I recently went one on one with with Nir Polak. Nir is the founder and former CEO of Exabeam, where he led a $200 million Series F growth round at a valuation of $2.4 billion.

Adam: Thanks again for taking the time to share your advice. First things first, though, I am sure readers would love to learn more about you. How did you get here? What experiences, failures, setbacks or challenges have been most instrumental to your growth?

Nir: Most successful entrepreneurs have an internal desire to create something from nothing. Developing a business from the ground up is an art—and it’s somewhat addicting. It’s a process that makes me happy and eager for more. I spent two years coming up with different ideas for the business and narrowing down things piece-by-piece until we landed on what Exabeam is doing today. Along this journey, I had amazing mentors that shared their knowledge with me and afforded me the building blocks to grow our business to something really impactful. They exposed me to all of the different aspects of a business, which was a critical part of securing the financial maturity and customer success at Exabeam today.

Adam: How did you come up with your business idea and know it was worth pursuing? What advice do you have for others on how to come up with and test business ideas?

Nir: Several years ago, I was personally affected by credit card fraud. That experience motivated me to design a cybersecurity solution that would spare businesses and consumers from my same misfortune. My advice to others when it comes to developing and testing a business idea is to do a ton of research. A lot of novice entrepreneurs choose to speed through the initial research phase, but this is critical to the long-term success of the business and the idea. Good research will include talking to prospective buyers and researching the market landscape. In this phase, you spend a lot of time learning and trying to pinpoint what is happening in the market so you can effectively strategize. Your original idea will evolve over time, and you need to be willing to open yourself up to that possibility. It takes time. You need to garner the experience to build the right team, and that’s only accomplished by doing your homework. 

Adam: What were the key steps you took to grow and scale your business? What advice do you have for others on how to take their businesses to the next level?

Nir: No matter what stage of the company lifecycle you’re in, it must always come back to the product, as in delivering the highest-quality product all the time. While my job as a leader has progressively changed over time, the product is still our key to success. As we scale our business, we spend a lot of energy perfecting our product’s market traction, which means that we are prioritizing messaging, positioning and feedback to get it right. This means that your sales teams, leadership and customers all need to be considered when scaling a business.

Adam: What are your best sales and marketing tips?

Nir: Who you surround yourself with is immensely important, so seek out those A-level sales and marketing leaders. Something that was (and is) so critical to Exabeam’s success are the exceptional sales and marketing leaders. High-caliber leaders look for others who can complete them. So if you are a go-to-market type of person, find an amazing engineering and product leader to assist you.  

Adam: What are the most important trends in technology that leaders should be aware of and understand? What should they understand about them?

Nir: Cybersecurity isn’t going anywhere. In fact, I believe our world’s next greatest conflict will be a cyber-based threat. We’re already seeing adversaries gain control of critical infrastructure, autonomous cars, airplanes, medical devices, and so on. Everything is digital, which means there is a cybersecurity element woven into everything. For example, I have an app that controls elements of my car. The market is massive, but it’s not all secure. Cloud, for instance, does not have centralized IT; no one individual controls the cloud. Ensuring that it is secure is critical for anyone in the cybersecurity space. That’s why everything we build at Exabeam is made with a security-first mindset.

Adam: In your experience, what are the defining qualities of an effective leader? How can leaders and aspiring leaders take their leadership skills to the next level?

Nir: There are a lot of different types of leaders, but they all can be successful in their own niche. Leaders can be strong and abrasive and still create results, but that’s not my style of leadership. Personally, I like to think of the company as a whole, meeting everyone's needs and taking the role of an empathetic leader. I create values around that empathetic mentality and maintain my own values by leading from the trenches instead of a palace. 

Adam: What is your best advice on building, leading and managing teams?

Nir: Remain approachable no matter how big your business gets. Talk to people and figure out where you can grow. I am truthful, vulnerable, honest and take accountability as a leader because I know through experience that is how my teams feel most connected. Similarly, you will probably hold yourself to a higher standard than others, but don’t expect that same mentality from everyone else. The business becomes your baby, and when your baby has issues, you are going to feel like you are in pain. You need to understand that people might not be able to relate with that pain you are feeling. The stress of growing a business affects you, your social life and your family. Being an entrepreneur is a unique experience, so be ready for it. 

Adam: What are your three best tips applicable to entrepreneurs, executives and civic leaders? 

Nir: First, be confident in your idea. Next, ensure it has a large enough market by doing smart, thorough research. Lastly, never create a company by yourself. Find incredible co-founders. Investors are looking at the team more so than the idea. Every entrepreneur needs an amazing team because things change and adapt over time, and a strong team offers the support it takes to make it. 

Adam: What is the single best piece of advice you have ever received?

Nir: Don’t believe your own bullshit.


Adam Mendler is the CEO of The Veloz Group, where he co-founded and oversees ventures across a wide variety of industries. Adam is also the creator and host of the business and leadership podcast Thirty Minute Mentors, where he goes one on one with America's most successful people - Fortune 500 CEOs, founders of household name companies, Hall of Fame and Olympic gold medal winning athletes, political and military leaders - for intimate half-hour conversations each week. Adam has written extensively on leadership, management, entrepreneurship, marketing and sales, having authored over 70 articles published in major media outlets including Forbes, Inc. and HuffPost, and has conducted more than 500 one on one interviews with America’s top leaders through his collective media projects. A top leadership speaker, Adam draws upon his insights building and leading businesses and interviewing hundreds of America's top leaders as a top keynote speaker to businesses, universities and non-profit organizations.

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