It was a pleasure to sit down with David Chun, Founder and CEO of Equilar, for a chat. Beyond leading Equilar, David is involved with various non-profit organizations, including the Silicon Valley Community Foundation, which manages $15 billion in donor-advised funds.
David and I discuss Equilar’s origins, its unique data on corporate governance, and its AI-enhanced platform that provides detailed executive profiles, especially useful for recruiting and board member searches. David emphasizes the importance of leveraging personal networks and relationships for effective go-to-market strategies, advocating for a “relationship 360” approach over traditional cold outreach. He also highlights the need for accurate data in CRM systems to enhance sales and marketing efforts.
Discussion topics include:
- David’s advisory roles beyond his day job, including his involvement with the Commonwealth Club and Silicon Valley Leadership Group.
- How mining SEC data and building a business around corporate governance led to the creation of Equilar.
- Why higher-level executives often avoid LinkedIn.
- How Equilar has adapted its product roadmap with the advent of AI and vector databases.
- The importance of having accurate and comprehensive data to support both CROs and CMOs in their roles.
- How Equilar focuses on leveraging existing relationships and networks to reach potential customers.
- The importance of leveraging personal networks and relationships to differentiate from cold outreach.
- The need for a strategic approach to using AI and data to differentiate from competitors.
