FounderMail 9th Edition: Startup CEO's are Not Superheroes
đ Hey there! Iâm Ilan. This is FounderMail, your monthly dose of startup insights that helps founders hire top talent, raise capital, and stay informed. Ditch the cape and lead. Ready? Letâs go!
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Unstacked Startups is building a community of tech founders, early employees, leaders, and VCs uncovering the 'secret sauce' to startup growth. We want to share the insights with you through real conversations on our podcast (subscribe on YouTube or Spotify) live events, and our newsletter FounderMail.
In This Edition:
Shower Thoughts: Donât Be A Roadblock To Your Startup
Whatâs Got Our Attention
Unstacked Podcast: Bronwyn Smith
The MVP Play with Chris Frantz, CEO & Co-Founder of Loops
Unstacked Perspectives: CEOâs are Not Superheroes
Shower Thoughts
Soak up insights from our networkâs top investors, founders and tech influencers.
âI donât know that much more than you do. You arenât born knowing how to either found a company or be a CEO. You arenât born knowing how emotional this journey can be.â - Â Brett Hurt (Bazaarvoice Co-Founder)
Youâve built it. Youâve funded it. Youâre officially a Founder/CEO! Now kindly get out of the way.
Itâs fair to say founders have a strong sense of confidence (ahem, ego..), but the very trait that helped you succeed can quickly become your achilles heel. As Tim Chen (NerdWallet) says, âItâs easy to slip into that âI know this bestâ or âI have to solve this myselfâ modeâ but at a certain point, does having a finger in every pot add value or are you just a bottleneck?
Let humility take the wheel. Hire great people early and empower them. This frees you up to do what you do best: steering the company towards its goals (and maybe finally getting some sleep!).
TL;DR: As a founder, your job depends on keeping up with the company's growth â donât let your ego get in the way.
Whatâs Got Our Attention
The latest startup news and research you canât afford to miss.
If you want to scale your startup, give away your legos (First Round Review)
What do CEOâs actually do in a day? (Harvard Business Review)
CEO coach, Mark MacLeod, discusses how to avoid leadership burnout.
Unstacked Startups Podcast Recap
Check out our favorite insights from a recent episode of the Unstacked Startups Podcast. Every episode, Unstacked host, Ilan Saks, chats with startup founders, early employees, leaders, and VCs to uncover the 'secret sauce' of startup growth.
Bronwyn Smith
Since breaking away from Bain and jumping into the tech industry, Bronwynâs bold moves have led her to some of the top startups like AirBnB and Ada.
As Chief of Staff at Influitive, Bronwyn was an extension of the CEO, Mark Oregon.
âThe idea was, Hey, CEOs are supposed to be superheroes. They're supposed to be everywhere at once. Incredibly good at every single possible thing, whether it's, you know, pitching the board, selling to customers, managing teams, setting goals, keeping folks accountable, you know, creating the vision, whatever, everything. And it's just not possible.â
Key Lessons
By having access to everything the CEO had access to, Bronwyn could understand Markâs point of view and ideas and help him to execute them and support him however he needed.
By being aware of each others strengths and weaknesses, Bronwyn and Mark were able to not only balance each other out, but capitalize on how they complemented each other.
By having complete trust in each other, Bronwyn and Mark empowered each other to do their best work.
The MVP Play
Unlocking the playbooks of startup MVPs, one question at a time.
Checking into the game? For this edition, we chatted with Chris Frantz, CEO & Co-Founder of Loops.
MOTIVATION
Why are you building Loops and whatâs the driving force behind your willingness to endure the challenges of founding a startup?Â
I am building Loops because I saw a need for an email platform specifically designed for SaaS companies.
Existing platforms for ecom and transactional emails didn't satisfy me, and I'm focused on unlocking the untapped value in this space.
VENTURE
What advice do you have for founders to ensure a good fit between them and potential VC partners?Â
Founders should prioritize alignment of values and vision.
Investors should not only provide financial support. They should share your long-term goals, and offer strategic guidance.
PEOPLE
How do you identify truly bar-raising talent?
I look for individuals who exhibit a combination of exceptional skills, a desire to improve, and a strong willingness to collaborate and learn. Â
The PLAY
Unstackedâs cheat code for early stage founders.
The expectation for a CEO to do and excel in everything is deeply flawed. We know itâs clichĂŠ, but all superheroes need a team.
Avoid a Civil War by teaming up with people who share your End Game and channel your inner Captain America. Hire exceptional talent that fills your gaps and aligns with your vision.
Or, as Chris from Loops puts it, find people with that blend of exceptional skill, willingness to collaborate, improve and learn.
Success equals collective effort, not superhero accomplishments.
Unstacked Perspectives
Unstacked host, Ilan Saks, is on a mission to basically give everyone a Harvard MBA, one lesson at a time.
Unlocking Your Startup's Potential: Why CEOs Shouldn't Be Superheroes
Are you feeling the pressure to be the perfect CEO, mastering every task from pitching to clients, managing teams, and balancing budgets? The myth of the all-powerful CEO is not just impractical; it's a recipe for burnout.
In our latest blog, "CEOs are not Superheroes," we unravel the unrealistic expectations placed on CEOs and highlight the importance of leveraging a strong, capable team. Featuring insights from StackedSP CEO, Ilan Saks, and Ex-Shopify CFO Mark MacLeod, this article shares insights into why your startup's success hinges on recognizing your limits and empowering your team.Â
How We Can Help You Grow Your Startup
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