Start your business at age 19. Take it public at 30.

That sounds like the playbook of Aaron Levie, the co-founder and CEO of Box, one of the most successful and outspoken innovators in the enterprise software business who  revolutionized the collaborative office environment.  

The cloud computer pioneer started his company 15 years ago and famously cold-pitched his idea to Marc Cuban – while still an undergrad in the dorm room. Since then he has matured into a public company executive, who has guided his employees, customers and investors through various ups and downs, from taking his company to a 1.6 billion dollar IPO to fighting for market share with big incumbents such as Microsoft & Google.

In our podcast the SAAS luminary shares what he has learned on the way, from pivoting a product when the market demands it – to why startup is a state of mind (even though you’re not necessarily a startup any more, which Box of course isn’t) to how to stay sane as a founder, like when investors have a problem with your business model or you have to deal with a competitive dilemma:

The thing that gets you through those down periods in the business, is being just unbelievably passionate about the mission of the company and where you're taking it over the long run.