The First Customer - Creating Relational Ecosystems for Leaders and Teams with CEO Etienne de Bruin

In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview Etienne de Bruin, Founder and CEO of 7CTOs. Etienne shares his entrepreneurial journey, starting from his upbringing in South Africa to founding his organization that supports technology leaders. Growing up during a time of global isolation for South Africa, Etienne reflects on how this scarcity of resources fostered a strong entrepreneurial spirit and innovative thinking. With a background in computer science and early exposure to personal computing, he developed a passion for technology and creativity, which later evolved into a career in tech startups. His experiences working in Germany and eventually moving to the U.S. paved the way for his eventual venture into leadership and organizational development, focusing on building relationships and emotional intelligence in the CTO community. Etienne reveals how 7CTOs came to life, describing the pivotal moment when he pivoted from informal CTO meetups to a formal membership-based organization. Initially met with resistance, he found encouragement from his first member, Harold, and his co-founder, Michael, who shared his vision for fostering emotional intelligence among CTOs. Etienne recounts how his organization evolved from free dinners to a community-driven model where leaders commit to each other’s growth. Today, 7CTOs thrives on its emphasis on relationship-building and people-centered leadership, marking over a decade of empowering technology leaders to excel beyond technical expertise. Uncover the driving force behind Etienne de Bruin’s mission to create meaningful connections and solutions in this episode of The First Customer! Guest Info: 7CTOs https://7ctos.com Etienne de Bruin"s LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/etdebruin/ Connect with Jay on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/jayaigner/ The First Customer Youtube Channel https://www.youtube.com/@thefirstcustomerpodcast The First Customer podcast website https://www.firstcustomerpodcast.com Follow The First Customer on LinkedIn http://www.linkedin.com/company/the-first-customer-podcast/