2019 Startup Spotlight | Columbus


Q Q


Who is one entrepreneur (or person) you’d love to have coffee with?


Ilya: Tanisha Robinson is always fun to get together with.


What has been the biggest hurdle you’ve dealt with that you didn’t anticipate when starting Bold Penguin?


Ilya: Telling our story in a consistent manner.


Q


What have you as the founder and/or CEO learned about yourself since you began this journey?


“


Ilya: I’m a salesman at heart, I love selling the idea of Bold Penguin a lot more than anything else.


Bold Penguin cuts the friction out of commercial insurance. We’ve built a commercial insurance exchange that helps businesses, agents, and carriers get to a matched quote in record time. We are obsessed with trying to make the commercial insurance exchange simpler, faster, and smoother for all parties involved.


Q


If you were to invest in one thing in Columbus (aspect, infrastructure, etc.) what would it be? Why?


Ilya: Access to capital, we lack an ecosystem that can help startups.


Q


It would appear that there is more buzz surrounding the Columbus entrepreneurial and startup community than ever before. What key factors are driving this growth? What’s missing?


Ilya: There has always been something here. Think Worthington Industries, Wendys, Limited Brands, etc. This is a reincarnation of our startups-get-things- done mentality here.


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