Finding the right problem to solve ft. Girish Redekar, Co-founder at Sprinto

The SaaS industry has grown by about 500% over the last seven years and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 18.7% over the next seven years. Every day, there are founders around the world coming up with new software solutions to problems they feel are relevant. In this context, it becomes very crucial to choose the right problem to solve. That's what we talk about on this episode of SaaS Sessions with Girish Redekar, Co-Founder at Sprinto. 

After wrangling around in a few Data Analytics jobs for a while, Girish set out on his own, spending the first year experimenting with several recruitment-related products. The experience he gained from this helped him co-found Recruiterbox, which gradually grew its way to over 2500 customers worldwide while being bootstrapped. Soon, it was acquired by TurnRiver Capital, and with that came a much-needed break from the hustles of startup life. 

Towards the end of his break, Girish and his team were considering over a dozen ideas for their next start-up. This time, they had the advantage of a decade of experience that helped them make the right decision. They spoke to a lot of people, did a lot of research, and considered all of their ideas in detail, before finally choosing a unique problem they faced themselves at Recruiterbox: Managing compliances. 

And thus was born Sprinto—providing a tech-enabled, hassle-free way of obtaining security compliances. We asked Girish why he chose this problem to solve over the others, and he said that it was not only because it was a problem they had personal experience with, but also because it was a high-pain, high-value problem in a space that was already big and growing fast. “It’s such spaces that allow for maximum innovation”, he adds. 

Girish also emphasizes the importance of being married to the problem, rather than being married to the solution. As a founder, it’s easy to get excited about the solution you’re building and get attached to it. You hold the solution as central, and that lens defines your perception, sometimes even overlooking the shortfalls your solutions might have. But if you’re married to the problem instead, solutions are just a byproduct, and your focus moves toward the most effective way the problem can be solved. 

How do customers look at the problem I’m looking to solve? Is this among the top 5 challenges they face? You must find the answer to such questions before you embark on the journey to build. To know more, listen to the full episode here.