How Rappo Accelerated Sequin's Strategic Pivot to Postgres CDC

Introduction

Sequin, an innovative data synchronization company, was at a critical juncture in their business journey. Having built their initial product around bi-directional sync between CRMs and databases/SaaS platforms, they identified a strategic opportunity to pivot toward Postgres Change Data Capture (CDC). This shift represented not just a technical redirection but a fundamental business transformation that required rapid validation and expert feedback.

The Challenge: Validating a Strategic Pivot Quickly

Sequin faced a common but critical challenge for growing startups: how to efficiently validate a significant product pivot without losing momentum. The team needed to:

• Quickly assess if their new Postgres CDC focus would resonate with potential users
• Identify and validate specific use cases that would drive adoption
• Gather expert feedback on their product approach, documentation, and positioning
• Connect with Postgres champions who could provide real-world insights

Time was of the essence. In the competitive data infrastructure space, moving quickly from concept to validated direction can mean the difference between market leadership and obsolescence.

The Solution: Connecting with Postgres Champions

Sequin needed access to specific expertise that wasn’t readily available through their existing networks. They required conversations with Postgres power users and champions who could provide honest, technical feedback on their new direction.

Rappo offered exactly what Sequin needed: direct connections to relevant technical champions with deep Postgres expertise. Instead of spending months building relationships and seeking the right advisors, Rappo could facilitate these crucial conversations immediately.

Rappo quickly identified and connected Sequin with eight Postgres champions across various organizations and use cases. These experts included:

• Engineering leaders at Series B SaaS companies with 8+ years of experience
• Software engineers specializing in Postgres with hands-on experience scaling to multi-terabyte deployments
• Data team members from companies like GitLab, and Cloudflare who understood the broader data engineering landscape
• Open source contributors and Postgres experts who had explored alternative solutions

Each champion brought unique perspectives that helped Sequin refine their approach and positioning. The connections facilitated by Rappo provided invaluable insights about real-world Postgres scenarios, potential integration points, and specific use cases for their CDC solution.

The Impact: Clarity, Confidence, and Opportunity

The conversations orchestrated through Rappo delivered immediate value to Sequin’s pivot strategy. As one team member noted: “It was an eye-opening conversation in terms of understanding how the teams within their org work… We have an opportunity to get our foot in the door.”

These discussions yielded several concrete benefits:

• Validated Use Cases: Conversations helped identify promising use cases, including one where a champion (CTO of a late-stage SaaS company) “really wants us to support syncing back to Postgres (table to table).”
• Product Feedback: Champions provided direct feedback on Sequin’s approach, with one GitLab data team member offering insights beyond typical DBA perspectives.
• Market Positioning: The discussions helped Sequin refine their positioning, including understanding how it compared to alternatives like Debezium.
• Sales Opportunities: Several conversations uncovered potential customer opportunities, with one champion described as “a good fit” with “good feedback on the landing page.”
• Accelerated Learning: Instead of months of trial and error, Sequin gained clarity on their direction in just weeks through targeted expert feedback.

The Rappo-facilitated introductions allowed Sequin to rapidly gather insights from Postgres experts that would have otherwise taken months to cultivate. These connections provided both technical validation and early sales conversations that accelerated their pivot.

Conclusion: Acceleration Through Expert Connection

For Sequin, the strategic pivot to Postgres CDC represented both opportunity and risk. By partnering with Rappo to connect with relevant Postgres champions, they were able to validate their direction, refine their approach, and identify potential early adopters—all in a compressed timeframe.

The experience demonstrates how targeted expert connections can dramatically accelerate a company’s ability to validate new directions and go-to-market strategies. For companies making significant pivots, the right conversations at the right time can provide the clarity needed to move forward with confidence.

About Sequin

Sequin is a data infrastructure company focused on Postgres Change Data Capture (CDC) solutions. Their technology helps organizations efficiently manage and synchronize data across systems, enabling more powerful data workflows and integrations.