EP 25 — goTenna’s Ari Schuler on Overcoming Challenges in Educating Customers About New Technologies

On this week's episode of the DIB Innovators podcast, David speaks with Ari Schuler, CEO of goTenna, to explore the transformative journey of his company. Ari discusses goTenna's strategic pivot from a consumer-focused business to serving government needs, highlighting the critical decisions and innovations that drove this shift. 

 

He shares his expertise on the power of mesh networks for reliable off-grid communication, emphasizing their importance in military and emergency scenarios. Ari also offers insights on the challenges of educating customers about new technologies and overcoming traditional biases. 

 

Topics discussed:

 

• Strategic shifts from consumer markets to focusing on government and defense needs, emphasizing key decisions and innovations.
• The role of mesh networks in enabling reliable off-grid communication, particularly in remote and contested environments.
• The difficulties in educating customers about new technologies and overcoming traditional biases and resistance to change.
• The importance of mission-driven culture, along with its impact on attracting and retaining the right talent.
• The challenges of developing and implementing innovative defense technologies while navigating complex governmental requirements.
• The significance of strategic hiring in ensuring the right expertise and experience for goTenna’s growth in the defense sector.
• How demonstrating real-world applications of goTenna’s technology helps build trust and acceptance among government users.
• Insights into the future of communication technology, particularly in off-grid and contested environments.
• The importance of having clear metrics and a common language to measure the success and impact of new technologies.