Mike Fee of Spotlight
An exclusive Tech Tribune Q&A with Mike Fee, the co-founder of Spotlight, which was honored in our:
Tell us the origin story of Spotlight – what problem were you trying to solve and why?
In our previous roles as “edupreneurs” and educators, we saw that for all the data that is available about students and learning, our system does a poor job of making that data understandable to the very people it’s supposed to benefit: educators, students, and families. And when those people lack technological or data sophistication – when they don’t speak English – that data is virtually impossible to understand, let alone put to use.
What was the biggest hurdle you encountered in your journey?
Our software, which turns education data into a personalized story, is sophisticated and has a heavy “cool” factor, but initially it was perceived to be a “nice to have”. In an industry driven primarily by compliance and accountability, convincing school systems to buy something that isn’t mandated requires missionary selling, with a heavy emphasis on educating the market. We spent our first few years selling a solution to a problem that our customers didn’t realize they had.
What does the future hold for Spotlight?
Our technology is useful in any situation where a very large number of decision makers are basing their decisions on information that they may misunderstand. The cases are endless: deciding where to attend college, figuring out a financial aid package, but also understanding mortgage documents, blood test results, and 401k statements. We believe we’re going to fundamentally change the way consumers make data-driven decisions.
What are your thoughts on the local tech startup scene in Davis?
It’s coming along! But it’s fractured. There are a few of us in “ed tech”, and of course, a burgeoning solar and energy segment, and several other industries represented, but so far there are few enough in each segment that we haven’t connected very robustly. We look forward to taking advantage of this network as it continues to grow.
What’s your best advice for aspiring entrepreneurs?
Exhortations like “Don’t give up” seem trite, and a little thin given the period we’re in. I’d say: Find a specific customer pain point that you can address faster, better, or more cheaply than anyone else, and if you can choose between those, go with more cheaply, especially in today’s context. At different times, customers will pay for something that’s cool or innovative, especially if it’s very well designed and you invest heavily in marketing, but right now, we all need to focus on practical solutions.