'Irrelevance Is Worse Than Death': How This CEO's Competitive Drive Resulted in a Global Powerhouse AI Startup From a sports-centric childhood in Boston to leading the global AI startup SuperNormal, Colin Treseler's journey is a masterclass in persistence, adaptability, and the art of using time wisely.
By Christopher Salvi Edited by Dan Bova
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For The Founder CEO podcast, I had the chance to sit down with Colin Treseler, co-founder and CEO of SuperNormal—a groundbreaking AI-powered tool designed to make meetings more productive and less stressful. Colin's story is one of grit, curiosity, and an unwavering commitment to solving problems that matter to him — not wasting time! With a background shaped by fierce competition in sports, Colin's journey offers an inspiring blueprint for those daring to take the entrepreneurial leap.
Founder Background
Colin's story begins at the top of Heartbreak Hill in Boston, where he grew up as the youngest of four in a spirited, athletic family. His father, an Olympic running coach, often hosted world-class Kenyan athletes at their home, giving Colin an early education in excellence, discipline, and the beauty of different cultures. Dinners at his house were competitive—not just over sports but also over ideas and knowledge, setting the stage for his lifelong love of learning.
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After attending Dartmouth and competing as a rower, a back injury forced him to pivot into sailing, where he discovered the power of communication and teamwork. Colin's professional journey started unconventionally—landing a job through Craigslist at a tiny startup in Boston. That first taste of entrepreneurship lit a fire, leading to roles at high-growth companies like Klarna and Facebook, where he sharpened his expertise in technology and product design.
But Colin's restless curiosity always pointed him toward bigger challenges. In 2019, after years of watching inefficiencies plague organizations, he and co-founder Fabian Perez set out to build a tool that would reimagine how teams communicate, collaborate, and save time.
Business Growth and Success
SuperNormal launched with one bold promise: you should never have to take meeting notes again. It started as a simple idea but quickly resonated with a growing audience, especially as remote work became the norm. Today, SuperNormal serves more than 365,000 organizations in 150 countries, providing a seamless way to capture, summarize, and organize meetings automatically.
Under Colin's leadership, SuperNormal has gone beyond note-taking to introduce "Norma," an AI assistant that joins meetings, answers questions, and even brainstorms ideas in real-time. Imagine a colleague who remembers every detail of past meetings, raises a hand to offer insights, and ensures you never miss a follow-up task. That's Norma. "We wanted to give people their time back," Colin explained, "so they can focus on meaningful work, not mundane tasks."
Unique Value or Product Offering
What makes SuperNormal special is its deeply human approach to AI. Unlike generic tools, Norma learns from an organization's specific context, adapting to individual needs and offering tailored solutions. It's more than just a meeting bot—it's a trusted teammate that lightens the load. Whether it's summarizing a quarterly review or helping a team brainstorm product names, Norma empowers users to be more productive while freeing up time for creativity and connection.
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But for Colin, the real magic lies in the why: "We're not just building tools; we're building solutions to help people spend less time stuck in front of screens and more time living."
Future Plans
Looking ahead, Colin and his team envision a future where AI doesn't just assist but actively works alongside us. The next evolution of SuperNormal will focus on task execution, enabling Norma to handle follow-ups, draft emails, schedule meetings, and even generate creative content—all automatically.
"We've spent years optimizing for time spent in apps," Colin said, referencing his earlier work at Facebook. "Now, it's about time saved. That's the real value technology should deliver."
SuperNormal's goal? To save billions of hours worldwide, one meeting at a time.
Advice to Entrepreneurs
Colin's journey from competitive Boston dinners to leading an innovative AI startup is a testament to the power of persistence and adaptability. But it's also deeply human. As a father, a runner, and a lifelong learner, Colin has built his company around a simple but profound idea: time is our most valuable resource, and we should use it wisely.
When asked what advice he'd give to aspiring entrepreneurs: "Take care of yourself. It's easy to sacrifice sleep, health, and relationships when you're building something. But you'll do your best work when you're balanced and present."
