Step into the mind of a business scaling expert as we welcome Ken Gavranovic, founder of Product Genius, to our Wantrepreneur to Entrepreneur Spotlight. Ken's journey from scaling Interland (now Web.com) to $200 million in revenue to launching his current AI-driven venture shows his talent for identifying and solving critical business blind spots. Through Product Genius, he's revolutionizing how companies tap into customer and employee insights, proving that sustainable growth comes from understanding the human side of data. Get ready for valuable insights from a leader who's mastered turning everyday conversations into business-changing decisions.
Hi, Ken! Thanks for joining us today. Tell us about your business. Who do you serve, how do you serve them, and what's the impact that your business and work makes?
At Product Genius, our mission is simple: we help customer-facing businesses—from local retailers to city management teams—drive real results by transforming everyday customer and employee interactions into powerful insights. We’ve built an AI-driven platform that goes beyond just gathering feedback. It dives into the heart of customer and employee conversations, pulling out the patterns and actionable insights that leaders need to make quick, informed decisions.
We serve leaders who want more than surface-level data. Our platform is there to capture authentic feedback in real time, answering questions, identifying trends, and delivering data-backed insights. This means businesses can respond to what’s really driving satisfaction, engagement, and even revenue.
The impact? Our clients see measurable ROI because they’re able to make changes that directly address the needs of their customers and employees. We’re bridging the gap between technology and human insight, helping businesses create spaces where every interaction contributes to growth and success. It’s about using technology to not just observe but to understand—and that’s what drives real results.
Tell us about the moment you finally felt like you went from wantrepreneur to entrepreneur.
The moment I shifted from wantrepreneur to entrepreneur came when I realized that successful business building wasn’t just about having a great idea or even the skill to execute it—it was about resilience and learning to face down obstacles without flinching. For me, that turning point came during the early days of growing Interland, later known as Web.com. We were bootstrapping, taking risks, and making tough calls every day.
There was a day when we hit a major roadblock that threatened our growth trajectory. I remember looking at our team, seeing the pressure on their faces, and realizing that they were looking to me not just for answers, but for certainty and drive. It was at that moment I understood the true responsibility of being an entrepreneur—not just the strategist or the visionary, but the steady force that others could lean on when times were tough. That experience taught me that entrepreneurship is about grit, about pushing forward when others might back off, and about building something that can withstand the challenges ahead. That’s when I knew I was all-in, not just chasing success, but leading a company I believed in.
Describe the moment or period in your life/career that motivated you to make the entrepreneurial leap.
The moment that pushed me toward the entrepreneurial leap wasn’t a single flash of inspiration; it was a build-up over years of working with businesses, large and small, watching the disconnect between decision-makers and the pulse of their customers and employees. I had led teams through IPOs, managed massive growth, and overseen mergers, but I kept seeing the same issue—companies were making decisions based on isolated data points without a real understanding of what their customers and employees actually needed or wanted.
The defining moment came when I realized that technology could do more than just measure performance; it could bridge this gap between leaders and real-world insights in real time. I knew we needed a tool that could actively engage, learn, and respond, making the voice of the customer and the employee something leaders could truly act on. That’s when I decided to create Product Genius—to build a solution that wasn’t just a dashboard of data, but an interactive platform capable of surfacing insights that drive real, tangible growth. For me, that leap was about empowering businesses to make smarter, more connected decisions and finally turn feedback into a competitive advantage.
Describe a tool, service, or software that has been a game-changer for your business. How does it contribute to your success?
For us at Product Genius, our own platform has been the ultimate game-changer. The AI-driven insights it provides are invaluable—not just for our clients but for our team as well. It’s the tool that empowers us to understand what truly resonates with customers and employees by capturing and analyzing authentic conversations in real-time.
This platform goes beyond traditional feedback by transforming raw interactions into clear, actionable insights that drive decision-making. The speed and precision of the data mean we’re constantly tuned into what matters most, allowing us to adapt quickly and strategically. For our clients, it’s about being able to engage proactively and see measurable ROI. For us, it’s about setting a new standard for understanding and impact. Simply put, it’s the key to our growth, our innovation, and our ability to help others do the same.
We know that success is very often a non-linear path. Tell us about a failure, pivot point, or lesson that changed your course or direction and helped to get you where you are today.
One of the most pivotal lessons in my career came early on during my time at Interland (now Web.com), a company I helped grow from scratch to $200 million in revenue. We were pushing for rapid growth, moving fast to capture the market and scale aggressively. But amid that push, we hit a wall. Our customer support and operational foundations simply weren’t keeping up, and we started seeing the cracks in customer satisfaction and employee engagement. We were moving forward, but not necessarily in a way that was sustainable.
It was a hard realization, but it forced me to rethink what growth truly meant. Instead of just going faster, I had to learn to build smarter—to build with sustainability, scalability, and the customer experience in mind. This led us to implement new systems and processes that would support not only the volume but also the quality of our service. We pivoted to focus on both operational excellence and customer-centered design, ensuring that every new step forward was rooted in a strong, adaptable foundation.
That experience shaped my approach to every business venture since. It’s why I focus so much on real-time feedback and actionable insights with Product Genius today. Growth isn’t just about getting bigger; it’s about getting better in a way that lasts. That lesson—building for long-term value rather than short-term speed—has been at the core of every decision I make.
What unconventional strategy did you employ that significantly impacted your business?
One unconventional strategy I’ve employed with Product Genius is shifting our focus from traditional data analytics to what I call "people-centric observability." Rather than just looking at operational metrics, we tapped into the direct conversations happening with customers and employees—something most companies overlook or don’t prioritize. By using AI to analyze these real, unfiltered interactions, we’re able to capture not only the what but the why behind customer and employee behaviors.
This approach transformed our business because it revealed insights that typical data points miss, giving us a clear pathway to impact. Instead of analyzing performance from a purely technical standpoint, we put people at the center. This strategy helped our clients create environments where customer satisfaction and employee engagement aren’t just metrics—they’re driving forces behind measurable ROI and growth. It’s a powerful shift from reactive to proactive, and it’s fundamentally changed the way we deliver value.
What’s something you wish you knew sooner that you’d give as advice for aspiring or newer entrepreneurs?
One thing I wish I’d understood earlier—and something I share with every aspiring entrepreneur—is the power of deep focus on solving real problems that matter. Early on, it’s easy to get swept up by ideas, trends, or the pursuit of growth for growth’s sake. But what really moves the needle is understanding your customer’s challenges inside out and building solutions that solve those with precision and impact.
If there’s a shortcut in business, it’s this: obsess over the problem you’re solving, not just the product you’re building. When you stay relentlessly focused on that, you’re not just creating something “innovative”; you’re building something indispensable.
Want to dive deeper into Ken's work? Check out the links below.
- Visit Ken's Website kengavranovic.com
- Visit Product Guru's Website productgenius.guru
