When Grit Isn’t Enough with Dean Guida, CEO of Infragistics

Dan Balcauski speaks with Dean Guida, founder of Infragistics, about his journey from Wall Street side project to a global leader in UX development tools and his latest venture, Slingshot. They discuss key transformative moments, the principles behind sustainable tech companies, and the critical importance of culture in scaling businesses. Dean shares insights from his recent book 'When Grit is Not Enough' and explores the challenges of change management, the role of data in driving business outcomes, and the intricacies of implementing OKRs. This episode is essential for understanding the balance of grit, collaboration, and strategic execution needed to build and scale successful SaaS companies.

00:58 Dean Guida's Entrepreneurial Journey
02:41 Infragistics: A Multi-Faceted Company
04:14 Insights from 'When Grit is Not Enough'
06:27 Building a Resilient Company
13:04 The Importance of Culture in Business
19:29 Maintaining Company Culture Across Regions
20:22 The Role of Leadership in Culture
21:06 Effective Communication and Storytelling
23:24 Implementing OKRs Successfully
28:11 Introducing Slingshot: A New Direction
33:00 Challenges of Organizational Tools

Guest Links
Company website: www.infragistics.com
Company LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/infragistics/
Company Twitter: @Infragistics
Personal website: https://www.deanguida.com/
Personal LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deanguida/
Dean’s book, When Grit is not Enough