How This Founder Is Reimagining the Power of Networking

Patricia Recarte, CEO of KADO, is helping companies grow by building meaningful relationships that turn into business deals.

Patricia was raised in a family of lawyers but recognized early on that the legal path was not for her. Instead, she initiated her career as an Mergers and Acquisitions Investment Banker at Morgan Stanley in London, working on deals of more than $100 billion. Patricia later held leadership positions in early-stage European startups, leading their corporate strategy and expansion efforts. Patricia eventually moved to the United States in 2020 and started her journey with KADO, building a smart networking solution. 

We asked Patricia how she’s navigated the struggles of self-doubt as an entrepreneur, how she’s seen herself grow throughout her journey, and what’s on the horizon for her and KADO. 

Q: Tell us the story behind your company’s founding. How and why did you start working on KADO?

A: I was raised in a family of lawyers, worked as an investment banker (and married one!), and have been surrounded by people from the services industries. I learned that success was very tied to networking, relationships, and trust, and not necessarily to technical knowledge. Funnily enough, just 7 percent of lawyers in the United States use relationship management tools of any sort. This is because CRMs are very focused on KPIs, marketing, and operations rather than personalized relationship management. That’s why I started KADO—as a tool to help professionals and businesses build meaningful relationships, from contact exchange to deal closing. KADO allows users to easily network with digital profiles, and interact, review, and centralize all client information in one curated profile. We are not a CRM, nor a pure digital business card tool, but rather a perfect mix that gives our clients the necessary tools for a robust experience.

Q: Did you always know that you wanted to be an entrepreneur?

A: I became an entrepreneur with time. I have always been very curious but I tend to be conservative around my future plans. I thought about following the family legal trajectory, even though my heart was tilted toward technology. I quickly realized that law wasn’t for me and so I made the move to investment banking. As I matured, I became slightly more fearless about embracing challenges, which is when I decided to make the move to work at a few startups in strategy and expansion. Once I decided it was my turn to be a founder, I went to a full-stack development bootcamp for a few months to learn how to code and moved to the United States to live the American dream.

Q: What were the most difficult and most impactful lessons you’ve learned starting and running a company?

A: Things don’t always come as expected. We start with an idea; a hypothesis that we think is going to turn into a groundbreaking idea. We turn it into an MVP and, as we start talking to users of the application, we end up completely reworking the list of priorities. If I compared my initial business plan to our current vision today, it would seem like it is nearly a different product.

I would also add learning to having patience to the list. When you start your company, you are very energetic and motivated, but we tend to forget that a good team will give you higher chances of success. Burning your team out will eventually lead to mistakes and larger backlogs.

Q: Have you struggled with self doubt as an entrepreneur? How do you navigate this?

A: So many times. It’s part of the journey to maturity. I have frequently been looked down upon, to the point where I started believing that I wasn’t capable. In these situations it’s important to take a step back and do some self-reflection on everything you have accomplished. Looking back can sometimes help regain that lost self-confidence. Then, try to analyze the big picture. What is your vision, what are the priorities, and how important is that blocker in your roadmap? Sometimes we find ourselves worrying over non-relevant issues that have minimal impact on our plan.

Q: How have you grown as a leader since starting KADO? What experiences have contributed to this growth?

A: While you need to be aware of the needs of your team, it’s also important to keep distance, avoid micromanaging, and give everyone a responsibility in the company’s development. Surrounding yourself with a team that believes in the business and the vision is key, and being able to transmit that vision properly is vital. If your team sees you as a representation of the company’s mission, all efforts will eventually come together.

On the other hand, being a leader also implies dealing with the negative side of the business: making hard decisions, saying “no,” and having to take responsibility for mistakes. All of these moments have strengthened my character. I always keep in mind that my first priority is the future success and health of the business, not pleasing everyone.

Q: What would you tell your younger self if you were to start your entrepreneurial journey all over again?

A: To get ready early on for a very tough journey, especially psychologically. During our early education it is easier to be successful, get good grades, and find a good job. But many preconceived pillars of success end up falling apart when you start your entrepreneurial journey. Nobody teaches you in high school that one of the greatest keys to success is failure.

Q: What’s next for you and KADO?

A: KADO is still at the very early stages of its story, so there is a lot yet to come. Up until now, we have been very focused on user discovery, growth, and doing some micro-pivots to ensure we have a clear and proven path. Our next short-term goal is to focus on revenue to generate the attention of enterprise accounts. As I mentioned earlier, KADO’s goal is to help not only professionals, but businesses of all types grow through meaningful relationships. It is at the enterprise level where we see our biggest potential.

Patricia is a member of Dreamers & Doers, a private collective that amplifies the entrepreneurial pursuits of extraordinary women through thought leadership opportunities, authentic connection, and access. Learn more about Dreamers & Doers and subscribe to their monthly The Digest for top entrepreneurial and career resources.

The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

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