ProcureTech STARS with Pauline Glikman, Co-Founder & CEO of Payflows

ProcureTech STARS with Pauline Glikman, Co-Founder & CEO of Payflows
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Pauline Glikman is the Co-Founder and CEO of Payflows. During this conversation, she discusses simplifying processes, AI integration, the importance of “prioritising ruthlessly,” and excitement versus fear! 

Payflows is a suite of standalone modules that combine seamlessly into a simple all-in-one finance platform which works as an ERP overlayer to major accounting systems including Vendor Management, Procure-to-Pay and Treasury Management. They provide finance teams with real-time, centralised, automated visibility and access to all finance data and workflows. 

 

1. What is Payflow's mission?

At the core of Payflows, we want to empower the procurement function with control over the definition of processes and their digital implementation.  

Procurement often plays a central role in orchestrating spend and vendor onboarding, but to do this effectively, they need to collaborate with various functions.

However, end users often perceive procurement as a blocker. They don’t necessarily care where the problem lies; they just want a solution. 

To address this, we give procurement the control they need by providing a simple, no-code UX that they can configure themselves, without relying on consultants. Once they define a digital policy, they can implement it, and the tool enforces that policy - not the other way around. 

We make the process easier by offering an intuitive user experience; both requesters and vendors interact with the tool simply, and are guided by AI, which helps them understand what they should do next. They have clear visibility into their progress, with simple information about where they are in the process and what comes next. 

I believe our value proposition ultimately lies in helping people innovate within their functions. We aim to enhance productivity, give them better control over risk, and help them achieve savings. To do this, we simplify the process. And for the tool to be effective, it needs to support the function in achieving these goals. 

 

2. What have been the most significant milestones in Payflows' journey so far?

One of our key milestones has been our decision to focus early on enterprise companies. These companies can be challenging to navigate for a young business because they operate on a different timescale. Often, you find yourself in a meeting with more people from their side than your entire company. 

However, a major milestone for us was winning a large retail deal focused on a critical part of the procurement process - managing both direct and indirect vendors, including ongoing vendor management and relationships. This was a significant first step towards a broader, more impactful role in the process. 

This achievement has been crucial for us because it confirmed that it's possible to work with large enterprises who are dissatisfied with the current market solutions. For them, the decision is about “build or co-build" and not “build or buy”, because the market has disappointed them.  

 

3. What do you look for in the perfect customer? 

I'll define the customer segment for us as large companies. Now, "large" can mean different things to different people, but for us, it's companies with more than 10,000 employees. At that scale, it becomes really interesting. The customer’s industry or vertical doesn't matter as much, but what does matter is that there’s enough complexity to require a tool. 

Ultimately, we're looking for companies that are experiencing real pain. If they're looking for a digital solution but are content with what they have, then it’s probably not worth pursuing because we don’t have time to waste. So, we seek out companies that have tried to solve the issue themselves - often with an internal tool they built, which typically isn’t the right solution - and are now ready to invest in a better approach. 

We also look for a champion: someone willing to take risks, innovate, and accomplish something meaningful that hasn’t been done in their organisation before. They should have a vision for how they want their company to work and align with our vision for change. 

Ultimately, it’s a people game. If you don't have those people, I always tell my team to move on. 

People need to believe in you and what you're building, and those are the ones who will champion the idea internally.

 

4. What are the foundations of a great team?

My co-founder and I have a strong vision for the team, which is a bit like an army. It all starts with values because, at the core, we want to find people who align with those values. We have five core values: First, dream team – we win together, we lose together, and we’re in the trenches together. Second, extreme ownership – we don’t hire people who need guidance, we hire people who cherish autonomy. We give them the autonomy to succeed, and they’re responsible for asking for the resources they need. Third, prioritise ruthlesslywe’re a small company with a lot to accomplish. If we don’t prioritise and if people add complexity to projects, we won’t move forward. Fourth, “put customers first– this means everything we do is with the customer in mind. Finally, “radical candor is important to us. We give each other honest, sometimes brutal, feedback because it’s a gift that drives learning. 

Once you’ve established your values and explained the kind of company you want to build, and what you value and prioritise, it’s time to find the right people. 

What I’ve learned is that the best people for this stage of a company don’t experience fear at all - they’re excited by it.

 

5. How do you incorporate GenAI/advanced technologies, and what will be your next major digital innovation? 

I think everyone is trying to figure out how to incorporate AI. We’ve just hired an AI Product Manager dedicated entirely to this. While the future is uncertain, we’ve defined three key pillars for our AI strategy. 

The first pillar is natural language documentation. No one wants to connect with a customer service agent for a simple question - they prefer a natural language interface. That’s why we’ve embedded AI-driven documentation into Payflows. Regardless of their role or level, users can ask questions within the tool and receive relevant, role-specific answers. Vendors filling out their portals can also access AI for instant assistance, significantly reducing the volume of support requests. While this is fairly standard in the industry, it’s essential to get it right. 

