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Leadership Lessons from Corey Thomas: Scaling Rapid7 from Startup to IPO
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Welcome to Built Not Born: The Startup Go-To-Market Podcast, the podcast for early-stage founders and startup leaders who know that great companies aren’t lucky… they’re built through smart execution and a bulletproof go-to-market strategy.
What does it really take to scale a cybersecurity company from startup to IPO? On this episode of Built Not Born, host Sage Nye interviews Corey Thomas, Chairman and CEO of Rapid7. Corey shares hard-earned leadership lessons from his 16-year journey at Rapid7, from mastering product market fit and building high-performing GTM teams to international expansion and start-up acquisition strategy. Whether you're a founder, an executive, or a rising go-to-market leader, this episode delivers real-world strategies for scaling with discipline, crafting winning narratives, and making smart, sustainable growth decisions.
Here’s what you will learn:
- How to evaluate startup opportunities beyond the product
- Why cross-functional experience is crucial for early-stage leadership
- The framework for building high-performing teams
- How to manage feature requests from enterprise customers
- Why the highest-priced term sheet isn't always the best choice
- The "Gratitude Principle" for managing team transitions
- How to balance funding needs to maintain operational discipline without losing focus
- Why great products need greater stories
- The importance of engagement over appeasement when handling customer feedback
Corey Thomas is the Chairman and CEO of Rapid7, a cybersecurity company he has scaled from startup to successful IPO, now serving over 11,000 customers globally. With extensive experience across marketing, operations, and executive leadership, he has guided Rapid7 through critical growth phases, market shifts, and cultural evolution. Thomas has served as Chairman of the Boston Fed and holds board positions at LPL Financial, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, and Vanderbilt University.
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