Dan Dykes of Beam

March 2, 2021 thetechtribune

An exclusive Tech Tribune Q&A with Dan Dykes (co-founder) of Beam, which was honored in our:

Tell us the origin story of Beam – what problem were you trying to solve and why?

We were fortunate to have had some early exposure to the dental industry. From the outset, it was apparent that dentistry lagged many other industries in its adoption of technology. We saw an opportunity to digitize and vertically integrate the experience. We believe that by emphasizing preventative care and leveraging technology, we can help create clinically impactful outcomes and increase access to care.

What was the biggest hurdle you encountered in your journey?

Beam’s goal of digitizing the dental experience means we have a very broad product offering. Our products range from physical goods (toothbrushes, toothpaste, floss) and digital benefit experiences to regulated insurance products. Wrangling the breadth of this scope has always been a challenge.

What does the future hold for Beam?

Beam has so many opportunities to continue to transform the industry that it requires a lot of discipline to also stay focused. In many ways, we are just getting started on bringing our vision to life. In the near term, we are really honing in on making the Beam experience the easiest, smartest, and most preventive focused dental benefit in the market.

What are your thoughts on the local tech startup scene in Columbus?

We’ve been very fortunate to have a seat at the table through the incredible growth in the startup scene in Columbus. Beam moved to Columbus in 2014 and it’s quite staggering how much momentum Columbus startups have accrued in the time since. I am personally very thankful for the community this growth has helped to create. This network has been instrumental in influencing the growth of Beam, and we are always looking for ways to contribute back.

What’s your best advice for aspiring entrepreneurs?

Obsessively focus on the fundamentals. You’re going to do them a lot. They will define your customers’ experience. Give the fundamentals the attention they deserve, and build strong telemetry around them.