Week 9: Andy Sparks, Mattermark
The serial entrepreneur is someone I’m particularly fascinated by. Not only does the founder need the creativity to think of another business idea, but the fearless to do it again. When talking to Andy Sparks, it’s easy to see that these qualities are an innate part of him. His years before starting Mattermark were latent with entrepreneurial endeavors, from a childhood lawn mowing business to brewing beer with his friends to later starting a company in San Francisco focused on product news. His constant curiosity and commitment to transparency now are the pillars of his new company as well. While it is still under wraps, the Open Guides (see here and here) he and his cofounder Joshua Levy have created clearly exude this ethos.
Mattermark
Stage 👉 Series B
Location 👉 San Francisco
Industry 👉 Database software
“Anything beyond life’s basic needs was something I had to figure out how to provide for myself.”
In this episode, you’ll hear about:
- How Andy’s cofounder Danielle convinced him to stay in the Valley to build what would later become Mattermark
- Why a company’s data tells more of a story than its press releases
- The pivotal moment for Mattermark, where publishing an article on Zombie VCs turned into finding a product / market fit
- Why Andy finds starting a company more inspiring than taking a high-paying job (and why you should ignore people’s opinions on the matter)
- The first business Andy started at a young age, and how its unfortunate business name enabled him to find his first customers
- The self-awareness needed to move your company forward and how having shared values with your cofounder is critical
Stay tuned to the end of the episode, where Andy tells us more about what he’s currently working on and what he would ask Jeff Bezos if he had the chance to interview him.
Have a founder I should interview? Email me at crissy@52founders.com. Enjoyed the intro music? Check out Broke for Free to hear more.
