Building Custom Software Solutions With No-Code | Branca Ballot from Glide

Ernesto Quezada: Pathmonk is the intelligent tool for website lead generation. With increasing online competition, over 98% of website visitors don’t convert. The ability to successfully show your value proposition and support visitors in a buying journey separates you from the competition online. Pathmonk qualifies and converts leads on your website by figuring out where they are in the buying journey and influencing them in key decision moments. With relevant micro experiences like case studies, intro videos, and much more, stay relevant to your visitors and increase conversions by 50%. Add Pathmonk to your website in seconds. Let the AI do all the work and get access to 50% more qualified leads while you keep doing marketing and sales as usual. Check us on pathmonk.com. Welcome to today’s episode. Let’s talk about today’s guest. We have Branca from Glide, VP of Marketing with them. How are you doing today, Branca?

Branca Ballot: I’m great, thank you.

Ernesto: Great to have you on. An interesting name, Glide. I’m sure our listeners are tuning in, wondering what that’s all about. So, let’s start off with that. In your own words, can you tell us a little bit more?

Branca: Yes, of course. Glide is a platform that allows non-technical people to build software. Think about it: we give you building blocks that you can just go in and choose whatever you want to build. So, it could be an inventory management system, an employee portal. If you have data from a spreadsheet, you could turn that into software—not only from a spreadsheet but also from a database and more. Think of it like a former website builder, but instead of building a website, you’re actually building a true piece of software. It’s really cool.

Ernesto: That’s awesome to hear. So that way our listeners can get a good understanding of your company, what would be a key problem that you solve for clients?

Branca: Usually, what we solve is a workflow or process in their company that was either previously manual or relied on a lot of different tools, like Google Sheets, scripts, or Zapier. They were trying to cobble all of these things together instead of having one piece of software that ran the entire process. We replace these manual processes, the cobbling of tools, and sometimes very expensive, bloated software that people didn’t need anymore. Often, they just needed one simpler piece of functionality. We replace that as well.

Ernesto: Awesome. So then, who would you say are your clients? Is there a specific ICP or vertical segment that you like to focus on?

Branca: Yes, we have three primary personas that we attract. First, we attract a lot of operations leaders because they usually have operational problems that are complex and unique to their businesses. Second, we attract IT leaders within companies who receive a lot of requests for internal tools or tools to serve their clients that they can build with Glide. Lastly, we attract a lot of agencies and freelancers who build tools for their clients using Glide. These three personas make up our primary audience.

Ernesto: Perfect. So, how do these personas or anyone out there usually get in contact with you? What would you say is your top client acquisition channel?

Branca: Certainly content marketing and SEO. When people are looking for a solution to their problem, they usually Google or search YouTube for written or video content. Some make the leap after hearing about no-code app building, while others search for specific solutions like better inventory management. They find us that way.

Ernesto: Perfect. Once they do find you, I am here on your website. For our listeners, it’s glideapps.com. What role does your website play in client acquisition?

Branca: The website is the starting point for everyone’s journey with Glide. It’s incredibly important. Since I joined Glide, we’ve heavily invested in growing and clarifying the website. Our goal is to cater to a wide audience, including those who come with specific roles, use cases, or those just learning about our product’s features. The website expands on these areas to help people understand how we solve their problems.

Ernesto: Great to hear that. Are there any tools, tips, or methods you’d recommend to our listeners for lead generation?

Branca: If your business is inbound-heavy like ours, I’d recommend investing in your website. Start with customer segmentation, clear messaging, and systems to manage content efficiently. For example, we implemented Contentful to allow marketing more flexibility in making changes without needing developers. This sped up our page development significantly.

Ernesto: Awesome. Let’s switch gears a little bit, Branca, and talk about you as a leader. What are some key tasks you focus on in your day-to-day work?

Branca: I focus on data to ensure we’re heading toward our goals. I spend time with my team to unblock them and sync with peers like sales, design, and product leaders to maintain alignment. In the afternoons, I review deliverables, provide feedback, and work on content. It’s a mix of strategy, collaboration, and execution.

Ernesto: Definitely sounds like a full plate. Let’s jump to our next section: the rapid-fire question round. Are you ready?

Branca: I am, yes.

Ernesto: Awesome. First off, what’s the last book you read?

Branca: I’m currently reading Minimalista, a book about decluttering your home.

Ernesto: Interesting. What is one single thing your company is focused on the most right now?

Branca: Use cases.

Ernesto: If there were no boundaries in technology, what would be the one thing you’d want fixed for your role as a marketer today?

Branca: I’d love to know every touchpoint—offline and online—that led someone to our website. Whether it’s a mention, an article, or social media engagement, I’m fascinated by the customer journey.

Ernesto: Definitely intriguing for a VP of Marketing. If there’s a repetitive task you could automate, what would it be?

Branca: I’ve automated most tasks, but I’d say recurring meetings. While important, they could benefit from more efficiency without losing the human connection.

Ernesto: Lastly, with all your experience in marketing, what’s one piece of advice you’d give yourself if you were to restart your journey today?

Branca: Think hard about entering marketing. It’s often the first function blamed when growth slows and doesn’t get all the credit when things go well. It’s fulfilling but requires thick skin.

Ernesto: Great advice. Thanks, Branca. Lastly, if someone forgets everything about today’s interview, what’s the one thing they should remember about Glide?

Branca: That anyone can build software, and every business should build its own instead of relying on bloated options.

Ernesto: Perfect. You can check them out at glideapps.com—making it easy to build custom business software powered by your data. Thanks so much, Branca, for joining us. To our listeners, thank you for tuning in. Looking forward to our next episode of Pathmonk Presents. Thanks, Branca.

Branca: Thank you.