The Two Mindsets Every Growth Team Needs
Two mindsets shaped how the best teams I've worked with solve problems: the data-driven decisiveness of the MBA and the curiosity and humility of the designer. Both are rigorous. Together, they're unstoppable. Founders building growth teams must hire for both.
Journey of a Founder: Series B to Series C—Scaling Challenges and Leadership Imperatives
Every startup that reaches Series B has proven something, but sustaining growth, scaling teams, and building durable systems is a whole new test. What changes at this stage, and how do founders evolve to meet it? In this founder/operator roundtable, we dive into the next phase of the journey: from Series B to Series C. We cover what shifts in mindset, systems, and leadership.
Event 2—Part 2: Hosted by John Gauch and Jimmy Malik.
Journey of a Founder: Series A Is a Reckoning—Operator Imperatives for Getting to Series B
The Journey of a Founder series continues. You’ve raised a Series A. You’ve got early traction and capital to grow. But now the real work begins. What does it feel like to lead a company through this phase, and what actually helps you reach Series B? In this founder/operator roundtable, we explore what happens after the early wins, from hiring and trust-building to evolving your founder role and avoiding the ops pitfalls that can sink momentum. This is the messy middle, what I sometimes call “the reckoning.”
Event 2—Part 1: Hosted by John Gauch and Jimmy Malik.
Journey of a Founder: A Startup Story
Every startup faces pivotal moments—turning an idea into a product, finding early customers, securing funding, and scaling successfully. But what challenges arise at each stage, and how do you navigate them? Check out a recording or transcript of our roundtable with two experienced founders. This is an online event where we break down the founder’s journey from Inception to Series A—exploring key milestones, common challenges, and actionable strategies to move forward.
Event 1: Hosted by: John Gauch and Jimmy Malik.
When Top Performance Becomes a Hiding Place
Top performers may be the most underutilized people on a startup team. It’s not because they lack drive, but because they’re succeeding enough to avoid change. This post explores how success can quietly become a plateau. For founders and “A Players” alike, it’s a call to rethink performance, question assumptions, and create space for growth — even when no one’s demanding it.
Deadlocked? Use “Forced Empathy” to Resolve Conflicts and Strengthen Your Startup Team
Startup environments are high-stakes. Team deadlocks can undermine progress and morale. Make the wrong decision, and that could be the end of it all. This post discusses “forced empathy,” an active perspective-taking technique to break deadlocks by encouraging team members to advocate for each other’s viewpoints, fostering trust and collaboration, and guiding teams toward sounder decisionmaking.
Why Startup Founders Need Thinker-Doers for Their Teams
Startup founders need thinker-doers—individuals who can balance analysis, idea generation and implementation. These are the talented people who thrive in fast-paced, resource-limited environments. Hiring and nurturing thinker-doers will accelerate your progress and improve the odds of your startup succeeding.
Essential Leadership Skills for 2024: What They Are and Why Every Leader Needs Them
Building a successful startup is one of the hardest challenges you can take on. Read about and develop essential leadership skills for 2024 and beyond, including self-awareness, strategic thinking, and adaptability, to improve your odds of succeeding.