On this inaugural episode of Outsider Inc., host Ian Hathaway talks with Scott Dorsey, co-founder and former CEO of ExactTarget. Scott shares his journey from founding ExactTarget in 2000, through its $2.5 billion acquisition by Salesforce in 2013, to his current efforts in fostering entrepreneurship in Indianapolis via HighAlpha. Their discussion covers launching a company when the dot com bubble burst, early sales and fundraising strategies, and ExactTarget's transformative impact on Indianapolis' tech ecosystem. Scott emphasizes his philosophy of building a company and a community, revealing how leveraging local talent and fostering a strong company culture contributed to ExactTarget's success. He also discusses the importance of supportive ecosystems for tech startups and his continued mission to invest in and support local entrepreneurs.
Show Notes:
(03:15) Scott Dorsey's Early Career and ExactTarget's Founding
(05:30) Challenges and Early Successes of ExactTarget
(11:44) Raising Capital and Building a Sales Team
(18:35) Transitioning to Enterprise and Securing Venture Capital
(24:03) Navigating IPOs and Acquisition by Salesforce
(30:23) Founding High Alpha: A New Venture Studio
(32:19) High Alpha's Unique Approach and Methodology
(36:06) Building a Tech Ecosystem in Indianapolis
(41:49) The Orange Culture and Its Lasting Impact
(47:16) Personal Insights and Leadership Philosophy
(51:12) Beyond the Bio w/Scott Dorsey
✅ Host: Ian Hathway - Co-Founder & Managing Partner, FOVC
✅ Guest: Scott Dorsey - Co-Founder & CEO, ExactTarget; Managing Partner, High Alpha
Produced by Spellbinder Media. Executive Produced by Bridge Five Ventures. Copyright ©️2025, Bridge Five Ventures, LLC, All rights reserved.
Listen & subscribe wherever you get your podcasts or at outsiderinc.substack.com.
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