Ideas Are Just a Small Part of a Company’s Success: Interview with Tal Barmeir, Founder and CEO of Experitest and Blinq.io

I recently went one-on-one with Tal Barmeir. Tal is the founder and CEO of Experitest, which was acquired by TPG and rebranded as Digital.ai, and is the founder and CEO of Blinq.io.

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? 

Tal: Thank you for having me, Adam. My tech journey began at Accenture in London, where I started off working as a consultant. Whilst this experience was invaluable, I soon realized I wanted a more hands-on role in shaping business outcomes. It was this desire that led me to the startup world, where I immersed myself in marketing and business development. I joined a company called Comverse for several years to better understand the perspective of our potential large enterprise clients. These varied roles equipped me with a comprehensive understanding of both ends of the business spectrum, setting the stage for me to found my own company. A guiding principle for me throughout the founder process has been to do what you love. I think that without that passion, success is elusive, and that is exactly what has propelled me forward. I co-founded Experitest with another entrepreneur Guy Arieli, and after selling it, we began exploring new opportunities. This and a shared love of software and innovation led us to co-found BlinqIO.

Adam: How did you come up with your business ideas? What advice do you have for others on how to come up with great ideas? 

Tal: I think ideas are just a small part of a company's success – there are countless good ideas out there. What makes a difference are the people, especially a co-founder you can trust and one that you work well with. I have been fortunate that Guy is an excellent co-founder. He has been my partner throughout the years, and we also have strong teams of managers who share our company vision. Most of the ideas for our companies, Experitest and then BlinqIO, originated from real-world problems and were aimed at delivering value to other organizations. Experitest originally focused on mobile app testing as the first smartphones hit the market. Later, BlinqIO addressed the critical shortage of skilled test automation developers by leveraging the power of AI to enhance their capabilities.

Adam: How did you know your business ideas were worth pursuing? What advice do you have on how to best test a business idea? 

Tal: The most crucial factor in knowing whether a business idea is worth pursuing is product-market fit. It's essential to develop a product that encompasses the core functionalities needed before you launch to market. I think the key is to gather feedback quickly and see if people find value in it. This direct feedback loop helps refine the product and confirms whether the idea has traction in the real world.

Adam: What are the key steps you have taken to grow your businesses? What advice do you have for others on how to take their businesses to the next level?

Tal: Growing a business effectively hinges on a few key principles. First and foremost, recruiting excellent people is essential. You need a team that is not only skilled but also passionate and aligned with your vision. At both Experitest and BlinqIO, we focused on building teams that could drive innovation and deliver on our promises.

Second, maintaining honesty and transparency with customers has proved crucial. This builds trust and fosters invaluable long-term relationships. We always like to make sure our users understand what they are getting and what we are doing to improve.

Lastly, I think it’s important to focus on delivering real value and not just marketing fluff. Our products solve genuine problems that users face, which is why they stick with us. Whether it's improving mobile app testing processes or enhancing the capabilities of test automation developers through AI, providing tangible solutions has been key to our growth.

For others looking to take their business to the next level, I would advise focusing on these areas. You need to build a great team, be clear and honest with your customers whilst also ensuring that your product or service offers real, measurable value.

Adam: What are your best sales and marketing tips? 

Tal: One of my top sales and marketing tips would be to leverage word of mouth. For this strategy to be effective, two things are essential: first, your product must function flawlessly; and second, your support team should be highly responsive and proactive when issues arise. Ensuring this can turn users into advocates, as their positive experiences become a powerful endorsement of your product.

Additionally, guaranteeing success to end users is critical. When they achieve their desired outcomes using your product, they not only become repeat buyers but also help attract new business through both testimonials and referrals. This approach not only helps in retaining users but also ensures steady growth. 

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? 

Tal: In my view, an effective leader is someone who empowers their team. This means giving people the freedom to pursue what they believe they can achieve and providing support when they encounter failures or make mistakes. It's about trusting your team and encouraging them to take ownership of their work, which, in turn, fosters innovation and engagement. Another critical quality is the ability to avoid micromanagement. Leaders should focus on setting clear goals and expectations and then step back to let their team execute. This approach is crucial because you can't scale your operations if you are involved in every minor detail. Leaders need to delegate effectively and trust their team’s capabilities. For leaders and aspiring leaders looking to enhance their skills, my advice is to focus on these areas. Encourage autonomy, support your team in successes and setbacks, and resist the urge to micromanage. This not only helps in developing a more competent team but also prepares your business for scalable growth.

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

Tal: My best advice for building, leading, and managing teams is to focus on empowerment and continuous feedback. Empowering your team means trusting them with responsibilities and allowing them the autonomy to make decisions. This not only boosts their confidence but also enhances their ability to contribute effectively to the organization. Equally important is providing consistent feedback. This isn’t just about pointing out what’s wrong, it’s also about acknowledging what’s going well and where improvements can be made. Feedback should be constructive and aimed at helping team members grow and excel in their roles. For leaders aiming to improve their team management skills, developing a culture where feedback is a regular part of the workflow and where team members feel appreciated is crucial. This approach not only motivates your team but also drives better results and fosters a positive, collaborative workplace environment.

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

Tal: For entrepreneurs, executives, and civic leaders they need to operate on three core principles. They are passion, trustworthiness, and continuous learning. The business and leadership landscape is always evolving and, as a result, I believe that staying informed and open to new ideas and approaches is critical. This could mean learning from other sectors, adapting new technologies, or even reassessing strategies based on feedback and results. From experience, leaders who are lifelong learners are better equipped to adapt and thrive in changing environments. These principles are not just applicable to running a business or an organization, they are also critical in leading any group toward a common goal effectively.

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

Tal: The best single piece of advice I've ever received is to "do what you love." This has been a guiding principle for me because passion is essential for enduring success. If you truly enjoy what you're doing, you'll be more dedicated, work harder, and be able to persist through challenges and setbacks. Without passion, it's difficult to maintain the motivation needed for long-term success. I believe this advice has shaped my career decisions and been a key factor in the success of all of the ventures I've been involved with to date.


Adam Mendler is an entrepreneur, writer, speaker, educator, and nationally recognized authority on leadership. Adam is 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. 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. Adam has written extensively on leadership and related topics, 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. Adam teaches graduate-level courses on leadership at UCLA and is an advisor to numerous companies and leaders. A Los Angeles native, Adam is a lifelong Angels fan and an avid backgammon player.

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