How Hupo Is Revolutionizing Sales Coaching in Banking and Finance

When you think about innovations in sales coaching, your mind might not immediately leap to AI technology. But that’s exactly what Justin Kim envisioned when he co-founded Hupo just over a year ago. Initially launching as Ami, a platform focused on mental wellness, the evolution of Hupo is a testament to the adaptability of entrepreneurs in our fast-paced world.

From Wellness to Performance: A Journey of Discovery

Kim’s journey started in a different arena. He’s always been a sports fanatic—basketball, football, Formula One, you name it. What drew him to these sports wasn’t just the thrill of competition; it was his fascination with human performance. He often found himself pondering what makes athletes excel under pressure. This passion for performance naturally transitioned into the professional realm as he began exploring workplace dynamics.

In an interview with TechCrunch, Kim remarked, “Across sports, there are clear patterns in how performance shows up.” This led him to dig deeper into what drives performance in the workplace, and a consistent theme emerged: mental resilience. “How people manage pressure, form habits, and ultimately change their behaviors—those are crucial factors,” Kim explained.

By 2022, he transformed this curiosity into a startup focused on elevating sales coaching specifically in banking, insurance, and finance. It was a bold move, but as Kim discovered, the crux of his earlier work still applied: performance isn’t just about motivation; it’s about consistent training and feedback.

Why Traditional Sales Coaching Isn’t Enough

Many people might wonder why traditional coaching methods often fall flat, especially in complex fields like finance. “Managers can’t sit in on every conversation,” Kim said, highlighting a significant limitation in traditional sales training. This is where the innovative solution offered by Hupo comes into play.

Picture this: you’re a new banker trying to sell insurance products, overwhelmed by the daunting regulatory landscape and steep learning curves. Traditional coaching techniques often leave people struggling. But what if you had real-time coaching that understood your conversations and provided instant feedback? Hupo’s AI can do just that.

In an industry where techniques and strategies can feel abstract and disconnected from the stark realities of daily work, Hupo’s approach is refreshingly practical. “AI that understands conversations in real-time now allows teams to receive consistent coaching,” Kim noted. This could be a game-changer in enhancing the overall performance of sales teams.

The Road to Investment: Betting on the Future

Hupo recently secured an impressive $10 million in a Series A funding round led by DST Global Partners. This milestone brings the startup’s total funding to $15 million since its establishment. Investors like Collaborative Fund and Goodwater Capital see potential in Kim’s vision, and it’s easy to understand why.

Their platform has already gained traction, serving customers across the Asia-Pacific and Europe, including finance giants like Prudential, HSBC, AXA, and many others. According to Kim, customers typically expand contracts 3 to 8 times within the first six months—a testament to the demand for scalable coaching in this notoriously difficult vertical.

Though Hupo is still finding its footing, Kim is excited about the company’s future. “We’ll be expanding into the U.S. this year,” he revealed. “Distribution-heavy financial models create a strong need for scalable coaching.”

Insights from Experience: A Background in Finance

Kim’s background is a unique blend of fintech and enterprise sales. Having started his career at Bloomberg, he sold enterprise software to banks, asset managers, and insurers. He later contributed to product development at South Korean fintech company Toss. This exposure provided him with a nuanced understanding of both the buyer and the end user, making him acutely aware of the operational challenges involved in selling financial products.

“Hupo sits at the intersection of those experiences,” Kim explained. He learned that while AI has immense potential, it needs to be tailored specifically to each industry’s realities. The platform was designed from the ground up with deep insights into banking and insurance.

Bridging the Gap: Human-Centric Coaching with AI

Kim emphasized that many AI-driven sales coaching tools begin with the technology rather than understanding the business at hand. Hupo’s unique approach allows it to overcome this pitfall. By focusing on how banks operate, the platform ensures that its coaching methodologies feel natural to the users.

“Especially with large enterprises, you have to understand their business and industry in detail,” he said, pointed out the core principle behind their design philosophy. Hupo’s AI tools are trained on real financial products, common objections, client types, and regulatory requirements, which means they’re not just chalking up theoretical gimmicks.

What Lies Ahead for Hupo

With the current investment and a vision that extends far beyond sales coaching, Hupo aims to reshape how large teams perform. Kim envisions a future where managers and employees receive clearer insights and actionable guidance—even across large organizations with thousands of employees.

His aspirations are ambitious. In five years, he wants Hupo to not just be a sales coaching tool, but a comprehensive platform to enhance performance at scale. It’s about democratizing access to quality coaching for every employee in the financial services industry.

So, what does all this mean for everyday people? The innovations from Hupo may eventually ripple out beyond banking and insurance. Imagine walking into any career and having access to on-the-spot coaching that helps you improve, just like having a coach on the field during a game.

For those of us who have ever felt overwhelmed in a job or felt that pressure to perform, Kim’s work at Hupo provides hope. It suggests that technology doesn’t have to replace human touch; instead, it can enhance it. Resilience and adaptation aren’t just desirable traits—they’re becoming essential in our increasingly complex workplaces.

In a world where pressure and performance often collide, Hupo stands out as a beacon of possibility. By focusing on real-time coaching and a human-centered approach, they’re addressing age-old challenges with modern solutions. As Hupo breaks into the U.S. market, it’s a story worth watching. The lessons learned here extend far beyond financial services; they offer a glimpse into a future where every worker can access the insights they need to thrive.