# Dean Curtis, CEO @ Ingage.io | Building a People First Tech Company

By: Justin Abrams
Published: 2025-07-23

### Summary
In this episode of [Strictly From Nowhere](https://www.causeofakind.com/strictly-from-nowhere "Strictly From Nowhere"), host [Justin Abrams](https://www.linkedin.com/in/cuzzinjustin/ "Justin Abrams") interviews [Dean Curtis](https://www.linkedin.com/in/deanc23/ "Dean Curtis"), CEO of [Ingage.io](https://ingage.io/ "Ingage.io"). They discuss Dean's journey from being a teacher to a tech entrepreneur, his leadership philosophy, and the importance of coaching and mentorship. Dean shares insights on building a strong team culture, retaining talent, and the evolution of Ingage.io in the sales enablement space. The conversation emphasizes the significance of customer focus, adaptability, and the challenges of entrepreneurship, providing valuable advice for early-stage founders.

### Takeaways
- Dean Curtis emphasizes the importance of lifelong learning and curiosity.
- Coaching is a vital part of leadership and team development.
- Building a strong team culture is essential for retention.
- Mentorship plays a crucial role in personal and professional growth.
- Engage.io focuses on helping sales teams present better and sell more.
- The company differentiates itself by providing on-brand, interactive presentations.
- Understanding customer needs is key to business success.
- Simplicity in processes leads to better scalability.
- Making hard decisions early can save time and cash.
- The future of Ingage.io includes leveraging AI for content creation.

### Chapters
00:00
Introduction and Guest Introduction
06:38
The Journey to Entrepreneurship
12:16
Hiring for Problem Solvers and Customer Focus
18:06
The Importance of Mentorship
23:40
Navigating the Competitive Landscape: Ingage's Differentiators
29:09
Simplicity in Sales: The Law of Averages
35:12
Future Outlook: Scaling with Purpose
41:44
Making Hard Decisions: Cash Flow and Business Resilience

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