Full episode details here: https://links.growthandscaling.com/446 Join Kirk Marple, founder and CEO of Graphlit, as he shares insights on unstructured data management and his journey in tech, including a pivotal role at Microsoft.  Discover how Graphlit’s API-centric platform empowers developers to create flexible applications across industries. Kirk discusses overcoming market readiness challenges, Azure scaling issues, and the importance of user-centric design.  🚀🚀Is your company ready to scale up? Take our FREE assessment to find out! Discover your Growth Readiness, identify potential blockers, and see where you are in your launch transition. 👉https://assessment.growthreadiness.com 🚀🚀Join our Growth Readiness Workshop to become a growth walker and master effective scaling strategies for increased profitability and rapid business growth: 👉https://workshop.growthreadiness.com/  Supercharge your outreach with the advanced tools from https://outreach.withmoku.com. Seamlessly enhance your communication strategy and achieve your business goals!🌟📈 Ways to connect with Kirk Marple: 🔗 Website: https://www.graphlit.com/ 🔗 Discord: https://discord.gg/ygFmfjy3Qx 🔗 Company Twitter: https://twitter.com/graphlit 🔗 Personal LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kirkmarple/ 🔗 Company LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/graphlit/ What’s in this episode: 02:40 How did Kirk transition from Microsoft to founding Graphlit 02:56 What led Kirk to start working on startups after his time at Microsoft 03:02 What does Graphlit do, and who are its main users 03:12 How does Graphlit help developers with unstructured data 03:39 What role does AI play in enhancing Graphlit's data manipulation and organization 04:04 What challenges did Kirk encounter with managing large volumes of unstructured data 04:56 Where does Graphlit fit in the healthcare and legal sectors 05:30 How did the focus of Graphlit shift over the last 18 months 06:12 What types of media does Graphlit handle besides audio and video 07:03 How has media management evolved over the years, according to Kirk 07:49 How does Graphlit's middleware approach benefit developers 08:11 What led to the pivot from a start-to-finish solution to focusing on a developer API 10:04 How did the early market readiness influence Kirk’s decision to pivot 10:44 What feedback has Kirk received about Graphlit’s API compared to DIY solutions 11:25 What dual roles does Graphlit play in terms of data storage and processing 12:04 How is Graphlit addressing compliance and privacy concerns for sensitive data 12:26 captainscouncil.com 14:06 What has Kirk's transition from CTO to CEO been like, and what differences has he noticed 14:35 How has being a CEO compared to being a CTO in terms of daily responsibilities 16:08 How does Kirk stay connected with developers and their needs in his role as CEO 17:17 How did Kirk identify and address the challenge of converting free users to paid ones 19:49 How does Graphlit maintain a feedback loop with its customers 21:25 What unexpected challenges has Kirk faced with Graphlit’s release cycle and scaling 23:33 How has Kirk's experience with Azure influenced Graphlit’s internal development 24:21 How does Graphlit incorporate successful UI/UX elements from other companies 25:48 What led Kirk to hire a designer from Europe for Graphlit's software I highly suggest you watch this entire exchange between  Kirk Marple, and ⭐️Todd Westra 📈 If you're looking for tips and strategies to grow and scale your business, this episode is for you! 1. Subscribe and Listen to ⁠The Growth and Scaling Podcast with Todd Westra ⁠ 2. Supercharge your growth and tap into the wisdom of others. Schedule a pre-podcast call today. 👉 https://content.toddwestra.com/ 3. Join our CEO peer advisory board and be part of a supportive community of like-minded leaders.