On the Raft with Bill Porter, CEO

Some people find RefluxRaft because they’re desperate for relief. Bill came as the person who could see exactly what it could become — and knew how to build it. We asked him a few questions. Here’s what he said.

Two ENT doctors walk into a bar and say they want to build a brand — what was it about the product that made you think this could actually be real?

“It’s been a journey of learning for me — happily, aside from a long day in Sonoma, I’ve not experienced debilitating reflux. But as we launched and I started reading the positive reviews from our customers, I realized what a huge problem this is for a lot of people and what a big difference we were making. That’s when it clicked.

As you build your team at RefluxRaft, what are your two non-negotiable traits?

“(1) Unafraid to ask tough questions in constructive and respectful ways. (2) Smart and fearless and willing to learn from mistakes.”

A lot of business gets done on the golf course — what’s the best deal, idea, or piece of advice you’ve ever walked away with after 18 holes?

“Not meant to be a cop out, but one of the interesting things about golf is that it reveals a lot about individual character — both positive and negative. I feel like I’ve learned both how to interact with a wide range of personalities and how to control my own emotions, especially when things don’t go well.”

What’s a business or founder you’re watching right now that you think is doing something really interesting?

“Near and dear to my heart — sports franchises always straddle business and pleasure. I have a small investment in a team in an undervalued international soccer league, and two of my close friends have an investment in a budding volleyball league. I’m genuinely interested to watch how non-big-4 sports leagues grow in this day and age.”

What’s something you know now that you wish someone had told you before you started?

“As someone who cut his teeth in Silicon Valley — where we didn’t produce hundreds of thousands of units of widgets — manufacturing is REALLY HARD to get right. We’re always fine tuning and improving!”

You traded the Bay Area for Charlottesville — what’s the one thing you’d FedEx from California if you could?

“Two easy answers: 70 and sunny on December 15th, 85 and no humidity on July 15th — and sushi from Ebisu.”

We're lucky to have him on the raft!

Want to share your RefluxRaft story? Email Bill at hello@refluxraft.com! And stay tuned for more On the Raft with... coming soon.