Watch our exclusive interview with Wade Foster, Co-Founder and CEO of Zapier.

Raising only about $1M, staying fully #remote, and reaching a #valuation of more than $5B - this is the story of Zapier.

We started by exploring Zapier’s decision to be fully #remote from day one: from the philosophy of “hire when it hurts,” to documenting all communication across tools, and now taking it a step further by using #agents to activate that knowledge and drive a new level of #effectiveness.

We then dove into how Zapier adapted to the #AI era - from the co-founders going back to the ground floor, to declaring “#CodeRed” after #customer conversations, recognizing the #disruption potential, and ultimately launching #ZapierAgents and #MCP.

Next, we discussed their decision to grow not only through #PLG, but also with a dedicated #sales motion - what led them there, and the #mindset shifts required to make it work.

As the world evolves, we asked: who is the #automation hero of #2026? The builder, or the manager of agents? And what does it truly mean to be a #builder in this new era?

We also touched on #ZapierCanvas, what it could mean for #implementation partners, and added the story of Zapier’s very first #customer, and how it all led to where the company is today.

Lastly, what is Wade’s alternate-universe #profession? 🌍⚙️🤖

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Interviewers: Yossi Garmazi & Amado Vargas IV

#tech #ai #agent #automation #entrepreneur

Chapters:

00:00 Intro

01:00 Seedstrapping in 2011 vs. 2026

02:36 Balancing Customer Development & Building

03:28 Remote Work Oriented

04:07 Distributed Work Philosophy

07:11 Zapier's Evolution towards AI

12:01 Technical and Cultural Challenges

15:00 Avoiding AI Hallucinations

18:19 Move towards Enterprise Led Growth

21:26 What does it Mean to be a Builder?

23:35 No more Implementation Consultants?

25:27 Early Motivation during Tough Moments

28:46 Valued Skills during Age of AI

30:05 Mentors

30:36 Coffee with a Historical Figure

32:20 Alternate Career Path?

33:28 Favorite Television Series

Zapier CEO: Agents, PLG and Fully remote | Builders Series

Boardroom Club

Zapier CEO: Agents, PLG and Fully remote | Builders Series