Episode 38: Navigating the Transition from Service-based to Product-Based Company with Ollie Smeenk, Co-CEO at SODAQ

In this episode of Over the Air – IoT, Connected Devices, & the Journey, Ryan Prosser, CEO of Very is joined by Ollie Smeenk, Co-CEO at SODAQ. They talk about how SODAQ is transitioning from being a service-based company to becoming successful as a product-based company. They examine the approaches and challenges involved in shifting to a sustainable IoT company, finding the best use cases that fit its low-power technologies, selecting the best people, and determining the perfect blend of management, sales, and change.

They cover:

• [01:35 – 04:10] The background around the SODAQ’s shift from a service-based to product-based company
• [05:05 – 06:40] The challenges of transitioning into a product-based mindset
• [07:32 – 08:50] Focusing on aligning the different departments towards change
• [10:50 – 11:25] The challenge of aligning operations to the transitioning process
• [11:30 – 12:25] Hiring the right people
• [15:05 – 16:30] Conceptualizing a product-market fit for SODAQ’s low-power IoT technologies
• [16:35 – 17:20] Advantage of solar-powered asset tracking solutions
• [17:45 – 18:40] SODAQ’s products and use cases
• [21:55 – 22:50] HOT TAKES: The importance of company culture

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