The second pillar is interaction with UX. End users often face too many clicks and actions when making requests, adding counterparties, or configuring permissions. We envision a future where these processes are driven by natural language. Initially, users will be able to request tasks using natural language, with the system pre-filling their requests.  

Eventually, entire workflows, permissions, and configurations will be set up through natural language interfaces. This shift could disrupt traditional consulting services, as much of the paid value today lies in complex system configurations - something AI could simplify dramatically.

The third pillar is AI-powered agents. We believe procurement teams will begin adding digital workers to their teams. We’ve already created internal names for these AI agents, which we’ll announce soon. Initially, these agents will handle routine tasks like updating vendors based on database changes or deleting companies that no longer exist. They could also follow up with vendors for expired documents - tasks that are often deprioritised 

In the beginning, these agents will work like interns - you’ll review and validate their tasks, correcting any mistakes. Over time, as trust builds, they’ll operate autonomously.

Overall, these three pillars - natural language documentation, UX interaction, and AI-powered agents - will drive our approach to AI, automating routine tasks and freeing up teams to focus on higher-value work. This is where we see technology evolving and how we’re positioning ourselves to stay ahead. 

 

6. What’s the vision for Payflows? What does great look like in three to five years’ time? 

Our mission is to reinvent how procurement functions operate. Ultimately, we believe these teams should be smaller, more agile, and focused on high-impact work. We aim to eliminate 100% of the administrative tasks that currently consume much of their time and enhance their capabilities with digital workers. It’s not just about the tool itself - it’s about building a platform that fundamentally transforms how people work, enabling them to achieve much more with fewer resources. 

I believe AI will play a crucial role in achieving that mission. Outsourcing tasks like support, training, and troubleshooting to AI will free up significant time. Automation of orchestration processes will further streamline operations.  

An AI agent that automatically schedules vendor business reviews and proactively manages contract renewals will significantly reduce the mental load and drive transformative results.

This shift will enable procurement teams to focus on more strategic roles, moving away from the heavily administrative work we see today. 

 

7. What are you doing that is good for the planet? 

I can’t share details yet, but we’re investing heavily in making sustainability measurement straightforward and efficient - not just during vendor onboarding, but throughout ongoing vendor management. 

 

INSTANT INSPIRATION 

1. What is your favourite book/blog? 

My favourite blog at the moment is Dave Kellogg’s blog about digital marketing. I also recently read a book called The Myth of the Strong Leader. It explores the common belief that being a harsh, even ruthless person is necessary to make history. 

 

2. Who is your favourite inspirational leader? 

I admire many people, though I don’t tend to personify success or innovation through individuals alone. I believe people excel in specific contexts, and I find different personalities intriguing. That said, there’s been tremendous innovation in the tech world, and we’re fortunate to have visionaries like Elon Musk and Steve Jobs driving technological progress. 

 

3. What is your favourite piece of technology? 

It’s still the iPhone. 

 

4. What is your favourite cocktail or guilty pleasure? 

Cosmo. 

 

5. What is your favourite way to celebrate success? 

Drinks! 

 

KEY TAKEAWAYS  

1. Procurement Transformation through Digital Innovation: Empowering procurement teams with no-code, user-friendly platforms enables them to define and implement processes without external consultants. 

 2. Enterprise-Scale Complexity Drives Innovation: Large enterprises face unique challenges that off-the-shelf solutions often fail to address. Collaborative "co-build or buy" models are gaining traction as businesses seek custom, scalable procurement solutions. 

 3. Customer-Centric Technology Adoption: Successful procurement technology adoption hinges on having internal champions who are willing to take risks and drive innovation within their organisations.  

 4. AI-Powered Process Automation: AI-driven solutions like natural language interfaces, automated workflows, and digital worker agents can reduce administrative burdens, streamline vendor management, and free procurement teams for more strategic tasks. 

 5. Team Building with Strong Values: Startups focused on tech and procurement success must prioritise team-building based on shared values such as ownership, customer-first thinking, ruthless prioritisation, and radical candor to maintain focus and adaptability. 

 6. Future-Proofing Through Advanced Tech Integration: Investing in AI-powered agents and natural language processing technologies can revolutionise how procurement functions by enabling proactive vendor management, real-time insights, and autonomous task execution. 

 7. Sustainability as a Strategic Imperative: Measuring and improving sustainability performance is evolving from a one-time onboarding task to an ongoing process. Continuous tracking of vendor sustainability metrics is becoming central to modern procurement strategies. 

 

About Payflows 

Payflows is a suite of standalone modules that combine seamlessly into a simple all-in-one finance platform which works as an ERP over-layer to major accounting systems including Vendor Management, Procure-to-Pay and Treasury Management.. They provide finance teams with real-time, centralised, automated visibility and access to all finance data and workflows. 

 

About ProcureTechSTARS  

ProcureTechSTARS are the digital procurement CEOs and Founders who are transforming procurement and the enterprise. In an open conversation with these leaders, Lance Younger discusses the highs and lows of building the future, the challenges they’ve faced, their perspective on the latest developments, and what motivates them.    

 

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