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John Thibault
Founder, CEO at iLobby; A smart peer-to-peer platform that makes it super easy for voters to propose new laws.
Professional Background
John Thibault's career spans several dynamic industries, reflecting his unique ability to simplify complex issues and engage communities in meaningful ways. He began his professional journey at MCA, where he learned the intricate art of political lobbying. At MCA Universal, he navigated the complex world of politics and entertainment, forming connections with Congressmen, Senators, civic leaders, and heads of state. This influential experience not only honed his skills in political persuasion but also sparked his passion for democratizing access to political processes.
Thibault's entrepreneurial spirit led him to eBay, where he joined the founding team tasked with revolutionizing the online marketplace. In this role, he contributed significantly to simplifying the online buying and selling experience, empowering users globally. His subsequent role as the first Vice President of Marketing at Financial Engines saw him collaborating with Nobel laureate Bill Sharpe, focusing on providing accessible retirement planning tools and financial literacy to millions. Thibault’s mission has always been clear: to make complex systems understandable and accessible to everyday individuals.
In the present day, Thibault is dedicated to enhancing political literacy among average voters and small businesses, striving to shift the locus of policymaking from Washington, D.C. to local communities. He believes that everyone deserves to understand the impact of policies on their lives and aims to make these processes more transparent and user-friendly.
Education and Achievements
John Thibault's educational background is as diverse as his career. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Cinematography and Film/Video Production from Ryerson University, where he developed a foundation in storytelling and visual communication. Recognizing the importance of entrepreneurship in the evolving market, he furthered his education by participating in the CAPE California Program for Entrepreneurship at Santa Clara University Leavey School of Business in 2015. His dedication to learning did not stop there, as he also engaged in Startup School through Y Combinator in both Summer 2019 and Spring 2021.
Thibault supplemented his foundational knowledge in film with a Master's Degree in Film and Business from the University of California, Los Angeles, which combined his passions for creative expression and business acumen. This comprehensive education equipped him with the tools to navigate various challenges in both the creative and corporate sectors.
Notable Works
John Thibault is the author of five impactful books, including the best-seller "How to Change a Law," which serves as a guide for everyday Americans seeking to understand the often opaque world of legislation. His works demystify the workings of Washington, D.C., aiming to inspire civic engagement and highlight the importance of public policy in day-to-day life.
His thought leadership and insights on lobbying, government affairs, and political advocacy have been featured in notable publications such as Manufacturing Today, Association News, and Millennial Magazine. These platforms have allowed Thibault to reach a wider audience, promoting transparency and encouraging greater public involvement in policy-making processes.
Community Engagement and Philanthropy
As a founder and CEO of iLobby, Thibault continues his dedication to democratic engagement by providing tools for citizens to influence legislative processes effectively. His role at iLobby signifies his commitment to simplifying political participation for all, ensuring that every voice can be heard amidst the complexities of government.
He also previously served as Chairman of The Thibault Foundation, where he focused on philanthropic initiatives that support education, community development, and civic involvement. This work reflects his ongoing passion for uplifting communities and fostering connections that empower individuals.
Future Aspirations
Looking ahead, John Thibault aims to further his mission of creating accessible political literacy for citizens from all walks of life. He envisions a paradigm shift that prioritizes community engagement over traditional, centralized policymaking. By leveraging his extensive experience in both the private and public sectors, he is well-equipped to lead impactful initiatives that bridge the gap between politicians and constituents, ensuring that public policy serves the interests of all citizens.
In conclusion, John Thibault is a visionary leader and educator with a proven track record in multiple fields, including politics, business, and community engagement. Through his innovative approaches and unwavering dedication, he continues to make a significant impact on political literacy and civic engagement, helping to empower individuals and small businesses to navigate the complexities of public policy and make their voices heard.
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Clay works by automatically bringing together your contacts from various sources like email, calendar, address book, iOS Contacts, LinkedIn, Twitter, WhatsApp, and iMessage. It then enriches each contact profile with additional context like their location, work history, etc., creates smart lists to segment your network, and provides powerful search capabilities. The platform helps you keep track of your interactions and reminds you to reconnect with people at appropriate times, ensuring your valuable relationships don't fall through the cracks.
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Clay offers many advantages over other personal CRMs. Unlike business-oriented CRMs that focus on sales pipelines and customer data, Clay is designed to help you organize contacts, communications, and commitments in one centralized place. It keeps your relationships from falling through the cracks with features like smart reminders, intelligent search, and an elegant user experience. Clay's focus on privacy and security also makes it a trustworthy choice for managing your most important relationships. Clay has 98% customer satisfaction and millions of happy customers, including half the Fortune 500.
Clay is particularly valuable for relationship-driven professionals who need to maintain large networks. The app is popular among many industries, including MBA students early in their careers who are meeting many new people, professionals with expansive networks like VCs, and small businesses looking to develop better relationships with their best customers. Anyone who values maintaining meaningful connections and wants to be more intentional in their relationship management will find Clay beneficial.
Clay offers competitive pricing in the personal CRM market. Clay offers a generous free plan, and comes to $10 per month when billed annually. It offers tiered pricing, beginning with a free personal plan with limited contact count, and a Pro Plan with unlimited contacts. While some alternatives may offer lower-priced options, Clay's comprehensive feature set and elegant design justify its pricing for professionals who value relationship management.
Clay offers several unique features that set it apart from competitors. Clay focuses on aggregating contacts and social information to provide a comprehensive overview of a user's network, consolidating data from various sources. Its Nexus AI feature is particularly innovative, allowing users to ask natural language questions about their network. Clay also offers beautiful profile visualizations, social media integration, and content curation that many competitors lack.
Yes. Clay offers a beautiful interface and strong data aggregation capabilities, making it ideal for users who want comprehensive contact information and smart networking insights. Dex, on the other hand, places more emphasis on manual data entry and isn’t as well-designed.
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Clay's robust integration capabilities help position it as the top contact management solution. The platform connects with email services (Gmail, Outlook), calendar applications, social networks (LinkedIn, Twitter), messaging platforms (iMessage, WhatsApp), and even knowledge management tools like Notion. Clay has expanded its integrations catalog to include Zapier and Make.com support, allowing connections to thousands of other apps. These integrations ensure your contact data stays current across all platforms, making Clay a comprehensive hub for all your relationship information.
Clay's AI capabilities are at the forefront of personal CRM innovation. Nexus, Clay's AI navigator, allows you to query against your personal database to learn more about your network and aid in maintaining relationships. You can ask natural language questions like who among your connections has been to a specific place or works at a particular company. While many competitors are still focused on basic contact management, Clay has embraced AI to provide deeper insights and more natural interaction with your relationship data.
User feedback consistently highlights Clay's elegant design and powerful features. Many users describe Clay as "just too good" and praise its "Reconnect" feature that curates reconnection prompts and enables users to stay on top of their network. Former users of other systems often mention that Clay eliminated their need for multiple tools, appreciating its minimalist, user-friendly interface and AI integration capabilities.