A short interview excerpt with Michelle Zatlyn (Cloudflare cofounder) at a startup conference. Michelle recounts founding Cloudflare with cofounders Matthew and Lee, emphasizes picking complementary cofounders, assessing whether an idea fits venture funding, and making founders discoverable at industry events. She also discusses being pregnant while leading the company, notes strong support from her board and team, and states her due month (August).
Questions this video answers
August
Maybe a little bit of your story and background and maybe you could tell us some tips about raising venture when you're a woman.
Sure. So I started Cloudflare with two amazing co founders, Matthew and Lee. The three of us started to work on it four years ago. And, you know, I'm really lucky because I'm. I don't even think Matthew and Lee think of me as a woman. I'm just. I'm Michelle. I'm just one of their business partners. And, you know, I think if you're starting your company and you're choosing whether you're going to be a solo founder or you're going to choose co founders, I don't think. I mean, gender is maybe one way to think about it. What's more important is thinking about picking co founders that have different skill sets than yours. And so Matthew, Lee and I are totally different people. We socially would never hang out like before, clever, would just never hang out together. But we just happened to come together, shared a common vision, believed in one another, trusted one another, and because we have this wide, diverse background, we cover lots of surface area, and that makes us a really strong founding team. And so I think that's been amazing to have these co founders who just, again, think of me as Michelle, as a business partner and not Michelle because I'm a woman, which has been wonderful in terms of raising venture. I think that if you're building a business that's a really big idea that's going to change the world, then ventures could be a good place for you to go. I think where some people get hung up is they are working on an idea which could be a good idea, but it's not well suited for venture. Venture is well suited for ideas that are going to change, like, really big ideas that are going to change the world. And it's not like other businesses are bad, they're just not well suited to venture. There's better ways to raise capital. So I think that again, if you're starting a company and you're like, I need some sort of capital infusion, venture is only one option. But there's other options too. There's ways for customers to pay you, you can get lines of credit through other sorts of avenues. So it depends on your business a lot. But if you have the right idea and if you have a big idea and you're like, this really is going to change the world and I need venture, it's possible. I mean, we did it. Other companies have done some of the key things that you need to Think about when raising venture are. I mean the idea of calling up a VC and them answering the phone and taking your call just doesn't exist. It's better if they find you. And so how do they find you? They find you at events like events like the Startup Conference or they find you at events like TechCrunch Disrupt or Make Yourself Available. And the job of a VC associate is to find good deal flow. And so it's a little bit let them come to you.
That's a really nice technique. I actually like that. Thank you very much much. And what sort of reactions are you getting as a female founder being pregnant?
We have a terrific board, we have a terrific team. No one has treated me differently, which is the best thing because they shouldn't. But yes. I mean my husband and I are expecting and Cloudflare is still something I'm really proud of and 100% invested in. And you know, I look to a lot of role models. There are a lot of women who work in a household where there's two working parents and if they can make it work, I can make it work. And so do I have all the answers? No. But I do know other women have paved the way ahead of me and that if they can do it, so.
Can I. Congratulations, by the way. And when, when are you due?
August.
Woo.
Great. I will.
I'll be thinking of you. I hope it's a great birth.
