We’re unwavering in our dedication to advancing and extending our global impact: Andrew Boni,Co-Founder and CEO of Iterable

“Our primary focus—and I would even say it’s our obsession—is the success of our customers.”

Iterable is the top-rated AI-powered customer communication platform that enables brands such as Volvo, Calm, Priceline, and SeatGeek to deliver joyful experiences with harmonized, individualized, and dynamic communications at scale. Iterable’s data engine, ease of use, and flexible and open architecture make it the best platform to close the data activation gap by bringing together customer data and the ability to design the experiences, deliver them, and optimize them, all on one platform.

The company was founded in 2013 and is headquartered in San Francisco, California.

The Silicon Review reached out to Andrew Boni, co-founder and CEO of Iterable, and here’s what he shared.

Interview Highlights

Please tell us Iterable’s founding story.

Over a decade ago, before Iterable, I landed a dream job at Google, working alongside some of the industry’s brightest engineering and marketing minds. The sheer level of talent and innovation I encountered was both inspiring and humbling.

Despite the abundance of talent and resources, I soon noticed that many of my colleagues in marketing struggled with the same fundamental issue: customer communication. Crafting compelling messages and delivering timely notifications across Google’s diverse product ecosystem proved to be a significant hurdle. I knew this issue was not isolated; it was likely a widespread obstacle hindering businesses of all sizes from truly connecting with their customers.

This realization planted the seed for what would ultimately become Iterable. It wasn’t just about providing a solution for Google, but about empowering marketers at all businesses with the ability to unlock the power of impactful customer communication, joy, and growth.

Setbacks are a part of every growing business. Tell us about a few roadblocks and learning lessons that helped Iterable grow through the years.   

In the early days of Iterable, the biggest challenge we had as a new business was securing initial funding. The fundraising landscape is notoriously difficult terrain, and what added an extra layer of difficulty was our lack of experience; at the time, we were untested entrepreneurs with an unproven product. We faced the uphill battle of “selling” without a track record of success, revenue, or any standout client to substantiate our company concept or lend credibility to our business. We knew it would be difficult to win over investors, but the reality of just how tough it would be didn’t fully sink in until we found ourselves grappling with a wave of rejections. Some days would be stacked with eight meetings across the Bay Area — coffee in SF, breakfast in Palo Alto, dinner in San Jose — and we’d return home with nothing to show for our time but 8 rejection emails.

This relentless cycle of pitching and rejection did not dampen our spirits. Each rejection was a major (dare I say, spiteful) motivator. It compelled us to prove our doubters wrong — to show them that they made the wrong bet by turning us down! Even though we weren’t raking in venture capital, we were amassing a wealth of valuable information. Every meeting — especially the brutal ones— taught us something crucial about how we presented ourselves and about Iterable. Each conversation was like a puzzle piece that helped shape our story and build a compelling vision for where we would eventually take Iterable. We were quickly evolving into confident and adept storytellers. Another valuable product of the rejection routine? Perseverance. A quality that has been invaluable over our last 10 years in business. We embraced the old Japanese proverb: Fall seven times and stand up eight.

I championed the idea of Iterable long before I stepped into that first boardroom. Armed with our newfound storytelling skills to bolster my belief, we eventually connected with individuals who shared our convictions in the company and team. These became Iterable’s inaugural investors and a testament to our refusal to give up and our unwillingness to compromise.

Reflecting on this fundraising journey, it stands out as one of the most defining chapters of my career and a formative period in Iterable’s evolution. That’s why a growth mindset and humility are at the core of our company values. I firmly believe that progress requires a willingness to learn as well as the humility to acknowledge that there’s always room for growth.

Q. As a leading AI-powered cross-channel marketing platform, what are Iterable’s key focus areas?

Our primary focus—and I would even say it’s our obsession—is the success of our customers. Nearly 1200 global brands and businesses deliver joyful experiences to their customers using Iterable today, and that is what drives us. We are dedicated to nurturing their growth by consistently pushing the envelope, innovating, and providing a first-class product with a steady drumbeat of new releases and new capabilities. We refuse to stand still. Our goal is to equip brands with the tools essential for effortlessly and efficiently delivering customer joy. Whether it’s sending a text about an order on its way, an email about concert tickets, or even a friendly reminder about items in a shopping cart at just the right time, our team makes it possible for our customers to create individualized, harmonized, and dynamic messages at scale that result in relationships that last between loyal customers and their vendors of choice! This, in turn, enables them to prioritize customer-centricity and modernize their marketing strategies. 

At Iterable, fostering innovation is a core part of our DNA. We’ve embraced the era of AI wholeheartedly, integrating it seamlessly into our operations to unlock new efficiencies and possibilities. Our commitment to a growth mindset and emphasis on education and innovation keeps us on the cutting edge.

Our proactive engagement with customers sets us apart. Through initiatives like Marketing Masters and Customer Advisory Board (CAB), we create a collaborative space where their insights fuel our innovation engine. It’s not just about gathering feedback; it’s a partnership where we jointly shape the direction of our products.

