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    Learning from Intuit to Partnering with Them: One Founder’s ‘Impossible’ Journey

    Daniel Dietzel headshot
    • 27 Jan 2022
    Lauren Landry Author Staff
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    Daniel Dietzel asks everyone who joins his data analytics software startup, Aphrodite, to solve a Rubik’s Cube. While this might initially puzzle new employees, the lesson Dietzel wants to impart is the company’s motto: “We specialize in the impossible.”

    “Everyone thinks solving a Rubik’s Cube is impossible,” Dietzel says. “Turns out, it takes 24 hours.”

    It also takes time, patience, and creative problem-solving—traits that led Dietzel to where he is today, with a company that’s grown from one to 50 customers in the last year and started working with big brands, such as Intuit and Eventys Partners.

    “There’s a lot of ‘Never give up’ moments,” explains Dietzel, who, just 10 years ago, was attending the School of the Art Institute of Chicago to study photography. Around that time, the iPhone was growing in popularity, and his job prospects felt bleak.

    “The iPhone put a lot of photographers out of a job because everyone had an amazing camera in their pocket,” Dietzel says. “So, halfway through school, I decided to learn how to code.”


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    He accepted his first web design role after college and taught himself on the job. Two years later, he was working on American Airlines’ in-flight entertainment—using his own product while flying. Although interesting, he wanted to “be where the action is.” So, he packed up his car and drove from Chicago to Silicon Valley to work as a senior web developer for the video game company Electronic Arts. It didn’t take long for a startup to seek him out.

    The startup, Jiff, was a digital health benefits platform that Dietzel says grew from 10,000 to six million users in just three years. It was there Dietzel was asked to lead, transitioning “from the guy who fixes things to running a team.” Jiff was soon acquired by Castlight Health to create “the most comprehensive health benefits platform.” After the acquisition, Dietzel didn’t know what to do.

    “I felt like I had reached the finish line and was sort of done,” Dietzel says. “I thought, ‘Do I do it over?’”

    Instead, he decided to drive an Uber to experience Silicon Valley from a different perspective and started consulting. Around that time, he saw an ad for Harvard Business School Online’s Credential of Readiness (CORe) program.

    “It never occurred to me to start my own startup,” Dietzel says. “I just wanted to learn how businesses worked. I wanted to join the C-suite eventually and felt like having a basic grasp of economics, accounting, and analytics would help me. Startups would ask for help with scaling technology, and I could bring the economics into it. I asked, ‘What’s the willingness to pay?’ and they looked at me like I was a wizard.”

    Not long after, Dietzel joined the C-suite, becoming the CEO of his own advertising and crowdfunding agency, called Ivory & Gold. He took Entrepreneurship Essentials to learn more about how startups work and Negotiation Mastery to prepare himself for negotiating contracts with investors and customers.

    “[Negotiation Mastery] helped us get really, really good revenue and make sure there were no last-minute changes,” Dietzel says. “And then, in Entrepreneurship Essentials, [Intuit founder] Scott Cook was teaching, and he was like, ‘Here’s how to be a CEO.’ I thought, ‘This seems doable.’ I told my team, ‘Let’s turn this into a corporation.’ That wouldn’t have happened without that course.”

    But, in March 2020—at the start of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic—Dietzel’s business model needed to change. Overnight, brands’ advertising budgets shrunk to near-zero, and several clients couldn’t keep paying for an agency. The shift forced Dietzel to reevaluate the marketing analytics software his team had built, and they pivoted from an agency to a self-service tool, launching Aphrodite as it’s known today.

    Aphrodite provides businesses with what Dietzel calls “an ad agency in a box.” The software monitors ads, automates return-on-investment (ROI) reporting, maps return on advertising spend (ROAS) by country and currency, highlights optimization opportunities, and distills complex marketing data into simple financial insights.

    As the company pivoted, Dietzel completed HBS Online’s Disruptive Strategy, Leading with Finance, Alternative Investments, and Global Business courses.

    “In Global Business, we learned about currencies, exchange rates, and tariffs, and it helped a lot,” Dietzel says. “It’s one of the reasons Aphrodite supports 50 currencies now.”

    Yet, the real full-circle moment came when Intuit approached Dietzel about its Intuit Prosperity Accelerator: AI, a five-month program that provides selected startups with access to a corporate and investor mentorship network, dedicated coaching, and potential funding opportunities.

