Q
Who is one entrepreneur (or person) you’d love to have coffee with?
Will: Les Wexner – would love to download as much as I can from his mind on leadership, scale, organizational development and community impact. Also curious on his insight into the evolution of the “Columbus Way” over the next 30-40 years.
OFFICE ADDRESS Q
What has been the biggest hurdle you’ve dealt with that you didn’t anticipate when starting Nikola Labs?
Will: Wireless power is a platform technology that has transformational potential. It is easy to think about great applications, many of which will happen in the due process of time and evolution of the tech. What is much more non- obvious are the great applications TODAY where you can build a business. This required many cycles of business development and “swings at the plate” that did not go anywhere. We stayed lean as a company through this process and the discipline paid off. We have found what I consider to be the best application in the world for wireless power, predictive maintenance, and are now going all-in on it. It is a bit ironic that we have been around the world looking for applications, and our first paying customer is 7 minutes from our office! This process was a huge hurdle but to be in a position where we are using wireless power to create REAL VALUE for our customers is very fulfilling.
Q
What have you as the founder and/or CEO learned about yourself since you began this journey?
Will: Nikola Labs is the furthest I have been able to progress a technology company. I had two prior tech startups that did not get off the ground. If you desire to build a growth company, and it begins to happen, the reality is your company will be a completely different company 6 months from now and that cycle continues with growth. I have learned that it requires me to evolve as a leader in the same cycle. Fundamentals do not necessarily change, but what it takes for me to be the right CEO for Nikola changes every few months. This has been true going from 1 employee to 25. Excited for what the journey is from 25 to 1,000.
39
VENTURE CAPITAL RAISED TO DATE
$ 5.6M
60 Collegeview Rd, Westerville Resident in The Point at Otterbein University
www.nikola.tech
YEAR FOUNDED 2014
RECENT SERIES SERIES A
TOTAL EMPLOYEES TO DATE
25
EMPLOYEE GROWTH FORECAST - 2019
50+
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