Startups Unpacked

04: Building a 40k Person Waitlist and Problem Solving like SpaceX with Josh Clemente of Levels

Episode Notes

In this episode, Daniel sits down with the Founder and President of Levels, Josh Clemente. With Levels, Josh is attempting to bring blood-glucose monitoring into the mainstream as a consumer product. Driven by his own personal health journey, he is convinced that consistent and accurate blood-glucose feedback will produce more knowledgeable choices and dramatically impact the health and lifestyle of millions of people for the better. Others are likewise convinced as Josh has raised 4 million dollars in venture capital and also has a 40,000 customer waitlist. 

While working at SpaceEx, Josh began to evaluate his work-life balance and the effect it was having on his physical health. His relentless pursuit of feedback led him to identify a product need and envision the company that would meet it. Listen as Josh shares his journey from life as a pre-diabetic to his now pre-magnate status as he prepares to launch Levels into the stratosphere of med-tech companies.  

• Backstory: Amidst his work as a chemical engineer with SpaceEx, Josh began to evaluate his work-life-balance and the effect it was having on his body.  (1:27)
• Josh talks glucose and metabolism and the science behind his Startup (3:06)
• Identifying the industry need: bringing the monitoring of blood glucose levels to the masses as a consumer product (6:00)
• Levels solves core problems that consumers aren’t even aware that they have: He explains how good fitness doesn’t always equate to good health (7:15) Josh explains how acutely personal feedback is crucial for understanding your own health. (10:21)
• Creating Demand: How Levels already has 40,000 customers on a waitlist before their public launch. (15:22)
• Industry Foresight: Anticipating continued advances in the personal med-tech industry, Josh plans for Level’s expansion and development. (23:22)
• The importance of customer experience: how Levels brings sophisticated technology to the customer through an easy and elegant application. (28:58)
• The brilliant “first principles” advice Josh gleaned from his time at SpaceEx (33:08)
• How the rookie fundraiser raised 4 million in venture capital (36:43)
• Josh shares an early mistake he made and the valuable lesson he learned through it (39:44)
• Dan asks Josh to share his secret weapons for success (41:23)

These are great insights from a great entrepreneur!

Product Market Misfits is a weekly podcast that helps entrepreneurs learn more about starting companies and getting funded by sharing conversations with world-class venture-backed founders who are one or two steps ahead of you on the path to success. For more, visit us at www.ProductMarketMisfits.com