    Dietzel gushed during the interview, showing a photo of him taking Entrepreneurship Essentials and completing the lesson with Scott Cook. Aphrodite was accepted into the 2021 cohort and is now developing technology with the very company that inspired Dietzel to start his own business.

    So You Want to Be an Entrepreneur: How to Get Started | Access Your Free E-Book | Download Now

    When asked what advice he has for other aspiring entrepreneurs, Dietzel returns to his company’s motto.

    “Solve a Rubik’s Cube,” he says. “And then, take all the classes you can and just go for it.”

    Are you interested in pursuing your own entrepreneurial journey? Explore our entrepreneurship and innovation courses and discover how you can take the next step.

    About the Author

    Lauren Landry is the director of marketing and communications for Harvard Business School Online. Prior to joining HBS Online, she worked at Northeastern University and BostInno, where she wrote nearly 3,500 articles covering early-stage tech and education—including the very launch of HBS Online. When she's not at HBS Online, you might find her teaching a course on digital media at Emerson College, chugging coffee, or telling anyone who's willing to listen terribly corny jokes.
     
    All FAQs

    Top FAQs

    How are HBS Online courses delivered?

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    We offer self-paced programs (with weekly deadlines) on the HBS Online course platform.

    Our platform features short, highly produced videos of HBS faculty and guest business experts, interactive graphs and exercises, cold calls to keep you engaged, and opportunities to contribute to a vibrant online community.

    Are HBS Online programs available in languages other than English?

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    We expect to offer our courses in additional languages in the future but, at this time, HBS Online can only be provided in English.

    All course content is delivered in written English. Closed captioning in English is available for all videos. There are no live interactions during the course that requires the learner to speak English. Coursework must be completed in English.

    Do I need to come to campus to participate in HBS Online programs?

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    No, all of our programs are 100 percent online, and available to participants regardless of their location.

    How do I enroll in a course?

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    Certificate Programs

    HBS Online welcomes committed learners wherever they are—in the world and their careers—irrespective of their professional experience or academic background. To extend the reach of HBS Online, we no longer require an application for our certificate programs. (Applications are still required for our credential programs: CORe and CLIMB.) You can now immediately enroll and start taking the next step in your career.

    All programs require the completion of a brief online enrollment form before payment. If you are new to HBS Online, you will be required to set up an account before enrolling in the program of your choice.

    Our easy online enrollment form is free, and no special documentation is required. All participants must be at least 18 years of age, proficient in English, and committed to learning and engaging with fellow participants throughout the program.

    Updates to your enrollment status will be shown on your account page. HBS Online does not use race, gender, ethnicity, or any protected class as criteria for enrollment for any HBS Online program.

    Credential Programs

    HBS Online's CORe and CLIMB programs require the completion of a brief application. The applications vary slightly, but all ask for some personal background information. You can apply for and enroll in programs here. If you are new to HBS Online, you will be required to set up an account before starting an application for the program of your choice.

    Our easy online application is free, and no special documentation is required. All participants must be at least 18 years of age, proficient in English, and committed to learning and engaging with fellow participants throughout the program.

    Updates to your application and enrollment status will be shown on your account page. We confirm enrollment eligibility within one week of your application for CORe and three weeks for CLIMB. HBS Online does not use race, gender, ethnicity, or any protected class as criteria for admissions for any HBS Online program.

    Does Harvard Business School Online offer an online MBA?

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    No, Harvard Business School Online offers business certificate programs.

    What are my payment options?

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    HBS Online offers a variety of payment methods to provide flexibility, including:

    • Credit and debit cards (Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and AMEX)
    • PayPal
    • Wire transfers
    • Western Union
    • Bank loans (When available)

    You may split your payment across two credit card transactions or send a payment link to another individual to complete payment on your behalf. A minimum payment of $350 is required for the first transaction.

    Some learners may also qualify for scholarships or financial aid, which will be credited against the program fee once eligibility is determined. Please refer to the Payment & Financial Aid page for more information.

    What are the policies for refunds and deferrals?

    +–

    After enrolling in a program, you may request a withdrawal with refund (minus a $100 nonrefundable enrollment fee) up until 24 hours after the start of your program. Please review the Program Policies page for more details on refunds and deferrals. If your employer has contracted with HBS Online for participation in a program, or if you elect to enroll in the undergraduate credit option of the Credential of Readiness (CORe) program, note that policies for these options may differ.

     

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