• September 5th, 2023

SafetyDocs Global

Case study

How She Started: What’s SafetyDocs’s Story?

Ingrid Polini: I was unhappy in my corporate job, and my co-founder came to me with this great idea. We have a prototype in about 4 and signed our first big client. We were fortunate to become cash positive and I could see that working on SafetyDocs was a viable option for me to work on for the next couple years. I've always been interested in entrepreneurship, but I never really thought I wanted to do that full-time until I realized a corporate job moved too slowly for me.

After a bit of time, I decided to move to Canada and got into an accelerator called LATAM for startups. I didn't know anyone in Canada to the point that my emergency contact was my host at the Airbnb. I needed to build my network again, so I built up my network in Canada and began getting recognition in this new market. I then got into Google for Startups which provided invaluable support.

HSS: How did you acquire your first customers?

IP: I worked in large tech corporations before I co-founded SafetyDocs. Many of the vendors they were using might have had a recognizable name, but their technology was lacking. Recognizing the need to differentiate ourselves, I understood that our battlefront needed to be fought on the fronts of technology and customer experience. Unlike bigger corporations, where large clients might be just another addition, for us, those clients meant everything.

Given my background in customer success, a deeply ingrained customer-centric culture became an integral part of SafetyDocs. Because I created that type of culture, even my own team will fight me on creating an even better customer experience. It’s a fundamental aspect woven into SafetyDocs' DNA.

The success and growth of SafetyDocs can be largely attributed to our exceptional product quality and the outstanding customer service we provide. To such an extent that when individuals who've worked with us move to new companies, they bring our software along with them due to their genuine appreciation for it. This occurrence is quite frequent and has been instrumental in securing significant clients for us. It’s simply one person that worked at X company and brought it over to Y company after a job change.

HSS: How do you retain customers?

IP: Listening to feedback. I not only have my startup, but I work as a mentor with a lot of companies and founders are very passionate about their own products, and they are sometimes blind to customer feedback. Many times, I see multiple customers give the same feedback is like and the feedback gets ignored.

I always tell my mentees to take a step back, and don’t let your ego prevent you from listening. Customers will tell you what doesn’t work in their operation. From listening you can find that if you do this little tweak, it could sell more. This practice has played a pivotal role in propelling us to the level of success we’ve attained today. It’s a lesson I’ve learned through experience and one that I continue to share to help other entrepreneurs thrive.

HSS: What is your growth strategy?

IP: We are industry agnostic, so we focus our growth strategy on expanding geographically In Brazil, our primary focus gravitates towards two or three specific industries. However, it’s worth noting that we still cater to clients from other sectors. To optimize our efforts, our sales representatives are dedicated to acquiring clients within those targeted industries. The same principle applies to our operations in Canada.

We have two industries that are focused on right now and we work on building that. As part of this approach, we actively participate in and present at various conferences. Engaging in such environments offers a unique advantage – the opportunity to hear directly from individuals about the challenges they face. I make it a priority to delve into the specific concerns that keep these individuals up at night. Then I strategize on how I can help them solve their problem.

HSS: How do you compete and retain market share?

IP: Our platform and its features are far superior to anything else on the market. However, I’ve noticed that other startups in the same space often secure substantial funding rounds. To counter this, we maintain a nimble approach, allowing us to swiftly respond to any emerging disruptions or changes.

A significant portion of our efforts is dedicated to nurturing relationships. While many startups hire sales associates focused solely on closing deals, we take a different approach. We understand that effectively engaging customers in our industry requires more than just discussing features. It’s about demonstrating how those features and our platform can directly address their unique challenges.

Creating that relationship means asking what’s the main problem that you have right now and let me show you how you can use our platform to solve it. We excel at guiding customers through scenarios where opting for a seemingly cheaper alternative could result in substantial losses for them.

HSS: Was there an inflection point that you can look back on that was significant in your businesses’ growth?

IP: When we got our first large client. It is one of the largest laboratory conglomerates in Brazil. That really helped to bolster our reputation.

HSS: Where do you see SafetyDocs growing?

IP: We are focused on expanding in Canada and the US and we are working on a couple plans in the rest of America and South America. Brazil is a very large country that has a lot of potential, so we continue to invest heavily to grow in Brazil, but we are looking to expand further in the Americas.

HSS: What are your lessons learned so far?

IP: Relationships really matter. Even when engaging with major corporations, it's the people who ultimately make decisions. With people, emotions play a pivotal role. Creating an environment where individuals feel valued and that their problems are acknowledged is essential.

I also found that moving to another country and having to start all over again, networking can be everything. When I moved to Canada I worked to get invited to events and that makes all the difference. When you know people, you get access to more contacts. However, when you have this access the relationships should not be transactional. True connections are built on curiosity and genuine interest in understanding people.

HSS: Do you have any additional advice for female-founded businesses?

IP: Because we’re bootstrapped it doesn’t affect me as much, but there is a significant disadvantage for women when they are trying to fundraise. There are many studies that examine the bias between women fundraising and men fundraising for startups. There are also tactics that women can employ to mitigate bias. I recommend reading the research that is out there from reputable publications.

My personal advice is to be bold. When it comes to your business you should know what you're talking about more than anyone. I work with a lot of female founders that know a lot, but they don't feel like they can't speak up because they were socialized not to. There might be some backlash, and there are so many moments of bias that I've experienced in this industry so far, but in the end, it's necessary for success.

Female founders should be confident in knowing that what they’re doing matters. Additionally, finding those key mentors can help you succeed in the long term.

HSS: Thanks so much for taking the time!

Insights

How We Met: Cold LinkedIn Message

I messaged Ingrid and we set up a call over email.

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