Beamery Talent Operating System

How 3 Founders Built Beamery to a $1 Billion Unicorn Success

Founded By

Abakar Saidov

Founders

Monthly Traffic

387K

Profitable

Yes

Year Started

2013

Customer

B2B

Founded By
Abakar Saidov: Founders
3

Monthly Traffic
387K: Profitable
Yes

Year Started
2013: Customer
B2B

Who is Abakar Saidov?

Abakar Saidov, a co-founder of Beamery, hails from Dagestan, Russia, and moved to the UK in the mid-1990s. He studied economics and mathematics, with the support of the Air Force, at university, and initially worked in finance before transitioning into tech entrepreneurship with his brother Sultan.

Abakar Saidov, co-founder beamery

What problem does Beamery Talent Operating System solve?

Beamery Talent Operating System helps companies proactively identify and engage with potential hires rather than relying on outdated application processes, making it easier to find the right talent in a competitive job market.

How did Abakar come up with the idea for Beamery Talent Operating System?

The founders of Beamery Talent Operating System identified a gap in how companies were approaching talent management and employee recruitment. The inspiration for Beamery came from their personal experiences and observations during a difficult job market, where they encountered the inefficiencies of traditional hiring processes that relied heavily on resumes and agencies. They realized that candidates often struggled to receive fair opportunities due to outdated systems that failed to recognize their true capabilities and potential.

To validate their idea, the founders conducted extensive interviews with HR leaders to uncover the main challenges companies were facing. This approach allowed them to refine their idea into a platform that treats candidates like customers, focusing on proactive talent nurturing rather than passive waiting for applications. Their vision was shaped by the belief that businesses could be transformed if they could tap into hidden talent pools, and that technology could play a pivotal role in this transformation.

Early challenges included convincing investors of the viability of their concept, especially given the timing of the market and their non-traditional backgrounds. However, their persistence and clear mission of creating equal access to work eventually attracted the support they needed. A key lesson they learned was the importance of believing in their mission and the impact that thoughtfully designed technology can have on solving real-world problems.

How did Abakar Saidov build the initial version of Beamery Talent Operating System?

The founders of Beamery Talent Operating System embarked on building their product by concentrating on creating a robust data infrastructure for talent management. Early on, they recognized the lack of quality data in HR systems and aimed to redefine the data models to better capture the dynamic nature of human skills and job requirements. They approached this by leveraging AI to infer capabilities from vast amounts of data, alongside traditional methods like manager and employee evaluations. The initial prototype was likely data-driven, allowing for iterative testing and continuous improvement as they gathered insights from potential enterprise customers. Developing this system was challenging not only due to the technical complexity but also because the market was initially skeptical about new HR tech solutions, compounded by historical failures in the sector. This journey began in 2013, marked by several years without revenue or customers, illustrating the difficulties and perseverance required during the development phase.

Beamery.com

What were the initial startup costs for Beamery Talent Operating System?

AngelPad Accelerator Program: Initial funding was secured through their acceptance into the AngelPad Accelerator Program.
Seed Money: After facing challenges in raising initial seed funding in the US, Beamery returned to the UK and managed to raise small amounts from friends, family, and former colleagues to sustain operations.
Series A: Beamery completed a $5 million Series A funding round led by Index Ventures between 2015 and 2017.
Series B: They raised a $28 million Series B round led by EQT Ventures and Microsoft Ventures in 2018.
Series C: In 2021, Beamery raised $138 million in Series C funding led by OTPP and Accenture Ventures.
Series D: In 2022, Beamery was valued at $1 billion after securing $50 million in Series D funding led by Teachers' Venture Growth.

What was the growth strategy for Beamery Talent Operating System and how did they scale?

SEO

Beamery invested in building a strong online presence through search engine optimization (SEO). They focused on creating content tailored to keywords that potential clients in the talent acquisition industry were searching for, such as “talent operating system” and “HR technology.” By consistently publishing relevant and educational material on their website, they aimed to improve their visibility in search results and drive organic traffic.

Why it worked: This approach is effective because it meets prospective customers at the beginning of their journey, offering solutions and insights that address their recruitment and talent management needs. By ranking higher in search results, Beamery can attract organizations looking for innovative HR technology solutions, contributing to increased awareness and potential leads.

Targeted Partnerships

Beamery formed strategic partnerships with influential companies in the HR and software industries, such as Workday and SAP, to enhance their credibility and reach a wider audience. These partnerships helped integrate Beamery’s platform with other essential tools used by large organizations.

Why it worked: Partnering with well-known entities like Workday and SAP not only builds trust but also opens access to their customer base. This strategy leverages the existing relationships and infrastructure of larger companies, making it easier for Beamery to integrate their solutions into the workflows of top-tier corporations.

Funding and Investment

Beamery’s ability to secure significant funding rounds allowed them to scale operations and market their solutions more effectively. They were able to harness these resources to enhance product development and customer service, staying ahead in the competitive HR technology space.

Why it worked: Securing investments from notable venture capitalists and strategic investors gave Beamery the financial backing necessary to grow rapidly. This funding enabled them to invest in innovation, expand their team, and increase market penetration, thus solidifying their status in the industry.

Customer Success and Referrals

Beamery emphasized delivering high-quality customer experiences and successful implementations. Their approach ensured clients were satisfied and included customer feedback in their development process. Beamery reportedly averaged high Net Promoter Scores (NPS) for enterprise SaaS implementations.

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Why it worked: Satisfied customers become advocates for the product — their positive experiences lead to referrals and word-of-mouth recommendations, which are powerful growth drivers. By prioritizing customer success, Beamery not only retained clients but also created a network of ambassadors who helped expand their brand reach organically.

What's the pricing strategy for Beamery Talent Operating System?

Beamery offers a tiered pricing model for its software solutions, tailored to enterprise needs, with free trials available to assess their talent optimization capabilities before committing to a long-term plan.

What were the biggest lessons learned from building Beamery Talent Operating System?

Leverage Grit and Determination: Beamery's journey exemplifies how resilience and unyielding determination helped the founders push through rejection and failures to ultimately achieve success.
Seek Support from Networks: When Beamery struggled with fundraising, they tapped into personal networks for seed funding, showcasing the importance of leveraging relationships even in times of resource scarcity.
Customer-Centric Approach: By focusing on customer feedback and needs, Beamery pivoted to solve a critical data problem in HR, underscoring the value of aligning products closely with market demands.
Prioritize Quality Over Speed: The choice to implement their own software allowed Beamery to maintain high-quality standards, leading to excellent customer satisfaction scores. This demonstrates the long-term benefits of prioritizing quality and consistency.
Adapt to Change with Strategic Execution: Beamery’s strategic investments in AI innovations and workforce planning highlight the importance of continuously evolving to remain competitive in a dynamic market.

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