(^01)
(^100)
(^11)
(^000)
(^00)
(^10)
(^100)
(^01)
(^101)
(^11)
(^010)
(^10)
(^111)
(^00)
(^01)
(^010)
(^01)
(^100)
(^00)
(^010)
(^11)
(^100)
(^01)
(^01)
(^000)
(^11)
(^011)
(^10)
(^101)
(^01)
(^110)
(^00)
(^10)
(^100)
(^11)
(^000)
(^00)
(^101)
(^11)
(^000)
(^00)
(^10)
(^10)
(^10)
(^111)
(^00)
(^010)
(^10)
(^011)
(^00)
(^000)
(^10)
(^10)
(^001)
(^10)
(^111)
(^01)
(^010)
(^11)
(^100)
(^01)
(^01)
(^010)
(^11)
(^100)
(^01)
(^010)
(^01)
(^100)
(^00)
(^01)
(^010)
(^00)
(^110)
(^11)
(^101)
(^01)
(^01)
(^00)
(^11)
(^011)
(^10)
(^101)
(^01)
(^110)
(^00)
(^101)
(^00)
(^110)
(^00)
(^00)
(^110)
(^00)
(^001)
(^00)
(^00)
(^01)
(^01)
(^000)
(^11)
(^01)
011
01
(^011)
(^11)
(^000)
01
001
(^11)
(^00)
(^000)
01
(^111)
(^00)
(^001)
01
(^001)
(^01)
(^01)
(^001)
01
(^000)
(^01)
(^001)
(^00)
011
(^11)
(^011)
(^01)
(^01)
011
(^00)
(^011)
(^00)
011
(^00)
(^001)
(^01)
(^11)
(^000)
01
001
(^11)
(^000)
(^00)
(^011)
(^01)
(^01)
011
(^00)
(^011)
(^00)
011
(^00)
(^001)
(^01)
(^00)
(^011)
(^01)
011
01
(^011)
(^11)
(^000)
01
(^011)
(^01)
(^11)
(^000)
01
001
(^11)
(^000)
(^00)
(^011)
(^00)
(^01)
(^011)
(^11)
(^001)
01
01
(^01)
(^011)
(^11)
(^01)
(^001)
(^11)
001
(^01)
(^001)
(^01)
001
(^00)
(^01)
001
(^00)
(^01)
(^10)
(^01)
(^10)
(^00)
(^001)
(^01)
(^00)
(^011)
(^01)
(^110)
(^10)
(^101)
(^11)
(^000)
(^10)
(^10)
(^101)
(^11)
(^000)
(^10)
(^100)
(^11)
(^000)
(^00)
(^10)
(^100)
(^01)
(^101)
(^11)
(^010)
(^10)
(^10)
(^01)
(^10)
(^111)
(^01)
(^010)
(^11)
(^100)
(^01)
(^010)
(^01)
(^100)
(^00)
(^01)
(^100)
(^00)
(^010)
(^10)
(^101)
(^11)
(^000)
(^10)
(^10)
(^011)
(^00)
(^000)
(^10)
(^100)
(^01)
(^101)
(^11)
(^01)
(^010)
(^11)
(^100)
(^01)
(^010)
(^10)
(^111)
(^00)
(^01)
(^010)
(^01)
(^100)
(^00)
(^010)
(^10)
(^001)
(^10)
(^111)
(^01)
(^01)
(^01)
(^00)
(^110)
(^11)
(^101)
(^01)
(^011)
(^10)
(^00)
(^101)
(^00)
(^110)
(^00)
(^001)
(^10)
(^000)
(^01)
(^00)
(^01)
(^01)
(^11)
(^00)
(^010)
(^10)
(^01)
(^100)
(^00)
(^010)
(^10)
(^001)
(^10)
(^111)
(^01)
(^01)
(^011)
(^10)
(^001)
(^01)
(^001)
(^10)
(^000)
(^01)
(^01)
(^110)
(^00)
(^101)
(^00)
(^110)
(^00)
(^001)
(^01)
(^000)
(^11)
(^01)
(^110)
(^10)
(^101)
(^11)
(^000)
(^10)
(^100)
(^11)
(^00)
(^000)
(^10)
(^100)
(^01)
(^101)
(^11)
(^010)
(^10)
(^11)
(^100)
(^01)
(^001)
(^11)
(^000)
(^10)
(^100)
(^11)
(^00)
(^000)
(^10)
(^101)
(^01)
(^110)
(^00)
(^101)
(^00)
(^110)
(^00)
(^00)
(^101)
(^00)
(^011)
(^01)
(^110)
(^10)
(^101)
(^11)
(^00)
(^010)
