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This interview with the CEO and co-founder of Certifaction, Benoît Henry, was originally conducted and published in English by Bugy.
Can you tell us something about yourself?
Hi, I’m Benoît Henry, CEO of Certifaction, a SaaS company based in Switzerland. Our enterprise solution is a global leader in privacy-first eSigning and is already used in a wide range of industries, particularly in healthcare and regulated industries.
I am a serial entrepreneur with a passion for starting and scaling businesses at the intersection of business and technology. Having lived and worked in Asia, Europe and the US, and now living in Zurich, I have had many great experiences.
I firmly believe that success is first and foremost about people and the right empowerment.
What do you think is the biggest misconception people have when it comes to start-ups?
The biggest mistake is to believe that there is such a thing as a silver bullet called Product Market Fit and that everything will take care of itself once you have found it.
Firstly, many, if not most, start-ups develop in a very competitive environment and great ideas can be copied, so the silver bullet is the exception rather than the rule. Secondly, the best product is nothing without the right execution and hard work.
If you could go back to any point in your journey and give yourself a tip, what would it be?
Success is about people, and culture eats strategy for breakfast. Make sure you have the right people on your team, trust them and empower them (but also hold them accountable for their actions), and the rest will take care of itself.
What characterises you as an entrepreneur?
Like many entrepreneurs, I set high standards for myself and others. I am also fully aware that I am far from perfect. For example, I tend to stifle my creativity through my ‘get things done’ attitude.
I think knowing about my blind spots has made me realise that I need to surround myself with people who complement me and that, above all, I need to listen to them.
Gathering and interpreting different opinions really helps me to decide how and when to act.
What are some of the best work habits you’ve learnt over the years?
- Starting my day with meditation
- Being crystal clear about what I focus on and what I don’t focus on
- Taking time for myself (“mens sana in corpore sano”)
- (Intensive) listening and reflection
The truth is out there! Don’t just stay in your office and approach new people.
Can you give us a little insight into the influences behind the company?
At the heart of Certifaction is the conviction that digitalisation must not come at the expense of privacy (yours and mine). We founded the company with this in mind. We also make every effort to have a positive ESG impact.
For example, when we were developing the electronic prescription solution, we asked ourselves how we could make this technology accessible to people with limited digital skills and came up with our digital twin (this function enables pharmacists to authenticate and redeem printed prescriptions).
We are also very proud that our technology helps to prevent and detect fraud by making all types of documents forgery-proof and easily verifiable.
When I see how it is used to combat counterfeiting of municipal offices in Guatemala City or university diplomas, it fills me with pride and joy.
Where do you see your company in five years’ time?
We have global ambitions and want to create a category that we occupy. As already mentioned, the core of Certifaction lies in the conviction that digitalisation must not come at the expense of privacy.
Many regulators and organisations are rightly concerned about the security and privacy aspects of their digitalisation efforts and we want to equip these organisations with an easy-to-integrate, privacy-preserving eSigning solution.
We stand for data protection. What could be more Swiss than that? And who doesn’t value privacy?
What do you think is the biggest challenge on the way there?
Beware of hubris! It is never easy to develop a company and we must endeavour to do the right thing every day.
Tell us about your biggest success story to date?
Founding Frateli with a few friends, a foundation with the aim of supporting students with potential from working-class backgrounds so that they can study successfully, boost their self-confidence and explore and find their career path.
Today, the foundation supports over 4,000 students a year.
How do clients and customers find you? Are you more of a salesperson yourself?
There are many ways for them to find us, but I prefer customer referrals because it shows that we are doing a really good job with our existing customers and that they are spreading the word about our good deeds.
I’m not sure if I’m a salesperson myself, but I really enjoy talking to our customers and when I close a deal, it gives me a sense of fulfilment.
What tip would you give other startup founders?
Be selective when choosing your co-founders, your team and even your investors. Hire slowly and never lower your standards. To be successful, you need to have the right people on board.
And finally, what do you hope for the future, both for you personally and for your company?
A sense of achievement that makes me feel that we as individuals and as a company have a positive impact on the world.
