RE #77: Sce Pike - Founder & CEO of IOTAS - Smart Home Technology

Sce Pike is the Founder and CEO of IOTAS, a complete smart apartment ecosystem with simple installation giving residents the best user experience for their Smart Apartments. On this episode, she and Chris talk about the early days of the startup, the importance of getting right in front of your customers, how IOTAS is helping users at the property management level, Sce's experience during the DotCom Bubble, and much more. Enjoy!

Follow Chris on Twitter: www.Twitter.com/FortWorthChris
Learn more about Chris Powers & Fort Capital: www.FortCapital.com

(01:42) - Sce’s Story

(03:40) - What did IOTAS look like early on as a startup?

(05:49) - Are there things about IOTAS that might have been different if you hadn’t started the company in an actual apartment?

(08:19) -  Can you explain the IOTAS product from a software perspective and how it integrates with hardware?

(10:33) - Are you a better fit for someone building brand new units or are you able to integrate with an already established apartment?

(12:14) - For fully operating complexes, what is IOTAS' process for coming in and integrating everything?

(13:28) - What are the most common ways that tenants are using the product?

(15:08) - What does it look like at the property management level?

(16:37) - Is there data on the average savings amount you’ll present to potential customers?

(17:17) - Do you provide reports on efficiencies?

(17:59) - What’s the long term vision for how the IOTAS set up works?

(18:36) - Is there anything that the IOTAS product is doing that you didn't expect?

(22:42) - What are the biggest bottlenecks for your ability to scale?

(24:50) - How did the partnership with Amazon come about and why did you choose them?

(28:46) - What’s the difference between using Alexa without linking their account and actually linking it?

(29:31) - When are potential tenants interacting with Alexa?

(30:36) - Is this an exclusive partnership with Amazon?

(30:52) - What’s it like working with Amazon?

(31:51) - Is Apple trying to get into this space?

(32:26) - What does an exit look like in this space?

(33:26) - What’s the definition of a TelCo from your perspective?

(33:55) - How did you get into this industry?

(35:46) - What was your web design business like in college?

(36:19) - What was the DotCom Bubble like in the early 2000s?

(37:18) - What was it that ended the company you were employed with during the bust?

(40:00) - What is "creative destruction"?

(41:18) - How were you able to create self-guided tours and have them ready in 4 weeks?

(43:07) - How does the self-guided tour work?

(44:52) - Where have you learned your leadership style?

(45:45) - What’s the reality of Portland right now?

(47:54) - Do you have a morning routine?

(49:19) - What’s the best advice someone’s ever given you?

(49:59) - Any books that have inspired you?

The Hard Thing About Hard Things - Ben Horrowitz
Measure What Matters - John Doerr

(50:53) - If there was a billboard that you could put anything on for the world to see, what would it show?

(51:14) - What's the best way to reach you or find IOTAS?

The FORT with Chris Powers is produced by Straight Up Podcasts