Assessing The PO Minion (The Kavida.ai SWOT)

I had an interesting and reminiscently fun call this morning with the CEO of Kavida.ai, Anam “Agent PO” Rahman.

It was “reminiscently fun” because his energy, attitude, and undeniable confidence in his company and himself reminded me of, well, me, 30 years ago.

Those “were the days” when I was buoyed by my successful development of the first web-based self-learning algorithm (nascent AI) platform to procure MRO parts. It also didn’t dull my sense of accomplishment that within 36 months, I was generating revenue of $3.2 million with a GP of $2.1 million. I felt like Leonardo DiCaprio on the bow of a big ship. Selling the company for $12 million was the proverbial icing on the cake. In short, there was no talking to me because I had it all figured out.

It was also a great family story because I grew up in a two-bedroom bungalow with an unfinished basement. In one bedroom – the smaller one, is where my parents slept. I shared the bigger room with my three older brothers. We may not have had much financial wealth, but we were rich in living and enjoying life.

Anyway, I digress to explain the lens through which I view my discussion with Anam.

As you all know, I like to do my homework before every call. The 900 radio show interviews I have done over the years instilled in me the importance of knowing as much, if not more, about the subject matter I would be discussing with my guests. I considered such preparation a sign of respect for not only my listeners but also my guests.

Based on this ingrained – and some might say OCD practice, I prepared the following SWOT to provide my take on the company.

The conversation never progressed beyond the “Weaknesses” category, as Anam questioned my lack of research and depth of market understanding. That brought a big smile to my face because self-assuredness bordering on arrogance is the trademark of not only youth but also someone who knows what they want and is determined to make it happen.

Strengths

• Proactive Visibility

• (Strategic and General) Actionable Knowledge Availability

• Spreadsheet Simplicity

• Immediate Benefits

Weaknesses

• Crowded Market

• AI Skepticism 

• Small Company

Opportunities

• Low-Risk Cost Model

• App-Ease, e.g., Plug and Play

• Minimal Implementation and Integration Cost

• Gateway or Break The AI Ice – Quick Sale Product

• Strategic Partnership Opportunities with Other Solution Providers

Threats

• Who and How Many Providers Have a Similar Solution

• Mid-Size to Large Enterprise Markets Very Competitive

• A Dot. Com-Type Bubble Burst Within 12 to 24 Months

My Assessment of Kavida.ai

As a longtime follower of this blog, you know that I advocate an agent-based rather than equation-based approach to “digital transformation.” What this means is that when it comes to assessing a solution provider, the technology is secondary to the people behind it.

While I consider the Kavida.ai minion super cool and, without a doubt, somewhat groundbreaking, tech is tech. There is no doubt in my mind that the simplistic genius behind what this small $1 million annual revenue company has built is the spreadsheet version of the PO management system – and that’s a good thing because, despite rumors of their demise, spreadsheets are as popular today – if not more so, than ever before. It is one of the main reasons I strongly recommend you look at what they are doing, e.g., Proactive Visibility.

However, to succeed, it takes more than great technology; it takes people working with people to achieve enduring success. Based on this one key element, the most significant threat to Kavida.ai’s success is Kavida.ai itself.

Understanding, Not Consensus

I have always believed that the primary purpose of dialogue is to create greater understanding rather than achieving consensus. In short, I may not agree with what you are saying, but I will listen earnestly, knowing that agreement is not an obstacle to learning something new. I also believe that if you are the smartest person in the room, you are in the wrong room.

Unfortunately, after 15 minutes, it became clear to all parties that this would not be the day or venue for open dialogue. The only remaining advice I would give to the young CEO is that if someone is willing to share their insights with you for 45 minutes, see it through because some of the best ideas and insights come from the most unexpected sources.

My Recommendation

If you are a practitioner, go through the above SWOT points because my research tells me that being the best solution in the market right now does not guarantee success.

All this being said, Kavida.ai is a company worth considering for post-PO management.

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