James Evans - How CommandBar is using AI to help brands master user assistance!

👉🏼 About the Guest:

James Evans (Princeton alumni, ex-Bain) is the co-founder and CEO of CommandBar, a user assistance platform that makes your software product easier to use. In 3.5yrs, CommandBar is a 7-figure ARR SaaS business, with over 20 million end-users across hundreds of customers like Hashicorp, Freshworks, and Hubspot and has grown to a team of 40 people and raised $24 million.

👉🏼 About the Host:

Sharath is a founder, creator, and community builder. He is also a serial maker who built and shipped 15+ projects using no-code tools. His SaaS product Shoutout generated $30k ARR, which was sold to a UK-based product studio. Prev, Sharath worked for world-changing startups like Product Hunt and On Deck, where he helped build and nurture communities. He also grew his audience on Twitter from 200 to 22,000 using give-first principles and creating high-value content. Currently, he is building a SaaS product called GuestLab, and runs another podcast series called YC Founder Stories alongside hosting this one.

👉🏼 Sponsor Corner:

Shoutout to Acquire.com for being the first sponsor of The Undefeated Underdogs podcast! They’re the best online marketplace to buy/sell startups and I know many founders who have sold their businesses there. If you're looking to wind down your business and cash in some of your founder chips, check them out - https://try.acquire.com/sharath/

👉🏼 Description:

Listen in as Sharath and James discuss the No-PM Policy, why popups suck, the secrets of a first-time founder, and more!

👉🏼 Timestamps:

• 00:00: Episode Highlight
• 01:05: Shoutout to Acquire.com
• 03:34: Introduction to James Evans – Founder of CommandBar and hater of popups!
• 04:58: Why are popups so irritating?
• 08:32: What are ways of grabbing a customer's attention?
• 14:14: How most startups should be capturing customers
• 19:30: CommandBar's newest product...or not
• 26:45: Finding inspiration for your brand
• 29:58: James' No-PM Policy
• 34:04: Making UX better
• 38:49:The hardest parts of building
• 42:48: Applying to Y Combinator
• 46:00: How the best founders design products
• 49:57: Under shared secrets from a first-time founder
• 52:41: What is the secret of sales?
• 55:35: The dangers you'll see in sales
• 57:39: The best type of content strategy for startups
• 1:02:11: Where CommandBar is going next and how AI is revolutionizing the way we work
• 1:07:08: What drives James as a founder?
• 1:10:25: Outro and closing thoughts

👉🏼 Resources:

• Big Desk Energy: https://www.bigdeskenergy.com/
• Have your product acquired: https://try.acquire.com/sharath/

👉🏼 Where to find James:

• Twitter: https://twitter.com/dazzeloid?
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-evans-7086b3126/
• CommandBar Website: https://www.commandbar.com/

👉🏼 Where to find Sharath:

• Twitter: https://twitter.com/5harath
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@5harath
• Website: https://5harath.com/
• Newsletter: https://5harath.substack.com/