Ignite Startups: Leveraging Direct Mail and AI to Build a Global Company with Kris Rudeegraap| Ep105

Ignite: Conversations on Startups, Venture Capital, Tech, Future, and Society

In this episode of the podcast, Brian Bell sits down with Kris Rudeegraap, co-founder and co-CEO of Sendoso, a corporate gifting and direct mail platform that helps businesses enhance customer engagement and drive revenue growth. Kris shares his entrepreneurial journey, starting from his college days when he founded All Student Rentals, a platform designed to improve the student housing search experience. His first company was born out of his personal frustrations with janky platforms like Craigslist, and he eventually sold it to Yapstone. This early venture set the foundation for his future entrepreneurial successes. Kris explains how his experience in sales for over a decade led him to notice a shift in customer engagement. As email became increasingly saturated, he looked for creative ways to stand out, which sparked the idea for Sendoso. What started as a side project, sending handwritten notes and small gifts to prospects, soon evolved into a full-fledged platform. Sendoso was built with a focus on operational efficiency, utilizing a combination of global warehouses and third-party fulfillment partners, but its true innovation lies in its software-first approach. Kris emphasizes the importance of automating direct mail and corporate gifting, making it as seamless as sending an email. Throughout the episode, Kris and Brian discuss the growth of Sendoso, from securing initial customers to scaling the business globally with multiple funding rounds. Kris also touches on the challenges of leadership as the company expanded to over 200 employees, emphasizing transparency, customer obsession, and the significance of building a strong internal culture. He concludes by highlighting the company’s ongoing focus on AI and data infrastructure, aiming to create smarter, more automated solutions for corporate gifting. This future vision sets Sendoso on the path to becoming a critical player in the gifting and direct mail space, much like Salesforce in CRM. Chapters: Introduction to Kris Rudeegraap & Sendoso (00:01 – 00:45) Kris’ First Startup: All Student Rentals (00:45 – 02:55) Transition to Sendoso: From Sales Frustration to Gifting Solution (02:55 – 06:31) The Birth of Sendoso and Early Growth (06:31 – 09:27) Scaling Sendoso: Customers, Venture Funding, and Operations (09:27 – 11:19) Overcoming Operational Challenges and Global Expansion (11:19 – 15:35) Sendoso’s Leadership Structure: Co-CEO Model (15:35 – 18:14) Building Company Culture at Sendoso (18:14 – 19:47) Customer-Centric Growth: The Importance of Obsessing Over Customers (19:47 – 22:12) Sendoso’s AI and Data Innovations (22:12 – 28:54) Long-Term Vision for Sendoso: Becoming the Salesforce of Gifting (28:54 – 30:40) Lessons Learned: Retention, Expansion, and Customer Focus (30:40 – 32:02) Rapid Fire Questions: Productivity, Best Advice, and More (32:02 – 38:17) Closing Thoughts and Where to Find More About Kris & Sendoso (38:17 – 39:06)