Inspired to Create: Meet Rupa Patel
Originally published on GoDaddy Resources
Tell us a little bit about yourself and what you currently do at GoDaddy?
I'm a Lead Researcher on the Global Research & Insights Team (GRIT) here at GoDaddy. Over the past ten years, I've had the opportunity to dive deep into a variety of customer journeys and product experiences. I'm passionate about connecting the dots between our research, customer data, external insights, and my own experiences as a business owner who uses lots of GoDaddy products. From security solutions to domains and website builders, I've worn many hats at GoDaddy, and I love the challenge of understanding our customers' needs and making recommendations.
What inspired your entrepreneurial spirit?
When I was a kid, my father had a small computer software business that took over the basement of our house. It wasn’t successful, but I grew up around computers in the 80s. Then as an adult, I was exposed to the tech startup community while getting a PhD in Biomedical & Health Informatics from the University of Washington. After graduation, I considered joining an early stage health tech startup, but I thought it was too risky at that point in my life. I decided to join GoDaddy as a Researcher and put off this dream until it made sense for me.
Outside of work, you have a healthcare communication app. Would you mind sharing more about it and how it came to be?
The seed for my business was planted many years ago. In 2007, a few students and I won a student grant while at the University of Michigan School of Information. We proposed building a physician expertise sharing app called Casepedia. Fast forward to the pandemic, and a dear friend of mine who is a successful pediatric dentist and entrepreneur noticed that dentists were joining Facebook groups to share expertise. We decided to co-found a startup called CaseDrive to focus on solving clinician communication challenges, a topic I studied extensively in grad school. Since starting our business, we’ve identified a significant gap in the market, most recently for electronic medical record vendors and smaller healthcare organizations struggling with patient-facing and internal communication inefficiencies.
How has GoDaddy assisted you in building out your company?
We’ve bought tons of domain names. I’ve built three websites through GoDaddy. They’re quick and easy to get up and running, so we can focus on customer needs and product delivery! We have email accounts and Microsoft 365 through GoDaddy. We use Domain Pay Links and the low GoDaddy Payments rates, which I feel are unique offerings to evangelize.
What have you learned from your side hustle that you have been able to apply to your work at GoDaddy?
It’s so easy to have empathy for our small business customers, since I am one! I feel every pain point and delight every time something goes well. I have (often strong) opinions on tons of customer discovery, product, and account management flows. I love seeing changes in our experiences since product, marketing, and UX are truly listening to what us employee entrepreneurs have to say. I also understand the business and strategy side of GoDaddy on a deeper level than I did before.
What advice would you give to others who are looking to start a side hustle while working full-time?
Building a successful venture takes time. Don’t be so hard on yourself. You have to truly enjoy the journey to keep going when things get challenging – and they will.
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