(24:07) Many people don't get these lessons, so I really view entrepreneurship as a career, a journey, rather than a final destination. As you said, you don't start a company just to say, "If I don't IPO, it's a complete failure." It's about recognizing every little win along the way. Even a base hit is still a win. And even when you experience failure, if you don't take it personally and see it as an opportunity to learn and create a memory, you can benefit from it. I've formed really good friendships from failed companies because we, as the "cool kids" say, "stood on business." We failed together, but from that, we realized we were all similar people with shared life experiences and interests. We were still there for each other, even when things didn't work out. That's the essence of friendship, and you can emerge from those experiences with stronger relationships than ever. From time to time, I'll find a business card from a previous company and have a laugh. I'll think, "I can't believe I did the branding that way." We had a company called Spot Survey with a dog logo, which was the corniest thing, but those were our early attempts at branding. I get a good chuckle when I find those old items.

(25:48) It's always great to come across your box of memories from past business ventures. I keep notebooks, and each one lasts about six months. When one is full, I put it in a closet. One day, I'll go back and review them, finding reminders of the minutiae of running a business—whether it's preparing for a call or working on a campaign with checklists. I love revisiting those things as a reminder that it's a journey with a lot to do, and the road to success is bumpy.

(26:14) Yes, you can read a lot in books, but it doesn't compare to the tuition you get from living through it. Real-life experience prepares you for the next challenge. You'll say, "I've been here before," and you'll have the feeling and know what to do without needing a book to tell you. You want to combine learning from others' failures and reading books with gaining real-life experience, which gives you that gut instinct to make decisions and know what to do in the moment. Absolutely. Sometimes people rely too much on spreadsheets to tell the story, but the story isn't always there. Sometimes it's as simple as talking to customers, as you explained earlier. It seems basic, but many companies don't do it. They build features and try to draw conclusions from spreadsheets. If you listen to your customers, one-on-one conversations can be very revealing about what you should be doing and what their experience is like. Enough of those conversations will get you to the heart of the matter and help you build a better product. After all, we're trying to help people solve problems they'll pay us to solve. We often forget that when building cool tech products.

(27:44) It's essential, and people need to push through. Once you get a customer, check in with them regularly. They'll appreciate it, which builds retention and minimizes churn. Talking to people and exploring how they use your product is the best way to get insights. Hearing what they like always feels good, and sometimes you're solving problems you didn't know they had, which is pretty cool. Often, early adopters become advocates and feel like they're part of the team, committed to and involved in your success.

(08:23) Yes, and that's the problem with whistleblowing. In the US, which is our market, many companies already have some sort of whistleblowing solution, but employees feel it's only for really serious problems. They won't share ideas for improvements through it, for example. They'll only report sexual harassment. We're building FaceUp for all these use cases, so companies can build many different channels for various types of feedback on our solution.

(09:10) So, you're fully built for an anonymous feedback mechanism. Are there any other ways employees can speak up, or do you suggest one-on-ones with managers?

(09:20) I think the most important thing for building a speak-up culture isn't just having reporting mechanisms, but asking. Only 27% of people don't speak up because they're afraid; most don't speak up because they feel nobody cares about their opinion. This is the most important part. Whistleblowing or anonymous feedback services can only help with 27% of the problem. It's the communication from management to employees about how important feedback is that's crucial.

(10:13) What other tips would you offer leaders to encourage and instill this culture within their teams, to make employees feel comfortable speaking up?

(10:23) For example, after all-hands meetings, have platforms where employees can share questions, so management can answer everything live during the meeting. One-on-ones are also super important. When it comes to surveys, it's important to do them regularly. Many companies do surveys only once a year, but the information employees provide is only from that moment. If an employee faced discrimination three months ago, they won't write it in today's feedback. It's important to use pulse surveys, where you send simple questions every 13 days to remind them they can get in touch with you.

(11:21) Maybe make it part of the team culture, too. Submit monthly feedback or ideas, and make it something they should do regularly, not just from a negative standpoint. Share your latest ideas and how to improve the team or product, and get them used to submitting these ideas monthly. Then, remind them they can also use it for negative issues.

(08:23) Yes, and that's the problem with whistleblowing. In the US, which is our market, many companies already have some sort of whistleblowing solution, but employees feel it's only for really serious problems. They won't share ideas for improvements through it, for example. They'll only report sexual harassment. We're building FaceUp for all these use cases, so companies can build many different channels for various types of feedback on our solution.

(09:10) So, you're fully built for an anonymous feedback mechanism. Are there any other ways employees can speak up, or do you suggest one-on-ones with managers?

(09:20) I think the most important thing for building a speak-up culture isn't just having reporting mechanisms, but asking. Only 27% of people don't speak up because they're afraid; most don't speak up because they feel nobody cares about their opinion. This is the most important part. Whistleblowing or anonymous feedback services can only help with 27% of the problem. It's the communication from management to employees about how important feedback is that's crucial.

(10:13) What other tips would you offer leaders to encourage and instill this culture within their teams, to make employees feel comfortable speaking up?