(^10)
(^101)
(^11)
(^000)
(^10)
(^100)
(^11)
(^00)
(^000)
(^10)
(^100)
(^01)
(^101)
(^11)
(^010)
(^10)
1
(^001)
(^10)
(^111)
(^01)
(^010)
(^11)
(^100)
(^01)
(^01)
(^001)
(^10)
(^000)
(^01)
(^100)
(^00)
(^111)
(^00)
(^010)
(^10)
(^00)
(^00)
(^11)
(^00)
(^00)
(^010)
(^10)
(^00)
(^110)
(^11)
(^101)
(^01)
(^011)
(^10)
(^001)
(^01)
(^00)
(^110)
0
(^010)
(^01)
(^100)
(^00)
(^010)
(^10)
(^00)
(^110)
(^11)
(^010)
(^01)
(^100)
(^00)
(^010)
(^11)
(^10)
(^001)
(^01)
(^001)
(^10)
(^000)
(^01)
(^010)
(^10)
(^111)
(^00)
(^01)
(^010)
(^01)
(^100)
(^00)
(^010)
(^10)
(^001)
(^10)
(^11)
(^101)
(^01)
(^011)
(^10)
(^001)
(^01)
(^010)
(^11)
(^10)
(^001)
(^01)
(^001)
(^10)
(^000)
(^01)
(^010)
(^00)
(^11)
(^011)
(^10)
(^101)
(^01)
(^00)
(^11)
(^011)
(^10)
(^101)
(^01)
(^11)
(^000)
(^10)
(^100)
(^11)
(^000)
(^00)
(^110)
(^00)
(^00)
1
(^00)
(^11)
(^00)
(^00)
(^010)
(^10)
(^00)
(^110)
(^11)
(^101)
(^01)
(^011)
(^10)
(^001)
(^01)
(^00)
(^110)
0
(^010)
(^01)
(^100)
(^00)
(^010)
(^10)
(^00)
(^110)
(^11)
(^010)
(^01)
(^100)
(^00)
(^010)
(^11)
(^10)
(^001)
(^01)
(^001)
(^10)
(^000)
(^01)
(^010)
(^10)
(^111)
(^00)
(^01)
(^010)
(^01)
(^100)
(^00)
(^010)
(^10)
(^001)
(^10)
(^11)
(^101)
(^01)
(^011)
(^10)
(^001)
(^01)
(^010)
(^11)
(^10)
(^001)
(^01)
(^001)
(^10)
(^000)
(^01)
(^001)
(^00)
(^00)
(^11)
(^01)
(^110)
(^10)
(^11)
(^00)
(^110)
(^00)
(^001)
(^01)
(^00)
(^011)
(^01)
(^110)
(^10)
(^101)
(^11)
(^000)
(^10)
(^10)
(^011)
(^00)
(^000)
(^10)
(^111)
(^00)
(^010)
(^10)
(^00)
(^110)
(^11)
(^101)
(^01)
(^011)
(^10)
(^001)
(^01)
(^00)
(^110)
(^00)
(^001)
(^01)
(^110)
(^00)
(^001)
0
(^00)
(^01)
(^01)
(^001)
01
(^000)
(^01)
(^001)
(^00)
011
(^11)
01
(^011)
(^01)
011
(^00)
(^011)
(^00)
011
(^00)
(^00)
(^011)
(^11)
(^000)
01
001
01
(^001)
01
(^01)
001
(^00)
(^001)
01
(^001)
01
(^111)
(^01)
(^001)
(^11)
01
(^001)
(^01)
(^001)
01
(^000)
(^01)
(^011)
01
(^00)
(^011)
(^00)
011
(^00)
(^001)
(^00)
(^10)
(^11)
(^10)
(^001)
(^01)
(^001)
(^10)
(^000)
(^01)
(^010)
(^00)
(^11)
(^011)
(^10)
(^101)
(^01)
(^110)
(^00)
(^101)
(^01)
(^01)
(^110)
(^00)
(^101)
(^00)
(^110)
(^00)
(^001)
(^01)
(^00)
(^011)
(^01)
(^110)
(^10)
(^101)
(^00)
(^11)
(^01)
(^11)
(^010)
(^10)
(^111)
(^00)
(^010)
(^10)
(^011)
(^00)
(^000)
(^11)
(^00)
(^000)
1
(^00)
(^11)
(^01)
011
01
(^011)
(^11)
(^000)
01
001
(^11)
(^00)
(^000)
01
001
(^01)
(^011)
(^11)
(^001)
01
(^11)
001
(^01)
(^001)
(^01)
001
(^00)
(^001)
(^11)
01
(^001)
