Wired Differently: Mark Metz on Entrepreneurial Grit, GenAI, and the Future of Work
“I got a million ways to get it, choose one.
Bring it back, now double your money and make a stack.
I'm on to the next one, on to the next one." - Jay-Z "On To The Next One"
Introducing Mark Metz
Some people are wired differently. Maybe it’s that their motor runs cleaner and has more stamina than most, or maybe it’s that they have finely honed their craft and are right a lot. Mark Metz certainly fits the description.
We recently got the chance to sit down over lunch with Mark. It was a chance to catch up with him and discuss the future of Talent Acquisition, Professional Services, and the general impact of Generative AI. Mark graciously agreed to allow me to interview him for this article discussing entrepreneurship.
Interview Setup
In a previous article, we covered the impact of low-code platforms on digital transformation programs (https://kdschemin.substack.com/p/unleashing-the-power-of-low-code). Mark has been working with some low-code platforms to rapidly develop some new features of one of his current ventures NerdRabbit (https://nerdrabbit.com/). One of those capabilities is an AI to help match talent to opportunities. To demonstrate the power of both low-code and the evolving Generative AI capabilities Mark, a non-technical but experienced business builder, developed the bot to perform this interview. We gave the bot a set of questions that we developed together to guide the story. All follow-up questions made by the virtual assistant (Virtual KD) and the mannerisms attributed to Virtual KD are generated by Generative AI (the technology seems to know me).
The Interview
Virtual KD:
Good morning! This is KD, Host and Author of KD be Schemin’ (virtually stroking beard while thinking…..)
How many ventures have you started, and what were they?
Mark Metz:
I have started a few. Some failed, others were successful. The successful ones were Optimus Solutions, Canvas Systems, Corus360, and Relus Cloud.
Virtual KD:
What factors do you think contributed to the success of Optimus Solutions, Canvas Systems, Corus360, and Relus Cloud?
Mark Metz:
There were a few: I think we hired some great people We addressed a strong need in the market We had a culture in these companies of grit, with employees acting like owners
Virtual KD:
Great, let's move on to the next question.
What is your current Venture?
Mark Metz:
My current venture is actually three sister companies under Catalyst Tech Ventures: NerdRabbit, ReluTech, and ChannelWorks
Virtual KD:
What are the main services provided by NerdRabbit, Relutech, and Channelworks?
Mark Metz:
NerdRabbit provides people solutions to accelerate cloud initiatives, with a mission to be the #1 place in the world where customers turn to for cloud talent and solutions. Relutech provides IT solutions that lower operational costs, with the most flexible solutions in the market for the cloud-committed customer. Channelworks provides hardware, maintenance, and services to VARs and resellers around the world.
Virtual KD:
That's great to hear! It sounds like you had a strong team and a clear market demand. The culture of grit and ownership must have played a significant role in your success.
How did you transition from an enthusiast to a Tech Entrepreneur?
Mark Metz:
That's a great question. Early in my career, I would not have considered myself a tech enthusiast. While I was interested in computers, I actually changed my degree in college to be more business-focused, and I was really more of a sales, marketing, and strategy enthusiast that happened to land my first job at a tech company.
Virtual KD:
What sparked your interest in technology despite initially being more focused on sales and marketing?
Mark Metz:
I became interested in technology, not based on how it worked, but on the potential of tech to change. Frankly, I often never cared how the tech worked. My iPhone for example is almost a magic device that I can use for conversations, to take pictures, book flights, listen to music, or audiobooks. Continuing with the iPhone example, I am much more interested in how mobile technology can change business outcomes, vs. how the silicon under the cover actually operates.
Virtual KD:
That's fascinating! It's amazing how technology has the power to transform our lives and businesses.
What were some unexpected hurdles during the early days of your Ventures?
Mark Metz:
When I started my first company, our challenges were unlike 99.9% of startups: we were well-capitalized, had great sales people, and quickly won some repeat customers. But, also unlike nearly all tech startups, we had no differentiated technology. We were simply a technology reseller. We had lots of early challenges, but these were all just administrative issues where I had little experience: we needed legal work to properly set up the company. We needed office space, furniture, payroll, and accounting systems. But, creating a real differentiation in a crowded market was the biggest long-term challenge.
Virtual KD:
What strategies did you consider to differentiate your company in the crowded market?
