight, we’re talking to Michael Glavich, the CEO of tech startup, JuggCMP.
Michael is a veteran Business Accelerator, specializing in productizing and marketing emerging digital technologies to Enterprise executives. He’s worked with Index, Diamond Technologies, and multiple start ups.
Tell us about JuggCMP.
JuggCMP is a cloud management platform and Home of the Cloud Waste Warriors. We understand that cloud computing is a critical part of business operations—What most people don’t know is that, in most cases, up to 30% of cloud spend is wasted.
Everything cloud-related is complicated and rapidly evolving. Many executives don’t realize how much extra work, time, money, and resources are spent on the cloud that isn’t necessary.
That’s why we invented JuggCMP – a simple-to-use, elegant, and cloud-agnostic platform that provides insight into what an organization is spending on the cloud, versus what the organization is actually using – and then allows the organization to take action to fix it. We make our customers’ cloud tech faster, easier, and more efficient.
What did you do before you joined JuggCMP?
Prior to JuggCMP, I worked with a start-up spinoff of Quantum Materials Corp. The start-up was named QMC HealthID and offered an APP that coordinated, integrated and authenticated the COVID19 testing process. The APP incorporated several emerging technologies, including Distributed Ledger and AI/ML. Before QMC, I worked with another Start-up: The Innovation Scout, with a Platform for identifying emerging technologies and start-up who were using these technologies. We connected the start-ups with legacy enterprises to develop new products and offerings.
How do you feel about working with and at startups vs. larger companies?
I very much enjoy the excitement, challenges, speed, innovation and freedom of Start-ups. My earlier career was in Consumer Product Companies (JnJ, PepsiCo & Revlon), but I saw the future of technology and went to work with AC Nielsen (the 1st Big Data firm). From there I focused completely on Technology strategy (Diamond Tech), consulting (Index/Concours), services (Revere Group) and eventually; emerging tech (Innovation Scout, Quantum Materials Corp & JuggCMP).
What are some of the pitfalls and benefits of working at a startup?
Pitfalls are simply having to conquer challenges at the very edge of new. No safety net, if it goes south, you change direction and keep pushing. Benefits are all about the people. Creative, Smart, Fast Moving and willing to ‘bet it all’ to make it work.
When you’re working with a new company or brand, what are some key factors for producing sales and revenue?
It’s about pitching the vision of where the offering will be of value, how it will create advantage and when it will accelerate growth. Often what you are presenting are the basics of what the solution will be. So creativity and vision are an absolute must.
To all future salespeople out there, what’s your number 1 tip for closing a deal and/or meeting your goal each quarter?
Closing the deal is about listening to their needs – orchestrating a solution – and being present to overcome challenges.
Meeting your goal is about a focused pipeline. Pick ten, when there is traction; focus on the listening/orchestrating. When there is no traction, put them on the back-burner of developing relationships. Bring them forward when your solution evolves into something they want.
What did you (and/or the rest of the management team) not know when you started JuggCMP, but had to learn really quickly?
We had to have a focused understanding of what the real problem was. Once we had a handle on that, Marketing, Sales & Technology began to get traction.
As someone who has been in tech for a long time, what have you seen changed over the years?
The change is really about acceleration. How quickly the technologies evolved, connected with each other and got adopted by enterprises. Cloud Services have changed the world in basically, a couple years. Blockchain, AI & IoT are blending into a ‘Trivergence’ of capability that will transform every industry, once again, in probably less than; a couple years.
What advice would you give someone who was thinking of going into business for themselves?
Get your grounding with an existing company that can expose you to a myriad of experiences. Use that experience to expand your knowledge & Network. Then, take what you’ve learned, find the area you love and leap to start-ups.