As part of our relentless pursuit of innovation, I encourage our teams to push the envelope with customer collaboration. Our teams regularly bring ideas to the table during customer interactions and work collaboratively to incorporate them into our roadmap. This iterative approach ensures that our products stay aligned with customer expectations and industry trends.

Our dedication to innovation extends well beyond internal processes; it’s a mindset that permeates every interaction and decision. By staying agile and responsive to market needs, we have been able to remain at the forefront of our industry. Iterable isn’t just a company; it’s a dynamic hub where a growth mindset, AI integration, and customer-centricity converge to drive continuous innovation.

Q. Can you provide us with one or two success stories, detailing specific client challenges and how Iterable’s solutions contributed to their success?

I’ll share two recent customer success stories here:

The first is with Glassdoor, a trailblazer in workplace transparency since 2007, who faced challenges in user-driven communications. With separate platforms for emails and push notifications, they struggled to reach users at the right time and lacked access to crucial user-centric data. This limitation prevented them from evaluating the effectiveness of their campaigns, leading to missed opportunities for personalization and targeted engagement. The need for a unified marketing automation solution became evident for Glassdoor to streamline communication across various channels and leverage data for personalized and impactful marketing campaigns.

Glassdoor found the solution to its challenges through the Iterable-Snowflake data-sharing integration. This integration empowered Glassdoor to combine campaign, business, and customer data securely in a centralized system, ensuring compliance with data protection regulations. With a newfound ability to take a user-centric approach to communications, Glassdoor leveraged Iterable and Snowflake to fuel business strategies and marketing campaigns. This integration not only improved user satisfaction but also paved the way for revenue growth, fostering better matches between companies and professionals. Glassdoor’s commitment to transparency and user empowerment now stands on a robust foundation, thanks to the powerful combination of Iterable.

The second story is with Stanley Black & Decker, a global leader in tools and outdoor equipment, who faced the challenge of managing over ten automated customer journeys across eight markets and four brands with a lean two-person team. To overcome this, they embraced Iterable’s Catalog feature in three steps. First, they ensured they had the right data, collecting SKU data, regional e-commerce partner data, first-party user attributes, and behavior data. Second, they built a Catalog with Iterable, allowing them to personalize messages at scale by matching users with product recommendations based on their interests and preferences. Finally, they deployed dynamic email templates, achieving personalization with minimal coding.

Through the consolidation and automation of their data into a unified email template, the customer journey team at Stanley Black & Decker has gained the ability to send personalized emails tailored to specific markets, brands, and individual user activities. This streamlined approach eliminates the need for time-consuming interactions with external agencies across different countries. With an impressive 80% reduction in templates, Stanley Black & Decker experienced heightened email engagement and a notable 7% increase in clicks to its e-commerce stores. The saved 5-10 hours per template now enables the team to explore additional avenues for automating routine tasks, contributing to a more significant and meaningful impact on their customers’ experiences. This consolidation and automation not only saved time on email templates but also rendered their entire business more agile and efficient, emphasizing the broader positive impact of Iterable on their operations.

Tell us, what’s next for Iterable.

Our vision is to provide delightful experiences for organizations worldwide. With nearly 1200 customers spanning 52 countries, we are making significant strides toward achieving this goal. However, our journey doesn’t stop here; we are determined to scale even further. Currently, we operate from offices across the US, including SF, Denver, and NY, as well as in London and Australia. Our commitment to better serving our customer community is driving the expansion of our operations.

Looking ahead, our focus remains on the continual growth of our company, the enhancement of our AI offerings, and the broadening of our customer base. We are unwavering in our dedication to advancing and extending our global impact.

Q. Is there anything you would like to add before we wrap up?

For Iterable, the adage ‘culture eats strategy for breakfast’ holds weight; I have witnessed how our values play a pivotal role in shaping a thriving work culture that, in turn, propels remarkable growth. As we move towards the $200 million revenue mark and beyond, our collective commitment to continuous improvement and adaptability, combined with the strength of our team and culture, will be instrumental in ensuring our success.

Andrew Boni, Co-Founder & CEO

Under Andrew’s leadership, Iterable has enabled nearly 1,200 brands and businesses spanning 52 countries to deliver customized, personalized, and dynamic communications to their customers. Iterable’s business journey has been punctuated by impressive milestones: surpassing over $150 million in annual recurring revenue, fostering a global team of 700 professionals, and venturing into new frontiers, including London, Australia, and New Zealand. As Iterable commemorates its 10th anniversary this year, Andrew’s vision continues to drive Iterable’s success and massive growth.

Andrew’s passion for technology and entrepreneurship started early on in his academic and professional career. Prior to Iterable, Andrew worked on Google’s Strategic Partnerships team. He graduated with a B.S. in Computer Science from Boston College.

“Our vision is to provide joyful experiences for organizations worldwide. With nearly 1200 customers spanning 52 countries, we are making significant strides toward achieving this goal.”