How do you build one of the fastest-growing integration platforms in tech, while keeping culture, momentum, and innovation in sync?

In this episode, Shensi Ding, Co-Founder and CEO of Merge, shares her journey from investment banking to leading one of the most successful integration infrastructure companies in the market. She opens up about the company’s evolution, from a small startup in San Francisco to a category leader powering technology products and AI agents for companies like Ramp and OpenAI.

Shensi also discusses how she built Merge’s in-person culture during the height of the pandemic, what it takes to recruit top talent, and the lessons she’s learned about decision-making, adaptability, and sustaining momentum as a founder. 

Takeaways: 

• The Importance of Company Culture: Shensi emphasizes the significance of maintaining an in-person culture at Merge, even amidst the challenging conditions of the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Maintaining Quality Over Competing on Price: Shensi discusses the challenge of maintaining a premium product in an environment saturated with copycats. She was inspired by the CEO of Gong, who reinforced that a company cannot be both the best and the cheapest.
• Navigating Growth and Innovation: An integral part of Merge's ethos has been to constantly innovate and adapt, which Shensi highlights by discussing the launch of new products and their strategic shifts towards AI-driven solutions.
• Integration and Expansion as Key Growth Drivers: Shensi highlights the significance of diversifying Merge’s product offerings and expanding into new markets to drive growth. By strategically adding categories and aiming for enterprise-level clients, Merge has expanded its market reach and increased its potential for acquiring larger clients.
• Lessons in Leadership and Adaptability: David and Shensi discuss the value of learning from industry veterans and mentors, which Merge facilitates by inviting successful leaders to speak with their team.
• Navigating Fundraising and Investor Relations: In discussing fundraising experiences, Shensi highlights the importance of clear differentiation and conveying the unique value of your product to investors. While the initial seed round was challenging, securing well-known investors early on eased future fundraising efforts.

Quote of the Show:

• “You can’t be the best and the cheapest. You need to decide what you want to be." - Shensi Ding

Links:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shensiding/ 
• Website: https://www.merge.dev/ 

Ways to Tune In:

• Substack: https://notanotherceo.substack.com/
• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1NQ9oAB2XKlgWeL8iEQXg0 
• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/not-another-ceo-podcast/id1751581707 
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@NotAnotherCEOPodcast 
• Transistor: https://podcast.notanotherceo.com/ 

#NotAnotherCEO #BusinessSuccess #Merge

Chapters:

00:00 Intro

01:40 Starting Merge During the Pandemic

02:50 Challenges of In-Person Work Culture

03:42 Expanding to New York and International Markets

04:50 Maintaining Work Ethic and Decision Making

06:42 Evolving Leadership and Learning from Mistakes

10:56 Bringing Industry Leaders to Inspire the Team

13:56 Acquiring the First Customers

16:38 Dealing with Copycats and Maintaining Quality

21:08 Product Evolution and Adapting to AI

27:59 The Halo Effect of New Products

29:59 Promoting AI Tools Internally

33:15 Fundraising Challenges and Successes

38:08 Moving Upmarket and Adapting

41:42 Founders' Background and Journey

47:16 Balancing Work and Personal Life

50:41 Outro