Making Document Management Management Easy
This year marks a significant milestone for Folderit as we celebrate our 10th anniversary. Over the past decade, we have dedicated ourselves to making document management simpler, more efficient, and more accessible for businesses of all sizes. Our commitment to innovation and sustainability has driven us to continually enhance our platform with features that matter to our users.
The Journey of Folderit
From its inception, Folderit has been guided by a vision: to provide a user-friendly document management system that meets the needs of businesses, regardless of their size. CEO Kent Raju reflects on the early days of Folderit, stating, “We saw a clear opportunity to offer a much more user-friendly DMS experience than competitors. Initially, we believed this would mainly benefit smaller companies, but we quickly realized that every organization, regardless of size, appreciates an intuitive and easy-to-use EDMS.”
Starting without external funding, Folderit grew steadily in its early years through resilience and determination. This approach instilled a disciplined financial planning strategy that has remained a cornerstone of the company. “Unlike many businesses that use money they don’t have, we only grow our ambitions when backed by actual sales. This strategy has been a cornerstone of our success,” Raju explains.
Throughout the years, Folderit has achieved numerous milestones, continuously evolving to meet the needs of its users. The company’s commitment to providing a comprehensive, intuitive, and secure document management solution has garnered trust from businesses around the world.
Commitment to Sustainability
At Folderit, sustainability is a core value that drives our operations. We understand the importance of reducing our environmental footprint and have implemented several initiatives to support this goal. By transitioning businesses from paper-based to paperless environments, we not only improve efficiency but also significantly reduce paper waste, contributing to a healthier planet.
Folderit’s platform is designed to facilitate this transition smoothly. For example, our e-signature capabilities eliminate the need for physical document signing, further reducing paper use and the carbon footprint associated with transportation. Our data centers are optimized for energy efficiency, ensuring that our services are both effective and environmentally responsible.
Enhancing Services and Continuous Improvement
Innovation is at the heart of Folderit’s mission. Over the past year, we have introduced several new features and enhancements to our platform, driven by user feedback and the evolving needs of businesses.
One of our most significant recent updates is the integration of our own e-signing technology. Responding to customer demands for a cost-effective electronic signature solution, we developed this feature and included it in our existing Tailor plan without any price increase. This addition complements our existing DocuSign integration, offering users more flexibility and choice in how they manage their electronic signatures.
We also introduced an Outlook Add-in, which simplifies email management by allowing users to save emails and attachments directly to Folderit from their Outlook inbox. Additionally, our new UI enhancements ensure that users can efficiently manage and sign documents on the go, reflecting our commitment to providing a seamless and convenient user experience.
These updates are part of our ongoing efforts to ensure that Folderit remains at the forefront of the document management industry. By continuously improving our platform and adding features that enhance usability, we aim to meet and exceed the expectations of our users.
Interview with CEO Kent Raju
As part of our 10th anniversary celebration, we sat down with Kent Raju, the CEO of Folderit, to reflect on the company’s journey, challenges, and future plans.
Reflecting on the Journey
Q: As Folderit celebrates its 10th anniversary, can you take us back to the beginning? What was the initial vision for Folderit when it launched, and how has it evolved over the past decade?
Kent Raju: “We saw a clear opportunity to offer a much more user-friendly DMS experience than competitors. Initially, we believed this would mainly benefit smaller companies, but we quickly realized that every organization, regardless of size, appreciates an intuitive and easy-to-use EDMS. This led us to support enterprise use cases and build features specifically for large companies.”
Early Challenges and Milestones
Q: What were some of the significant challenges Folderit faced in its early years, and what were the key milestones that marked its growth and success?
Kent Raju: “Since we started with no external funding, we had to take things slowly. Realizing the vision we had on day one took years to complete. However, this approach has instilled a sound financial planning strategy that continues today. Unlike many businesses that use money they don’t have, we only grow our ambitions when backed by actual sales. This strategy has been a cornerstone of our success.”