(^01)
(^001)
01
(^000)
(^01)
(^001)
(^00)
011
(^11)
01
(^011)
(^01)
011
(^00)
(^011)
(^00)
011
(^00)
(^00)
(^011)
(^00)
(^011)
(^01)
011
01
(^011)
(^11)
(^00)
(^00 1)
(^00)
(^001)
01
(^001)
(^01)
011
(^00)
01
001
0
(^00)
(^11)
(^01)
(^110)
(^10)
(^011)
(^00)
(^000)
(^10)
(^100)
(^01)
(^10)
(^111)
(^01)
(^010)
(^11)
(^100)
(^01)
(^010)
(^01)
(^10)
(^00)
(^10)
(^011)
(^00)
(^000)
(^10)
(^100)
(^01)
(^10)
(^110)
(^10)
(^011)
(^00)
(^000)
(^10)
(^111)
(^00)
(^01)
(^010)
(^01)
(^100)
(^00)
(^010)
The Transformation Issue | Idealog.co.nz
050
profile
R O O M F O R G R O W T H
C U L T I V A T I N G C U L T U R E
While Predict HQ boasts a high-tech product, another
unique aspect of the company that shines through is
its culture. The diversity in its staff is visible to the outside
eye when on stage at the Hi-Tech Awards, or internally to
its investors.
“Brown has resilience and drive, but also something
I think is really special is he’s got a fantastic ability to bring
in the bet people and there’s huge diversity in the business,
whether that’s gender, race or cultural – it’s an amazing
environment,” Rampersand’s Cassidy says.
Brown says a great culture comes from having
diversity in the workplace. At the moment, there’s people
hailing from 17 different countries or cultures working at
Predict HQ.
“A lot of people try overengineer culture and you don’t
need to. You’re human and you think about how you want
to be treated,” he says.
“If someone’s more attuned to the fact you have
empathy, they are going to be more likely to work better
in your business. A classic example is you see it with
Jacinda Ardern and the way in which she shows empathy
and other people are rallying behind it – I think that’s
a really amazing thing. It’s being cognisant of the little
things, like how do people like to decompress? What are
they happy or unhappy about?"
He says the same grit and determination he looks for
in himself is also what he looks for in people he hires.
“My life at the moment is pitching talent and letting
them see the vision of our business and how big it is. We’re
not here to make $10 million ARR, we’re here to go, ‘$100
million is our first target’,” Brown says.
The future is an exciting prospect for a company
with so many different avenues it could explore. In terms
of what’s next, though, one thing is for certain: an exit
strategy is not on Brown’s mind.
