William “Bill” Spruill is co-founder and CEO of Raleigh’s Global Data Consortium (GDC). The Global Data Consortium enables cross-border digital transactions by providing instant identity verification of individuals and businesses though its Worldview platform. Customers include Amazon, Mercado Libre, DHL Global and Tipalti.
Bill has more than 20 years of experience in Enterprise Data Management. He started his career working with SAS Institute focused on channels. After leaving SAS he worked with a variety of companies focused on international address verification, matching and data quality. He was part of the acquisitions of AddressDoctor, Loqate, Identity Systems and Intelligent Search Technology.
Bill has had broad experience with the challenges facing high growth technology companies. His superpower is in channel management. He has built and executed more than 50 alliance deals generating more than $80MM in revenues during his career.
He is a past board member of CED, and as part of his CED volunteer work Bill has mentored over 50 companies through early and mid-stage growth challenges.
Bill is also an active angel investor. He is a member of Triangle Angel Partners, a $2.6 million early stage angel fund. Current and past companies invested in include: Magnus HealthIT, Union Metrics, Loqate, WaterPlayUSA, Windsor Circle and Offline Media. Bill has also been involved in advising a number of data management companies through strategic growth & acquisition including AddressDoctor GmbH, Intelligent Search Technology, Siperian and Delos Technology.
In his personal time, Bill enjoys traveling, reading, politics and is a HUGE Marvel Comics fan.
1. What is in your pockets?
I typically carry my passport, wallet, and my phone. I’m on an airplane probably every 12 to 14 days on average.
2. What exciting thing has happened recently for you or your organization?
Global Data Consortium is a global identity verification platform. We provide ID verification for more than 50 countries around the world through a single API. We work with companies in E-commerce, financial services, online gaming and the sharing economy. We are an organically grown company here in Raleigh.
No. 1 is every month that we exceed our sales and revenue goals. No. 2 is getting greater market recognition from out of the blue. We’ve had a number of West Coast VCs that have approached us for interesting conversations, as well as some of the technology bankers. Larger technology private equity firms also approach us, so that’s also very exciting for us.
3. What is your favorite coffee spot?
My hangout spot is the Morning Times. I got my start overall at Helios on Glenwood Avenue, but it has retreated into the history books. I now go to Morning Times at least every other day, if not every day.
4. What keeps you up at night?
I want to be one of the first African-Americans to have sold a technology company for more than $100 million. What keeps me up at night is getting an offer to purchase the company too early. We’ve got a lot of growth opportunity in front of us. We’re hitting it on all cylinders and we’re moving up the stack, and my biggest fear is someone coming in and saying, “We will buy you now,” and the number just being so good, it’s hard to not have that conversation. I have a Co-Founder, I have other employees and I’ve got to make sure I do the right thing by them in this exercise. But I don’t necessarily want to sell the business too soon.
5. What is your favorite restaurant or happy hour?
My favorite lunch go-to spot is Capital Club 16. My favorite go-to spot for a late afternoon drink, happy hour, is a toss-up between Vita Vite Downtown on Hargett Street, two blocks from my office, and Whiskey Kitchen.
6. What is next for you or your organization?
You know, for us, it’s continued blocking-and-tackling and growth. We’re working at going from 50 countries covered to 100 countries covered. And we’re adding team members at a pretty rapid clip across the business around marketing, product, and sales.
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