Welcome to another episode of Category Visionaries — the show that explores GTM stories from tech's most innovative B2B founders. In today's episode, we're speaking with Jag Lamba, CEO & Founder at Certa, a third-party management platform that has raised $52 Million in funding.
Here are the most interesting points from our conversation:
- Origins in Consulting and Engineering: Jag's transition from engineering to business and eventually founding Certa was driven by his desire to build rather than consult, highlighting the shift from advisory roles to hands-on creation and leadership in technology.
- Insightful Career Shifts: Experiences at McKinsey and handling venture capital initiatives provided Jag with exposure to high-caliber problem-solving and innovative product development, setting the stage for his entrepreneurial journey.
- Inspirational Figures and Readings: Jag discusses how influential figures like Satya Nadella and non-business literature, including Bill Browder’s "Red Notice," have shaped his perspectives on leadership and the courage to innovate against significant odds.
- Addressing a Universal Business Pain: The inception of Certa was rooted in Jag's realization of the inefficiencies in third-party risk management during his tenure at McKinsey, identifying a gap that Certa could fill.
- Early Adoption by Major Clients: Jag’s commitment to not letting early adopters down and his flexibility in product development helped secure early trust and collaboration from significant enterprises, including Uber.
- Future Vision for Certa: Looking ahead, Jag envisions a streamlined, almost instantaneous process for onboarding and collaborating with third parties, enhancing compliance and operational efficiency with a single click.