Minnesotan To Meet: Rob Walling, Co-Founder Of Drip

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Tuesday, Nov. 15, is National Entrepreneur Day. So instead of focusing on a Minnesotan to Meet who was born and raised here, WCCO This Morning's Ali Lucia decided to introduce you to an entrepreneur who is one of Minnesota's newest residents.

Rob Walling is the co-founder of what used to be Fresno, Calif.-based Drip. Walling's company was acquired by Minneapolis-based tech company, Leadpages, this past July.

While he hasn't been in Minnesota very long, making the leap with his business and family seemed pretty worthy of being Minnesotan you should meet.

"We were staying in Airbnb's for a few weeks until we found a place," said Walling.

The co-founder of tech company Drip followed his wife around while she was working on her Ph. D.

"I've lived in Pasadena, Boston, New Haven, and this is one of the more vibrant downtowns," said Walling when discussing what it's like to work in Minneapolis.

Now it was his time to make the call on the family's next destination. A little more than three months in and he said so far, so good.

"It seems like it's a good blend, bootstrap and funded scene without too much of the craziness," said Walling, referring to some of the huge funding some start-ups get in Silicon Valley and other parts of California.

He started dabbling in software development at very young age, but Walling said Drip is different.

"Drip was definitely the biggest and the fastest growing and it was the largest market we had ever attacked," said Walling.

In a nutshell Drip, according to the company's website, is an "email marketing automation software" that helps customers connect and communicate in a very targeted manner.

"If you have an audience you want to communicate with you can send really targeted emails, you choose you only want to hear about the economy or Syria," said Walling.

Walling said he was approached by several companies, but the acquisition with Minneapolis-based Leadpages seemed to make the most sense when looking ahead to the future.

"Leadpages and Drip have a real strategic linkage, a lot bloggers use lead pages use it to build list," said Walling.

The father of two is enjoying focusing on his business and on the things he is good at.

"My expertise is building great product, now other people can do HR, legal, accounting, marketing, sales," said Walling about the relief it is to have a built in team at Leadpages.

His new office certainly has the look and feel of a start-up.

"I like the beauty of having swings and snacks. It's the extra stuff," said Walling, referring to the startup culture at Leadpages.

Despite moving here from the west coast, he said bring on the Minnesota winter.

"I've heard you can skate on the lake, it's hard to believe it's going to freeze in a month or two," said Walling who is ready for winter.

Walling moved four employees in total here and has hired three more.