When Kate Vale was appointed Google Australia’s first employee, she didn’t have an office or a mobile phone. She found herself answering her home landline to do business! 

From humble beginnings she used her HR background to quickly build a team, and grew Google Australia to record revenues and eventually to IPO. 

Ever the digital pioneer since her days managing a dot com company before the crash, Kate Vale then headed up Spotify in Australia. 

Eventually she moved to California, the epicentre of start-up and digital culture. She’s now running a venture capital fund called Aliavia that’s focussed on supporting female founders who are often overlooked for investment. 

She takes you inside the famous Google hiring process and gives her take on what it takes to thrive while leading digital companies. 

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Curveball is a production of Deadset Studios. Leaders reveal their darkest moments and share tips on how the deal with those things you just can’t see coming. 

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This was episode was produced and edited by Liam Riordan with sound design by Krissy Miltiadou. 

The executive producers are Rachel Fountain and Kellie Riordan. 

We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the land on which this show was made. 

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