Mark Metz:
There were a couple that I think were key to our success: We created a unique compensation plan for our industry, which was simpler to track and administer than others that were common in our industry. Furthermore, we paid high commission rates for bringing in new business, so we were able to attract and retain the best talent. We developed a great inventory and order tracking system that remained a key differentiator for years. It would take a while to describe the innovations we created, but our system allowed for faster order processing and more efficient inventory management than any of our competitors
Virtual KD:
That's impressive. It's clear that your unique compensation plan and high commission rates played a significant role in attracting and retaining top talent. Additionally, your innovative inventory and order tracking system gave you a competitive edge in terms of faster order processing and efficient inventory management. Great job!
Can you give a couple of examples of the gap in the market you have addressed over the years?
Mark Metz:
With each of the companies I have started, there is a common theme. While nearly all technology resellers and providers work to provide differentiated solutions, my companies have always focused on saving our customers money! We provided and still provide a great product at a great price. Companies have been buying expensive solutions from OEMs and their resellers for years, constantly hearing pitches for a better widget. We always focused on business outcomes, rather than the technology itself. And saving money has been one outcome that has always been high on a buyer’s priority list.
Virtual KD:
What strategies did you use to save your customers money in your previous companies?
Mark Metz:
A good example is cloud computing. When AWS first started getting traction in enterprise accounts, most resellers resisted selling cloud computing. It was a different model, with lower profit margins, and cloud computing had the potential to completely cannibalize their existing model of selling expense hardware refreshes every couple of years. I realized the potential to save our customers money, so we invested heavily in our AWS partnership and became one of the fastest-growing partners in the country. Several years later, Relutech and NerdRabbit are still committed to driving positive business outcomes to cloud-committed customers. And Channelworks provides many of these same solutions to help other VARs who have the same mindset.
Virtual KD:
That's an inspiring story of how embracing cloud computing can lead to success in the technology industry.
Were there any lessons from prior ventures that you applied to the current Ventures?
Mark Metz:
I am still learning every day. So much has changed since my first ventures. Obviously, the incredible technological advances have changed everything, but social issues, remote work, inflation, and other factors have dramatically changed the landscape. But, a couple of things I learned decades ago are still applicable today (in my opinion). I believe that grit is still one of the biggest predictors of success. Customer obsession has never been more important. Customers now have more choices than ever before - right at their fingertips.
Virtual KD:
What are some other factors that have dramatically changed the landscape?
Mark Metz:
The earth has become flatter, and data has become much more democratized. Today, a worker in India, Argentina, or Atlanta has nearly instant access to all the same information and can share and collaborate nearly instantly as well. While there continues to be lots of conversation and progress around equal pay and diversity in the US, there really is a much bigger picture. Certain types of work can now be performed anywhere in the world by anyone with an internet connection. Now with the rapid advances in AI, there is the potential for some job functions to be outsourced to another country, a bot, or some other form of artificial intelligence.
Virtual KD:
It's an exciting time of change and innovation.
Are there any specific technologies or trends that you're particularly excited about?
Mark Metz:
I am really interested in GenAI. On the same note as before, I am not that interested in how it works. To me it is a magic black box, where I can ask a question, and an incredible “creative” answer is almost instantly returned. I am really intrigued by the potential of this technology to make businesses more efficient. In fact, I encouraged Kevin to interview me with a GenAI version of himself. I am not a programmer by any means, but created this bot, and tried to inject a little bit of Kevin into the personality.
Virtual KD:
Hmm, (Kevin continues stroking beard….) What are some specific ways you think GenAI can make businesses more efficient?
Mark Metz:
Using a term from AWS, I see GenAI as having the ability to do lots of “undifferentiated heavy lifting”. For example, this technology can quickly provide answers from mounds of data, summarizing results in an easily digestible format. GenAI can help customers quickly find products they are looking for, or information on their order. It can even speak to the customer in the language and style they prefer. If you want to get your shipping information in a poem, it can even do that. It has a remarkable ability to look for patterns and even recognize intentions, and will absolutely revolutionize certain roles - like customer service. Imagine a customer service agent who can instantly provide the right answer in the user’s language, and can do so for less than a penny. I think that is the promise of AI.
The Wrap Up
Only 26% (https://www.apollotechnical.com/entrepreneur-statistics/) of entrepreneurs start more than one venture. Mark has started multiple successful ventures by focusing on customer outcomes and giving people who enter those ventures, agency. He has created a lot of opportunities for others. He helps them grow their careers, technical people grow their practices, and he gives a lot back to the community.
Mark respects that technology is always changing. He sees opportunity in that change and builds value around that changing landscape. Generative AI is introducing new opportunities and we all look forward to how he enables markets in the future using this technology.