(10:23) For example, after all-hands meetings, have platforms where employees can share questions, so management can answer everything live during the meeting. One-on-ones are also super important. When it comes to surveys, it's important to do them regularly. Many companies do surveys only once a year, but the information employees provide is only from that moment. If an employee faced discrimination three months ago, they won't write it in today's feedback. It's important to use pulse surveys, where you send simple questions every 13 days to remind them they can get in touch with you.

(11:21) Maybe make it part of the team culture, too. Submit monthly feedback or ideas, and make it something they should do regularly, not just from a negative standpoint. Share your latest ideas and how to improve the team or product, and get them used to submitting these ideas monthly. Then, remind them they can also use it for negative issues.

(18:11) That's a good point. Target markets vary by country. Culturally, Czech schools aren't used to paying because the government covers those costs. In the US, schools are accustomed to paying for such services. It's interesting how different views exist on the value of these services. We also faced a different problem when selling to US schools. After our experience in the Czech Republic, we assumed we had to offer the solution for free worldwide. However, US schools were suspicious of free solutions, believing they must be risky.

(19:12) Perspective is everything. Never assume you have everything figured out, as cultural differences can be significant. In the US, there's a saying, "Beware of free lunches." People often wonder what they're giving up in exchange for something free. So, how did you identify your early revenue streams? Did enterprise customers approach you, or did it come up casually in conversations? When did you realize that was the right path? I'm not sure I understand the question. How did you establish your first revenue? You had corporate companies asking about your solution, right?

(20:13) Yes. The pivotal moment was when we tried to implement FaceUp in schools in Johannesburg, South Africa. They said they didn't want it for their students but for their employees. That's when we realized the corporate potential was greater than the student potential. We had a customer who said they'd pay us if we rebuilt the product for employees. That was our biggest motivation. In the first year, we got about five customers through cold calling and networking. After getting our first five to ten customers, we raised money from investors and started scaling through online marketing. I find that doing things that don't scale, like having conversations with prospective customers, helps define the product, especially in early stages. I agree. Many people focus on building technology, but they neglect the problem. Talking to customers is the best way to solve the problem, which surprisingly, many people don't do enough.

(21:54) It was crucial for us. Our customers had to sell us the idea of building the product. My co-founders and I had never worked for anyone else; we were entrepreneurs from childhood. We had no workplace experience and assumed there were no problems in workplaces because adults don't bully each other. Initially, we weren't considering creating a product for companies. When three or four people suggested it, we didn't believe them. But when ten to twenty people asked for our solution for employees, we decided to do it. Customers often help define what they need. They are, in essence, your boss. However, people often ignore repeated feedback or customer interest because they have a fixed vision for their product. Sometimes, opportunities arise, and if you're listening, you should take them.

(23:33) Absolutely. By the way, you can also use FaceUp for customer feedback. Many of our customers use it as a tool for their own customers. For example, hotels use QR codes in their rooms, allowing guests to share feedback and ideas with the owner. Very cool. How many customers do you have today? We have 1,600 paying customers. You're growing quickly. You've tapped into a significant need. What do you want prospective customers to know about FaceUp, and why should they choose it?

(24:41) I think the important thing is that we solve their problems or help them solve them. Many companies face issues that lead to fluctuation, lower revenue, and lower profits. Managers often try to guess the reasons, but employees on the ground know the answers. However, they don't share this information, preventing management from making informed decisions. We want to show our customers that FaceUp is more than just a whistleblowing solution. We're helping them solve communication problems, ensuring information flows both up and down. That's a huge problem. As companies grow, bureaucracy increases, and executives, especially CEOs, lose touch with what employees experience on the ground, particularly in physical locations. For example, Starbucks' CEO was known for serving coffee to customers in stores. Most companies, however, are detached from the people who interact with customers daily. Executives get caught up in spreadsheets and presentations, losing sight of how things work on the ground level.

(26:47) Exactly. You're solving a significant problem. It's interesting to see your evolution from a free nonprofit to a monetized business, and now tackling an even bigger problem that plagues most companies. We agree. It wasn't just two phases. First, there was the anti-bullying platform, then whistleblowing, which we focused on for years. But we realized whistleblowing is just a small part of what we want to build. Whistleblowing software mainly addresses fear, but fear is only 27% of the reason why employees don't speak up. We need to address the remaining reasons.

(27:48) I appreciate your evolution. You've consistently listened to your customers, which has defined your success. Customer feedback has led to product iterations and a vision larger than your original intent. Absolutely. Where can people learn more about FaceUp and get started? They can visit our website, faceup.com, and book a demo. Great. You can also find it in the Nacho Nacho Marketplace. I highly recommend checking out FaceUp. You're building something great, addressing significant problems in companies. Communication is key in business, and you're making a positive societal impact while helping companies improve their bottom line. Employee feedback and a culture of speaking up are essential. You could be our sales manager; you understand it well. I love the product. Yan, it's been great having you. I appreciate you discussing your background and story. I love what you're doing and look forward to continuing our partnership. Thank you very much. Have a nice day.