No code? No problem. That’s what co-founders Philip Lakin and Brent Summers believe as they’ve been building out its startup and community hub NoCodeOps in Atlanta.
Since launching in 2021, the startup has helped no-code operators and builders inside different companies get the tools and access to community they need to grow. Over the last three years of business, NoCodeOps caught the attention of one of the biggest names in the no-code scene: workplace SaaS automation platform Zapier.
Now, the two are joining forces.
NoCodeOps announced last week that it was being acquired by Zapier. Financial details around the deal were not disclosed.
NoCodeOps’ relationship with Zapier goes back several years, when Zapier’s co-founder and CEO Wade Foster invested in the startup’s seed round, Lakin told Hypepotamus.
“Since then, we’ve stayed in touch on everything from partnerships to community initiatives. The acquisition talks evolved naturally over time, leading to this incredible opportunity for both sides,” he added.
NoCodeOps Looks Back & Moves Forward
After the acquisition news was public, we asked Lakin, who moved to Atlanta from New York in 2020, to reflect back on the journey of scaling NoCodeOps over the last few years in Atlanta. He said there were some fun startup moments, including meeting Summers for the first time in person six months after starting the company (the two had met on Twitter during the pandemic).
He also offered up three important lessons learned along the way that could be helpful to other founders:
- Community first. It not only attracted our ideal customers but showed them we cared about more than just selling software. Weekly events, courses, and a vibrant community managed by Claudia Cafeo provided the insights and support needed to build Operator.
- Talk to customers before building a product. Read “The Mom Test” by Rob Fitzpatrick before talking to customers.
- It’s hard not to be emotional about big decisions. As founders, we pour so much of ourselves into our startups. It’s crucial to be honest about these emotions (with ourselves and others), slow down, and seek third-party feedback before making decisions.
Moving forward, Lakin will become Zapier’s Head of Enterprise Innovation and Summers will join Zapier’s product team. Community Manager Claudia Cafeo will join Zapier’s marketing team.
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Featured photo: Philip Lakin and Brent Summers (provided by NoCodeOps)
