About This Episode

In this episode, Patric Hellermann shares insights from a recent conversation with a portfolio founder about the evolving role of a startup CEO. The discussion breaks down three critical aspects of effective leadership: hiring exceptional people and organizing them exceptionally, acquiring primary information for decision-making, and making bold bets with decisive execution.

In This Episode

Patric explains how founders must learn to recognize and hire truly exceptional talent, noting that many CEOs don't actually know what excellence looks like until they've been exposed to it.

The hosts discuss the crucial practice of obtaining "primary information" directly from customers and operations without filtering, enabling CEOs to make better decisions as their companies scale.

Shub and Patric explore how organizational structure must evolve as companies grow, using InfraMarket as an example of a venture that successfully reorganized to accommodate scaling and new business directions.

The conversation delves into why making bold bets and executing them decisively is essential for company growth, highlighting examples from their portfolio companies that made unexpected pivots during challenging times.

Timestamps

(00:00) - Introduction

(01:30) - Setting up the discussion about a portfolio founder call

(02:32) - How investors work with founders and different interaction styles

(07:35) - The three key responsibilities of a CEO

(11:46) - Thermodynamics metaphor for company transformation

(14:20) - Hiring exceptional people and recognizing excellence

(21:50) - Organizing talent in exceptional ways

(25:10) - The importance of acquiring primary information

(28:56) - How CEOs can cut through filtered information

(32:48) - Making bold bets and executing them decisively

(41:55) - The rarity of CEOs who excel at all three responsibilities

Resources or Companies Mentioned

InfraMarket: https://infra.market/

Revolut: https://www.revolut.com/

Connect With Us

Practical Nerds Website: https://practicalnerds.com/

Subscribe to the Newsletter: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/practical-nerds-7180899738613882881/

Foundamental: https://www.foundamental.com/

Patric Hellermann: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aecvc/

Shub Bhattacharya: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shubhankar-bhattacharya-a1063a3/

#StartupLeadership #CEOResponsibilities #VentureCapital