“The thing with us is we’ve got so many different ways
we could be acquired, it’s not even worth thinking about.
That’s not to say you don’t try build relationships with the
right people in the businesses, but for me, it’s all about
building a kickass business and a team that can go along
with it. That makes the journey really fun,” he says.
His advice for other fledgling entrepreneurs out of
New Zealand is if your business really aligns with US or
European customers, go to the source. Dream a little bigger
about what’s possible.
“It’s going to be painful, I get it. We had to take two
kids there, and we just had our third baby. It’s really tough,
but man, if we had stayed in New Zealand, I don’t even
know if this business would be around anymore. It’s that
serious,” he says.
“For these founders or start-ups, get over the romance
of it. I think a lot of people have the romance of going to the
Valley, but they don’t want to take the next step. Take the
next step – get a Visa, a house, you flying in and out of San
Francisco is going to do nothing. Ultimately, customers,
partners and investors want to be able to call you up and
be like, ‘Can you come for a beer, right now?’” ■
In 2019, Predict HQ now counts Uber, Domino's and
Booking.com among its customers. Brown says with
companies such as Uber, the battleground in on-demand
services isn’t on the consumer side. Instead, it’s being able
to provide intelligence to a finite pool of drivers.
“We’re providing more intelligence to these drivers
to tell them where to be at the right place at the right
time. That’s where you can start to win the battle. In
the US, you’re not just competing with Lyft anymore –
there’s Grubhub, DoorDash, Amazon – all these different
businesses that are using on-demand drivers to deliver
goods and services.”
It also recently patented a product, Aviation Rank,
which ingests international and domestic flight booking
data and merges it with event data to understand what is
driving demand for airlines.
“The next phase on from that is we’re going to help
businesses do data engineering. Even though we’re dealing
with supermarkets and parking platforms and airlines and
telcos, they’re actually all trying to solve the same problem:
how can we understand 'why' when it comes to demand?
That commonality between businesses helps us to see a
large amount of scale in our business,” Brown says.
But for the moment, Predict HQ’s focus is on the
travel, transport and retail categories. Brown says they
have no shortage of clients, as many inbound to Predict HQ
due to the company solving an intrinsic problem.
“The main reason we’re doing that [focusing on those
categories] is because we’ll blow our business up. Whilst
US$10 million sounds like a lot of money, it isn’t if you try
tackle a lot of things and try be everything to everyone.
We’re actually actively turning some people away. If they
don’t have a definitive use in our wheelhouse, we’re aware
that there’s certain categories we want to win before
moving on to the next one.”
He says just in the travel category alone, there’s
well over $100 million in potential Annual Recurring
Revenue (ARR).
In terms of Predict HQ’s growth, since the money
dropped from its US$10 million raise in October, its staff
has grown from 18 to 60 people. Brown declined to talk
financials, but says the company itself has grown 120
percent in that time frame.
Overall, he says what’s surprised him the most
along the way is the calibre of businesses that are getting
in touch with Predict HQ, which has helped him shake
off the humble mindset New Zealanders can be prone
to in business.
“You go from being a Kiwi business to a global
business that is like ‘Yeah, these businesses should be
getting in touch with us’. It’s that transition from being
really in awe of these businesses contacting you, to being
like ‘We provide a hell of a lot of value to them’ and
believing in what we’re delivering to them. That mind shift
has happened a lot faster than I thought it would,” he says.
7DNHWKHQH[WVWHSØJHWD9LVDDKRXVH\RX
IO\LQJLQDQGRXWRI6DQ)UDQFLVFRLVJRLQJWRGR
QRWKLQJ8OWLPDWHO\FXVWRPHUVSDUWQHUVDQG
LQYHVWRUVZDQWWREHDEOHWRFDOO\RXXSDQGEH
OLNHÚ&DQ\RXFRPHIRUDEHHUULJKWQRZ"Û
lily
(lily)
#1