So you’ve been watching Shark Tank and dreaming about starting your own business. How do you know if your business idea is good, and if you’re cut out to be an entrepreneur? Once you’re a founder, what does it actually take to build a massively successful company that can go public?

In his book, ZERO TO IPO: Over $1 Trillion Worth of Advice from the World’s Most Successful Entrepreneurs, Frederic Kerrest, the Executive Vice Chairman, Chief Operating Officer, and Cofounder of Okta, helps you tackle those questions with insights from his own experience and that of world-class leaders.

In a candid fireside-chat conversation, Frederic will cover a trove of essential and applicable tips for each stage of a company’s growth and provide a clear blueprint for how to build a business―including best practices for sales, fundraising, and company culture.

Some key topics our session will include:

• How do you build a team?

• How do you fundraise?

• How do you grow your business?

• What do boards do and why are they important?

• What is an IPO?

• How do you manage yourself?

• Why is failure an important part of growth?

Whether you’re just considering starting your own business or you’re already on the path to taking your company public, this talk is the resource you’ll need at every stage of your journey.

OUR SPECIAL GUEST

Frederic Kerrest

Author of ZERO TO IPO

Frederic Kerrest is the Executive Vice Chairman, Chief Operating Officer, and Cofounder of Okta, an enterprise software company which IPO’d in 2017 at a $2 billion valuation and has since grown to over $40 billion in market capitalization. Kerrest is responsible for establishing and driving Okta’s corporate priorities, accelerating innovation across the company, working closely with customers, partners, and prospects, and serving as a key liaison with the investor community.

A software entrepreneur at heart, Kerrest co-hosts the Zero to IPO podcast, featuring founders, entrepreneurs, and investors who share insights from their experiences building innovative technology companies. He serves on the Executive Advisory Board of the Martin Trust Center for MIT Entrepreneurship and advises early-stage software company founders. Kerrest is also the Chairman and Cofounder of Herophilus, a platform drug discovery company.

Frederic earned a BS in Computer Science from Stanford University and an MBA in Entrepreneurship & Innovation from the MIT Sloan School of Management. Outside of work, he enjoys spending time with his family, reading, skiing, and playing ice hockey.

The Nasdaq Entrepreneurial Center is a 501c(3) public charity whose mission it is to make entrepreneurship accessible to all. We deliver world-class resources and mentoring to enable every entrepreneur across the globe to realize their maximum potential. Please join us and make your gift to ensure these transformative programs may continue to reach the underserved.

All Nasdaq Entrepreneurial Center programs and services are extended to the public on a nondiscriminatory basis. Reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities will be made if requested at least 48 hours in advance of this event; please send an email to [email protected] with the subject header ACCOMMODATION REQUEST. For assistance with registration or other technical difficulties, please contact [email protected]