I recently went one on one with Hitesh Sheth, the CEO of Vectra AI. Hitesh was previously the chief operating officer of Aruba Networks.

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?

Hitesh: I am originally from Kenya and was determined from very early on that I wanted to study and eventually be in the US. Finding a path to pay for my education was both a challenge and a lesson in family sacrifice (my parents were not well to do). During my career, I have always been drawn to starting new businesses whether that was under the umbrella of a large company or building a company from ground up like Vectra. Along the way, I have had great successes and setbacks when the timing of an idea was premature, such as streaming video 20 years ago or building the predecessor to the iPad for a connected home. Success or setbacks, you learn a ton and get better each time. I have enormous respect for entrepreneurs who have the courage who make the leap into new ventures. 

Adam: In your experience, what are the key steps to growing and scaling your business?

Hitesh: It starts with an idea or concept that you believe in and then, as cliche as it sounds, surrounding yourself with great people. But that is not enough. Being passionate about customer engagement is instrumental. Beyond that, the ability to recognize transition and inflection points in the business is crucial. That usually leads to leadership transitions on your team and operating model transitions as well. Lastly and most importantly, make building a great culture a cornerstone of the company.  

Adam: What do you believe are the defining qualities of an effective leader?

Hitesh: An effective leader balances IQ and EQ. Additionally, you should be able to connect the dots with incomplete data and then rally the team to stretch beyond what they thought possible.

Adam: How can leaders and aspiring leaders take their leadership skills to the next level?

Hitesh: I would suggest 3 things:

• Spend as much time as possible with customers.

• Surround yourself with great advisors and get a coach.

• Have a great dose of humility.

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

• Do something because you believe in a vision.

• It’s all about the team.

• Don’t settle for anything less than high performance.

Adam: What are the most important trends in technology entrepreneurs and leaders should be aware of?

Hitesh: Right now, I would have to say it is the application of artificial intelligence and the enterprise migration to the public cloud. 

The practical application of AI is in its infancy and came about due to an explosion of data, which everyone called big data. I am certain that there will be many other data-driven applications for AI well into the future, well beyond facial recognition, self-driving automobiles and cybersecurity. Some may be good and other applications will be controversial.

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

Hitesh: Always stay focused on the top three things you must achieve as a company and inspire your employees and customers to help you get there. You cannot do it alone. And in the process, create an interconnected company culture that you’d be proud to have as a legacy.

Adam: What are your best tips on the topics of sales, marketing and branding?

Hitesh: You need to be absolutely sure that sales, marketing and branding are in lockstep. From an execution standpoint, as the company grows, you have to turn your band of pirates into a navy. Sales and marketing have a heavy ‘art’ component. As the company scales, art and science (think data and process) need to be combined.

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

Hitesh: Don’t confuse effort with results.