#11 Brent Frei

Brent Frei credits his success to hard work and dedication, which he learned from his parents and from growing up on his family’s farm in Idaho. Though he never felt the need to be in charge, his desire to be in an environment where everyone is sinking or swimming on their own merit, including himself, led him to become the founder of three companies. Brent’s first, Onyx, IPOed in 1999, and his second, Smartsheet, IPOed in 2018. Brent reflects on the early days at Smartsheet, including the time they were almost out of money and the business model they bet on to be successful. He’s now hyper-focused on transforming the farming industry with technology and being the best dad to his five children. Find out what influenced him to start his current company, TerraClear, and what fuels him in business and in life.