A CEO who sold his company for $365 million describes how one of the most humiliating moments of his life transformed his business into a huge success
- Weebly CEO David Rusenko sold his company to Square earlier this year for $365 million.
- The journey leading up to the sale wasn't always so easy. Rusenko recalls a moment of doubt he had early on when he revealed Weebly's product for the first time and was told it was a terrible idea.
- Now, he reflects on his top piece of advice for budding entrepreneurs.
When David Rusenko, founder of website building platform Weebly, debuted his product for the very first time before a crowd of nearly 1,000 people in 2006, he was met with a remarkably unfavorable response.
At an an early tech gathering led by a prominent tech CEO in New York, Rusenko was one among a number of early-stage entrepreneurs to deliver a five-minute business pitch before the group of tech enthusiasts.
Rusenko leaned into the mic and described his plan to build an online platform that made it easy for anyone to create their own professional website.
"After we finished our demo, [the tech CEO leading the meeting] grabbed the mic and said it was the worst idea he ever heard of," said Rusenko.
"He said that no one needed to make a website and anyone who needed to would be able to figure it out on their own."
For Rusenko, the moment was ...
Sponsored: If you enjoyed reading this story so far, why don't you join Business Insider PRIME? Business Insider provides visitors from MSN with a special offer. Simply click here to claim your deal and get access to all exclusive Business Insider PRIME benefits.