Made It with Connor Tomkies

Episode Description:
Connor sits down with Miles Lasater, founder of Purpose Built and co-founder of multiple successful companies, including HireOne, which went public in 2010. Miles shares insights on scaling a business from college startup to IPO, hiring a CEO as a young founder, and the challenges of breaking into difficult markets like higher education and government. He also discusses his venture studio, Purpose Built, and the innovative startups he's helping to launch.

Check Out Our Sponsors
Pine View Insurance Group
Byldd

Chapters:
[00:00:00] Welcome Miles Lasater
[00:00:30] Founding Higher One in College
[00:01:15] The Advantage of Naivete
[00:02:00] Painting Through Uncertainty
[00:02:30] Scaling to 1,000 Campuses
[00:03:00] Hiring a CEO as Founders
[00:04:00] Picking the Right Leader
[00:05:00] Role Evolution and Growth
[00:06:30] IPO and Scaling Challenges
[00:07:15] Revenue Model and Growth
[00:08:30] Navigating Financial Regulations
[00:09:45] Learning Banking from Scratch
[00:10:30] Thinking Beyond Industry Norms
[00:12:00] Founder-Friendly Stock Options
[00:12:45] Transitioning Out of HireOne
[00:14:15] The Itch to Start Again
[00:15:00] Seeclickfix and Civic Tech
[00:16:30] Selling to Universities and Cities
[00:18:30] Building Trust in Government
[00:19:15] Launching Purpose Built
[00:20:30] Coral Care and Healthcare Startups
[00:22:00] Twill: Referral-Based Hiring
[00:24:15] Dunbar and Relationship Mapping
[00:25:45] AI’s Impact on Networking
[00:26:45] Banning Cell Phones in Schools
[00:28:30] Supply-Side Liberalism Explained
[00:30:00] What Excites Miles in 2025
[00:30:30] Where to Find Miles


Miles' Stuff:

Purpose Built: https://www.purposebuilt.vc/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mileslasater/

My Stuff:

Podcast: https://www.madeitpod.com/
Website: https://www.connortomkies.com/
X: https://twitter.com/ConnorTomkies
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/connortomkies/