Girish Mathrubootham is a well-known entrepreneur and the founder and CEO of Freshworks, a global SaaS (Software as a Service) company.
Freshworks, originally known as Freshdesk, offers customer engagement software solutions to businesses, providing a suite of products like Freshdesk for customer support, Freshservice for IT service management, and Freshsales for CRM.
Early Life and Education
Girish was born on November 21, 1977, in Trichy, Tamil Nadu, India. He completed his schooling at Campion Anglo-Indian Higher Secondary School in Trichy.
He then pursued an engineering degree from Shanmugha Arts, Science, Technology & Research Academy (SASTRA) University in Thanjavur.
Later, he earned an MBA in marketing from the University of Madras.
Early Career and Inspiration
Girish Mathrubootham started his career in the tech sector, holding roles in customer support and product management, which gave him a strong understanding of customer needs.
He worked at several companies like HCL Cisco, GeForce, and AdventNet Inc. (now Zoho Corporation), where he gained valuable experience in the growing SaaS industry.
His time at Zoho was particularly influential, as it introduced him to the power of SaaS products and how they could transform business operations.
In 2010, Girish stumbled upon an article on Hacker News discussing how Zendesk, a major player in customer support software, had significantly raised its prices, causing frustration among its users.
A comment on the article pointed out the need for a more affordable and effective solution for customer support.
This insight struck Girish as a great business opportunity. Realizing that small and medium businesses were underserved by expensive customer support software, he decided to build a simpler, cost-effective solution.
This led to the founding of Freshdesk (now Freshworks), which aimed to democratize customer support tools through a SaaS-based model that made it accessible to businesses of all sizes.
Today, the company is valued at ₹95,000 crore (approximately $13 billion) and serves over 50,000 customers worldwide, including major brands such as Hugo Boss, Honda, Toshiba, Cisco, and many others.
Founding Freshworks
In the following weeks, Girish experienced a whirlwind of excitement and anxiety, balancing his new venture with personal responsibilities like school fees and a mortgage.
Despite these challenges, he conducted extensive research on the customer support industry, leveraging resources like Hacker News to gather information and identify potential domain names.
Freshdesk.com, a domain that was about to expire, caught his attention. He successfully acquired it after a month-long wait.
The next crucial step was finding a co-founder. Girish contacted Shan, a long-time friend and tech expert, who joined him in this new endeavor.
Both of them decided to resign from their jobs in October 2010 to focus on Freshdesk full-time.
Initially, they worked with a small team of six, including developers, a UI/UX designer, and a QA/customer support engineer.
U.S. Incorporation and Initial Challenges
While based in India, Girish encountered difficulties finding a payment gateway provider for recurring payments.
Many top processors only worked with U.S. bank accounts.
Consequently, Freshdesk was incorporated into the U.S., and the team used FeeFighters to select a card processor, eventually opting for Braintree due to its comprehensive offerings and positive reviews.
For branding, Girish explored outsourcing options for a logo and website design.
They found an Indian company, Getmefast.com, through Sortfolio that provided both services affordably.
Marketing and Product Development
To gauge market interest, Girish and his team launched a beta sign-up form and advertised on Google Adwords, Facebook, and LinkedIn with modest budgets. Their efforts paid off, attracting over 150 valid signups.
They analyzed customer profiles to identify target segments and adjusted their product features accordingly.
The focus shifted to addressing core customer problems rather than adding flashy features, and they prioritized offering comprehensive solutions under a single invoice.
Funding and Growth
Freshworks initially operated without external funding. The team’s modest burn rate and generous stock options kept expenses low.
They rented a new office for around $160 per month and planned to seek funding shortly.
Girish created a business plan and an AngelList profile, preparing for potential investor outreach once the company had gained more traction.
Freshworks Overview
Market Cap
As of September 2024, Freshworks’ market cap was $283.59 billion, making it the 3,341st most valuable company in the world.
Revenue Guidance
Freshworks’ revenue guidance for 2024 is $707–$713 million, a 1–2% increase from previous estimates, driven by rising demand for the company’s AI solutions.
Free Cash Flow
Freshworks’ free cash flow estimates for 2024 are $130.5 million.
Acquisition of Device42
In June 2024, Freshworks acquired Device42, an IT asset management company. This acquisition is expected to enhance Freshworks’ IT solutions for mid-market and enterprise companies.
New Data Center
Freshworks launched a new data center in the UAE to support its global expansion efforts.
Personal Life
Girish Mathrubootham is married to Shweta Mathrubootham.
They have two children, a son named Kiran and a daughter named Ananya.
Girish Mathrubootham’s Net Worth
After stepping down as CEO of Freshworks, the company’s stock price dropped by about 25%, which impacted Girish Mathrubootham’s net worth.
Despite this decline, Girish Mathrubootham’s net worth is still estimated to be around $700 million.
Launch and Expansion
Freshdesk entered private beta and was hosted on Engine Yard. The team carefully managed beta invites and planned a public launch soon after.
The company’s emphasis on customer feedback and its ability to adapt quickly played a significant role in its growth.
Legacy
Girish Mathrubootham’s journey is a powerful example of turning personal frustration into a global success story.
Through Freshworks, he has demonstrated the impact of customer-centric innovation and has inspired many entrepreneurs in the Indian SaaS industry.
His story reflects the values of persistence, strategic thinking, and the importance of listening to customer needs.