Transformation Over the Years
Q: How has Folderit transformed in terms of features and tools from when it first started to where it stands now? What are some of the most significant additions to the platform?
Kent Raju: “Although many of the base functions like metadata, sharing, reminders, and versioning have been available from the start, we have made many changes to those features. We have added new functions such as much more granular access management, document numbering, acknowledgment workflows, and e-signing. The system is still very much in active development, receiving updates almost daily. So you can expect there’s a lot more to come.”
Customer Impact
Q: How has Folderit impacted its customers over the years? Can you share any success stories or feedback that highlight the difference Folderit has made in their document management processes?
Kent Raju: “The impact varies across organizations, but it is always significant. Transitioning from paper-based to paperless offices brings immense benefits in transparency, efficiency, and cost reduction. Switching from competitors’ platforms to Folderit saves valuable time due to our intuitive interface. One company significantly reduced travel needs by adopting our e-signing feature, eliminating the necessity for cross-border travel for document signing.”
Current Innovations
Q: What are some of the latest innovations and updates that Folderit has introduced recently? How do these new features enhance the user experience and meet the evolving needs of businesses?
Kent Raju: “Our biggest recent update is our own e-signing technology. In addition to DocuSign integration, clients were asking for a more cost-effective solution for electronic signatures. So we built one and included it in the price of our existing Tailor plan without any price increase. We have only changed our prices once in 10 years!”
Future Developments
Q: Looking ahead, what exciting developments or new features can users expect from Folderit in the near future? Are there any upcoming projects or enhancements that you’re particularly excited about?
Kent Raju: “There are many! However, we usually don’t reveal plans early to avoid pressure to launch before we’re ready. We have many interesting projects in the works, including a big UI update and advanced AI features, among many more.”
Industry Trends
Q: How do you see the document management industry evolving in the next few years, and what role do you envision Folderit playing in that future?
Kent Raju: “The document management industry is somewhat conservative, so our approach to provide a human-friendly solution is already groundbreaking. AI will reshape the industry significantly. Electronic signing is another area where we see substantial growth potential.”
Company Culture and Team
Q: How would you describe the culture at Folderit, and what do you believe has been key to building a strong, dedicated team over the years?
Kent Raju: “Our team is hardworking and responsible, with a clear understanding of their tasks and awareness of other aspects of the business. We prioritize picking the right people—likeminded and highly professional. This approach attracts more talent with the same high standards.”
Customer-Centric Approach
Q: Folderit has always emphasized a customer-centric approach. How do you ensure that customer feedback and needs drive your product development and improvements?
Kent Raju: “Customer feedback feeds our product pipeline. We analyze every piece of feedback, considering the bigger picture and broader support. Quick implementation of feasible requests has amazed our clients, showing our commitment to being user-friendly not just in our system, but in every interaction.”
Personal Reflections
Q: On a personal note, what has been the most rewarding part of this journey for you as the CEO? What moments or achievements are you most proud of?
Kent Raju: “I’m proud to have chosen the right core team and built a complex software from scratch that competes in a crowded market by offering a more humane experience. Seeing it adopted by some of the biggest companies in 83 countries is a humbling achievement.”
Message to Stakeholders
Q: As Folderit celebrates this significant milestone, what message would you like to share with your customers, partners, and team members?
Kent Raju: “If you like where we’ve gotten in the first 10 years, you’ll love where we’re going. We have an excellent track record in technology and client relations, and we’ll continue to improve and delight our clients.”
Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs
Q: Finally, what advice would you give to aspiring entrepreneurs who are looking to start their own tech ventures in the document management space or beyond?
Kent Raju: “Even if the field seems crowded, there’s always room for good ideas. Do things differently in ways that matter to people, and you will succeed. Identify clear problems in industries you care about and work to solve them.”
Conclusion
Folderit’s 10-year journey is a testament to its commitment to innovation, sustainability, and customer satisfaction. As we look forward to the future, we remain dedicated to enhancing our platform and delivering exceptional value to our users. Thank you to our team, customers, and partners for their continued support.
