Dev Propulsion Labs Zeno Rocha, founder of Resend: $18M Series A by obsessing over every detail | Evil Martians podcast
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Oct 23, 2025 
Zeno Rocha, founder and CEO of Resend, discusses his journey from Brazil to building an $18M email API company. He shares insights on the importance of brand in attracting customers and talent, advocating for a zero-ego hiring approach. Zeno emphasizes cutting scope to deliver high-quality products quickly and the value of seeking rejection to accelerate sales. He also highlights the strategic role of open source and the need for a proactive customer focus in a competitive market.
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Phishing Near Home Fueled Security Push
- A personal phishing attack around a Brazilian flood moved Zeno to invest more in anti-abuse and safety work.
- That incident highlighted the human cost of spam and shaped Resend's security priorities.
Be Hands-On To Shape Product
- Stay hands-on as a founder to understand engineering decisions and signal priorities through code.
- Review PRs and occasionally do support shifts to keep cultural connection and lead by example.
Cut Scope Ruthlessly
- Cut scope relentlessly to deliver high-quality work quickly instead of shipping low-quality fast.
- Aim to build features so inspiring that peers copy them and you feel proud of the result.