Want to 10x Your Business? It Starts with the Right Leadership.
In the latest episode of the [A] Growth Ventures Podcast, Hamlet Azarian sat down with Clate Mask, co-founder and CEO of Keap (formerly Infusionsoft), to discuss scaling businesses, leadership evolution, and the role of AI in entrepreneurship.
With over twenty years of experience helping small businesses grow through CRM and automation, Clate shared hard-earned lessons on building and sustaining success.
What We Discussed with Clate
The Role of Leadership in Scaling a Business
Clate emphasized that great leaders can help a company grow through roughly a 10x increase in two major stages. However, leadership must evolve to sustain momentum—investors and markets won’t tolerate stagnation.
He introduced the Pioneer vs. Settler mentality:
- Pioneers thrive in fast-moving, smaller companies where they can experiment and build.
- Settlers prefer stability in larger organizations and focus on optimizing existing systems.
The key takeaway is that continuous business growth depends on leaders who embrace change, seek improvement, and develop a long-term mindset.
How Keap Was Born: Solving Small Business Pain Points
Keap wasn’t built from a grand vision—it started as a solution to Clate’s business struggles. Running a service-based business, he and his team needed a system to streamline operations, manage customer relationships, and automate workflows.
Once they realized that thousands of other small businesses faced the same challenges, they turned their internal tool into a CRM and automation platform that now helps businesses worldwide scale efficiently.
Why AI Won’t Take Jobs – But Those Who Ignore It Might Lose Them
AI isn’t the enemy – ignoring AI is. Clate tackled the growing concern of AI replacing human jobs, explaining that:
- AI won’t eliminate jobs, but people who refuse to use AI could struggle in the job market.
- Businesses that embrace AI for automation, personalization, and data-driven decision-making will outperform their competitors.
Instead of fearing AI, entrepreneurs should see it as a tool for efficiency, innovation, and competitive advantage.
Final Thoughts: Leadership, Growth, and the Future of AI
Clate’s journey reinforces a powerful message: Successful entrepreneurs adapt, evolve, and leverage technology. Whether shaping leadership skills, scaling a business, or embracing AI, location and personal growth are key.
Stay tuned for key to long-term success in more episodes of the [A] Growth Ventures Podcast, where we dive into bold ideas, proven strategies, and inspiring entrepreneurial stories.
To connect with Clate Mask, visit:
- Keap: keap.com
- LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/clatemask
Key Takeaways
01:44 Origins and Evolution of Keep (formerly Infusionsoft)
05:12 Funding Journey and Growth Stages
07:08 Leadership Challenges and Stage Evolution
15:38 Hire Leaders for Next Stage
19:16 Investing in Team Growth Coaching
21:18 AI Impact on CRM and Marketing Automation
27:58 Future Direction and Integration with Thrive
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