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ABOUT Founder CEO podcast, I had the opportunity to sit down with Colin Treseler, co-founder and CEO of SuperNormal—an innovative AI-powered tool designed to make meetings more productive and less stressful. Colin's story is one of courage, curiosity and an unwavering commitment to solving the problems that matter to him – wasting no time! With a background shaped by fierce competition in sport, Colin's journey provides an inspiring blueprint for those who dare to take the entrepreneurial leap.
Founder's background
Colin's story begins at the top of Heartbreak Hill in Boston, where he grew up as the youngest of four in a lively and athletic family. His father, an Olympic running coach, often hosted world-class Kenyan athletes at their home, giving Colin an early education in excellence, discipline and the beauty of different cultures. Dinner parties at his house were competitive—not only for sports, but also for ideas and knowledge, setting the stage for his lifelong love of learning.
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After attending Dartmouth and competing as a rower, a back injury forced him to switch to sailing, where he discovered the power of communication and teamwork. Colin's professional journey began in an unconventional way – finding a job through Craigslist at a small startup in Boston. That first taste of entrepreneurship lit a fire, leading to roles at high-growth companies like Klarna and Facebook, where he highlighted his expertise in technology and product design.
But Colin's restless curiosity always led him to greater challenges. In 2019, after years of watching the inefficiencies of organizations, he and co-founder Fabian Perez decided to build a tool that would reimagine how teams communicate, collaborate and save time.
Business Growth and Success
SuperNormal launched with a bold promise: you don't have to keep meeting notes anymore. It started as a simple idea, but quickly resonated with a growing audience, especially as remote work became the norm. Today, SuperNormal serves more than 365,000 organizations in 150 countries, providing a seamless way to capture, summarize and organize meetings automatically.
Under Colin's leadership, SuperNormal has gone beyond note-taking to introduce “Norma,” an AI assistant that joins meetings, answers questions, and even brainstorms ideas in real time. Imagine a colleague who remembers every detail of past meetings, raises a hand to offer insight, and makes sure you never miss a follow-up task. This is Norma. “We wanted to give people their time back,” Colin explained, “so they can focus on meaningful work, not mundane tasks.”
Unique value or product offering
What makes SuperNormal special is its deeply human approach to AI. Unlike generic tools, Norma learns from the specific context of an organization, adapting to individual needs and providing tailored solutions. It's more than just a dating bot – it's a trusted teammate that lightens the load. Whether summarizing a quarterly review or helping a team understand product names, Norma empowers users to be more productive by freeing up time for creativity and connection.
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But for Colin, the real magic lies in the why: “We're not just building tools; we're building solutions to help people spend less time glued to screens and more time living.”
Future plans
Looking ahead, Colin and his team envision a future where AI not only assists, but actively works alongside us. The next evolution of SuperNormal will focus on task execution, enabling Norma to handle follow-ups, draft emails, schedule meetings and even generate creative content – all automatically.
“We've spent years optimizing time spent in apps,” Colin said, referring to his previous work at Facebook. “Now, it's time saved. That's the real value the technology has to deliver.”
SuperNormal's goal? To save billions of hours worldwide, one meeting at a time.
Tips for Entrepreneurs
Colin's journey from competitive Boston dinners to leading an innovative artificial intelligence startup is a testament to the power of persistence and adaptability. But it is also deeply human. As a father, runner and lifelong learner, Colin has built his company around a simple yet profound idea: time is our most valuable resource and we must use it wisely.
When asked what advice he would give to aspiring entrepreneurs: “Take care of yourself. It's easy to sacrifice sleep, health and relationships when you're building something. But you'll do your best work when you're balanced and present.”