Jay Xiao on the Power of Technology and Surety Through SuretyNow

Jay Xiao has always believed in the power of technology to improve people's lives. As a millennial, Xiao witnessed life before the internet as we know it and how much easier things became after it became more accessible to everyday people. He is now the co-founder and president of SuretyNow, a company that works to help protect the public from dishonest businesses.

A Heart and Talent for Tech

After graduating high school, Xiao attended Queen's University in Canada for commerce and computer science. Though his original goal was to go into consulting and finance, he made a decision to switch fully into tech after an unfulfilling internship at an asset management firm his first summer. During this time, he was balancing the internship while working on a startup with friends, eventually leading him to leave the asset management internship behind to dedicate his time to that startup.

However, Xiao did not know how to code, so he began taking computer science classes to expand his horizons. He interned at a Toronto startup called Nuology and then parlayed that internship into full-time roles at Google, where he worked on the Google Ads and Google Stadia teams.

Making an Impact with the Biggest Names in Tech

Breaking into the tech field was difficult for Xiao, partly because he was new to the industry and didn't go to a school with a strong history of tech company recruitment. As a result, he worked to better himself in technology through education and went from zero tech experience to interning with Google within three years. At Google Stadia, he helped build Stadia's publisher analytics platform from zero to launch. He helped facilitate an analytics platform used by around 30 publishers at its peak, including Ubisoft and Electronic Arts.

Shaking Up Surety Bonds

As the driving force behind SuretyNow, Xiao's role extends far beyond the title of co-founder and president. He single-handedly built the company's website, developed the internal tooling and infrastructure, and now manages multiple teams. His strategic vision and hands-on approach have been instrumental in the company's success, making it a prime example of his entrepreneurial prowess.

At SuretyNow, Xiao says that their agents can produce two times the industry average due to the automation they've built to make them more efficient. SuretyNow serves businesses who wish to buy surety to work like other modern tools they love, all with fast and affordable customer service. With exceptional customer service and a commitment to innovation through technology, they aim to educate and deliver peace of mind with their expertise in surety.

Xiao's future goals for SuretyNow are simple: to lead and inspire others by hiring and mentoring interns. Ultimately, Xiao wants to make buying surety bonds and insurance as easy as purchasing a keychain on Amazon—a fact that can be difficult for some and challenging for others.