EP 101 - This CEO Sold to Salesforce.com: The REAL Playbook Behind Building a Successful AI Company

<p>What does it really take to build a company that wins - and gets acquired by a giant like Salesforce?In this episode of #StartupsUnedited, I sit down with John Andrews (Co-Founder &amp; CEO of Cimulate, now part of Salesforce.com) to break down the real playbook behind building, scaling, and exiting a category-defining AI company.We go deep on:Why your co-founder choice is everything (and how to get it right)The truth about building world-class startup teamsHow top CEOs stay calm under pressure when everything is on fireWhy agentic AI is the biggest shift since the internetHow AI is rewiring e-commerce, search (GEO/AEO), and buying behaviorWhat founders and execs MUST understand about AI-driven discoveryJohn has built and exited multiple companies, worked with organizations like Nike and Oracle, and now sits at the center of one of the most important shifts in commerce: agentic AI.His take?👉 “The future is agentic - and it’s happening faster than anyone realizes.”🧠 Key Takeaways-Startups don’t fail because of ideas - they fail because of team composition-The next wave of growth isn’t SEO… it’s GEO (Generative Engine Optimization)-AI agents will become the new front door to your business-The best founders are emotionally steady, not reactive⏱️ Chapters00:00 Intro02:15 The #1 mistake founders make when building teams08:40 How to pick the right co-founder15:10 Staying calm as a CEO (when everything breaks)22:30 What “agentic commerce” actually means31:45 AI vs SEO: The rise of GEO/AEO40:10 How AI will change how customers buy forever48:20 What founders should do right now🔥 Who This Is ForStartup founders (0→1, 1→10)GTM leaders &amp; operatorsAI / SaaS buildersE-commerce &amp; retail executivesAnyone trying to understand what AI actually means for business📈 Why You Should WatchBecause this isn’t theory.This is from a CEO who:Built multiple companiesSold to enterprise giantsIs actively shaping the future of AI-powered commerce👇 Connect &amp; FollowSubscribe for more unfiltered conversations with top founders and operators.Follow me on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/startupjorge/Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/startupjorge</p>